What a year! Abi Branning contemplated as she made the final touches of her look. A black short sleeved jump suit was hugging her figure which had a zip going down at the front with silver diamonds. She was wearing big silver dangly earrings and her blonde hair was beautifully curled and fell down her shoulders neatly. Abi's eye makeup was on point which consisted of a slightly dark eye shadow with eyeliner and mascara and was finished with a red lipstick on her lips. On her feet, she was wearing black ankle boots which had a snakeskin pattern.
Tonight, she was going out with the girls. She was due to meet them in the Albert in ten minutes before they went up west. She hadn't been out with the girls in a while and she decided that she was going to enjoy herself. Ben was eager to the idea of Abi going out, which made Abi happy as Ben wanted her to go out and enjoy herself, even if it wasn't with him.
She looked back at the past year and did not know how she got to where she was now. Well, she had an idea. She should have known this a long time ago- she should have known that Jay had always had a thing for Lola. After nearly four years of being together and believing that there was no one else out there that would compare to one another, Jay broke it off with Abi. It was funny because not so long ago he was so willing to move to Bolton with her, to start a new life together. He was willing to give up everything just so they could be together. They were going to leave Walford for their new life after Phil and Sharon's wedding but that was when everything had changed.
Ben had made Abi open her eyes.
"He's on the phone to her right now," Ben's voice from October 2014 rung in her ears. "Jay's in love with Lola."
Abi was stubborn when Ben told her, but really he was just looking out for her in his own way. Ben hadn't even been back long and he could tell how Jay felt for Lola. Even Aunt Sal had mistaken Lola as Jay's girlfriend at the registry office. That had torn Abi apart and Jay wasn't much comfort, he just shrugged it off.
Ben did give Abi the shove that she needed. It had got her to confront her fears and face Jay, approach him with this query. It hurt like hell but she got the truth in the end. He did like Lola and he didn't want to move to Bolton with her.
"It feels like a waiting room," Jay confessed to Abi.
Then, in an instant, it was over. Everything they had worked for had crumbled to the ground.
She was devastated. Jay was her childhood sweetheart but she guessed that things weren't meant to be, so she didn't make an effort of trying to get back with him like they normally did. She knew there was no hope.
Ben was Abi's comfort and now she had been in a relationship with him for over a year. She couldn't be happier.
"Me and Jay were nothing," Abi always said when she defended their relationship. "Me and Ben are the real thing!"
She was living with Ben now and she was certain that they had a future. Even Phil had said that. Phil had been like a father to her. She was sure that one day, she was going to become Mrs Ben Mitchell and have his babies and live happily ever after. This is what she wanted for herself. Things were finally looking up. She was even a receptionist at the local Vetinary centre and they have now put her on a training course to become a vet. Within a couple of years, she would be a qualified vet. She didn't have to go to university after all. All she needed was standing right in front of her.
Then there was Jay. When Abi first moved in, her and Jay were constantly bickering but they were on better terms now. They started to become civil but they appeared to be friends now instead of house mates. She wouldn't get close to him again, well not too close. She was with Ben now and that was the way she wanted it to stay. Her and Jay had had their story and now it was time for the biggest story of them all- the story that should have been written years ago, right from when they were little.
It was the beginning of December and the square was already getting into the Christmas spirit. Mick and Linda Carter hosted the turning on of the Christmas lights and that was a wonderful evening. Ben never left her side and held her close to him. She never stopped getting fireworks when she was around Ben, she felt like a love sick teenager all over again whenever she was around him. She was certain that this Christmas was going to the best.
Abi let out a happy sigh as she smiled to herself whilst putting on her leather jacket with faux fur around the collar and grabbing her black clutch bag. She made her way downstairs and found Ben sitting in the living room, his eyes turning into squares as he stared at the television.
"Your eyes will get worse if you keep staring at that telly," Abi teased, giving a small smile.
Ben gave her a weird facial expression as he looked up at her, "How can my eyes get worse- I'm already wearing glasses!"
"I'm only joking babe, calm down," Abi rolled her eyes, giggling. She rested her hands on her hips and gave her lover a seductive look. "So, what do you think?"
"What do you mean?" Ben asked, oblivious, until Abi raised her eyebrow at him. His eyes suddenly wandered down her body, though it didn't really seem to interest him. "Oh you look great love- you scrub up well!"
"Honestly," Abi sighed. She perched herself down on the sofa beside Ben as she rested her hand on his knee. "So what are you up to tonight?"
"Just watching the telly," Ben indicated the TV with his eyes.
"Oh," Abi frowned. "I could always stay in with you if you want," she suddenly suggested, with willingness draining through her dialogue.
"No, you go out with the girls and enjoy yourself babe," Ben responded softly, swiping a gentle kiss on his girlfriend's cheek. Abi smiled timidly as butterflies awakened in her stomach. She really felt in love with Ben Mitchell- there was no other love like it.
"Alright," Abi smiled. "Well, I better get going. I shouldn't be back too late." Abi kissed Ben on the lips before she stood up. "I'll see you later okay? I love you."
"Yeah, love you too," Ben replied sounding shifty as he moved his head across Abi's body to try and see the telly as Abi happened to be standing in front of it. Though, Abi didn't seem to notice- she just smiled and walked into the kitchen to find Jay who was looking at his phone.
"Oh alright Abs," Jay's eyes moved up from his phone. "Where are you going all scrubbed up?"
"Oh I'm just going out with Bernadette, Sophie and Chloe," Abi smiled politely. "Are you going out as well? I only smell that aftershave of yours whenever you're going out." Abi asked awkwardly, suddenly realising what she was saying. She forgot how nice Jay's aftershave was and felt the back of her neck heat up a bit as she started to get flustered. Yes, that was very awkward indeed.
Jay chuckled, "Yeah I am going out as it goes. I'm meeting up with the boys, having a few drinks in the Vic."
"Oh, that should be nice," Abi dragged out her sentence, trying her hardest to forget the previous comment.
Jay smiled softly at Abi, "Tell you what, let's go out and get a quick drink. I'm not meeting up with them for another half an hour."
At that moment, Abi felt relieved that she had to meet the girls round about now as she wouldn't have been able to think of an excuse. She couldn't go out for a drink with Jay. They were just friends, who she went out occasionally with Ben and who she shared a house with. That was all and that was all would ever be to it.
"Erm, I'm really sorry but I can't as I have to meet up with the girls in the Albert now," Abi laughed nervously, running her hand through her hair. "I'll see you later though, yeah?" She flashed him a smile.
"Yeah, course," Jay gave Abi a swift smile.
"See ya," Abi grinned. She heard Jay murmur "See ya" as she walked out of the house. She let out a breath which she felt like she had been holding in for a lifetime.
Bernadette, Chloe and Sophie howled with laughter as Abi told them about her awkward moment with Jay. They were sitting round a small table in the Albert. Two other groups of people were sitting round different tables so the bar was quite lively.
"Smelling his aftershave Abi," Bernadette sniggered. "All the things you could have said Abs, you mentioned his aftershave!"
"It was the first thing that came into my head," Abi rolled her eyes awkwardly as she took a sip of her Pina Colada. "What was I supposed to say to him? He was standing there in the kitchen and noticed me. I didn't know what to say!"
The girls gave out a small chuckle.
"So how are things going with you and Ben?" Sophie asked, intrigued as she nibbled on her plastic cocktail stirrer.
"Yeah, we're fine," Abi smiled timidly. "Things are great between us."
"Alright Abi…"
The girls turned their heads to find Kathy Beale standing behind them. Her blonde grey hair fell to her shoulders and her face looked dull. She was wearing a beige coat that went down to her thighs with a black handbag swung over her shoulder.
"Oh hi Kathy," Abi smiled politely, "Never thought I'd see you in here!"
"Yeah well I've come to talk to Sharon," Kathy replied, indicating Sharon who was staring at them from behind the bar. "Anyway as you're here without Ben, I thought we could have a chat?"
"Isn't it a bit too late to be giving your son's girlfriends the 'warning' as you've been dead for the past 10 years?" Bernadette retorted, smirking cockily with her eyebrow arched.
"Bernadette," Abi growled, her brown eyes expanding like discs at her friends in disbelief. Bernadette looked away innocently to find Chloe and Sophie shaking her head at her slowly- even they knew she could be out of order at times.
Abi sighed in frustration as she turned back to Kathy. She rose from her seat and walked over to the woman, "Sorry about Bernadette, she does like to put her foot in it at times!"
"It's alright Abs," Kathy smiled genuinely at the girl. "Let's face it- I'm bound to get those sorts of comments thrown at me for a long time."
Abi smiled sympathetically at Kathy- none of this was her fault. Well that's what Ben wants her to believe, so Abi had decided to take his word for it. "Anyway, what is it that you wanted?"
"Like your friend said, I haven't been in Ben's life for 10 years and I know Sharon and Phil probably won't help me, but I was wondering if you know what Ben likes?" Kathy wondered, biting down on her bottom lip awkwardly.
"Erm, well he likes Justin Bieber," Abi grinned. "He would probably like his new album!"
"Okay thanks Abi," Kathy smiled gratefully. "By the way, did Ben tell you that Ian's having a family dinner tomorrow round his and you're welcome to come along- will you be joining us?"
"No, this is the first I've heard of it," Abi frowned.
"Oh right," Kathy frowned. "Well maybe he forgot- you know what boys can be like!"
"Yeah," Abi gave a nervous giggle.
"Anyway, I'll let you get back to your friends," Kathy smiled. "Enjoy your evening!"
"You too," Abi gave a small smile before walking back over to her table, debating why Ben never told her about this family dinner. I mean, they have been together for just over a year and to her, this was a pretty big deal. It was a family dinner which Ben was invited too, surely she had to tag along too as they're partners. Maybe, Ben didn't want her there. She shook that theory away from her thoughts immediately. Perhaps, he just wanted to spend time with his family- long lost family time that he had missed.
"Everything alright hun?" Chloe dragged Abi away from her thoughts as she looked at her friend with concern.
"Yeah, fine," Abi smiled timidly.
"What did the ghost want?" Bernadette smirked.
"Bernadette," Abi glared.
"What?" Bernadette gaped, "It's practically true! She's been classed as dead for the past ten years and then just swans back into Ben's life like nothing has happened and goes back to living her life normally! I mean, who does that?"
"Just leave it Bernadette, it has nothing to do with you," Sophie spat.
Abi let out a heavy sigh but it wasn't heard due to the atmosphere of the bar, "Tell you what, why don't we get the bill and head up West?" Abi suggested, grinning. "Have a change of scene!"
"Yeah why not," Sophie grinned.
"I'll get the bill," Abi said before going over to the bar.
"You alright Abi love," Sharon smiled.
"Yeah, can we have the bill please?" asked Abi, politely.
"Of course you can," Sharon went towards the till and started pressing a few buttons. "Are you and the girls going anywhere fancy?"
"Oh we're just going up West," Abi said casually.
"Oh that's nice, I wish I was young again," Sharon grinned. "I will leave the door open for you. Don't wake up anyone when you get in, even though Phil won't be back till late, Jay's going out, and I don't close until 1 and Denny's at a sleepover."
Abi giggled, "Thanks Sharon, I shouldn't be back too late." She took the bill off of Sharon and paid her the money. "I'll see you later…"
"See you later," Sharon giggled as she watched Abi walk back over to her friends before evacuating the Albert.
It must have gone half 10 when Abi stumbled out of the tube station. The night is still young, she pouted as she ran her hand through her slightly backcombed hair. She was pretty tipsy when she treaded carefully across the pavement- she wasn't one who could handle her alcohol very well!
None of the girls had intended for the evening to end this early, however, when Bernadette drunkenly started to have a dig at Abi's love life and her family life, Abi threw herself at her and they started to have some sort of cat fight in the middle of the club. Chloe and Sophie blamed Bernadette, they knew that she started it and the same went for anyone who had witnessed the break out. Unfortunately, Chloe and Sophie decided to call it a night to prevent things from getting worse. However, even in her drunken state, Abi was adamant that she was not going to apologise to Bernadette. Bernadette caused the entire feud and ruined the evening. To be fair, Bernadette never could help but have a dig at anyone and not just at Abi. Miss Queen Bee…
Abi walked through the market. She sighed sadly. All she wanted was to go home to Ben and snuggle up with him. Ben had always meant the world to her and she would move the sun and stars for him. She loved him with all of her heart. She wished that she could tell him that every day but she knew that he would just tell her to stop being silly.
Abi crept through the gates of the Mitchell household and gazed up at the view in front of her. She smiled widely. The love of her life was inside that house and she was itching to return to him. She missed him, despite the fact that she lived with the guy, but she missed him.
Abi slowly opened the door and quietly closed it behind her encase Ben was sleeping upstairs, in their bed. She suddenly heard echoing voices coming from the living room. Abi cocked her head to one side as she listened in.
"I can't believe you Ben," she heard Jay's condescending voice.
"Please, you can't tell Abi," she heard Ben plead. "She can never find out!"
Abi laughed to herself whilst shaking her head. He must have been playing Fallout 4- that game I don't like him playing as there's too many guns! Her subconscious considered as she bit down on her bottom lip and stroked her chin with the use of her index finger.
She found it cute how Ben was panicking encase she found out. Boys will be boys. She had a feeling that Jay was messing around with Ben- he tended to put on serious tones of voices when he was messing around.
Abi let out a happy sigh as she opened the living room door wide open, "I'm home!" She exclaimed, merrily.
Her eyes diverted to the scene and she swallowed down a gulp before her facial expression widened, with her jaw dropped and her chocolate brown pools almost flooding.
Abi was faced with a traumatic scene. Ben and Paul were standing in front of the sofa. Ben was topless with his feet bare and his jeans undone. His t-shirt, trainers and socks were on the floor along with Paul's, whose jeans, t-shirt, jacket, socks and trainers were on the floor. Paul was just standing there in his boxers, just watching the scene unfold. Then there was Jay, he was standing by the dining room table, running his hands down his face in disbelief.
Abi could feel her heart pounding hard against her chest that she felt like it was going to literally jump out and shatter onto the floor.