Jen was relieved to be back home in Chester, away from the judging eyes. She was probably totally over reacting, but she felt happier being back in her little flat, surrounded by her paintings.

Jen had converted the bedroom into a studio and was sleeping on the sofa like she was a student again.
Tina had provided Jen with a small payment upfront for materials, which had almost all gone. Jen had been surviving on toast for the past week, but had splashed out last night on a bottle of Riesling wine in an attempt to clam her nerves ahead of the return visit to Hollyoaks. Jen flipped off her shoes, poured the remaining wine into a large glass and plopped down on the sofa.

Reaching down into her satchel she pulled out her laptop and spent a few minutes looking at the paintings she was working on for Tina. She only had a week to finish them in time for the grand opening, so she knew she didn't have time to be sitting down reminiscing, but she couldn't help it. Jen moved the mouse to her desktop and clicked open a folder called TP (the past). In it were just four photos. Four photos of her and Tilly. All she had left to remember their time together. Jen looked at the image of Tilly on the screen and ran her finger over the outline of her lips. Those incredibly sensual and voluptuous lips that Jen remembered drawing outside the hospital that time. Those amazing lips that Jen had dreamt about kissing so many times as she lay in her bunk bed in her cell, listening to her cell mate Tracey snore below her. Those lips, that would be suggestively bitten by Tilly as Jen stood at the front of the art room, trying her best to concentrate on the subject matter she was teaching. Those amazing lips, which Jen now imagined sucking her erect nipple.

"FUCK!" Jen snapped the laptop shut and closed her eyes. She needed to get back to her work. She needed to make sure she delivered the best paintings she had ever done. She wanted so much to repay Tina's faith in her. She owed Tina so much.

Jen put down the wine glass and walked into her makeshift studio and changed into her painting clothes which consisted of a vest top, ripped old jeans and an oversized shirt. Picking up her paintbrush, Jen walked over to the large canvas painting which was at least 5ft tall. The whole of the canvas was filled with a mixture of pinks and reds. The kind of pinks and reds you found in a pair of lips. Jen stood back and looked at the image in front of her. The image of Tilly's lips.

Esther was still in shock. Fuck fuck fuck. Her mind was racing nearly as fast as her heart was beating. Esther looked over a Tilly, who was still concentrating on her phone. Why now? Thinks were going so well between her and Tilly. Why did that bitch have to come back now. Esther felt sick.

Only last night Tilly and her had decided to take their relationship to the next step by sleeping with each other, only for Frankie to have busted in on them and kick Tilly out. Esther had been so angry with her gran. How could she have done that? She had felt SO embarrassed and worried all night what Tilly would think, what she would do? Esther had gone to bed and cried her eyes out after a blazing row with Frankie. Everything had been going so well. tilly had even confessed to also being nervous as she had never felt that way about someone before. Esther had felt a wave of happiness rush over her when Tilly had said that. Tilly loved her more than she had Jen. it was the confirmation that Esther needed to hear.

Esther had laid awake for hours thinking the worse, until her phone beeped and Tillys name appeared on the screen.
'You awake? I can't sleep :('
Esther smiled and moved the phone under the covers to avoid waking Ruby up with the glow 'Me neither. Sorry about my crazy nan! I hate her x'

'Me too... I was getting totally turned on ;) seriously, don't be too hard on Frankie. She is just over protective. But don't worry. I'll win her over with my charm.'
'Hope so! You're not put off are you? (Holds breath nervously) x'
'No way Est. I meant what I said earlier about never feeling this way before. Besides... Tilly Evans doesn't give up that easily!'
'Good. I love you x'

'I love you too. Meet me tomorrow. We can go for a coffee, maybe meet George as well. Need to see you :('
'Sure. Will call you tomorrow. Glad we're OK. Night Tils'
'Night sweet x'

Esther realise Tilly had said something and was now looking at her waiting for a response.
"Errr Earth to Esther, come in Esther!" Tilly laughed. "You OK?"
"Sorry... I.. I was miles away. I'm fine... Just tired from lack of sleep."
"We'll it's a good thing we are going for a coffee. Large Americano with an extra shot for you I'm thinking."
"Yeah that will sort me out. That and a kiss from my gorgeous girlfriend". Ether pulled Tilly towards her and wrapped her arms around her, feeling a sudden need to hold Tilly. To keep hold of her!

"Esther Bloom what HAS come over you?" Tilly teased after they had stopped kissing.
Esther smiled nervously "why do you say that? " Esther snapped back. Noticing the hurt in Tilly's face, Esther added "I mean Do I need a reason to kiss my girlfriend?"
Tilly looked at Esther with slight concern "Of course not... it's just not really like you, that's all. Kissing in the street!"

"Well maybe I'm changing... you know, becoming more confident!"

Tilly smiled at Esther, before adding "Est, you know I love you just how you are?"

Esther didnt respond, realising that she was acting weirdly so she just smiled back at Tilly and the two of them continued their way to the coffee shop where George was waiting for them.

"And how are my favourite two lesbians today?"

"George" Esther cried out... "do you have to use that word?"

"What?" George questioned "lesbians?" He turned and looked at Tilly confused "What's wrong with the word Lesbian?"

"Nothing George." tilly responded. "Ests just a bit sleep deprived and in need of some caffeine asap!" Tilly looked over at Esther who looked all out of sorts.

"Riiiiiiiight!" George responding recognising the hint from Tilly "well let me go and get you the biggest coffee they have going, coz it seems like you need it girlfriend!"

Esther shot George a dirty look as he stood up and walked over to the counter to order their drinks.

"Esther!" Tilly exclaimed "What IS wrong with you" Tilly looked concerned.

"What do you mean? Nothing is wrong." Esther lied. Seeing that Tilly looked angry at her she added "I'm just not used to being called a lesbian yet OK? It's alright for you... I mean you've had more practice than I have."

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" Tilly snapped back, shocked at Esther's attitude.

Realising that things were getting out of control, that the discussion was turning into a argument, Esther quickly tried to resolve the conflict, before things got worse.

"Nothing Tills. I meant nothing by it honestly. I... I'm just tired and bit grumpy OK. I think it's maybe best if I just leave you and George to it." Esther saw the disappointment on Tilly's face. "I just feel a bit stressed after the argument with my nan, and maybe I should go home and try and fix things."

"OK.. I guess... If thats what you want to do?" Tilly responded quietly.

"Yeah... it's what I want to do. I'll call you later OK? Please say sorry and bye to George from me" And with that Esther leant in gave Tilly a peck on the cheek and turned to leave the coffee shop. Once outside she couldn't hold the tears back. As she started walking back home, they flowed down her cheeks. She felt out of control... like she was just waiting for this amazing thing with Tilly to come crushing down all around her, for surely as soon as Tilly found out that Jen was back in town... that would be it right? That would be the end of her and Tilly.

George turned round to see Tilly sitting on her own. As he approached the table with the three coffees carefuly balanced on a try he turned to Tilly and asked "Errr and where has miss moody gone?"

"Ahhh don't be mean Georgie. She's had a row with Frankie.. over me... and She didn't sleep well, so she's gone home. She said to say sorry and goodbye."

George looked concerned at Tilly "A row... over you? Why?"

"Weeeeeelllllll" Tilly started looking down in her lap, a little bit embarrassed "Frankie kinda walked in on me and Esther last night as we were..."

"OMG!" George interrupted "NO WAY!" he screamed in horror.

Tilly laughed "Errr well thankfully things hadn't progressed too far, but five minutes later and it would have been a totally different ball game." Tilly shook her head as she watched her friend burst into a fit of laughter.

"George it really wasn't funny. I was literally lying over Esther, hands in places they shouldn't be with her gran standing at the door screaming at me to get out!"

"Oh Tills, what a nightmare" George managed in between his giggles. 'I can only imagine!"

Tilly joined her friend laughing at the memory of the night before and was thankful of George being George. Tilly was a little bit worried about Esther's behaviour and why she was acting so weird, but Tilly decided to enjoy her coffee with her friend and that she would get in touch with Esther in an hour or so, to make sure she was OK.

George's phone beeped as a name flashed up on the screen Sinead. Tilly saw this and rolled her eyes 'And what exactly does she want?"

"who knows?" George responded picking up his phone "probably more drama if we know sinead. As George clicked open the message his draw literally dropped open

'OMG! Jen the bitch is back in town. Mum saw her today in the new shop. Whatever happens Tilly must NOT find out!'

Tilly noticed that George had gone quiet "Everything OK Georgie?" she asked in concern

"Ummmm" George hesitated as he quickly closed his phone and looked at Tilly "I ummm, yeah.. I mean... I'm not sure." He paused before adding mysteriously "I think something bad happened today. Something real bad!"