Page 9 of The Token Yank

“Seriously, mate. You should think about coming with me,” Heath said, still on about that bloody jobfair.

“Why are you even going? You want to be a barrister. End ofstory.”

“There’ll be some firms there. It’ll be a good first impression.” Heathshrugged.

“Only if they have a fuckingstepladder.”

They finally reached the bar and put in their orders. Eamonn laughed to himself when the bartender handed him two Midori Sours and Heath two snakebites. He nudged his human periscope friend in the ribs. “Hey mate, how are Louisa and the Yankdoing?”

Heath easily glanced over the heads of everyone in there. Eamonn had told him that he should be a spy, until Heath reminded him that he would stickout.

“They’re talking, probably about some crap American series. Why are you socurious?”

Eamonn shook off the question, since he didn’t have an answer himself. “Noreason.”

* * *

Heath had been correct.When they returned to the table, they interrupted a conversation about the American version ofTheOffice.

“Have you ever been to Scranton?” Louisa asked. “I have to be honest. I find the Steve Carell version better than RickyGervais.”

“That’s it. You’re being deported.” Eamonn handed her and Rafe a Midori Sour. Rafe marveled at his green glowing drink. Eamonn tried to remember what he felt the first time he went to a pub. He probably just wanted to getdrunk.

“What should we drink to?” Louisaasked.

“Living in a country where we don’t have to wait until we’re twenty-one to drink?” Heathsaid.

Eamonn raised his glass and looked directly at Rafe. “To the token Yank, our newflatmate.”

Rafe blushed, and Eamonn loved how it darkened hischeeks.

“I was wondering who they’d find to fill our fourth room on such short notice,” Louisasaid.

“Short notice? Was someone else supposed to be here?” Rafeasked.

The question tugged at Eamonn’s insides. More like threw those insides to the ground like they’d taken clothes out of thedryer.

“Did you scare some other Yankaway?”

The silence at the table made this moment even more awkward. Heath’s eyes flicked over to Eamonn, but Eamonn didn’t need anyone checking up on him. Rafe covered hismouth.

“Oh no. They died, didn’t they? I am so sorry.” Rafe shook hishead.

“Nobody died,” Louisa said. “Nathan left school to shoot a film. Ow!” She looked under the table then glared at Heath. “What? I’m not even allowed to say hisname?”

“He’s directing a film?” Rafeasked.

Eamonn couldn’t talk. He just drank and listened to his beer slide down histhroat.

“He’s an actor,” she said to Rafe without talking her eyes offHeath.

“That’s so cool!” Rafe looked at Eamonn and seemed to regret hisresponse.

Eamonn chugged the last of his beer and slammed down the glass. “It’s totally cool, dude,” he said in his best American accent. It broke the tension that had gripped thetable.

“Who are you trying to sound like?” Rafeasked.

“I’m like totally an American,man.”