What Now? Chapter 1, part 2

Inside the pub the air was warm, the sort of warm that feels damp on your face. 
Tom leaned close to my ear and said something but I couldn’t hear him.
The room was chaotic, drunken men falling over bar stools and women shouting each other from across the room.  We stood huddled together in the door way. I scanned the room for Coach Stevens but I couldn’t see him.
“WHAT?” I shouted in Tom’s ear.
Tom leaned closer. “I SAID, CAN YOU SEE HIM ANYWHERE?“
I shook my head “NO”
A crowed of people erupted through the doorway, roaring with drunken laughter causing us to shuffle further into the sweaty crowd.
I turned to the guys. “C’MON” I shouted, my throat beginning to sting “HE’S BOUND TO BE ‘ROUND HERE SOMWHERE.”
I was about to turn and attempt to push my way through the masses of bodies at the bar, but before I could a sudden jolt from behind sent me flying face first to the floor.
“Sorry mate!” I heard a deep voice slur. I turned over on my side and looked up to see a large man drunkenly swaying in front of me. He tried to put his hand out to help me from the floor but stumbled backwards, crashing into a group of men who cheered and applauded his drunkenness before shoving him away.
I put my hand to the floor to help myself up and got it covered in something sticky. I pulled a disgusted look and scrambled to my feet. The four of us attempted to steady ourselves as we became sandwiched between the burping, slurring and spitting locals who regularly graced Ferdelly’s pub.

Slowly, we stumbled and shoved our way through the drunken locals, away from the bar where it was slightly quieter and less crowded.
“Finally” I said, feeling relieved “I can hear myself think”
“Hey, don’t you guys recognize that guy?” asked Harry, referring to the inebriated man who had knocked me over. 
“Should we?” asked Darren.
“He does look sort of familiar” said Tom, stretching his neck to gain a better view over the crowds.
“It was Brad.” said Harry, expecting to see some sort of realization in our faces.
We stared blankly at him.
Darren screwed up his face. “Who the hell is Brad?”
Harry rolled his eyes. “Brad’s a Ram.”
We quickly turned our attention to the bar again and watched as Brad took out his I.D and ordered another pint.
“Don’t you recognize him?” Harry continued enthusiastically shaking Tom’s arm “That’s the guy who messed up George’s face today”
“I knew it!” I shouted, slapping Harry on the shoulder. “I knew they weren’t high school students!”
Tom gasped. “Rob you were right, they’re super humans!”
“...University students” I muttered in his ear.
“They’re university students!” he gasped again.
Darren nudged Tom. “I thought you said they wouldn’t ask for I.D?”
“Yeah” said Harry. “What are going to do about coach now?”
Mine and Tom’s smiles quickly faded and Tom looked questioningly at me. Once again, all eyes were on me, urging me to think of another plan.
I sighed.  The room was beginning to get warmer and the air was getting thicker. My eyes fell once again on Brad, who was now exchanging intoxicated slurs with another equally drunken man at the bar.
“I knew this was a mistake.” Darren said frustratingly. “Let’s just face it, this time tomorrow Brad and the rest of the rejects from The Planet of the Apes will be grinded our bones to make their beers extra frothy.”
“Don’t be such a defeatist Darren, Rob will come up with a plan, won’t you?” said Tom, punching me in the arm.
The guys looked hopefully at me and I smiled back thinly, rubbing my arm where Tom had punched it. I tried to search my mind for a half way decent plan but every drunken laugh and every smashed glass stopped me from concentrating.
When it became apparent that I was fresh out of ideas Harry sighed frustratingly “I knew I should have asked Danny for his fake I.D.” I heard him mutter faintly.
Then it clicked.
 “Yes! The I.D!” I shouted.
“I can’t get it now” moaned Harry. “Danny left for London an hour ago and he locks his room when he’s away.”
“I don’t mean Danny’s I.D” I said. “I mean Brad’s.”
I began to continue with my plan but the guys’ attentions had been caught by a group of women who had just entered the pub.
“Woah, check out the melons on that chick!” Tom blurted out.
“That’s my sister!” yelled Harry, punching Tom as hard as he could in the arm.
Tom chucked, rubbing his arm where Tom and had hit it “She’s very beautiful Harry” he snorted.
Harry gave Tom another whack.
“Harry, if that’s your sister, shouldn’t we get out of sight so she doesn’t see us?”

Pushing our way again through the hoards of people we made our way to an empty booth.
“Okay, the plan...” I continued as we sat down. “If we can get Brad’s I.D we can show the headmaster and prove that the Rams are too old to play against us.”
“Wicked!” said Tom.
“Nice plan, Rob.” agreed Darren.
“So what now, we look for Brad?” asked Harry.
“Yeah, we’ll split into two’s. You go with Darren and Tom will go with me.” I explained.
“What if we find Brad before you do?” asked Darren. “How will we contact you?”
My eyes searched around the room for a clock.
“There’s a clock above the bar” I pointed. “It’s almost half 8. We’ll meet back here at 9, everyone in agreement?”
The guys nodded.
“Okay then” said Harry. “See you guys in half an hour, good luck.”
“Good luck” Tom and I nodded.
We watched as Darren and Harry disappeared back into the masses of Ferdelly’s drunk and disorderly.
“Where shall we look first?” asked Tom.
I motioned towards the back of the pub where open double doors led out onto a wooden decking. “We’ll look outside first”