The rain poured thunderously onto the cobbles of Coronation Street. The street was empty misty and cold, only the murmur of what seemed like music coming fromthe top of the street could be heard. Out from the shadows beamed two lights, they grew brighter, as a cab pulled onto the street, slowly crawling up the curb and finally stopping outside the rovers return. A minute or two had passed until the door finally opened, out stepped a tall beautiful woman, her long blonde hair swayed as she moved to say her goodbyes to the driver. The woman grasped her bag, and took a deep breath, she took a long lasting look at the street before her, she was about to step into the pub when a slight noise could be heard followed by a louder musical sound, her phone was ringing. She picked up the phone and in her southern accent replied to the caller, "I'm outside the rovers...no...don't worry it's going to be fine...look I'm going in, I'll be home later…no I won't say anything...I promise...alright bye," she placed her phone back into her long baize pocket and proceeded into the pub.

The Stanger from the cab walked into the pub and was a taken aback by how empty it was, It's only ten o'clock she thought surely the pub wouldn't be doing this bad. There was two women behind the bar arguing over some clothes one had purchased earlier that day, one was older with short blonde hair, wearing office clothes and the other was a little taller but quiet clearly younger and more glamorous. Their argument was highly entertaining but came to a sudden stop when they realized they're conversation was being listened to. "can I help you?"
"just a red wine please"
The older woman went and collected the wine, as the other made her way to the door, " we'll talk about this later... that's three ten please" The younger woman left the pub after rolling her eyes with a slight smirk and a nod of the head.
"don't usually see you in here, new to the area?"
"yeah just moved"
"oh well I'm Stella by the way"
"Courtney, Courtney Darles… not very busy tonight is it"
The older woman gave of a slight chuckle "no, no it isn't, everyone's probably preparing themselves or tomorrow"
"tomorrow?"
"oh yeah there's an engagement party for two of the locals"
The two women began to engage in gossip about the locals, who's who, and who lives where, they were in the mid of conversation when a tall brunette burst into the pub, storming straight up to the bar and interrupted their conversation.
"Stella, Is it true you haven't got any food for tomorrow? Well…."
"Sophie…" at the sound of the girl's name Courtney began staring intently at the brunette, Sophie caught the woman staring at her in the corner of her eye, in no way was she in the mood for a nosey stranger staring at her in the mood for an argument Sophie turned to face the Stanger and began staring back. "What's your problem?" Sophie enquired rather abruptly.
Courtney gave of a small sarcastic laugh, and replied with "nothing love"
"don't love me, who the hell are you?"
"Sophie I'd calm down if I was you, there's no need for any of this, the food will be sorted there was just a mix up" Stella trying to interrupt the girls patiently responded but it didn't stop the girls staring sharply at each other. "look Sophie everything will be dealt with"
With that Sophie took one look at Stella and marched towards the door, she was nearly out of the pub before she was halted by the sound of Courtney's voice.
"Enjoy tomorrow, I'm sure it will be eventful"
"what's that supposed to mean?" Sophie replied promptly
"nothing, just engagements they always are full of drama…" Sophie glared at the girl sitting by the bar "well I'm off Stella thanks for the chat was nice to know who I'm living by" Courtney rose from her seat, and swaggered towards Sophie gave her a slight smirk before leaving the pub. Sophie gazed in amazement at Stella "who was that?"

The next day had arrived, Courtney awoke in her new bed, she stared at the ceiling before turning to her side and caught the sight of a note on the counter, she got up brushing her hand over her face, she stumbled to the counter, picking up the note which read:

Gone to get food, cya later x
P.s Don't forget to do the washing up, it's your turn ;)

Courtney sniggered, 'cheeky cow' she replied under her breath, looking over to mess that was before her in the sink, she smiled shaking her head.

Elsewhere Sophie was getting ready for her engagement party, she was franticly rushing around trying to get everything prepared at the rovers, Stella was hanging banners, and string, while a small, grey grumpy man was trying to untie some ribbon, and a small boy, was blowing up balloons, the little boy was blowing up a green balloon when he accidently let go, the balloon flew through the room making a rather rude noise to the younger boy and the older man's delight.
"Jack we haven't got time for messing around" At the sound of frustration in his older sister's voice Jack dropped back down to his chair like he had shrunk so small that the chair was swallowing him up or at least that was what he was hoping.
"alright Soph don't take it out on your brother" The older man shouted back.
"sorry dad I'm just stressed, sorry jack." The little boy didn't take much notice and still stuck to his chair began blowing more balloons up making sure not to let go, however much he wanted to, even just to annoy his sister. Sophie looked on as everyone was working hard, even her little brother but suddenly let out a large sigh and dropped to the corner of one of the pubs booths. Alerted at this the older man dropped the ribbons and moved towards her.
"soph what's wrong"
Sophie looked up, to see her dad standing over her, she peered over to Stella who was still balancing on a ladder trying to in line a banner, and her little brother who was now playing with the balloons and ribbon. Today was Sophie's engagement party, later that day she was going to proclaim her love to her fiancée, and celebrate the fact not only is she going to marry the love of her life, but the fact her family are now back together and living happily for the first time since that faithful day of the tram crash that destroyed the street she grew up on, at that moment of thought her mind drifted back to how her life was before everything, and how much she had grown up in the last 10 years, she was now 20, and her life was running through her mind, all her mistakes, all her broken promises and lies, her past relationships, and suddenly her head became lightheaded, in the blur of her eyes she could make out her dad talking to her, but she wasn't listening her mind was elsewhere. Today should be one of the happiest days of her life, but Sophie couldn't ignore the fact that she was sad.