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water out the window. I see it kinda in slow motion, shining against the streetlights like melted gold. It just misses me and Laetitia. It splashes onto the cobbles and spatters onto our shoes and the bottoms of our jeans.
    Fucking bastard! Julian shouts. But we all start walking again. Faster this time. And Julian and Danny have stopped singin.
    The big heavy outside door of the B&B is still open, but there’s only one wee light on in the reception bit, so we talk quieter. I didny know Laetitia was stayin here as well.
    Where’s your room? she asks.
    Third floor, Danny says.
    I’m on the second.
    Come on up to ours, Danny says. There’s nay weed, but at least we can finish the wine.
    What wine? Laetitia and me says at the exact same time.
    This wine! And he pulls a full carafe out fae under his jacket like he’s doin a magic trick. It’s got a couple a red napkins stuffed in the neck so’s it willny spill.
    You clever old thing, Laetitia says.
    A man of many talents, Julian says.
    Swiped it off the French table, Danny says. It would just a went to waste otherwise. So what d’you say… your place or mine?
    Well, you’ve got the double room… lead the way.
    Yes, lead on Macduff.
    It’s ‘lay on’, Julian, Danny says.
    Well, rap my knuckles! Never could get to grips with the Scottish play. Not one of the Bard’s best, if you ask me.
    The stair’s getting darker and narrower. Laetitia’s in front. She presses a sorta round button on the wall and a light comes on.
    You’ve got an answer for everything, ya know-all cunt.
    Boys, boys! Laetitia says. Let peace break out, for goodness’ sake. Make love, not war.
    Is that an offer? Danny says. He’s got the key in the door now but he’s stopped and he’s turned to Laetitia. It’s funny but, when I’m lookin at him lookin at Laetitia, it’s like he’s no my brother. He’s quite handsome. My pals at school say that: Your brother’s gorgeous. And I laugh, cause… well, he’s my brother. Now he’s lookin at Laetitia as if there’s naybody else there. He’s got my ma’s green eyes with like dead long dark lashes. My ma used to say, It’s no fair, they lashes are wasted on a boy. But she was always smilin when she said it.
    The stairlight clicks off. Come on, let us in for Christsake! I’m dying for a smoke, Laetitia says. You can just see her face kinda whitish in the dark.
    Danny opens the door. Welcome to the humble Kilkenny abode, he says, and we all pile in. The room looks dead neat and white except for my bed. The duvet’s crumpled and my book and my big red T-shirt for sleepin in are lyin on it.
    OK, let’s see what we’ve got for drinkin outay, Danny says, and he goes into the bathroom. Two here. He comes out with the toothbrush glasses from the metal circles above the sink. What else?
    There’s this, I says, and I pick up my empty Diet Coke can.
    Great, and one ay us can drink out the bottle. What d’you say, Clare, shall we give the best crystal to our guests? He sounds just like Julian. I look round at Julian but he’s went dead quiet. He’s sitting on Danny’s bed wae a face like fizz. His dreads are spread out over his shoulders and he’s no even took off his jacket yet.
    Danny pours some wine into one of the toothbrush glasses and hands it to Laetitia. She’s sittin on my bed on top a her jacket with her bag on her knee, rollin a fag. She takes the wine off Danny and sets it on the wee table beside the bed.
    Roll one for me, will you? Julian says.
    Roll your own, Laetitia says, and clicks her lighter. A yellow flame comes up from the end a the wee thin roll-up, then settles down. She leans back on her elbows on the bed with her fag in her mouth.
    Here, Danny says, and he pours wine into the other toothbrush glass and hands it to Julian. Get that down you. Then he takes the Coke can off us and sits