Rae abruptly woke up from the tapping of round like pebble ricocheting off of her bedroom window, sliding on her rainbow pink dressing gown and rabbit slippers she scurries over to the window only to find Chop worryingly staring up at to her.
"What the hell are you doing here? " Rae whispered desperately trying not to wake her mum and Karim up.
"It's 3am for god sake! Go home." Until the realisation suck in that something was seriously wrong.
"Chop? Are you crying?" she said with a panicking yet consoling voice.
After a minute or so Chop mumbled "I really need to talk to you it's about the gang" whilst fighting for breath
Rae smiled with a comforting glow; but she knew something wasn't quite right, she had never seen Chop cry before; she knew this wouldn't be any ordinary visit. Without another word she silently slipped her Oasis t-shirt on and some old sweatpants, not forgetting her dressing gown which always seemed to remind her of her dad for some reason.
As she leant forward to open the door to the house, she envisioned Finn lying dead somewhere in Leeds or Chloe tied up at that fellas house she had been sleeping with. As panic and fear rushed to her body she eagerly opened the door to find out what caused Chop to be at her house in the early hours of the morning crying.
"What's going on? What's happened?" Rae quietly said trying to hide her fear from Chop whilst handing him a cup of peppermint tea.
as he went further and further in to the story, the more it seemed to be a nightmare, the kind that always made you feel that over whelming and comforting relief as you wake up to find that it was just a dream, but she soon realised that any nightmare and any feeling was better than the reality she was living.
As days went by without a word from Chloe, as the gang fell apart bit by bit, as her mum was replacing her and as she had been down this road before she came to question "is it worth it? Is it worth hurting the people I most care about? As she turned round to Archie who was staring at her edging her to knock on Finns flat.
"I can't do it, I can't hurt him. Not again!" Rae said as she started to shake with panic.
Archie stepped out to comfort her with a hug, saying "where did this come from, your one of the bravest person I know. Just go over and speak to him; it will all be fine. Uncle Arch is all ways here for you when you need it"
"But" Rae began when the sound of a door opening coming from right behind interrupted her.
"Rae? What are you doing her?" Finn called, she instantly knew it was him, she knew without a doubt in her mind that it was Finn…
She swung around to see Finn standing where the door had rested just seconds ago.
"Hiya" she said a bit too eagerly,
"What are you doing here?" Finn repeated this time only angrier.
"I-I... ummm came to see you!" She mumbled with a slight chuckle.
"Yeah I got that part, but why? Why didn't you call? Has something happened?" Finn said worryingly stepping slightly closer to her.
"No, its fine, don't worry" She began whilst slowly turning around only to be pulled back by Finn.
"Why are you here?" Finn shouted now starting to lose patience
"I needed to tell you that …. I …." She swung around to face Archie "I can't do this… I can't tell him Archie I just can't" she sobbed
Finn acted worried now, "Tell me what?" but before she had a chance to speak he pulled her close pressing his lips upon hers. She loved it when he caught her off guard like that, she loved the feel of his lips on hers, and she loved the way he would look at her before kissing her but most of all she loved him.
She pulled away placing her forehead on his, both smiling, they went inside to talk and it was all fine until he mentioned that dreaded night, the night of the break up.
Rae started out saying "I just couldn't …. You know" "I couldn't get undressed in front of you I mean look at them" she said starting to raise her voice now "They were all so tiny I couldn't compete for that and I had to stop it before I got my heart broken when you ending things for not putting out"
"You broke up with me for that? For god sakes Rae how many times do I have to tell you? You gorgeous and I only tried because I thought you wanted me to!"
He said whilst cupping her face leaning in kissing her softly, before jumping back remembering that Archie was with them.
Finn turned around now looking at Archie "Y'alright mate?" he asked before giving out a little chuckle… "Fancy moving all this back to Lincolnshire? He said gesturing to the small disgusting sofa which had looked like it had been living in the garden for the past 10 years and a small suitcase he had brought with him which had a photo of him and Rae together taped to the inside.
Archie gave out a small laugh before typically pushing his glasses back with his thumb.
Rae turned to Finn questioning his decision to move back to Lincolnshire with them
until he replied with "You're not getting rid of me that easily."
He pulled her close, giving her the feeling that she was floating in space before whispering in her ear… "I love you" He cupped her face kissing her like there was no tomorrow.
As they pulled away from the drive way Rae shoved her hand in her pocket and pulled out a 20p coin and handed in to Finn….. He turned to her in confusion asking "What's this for?"
After a small chuckle "Well I owe you a song don't I? Remember? The night after we met!"
He interrupted her abruptly with a kiss... pulling away "Of course I remember!" he said with a soft smile, burying her head in his shoulders with is arms around her.
"It feels like cherry cola, and tingles like kisses on my neck…. I think it's called happiness"
