It had been 18 months since Jen drove out of Hollyoaks..her and Liam decided to head home to London….Liam moved back in with their parents and Jen went to stay with her best friend Hayley…
Hayley had been a good friend to Jen since they were kids…She never judged Jen when she introduced her to Tilly…In fact Hayley had became fond of Tilly and was saddened when her and Jen split…
When Jen explained everything to Hayley about what had happened ..Hayley was nothing but supportive…She helped Jen through her dark days…
As Hayley headed out for her lunch break she decided to try the new coffee shop at the end of the street she worked at…
As she queued Looking at the specials board she was distracted by a voice…..A voice she happen to recognise…
Matilda Evens? She called out
The girl behind the counter spun around…Oh my god…H…..she smiled…Hiii..
Hi? Hayley grinned. Is that all I get? Get ya ass over here and hug me….
Tilly grinned and ran into Hayley's waiting arms…Wow…how are you.? .Tilly asked..
Im good baby doll. How are you?…Hayley replied…
Im great " was Tilly. .answered taking off her apron…Wanna sit? She asked pointing to an empty table..
Hayley offered Tilly to lead the way….
Tilly called out to her boss that she was taking a break and grabbed her and Hayley a Latte…
Sooooo ? Hayley smiled…What the fuck you doing here?
Tilly laughed. She like Hayley's bluntness….Well…im here. As in the coffee shop because London's not a cheap place to live and if I wanna stay in Uni I need to earn some cash…
You're here? At Uni? Hayley asked..
Tilly nodded…and sipped her coffee…
I thought you were heading to Cambridge.? .Hayley asked..
Nah it wasn't for me…I love it here…Tilly smiled stirring her drink….
The two chit chat for a few minutes when Hayley decided to clear the cloud that was hanging over then…
So seriously…How have you been?…She asked carefully…
Tilly closed her eyes and smiled…Im ok….she said unconvincing
I take it you heard all about it? She asked..
Hayley nodded…Yeah I heard….Wasn't nice aye?…
Tilly shook her head….Do you see her ?…I heard she moved this way…
Yeah I see her….everyday in fact…she lives with me Tills….
Tilly heart began to race…She hadn't thought of Jen for a few days which was a big achievement…
Tilly became quiet. .fiddling with her hands she whispers…And how is she? I mean is she well?
Hayley could see Tilly was nervous …
She's fantastic….Hayley said which caused Tilly to look up …Really? She asked shocked that Jen seemed to have got on with her life…
Hayley laughed a little…Noooo…..coarse not…She's a mess Tilly…I barely recognise her these days
Oh..Tilly muttered….
Tilly ….came a call from the counter…As Tilly looked over her boss was tapping his watch….
Oh….Tut….I better get back to work…..
Hayley nodded..ok babes. It was good to see you….
You to " Tilly said as she hugged her….
So…just so I know….Hayley said….Am I to forget I've seen you today orrrrrrr?
Hayley was asking Tilly if it was ok to tell Jen that she was now living in London and working just a few streets away from their flat..
Tilly shook her head….No….you don't have to forget….she smiled …maybe she'll come in for a Coffee next time….
Maybe ! Hayley said with a frown…
Well….Tilly shrugged …Its been a while now ..We're both adults…
Ha…Hayley mocked…Can you really see you and Jen having a chinwag over a Coffee?
Tilly shrugged again…Probably not…But… I know I have some unanswered questions…
Hayley nodded…Closure aye?
Smmmmh…Something like that…Tilly said with a forced smile..
Hayley kissed Tilly on the cheek….It was great seeing you babe…I'll pop in again soon….
Tilly watched as Hayley disappeared…She had been in London a year almost and never once bumped into any of Jens friends…even though she lived close by…
Hayley was going to tell Jen …Once Jen knew there was a good chance their paths were about to cross
Tilly wondered if she would be ready? Would Jen even want to know? What would they say to each other…
As Tilly stands playing it out in her head she is disturbed
….C'mon Tilly …Her Colleague called out as she tries to manage the queue..….
Back at Hayley's flat Jen is having a tidy up…as Hayley came home she was excited to tell Jen all that had happened…..
Hey…Jen smiled…
Hi babe…You ok? Hayley replied
Yeah just having a clean up…Jen muttered…How was your day?
My day was….Mmmmm how would I describe it….Hayley wondered..Oh I know…My day was crap..Work was boring…I got soaked twice…My Boss is a prick…oh and I bumped into Tilly….
Jen laughed under her breath…normal day at the office then huh…..Whattttttttttttt ? She gasped as she realised what Hayley had said…..Tilly? How? When? Where? Jen gasped in one breath..
Calm down…Hayley grinned….Yes, I bumped into Tilly….She is at Uni here….
Jen slumped down on the sofa…she could feel her legs giving way….She was meant to go to Cambridge….she said sadly…
Wasn't for her. She said..Hayley shrugged..Anyways she's been here a year now….She looks great by the way…
Jen smiled …she always did. She muttered under her breath….So where did you see her?
Well…Hayley smiled…One of the girls at work told me to try that new Coffee shop on devlin road. So I did….and there she was….smiling away chatting to the customers..
She works there? Jen asked..
Yup….and I have a feeling she doesn't live very far from here as well…..Hayley explained…
Jen nodded….She wanted to ask so many questions but she couldn't get her words out…somewhere inside she was afraid of the answers…..
She asked about you..Hayley told her..
Really? Jen asked her voice a little high pitched..
Hayley nodded…yeah she asked how you were….Said you should pop in sometime…
Don't lie…Jen gasped…
Near enough..Hayley smiled. She said " Maybe you'll stop by next….
Jen shook her head…I cant ..she swallowed hard….I cant see her….I wouldn't know what to say for one….
Well….Hayley said wrapping her arm around her friend…You could start off by ordering a Coffee and take it from there…
Jen didn't reply she just lent her head into her friend….Cant believe she's here…..
The next morning Hayley is leaving for work …Jen im going. She called out…
Jen emerged from her room…Ok…see you later…
Hayley smiled…Coffee today for you yes?
Jen rolled her eyes….im not sure…
Oh c'mon…Hayley tutted…where's the braveness gone.,. Grow some balls and go see her…Today…Hayley instructed…
Jen smiled she knew she wanted to see Tilly but finding the courage was another matter
As Jen headed to work she decided to take the long way round walking along Devlin road…as she approached the Coffee shop her nerves got the better of her and she crossed over the road…
Walking slowly she gazed at the show window…Her feet stopped. She couldn't move…like her feet were glued to the floor…Her heart began to race and she felt like she was about to faint…
There she was….Serving Coffee to a couple sitting outside….Her hair a little longer then usual…But she was still as beautiful as she always was…More so now then ever ..Jen thought…
Jen wanted to talk to her even more now but she couldn't bring herself to cross the road….instead she stood still….Just watching the beautiful Red head walking around going about her day….
Before Jen knew it she had been standing across the road for over 10 minutes, Some idiot beeping his horn knocked Jen out of her dazed state. Realising she was late for work she hurried off down the road…
She couldn't get the image of Tilly out of her mind…Maybe seeing her was worse then wondering constantly about her…Jens day dragged all she wanted to do was walk past the shop again…..
Once she arrived home Hayley was waiting for her…Well?
Jen shook her head…Nope…
Oh Jenny…why not? Hayley moaned…
Jen fell face first on to her head…ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH She screamed into her pillow….I couldn't do it…She muttered…
Jen she isn't going to Kill you….all you have to do is see her and say hi….take it from there….Hayley shrugged..
I did see her…Jen sulked….I walked past and there she was…serving some people …
Sooooo? Hayley frowned…Why didn't you say hi…
Jen mocked herself…Ha….I couldn't say hello because I chickened out and crossed the road…I was watching her….Oh god…Jen moaned realising how stupid her actions were…..I must have looked like some crazy stalker women….Im such an idiot….
Yeah you are…Hayley laughed…Right ok so you couldn't do it today….How about I pop back in there…see what Tilly says…
Would you? Jen asked hopeful…
Yeah…coarse..Hayley winked..
I just need to know what kind of reception im gonna get. .Jen explained…
Hayley shook her head…Jesus. Remind me again which one of you was the School kid?
Uh it was Collage actually….Jen smirked…
Hayley rolled her eyes….Either way…You're a pussy….C'mon lets go eat …Im starving
As the two friends find a seat in the local pub Hayley skims the menu….
Im so hungry I could eat My dinner ..your Dinner and that bloke over there's Dinner…..Hayley laughs…Finding herself funny…Looking up from the menu once she realised Jen hadn't joined in…
What? She frowned as she sees the look on Jens face….Jen? Whats up….?
Jen shuffles in her chair moving it closer to the wall…
What are you doing? Hayley laughs….
She's here…Jen panics…Oh god…H …she's here…
Hayley was confused and began looking around…Who is? What the fuck you on about?
Shhh " Jen begs….Tilly…..I've just seen her…she's just walked in with a dark haired girl…
Where….Hayley frowns still trying to search her out….
Stop looking…Jen asks…..She's at the bar…Oh god I cant see her…Not like this…..
Hayley could see the panic in Jens face…Ok…calm down. She wont see us from there so….we'll eat and leave…Its ok…
Jen nodded…Looking over at the love of her life once again….Her stomach was churning and all of a sudden she wasn't hungry…Much to Hayley's delight…
Tilly ordered some Wine and her and her friend Zoë took a seat…
Ok so…Highlights since I saw you last?
Hmmmmm Tilly thought…Ummm I bumped into an old friend yesterday…
Oh..cool…Zoë smiled…Downside?.
Tilly and Zoë shared a room at Uni Halls for the last 3 months before Tilly moved into a shared house ..they had become friends…Zoë was someone Tilly could talk to about most things ..But she didn't really know Much about The confusion Tilly came from…she didn't ask either…Tilly preferred it that way…
They always asked each other what the highs and lows were of their day…
Well….Tilly began…The highlight kind of co insides with the. downside….The old friend…Well she's a best friend of an Ex of mine….
Ouch ..Zoë joked…
Tilly nodded..Yup….Turns out she lives around here too…
And that effects you how? Zoë asks
Tilly shrugged…it doesn't I guess…Its just weird after all this time. I didn't think I'd ever see her again
"Well how did things end? I mean did you do the old " lets stay friends" thing? Zoë joked
Tilly almost chocked on her wine….Oh god no….defiantly didn't do the whole "Lets be friends…
Forget her then…Zoë winked pouring more wine….
Jen was getting itchy feet waiting for Hayley to finish….She could hear Tilly and Zoë laughing which didn't help…
As hard as Jen tried not to look over her curiosity got the better of her….. As she watches Tilly and this other girl laughing and joking she cant help but feel jealous.. This girl was making Tilly cry with laughter….their body language screamed "Comfortable". After the girl had placed her hand on Tillys leg for the hundredth Time Jen couldn't take no more..
Ok Im done. I cant sit here…I'll meet you back home…She explained and hurried out the back entrance of the pub
Hayley stood up wanting to call Jen back but didn't incase she brought attention to them… unlike Jen Hayley couldn't slip out the back door she had to go to the bar and pay for her food…
She tied to slip in-between some people stood at the bar but her efforts were wasted…
Hayley? Tilly called…
Hayley sighed and turnt around pretending to be surprised to see Tilly
Ohhhhh hi Tills….she smiled. Sorry didn't see you there….you ok?
Tilly nodded with a smile…Yeah..Im good…She said as she looked around to see who Hayley was with…Jen not with you? She asked..
Uh no…Hayley said quickly…I…Umm had dinner with a client….Butter em up and all that ..Hayley winked….
Tilly smiled….Wanna join us?
Oh no…Hayley smiled as she declined the invite…I have to be up early. So…..
Oh ok no problem…Tilly smiled…
As They said their good byes Hayley headed off home to check on Jen….Once she arrived home Jen was pacing….
Thanks for leaving me Jen. Hayley moaned..
Who was that girl? Jen wondered.
Dunno…Hayley shrugged…Tilly saw me by the way…
Jen..Looked up off the floor….What? Did you find out who the girl was? …I…..I mean did she introduce her to you ..she asked as Hayley filled her in on the quick conversation she had with Tilly…
No come to think of it she didn't..Hayley frowned..
Jen stopped dead in her tracks….it's a girlfriend….It has to be. That would explain why she didn't introduce her to you…
I don't know babe. I mean we cant speculate..Hayley said trying to make Jen feel better…
No im right…Jen sulked. I mean why wouldn't she have a girlfriend? She's good .funny…Of coarse she has a girlfriend…
Hayley didn't reply to Jen..She just let her talk to herself..Jen did this when she was upset about something…
Jen began to pace the floor again…How stupid am I?…..I mean its been so long ..she probably doesn't even think of me anymore…I mean why would she when I've treated her so badly?…
Ok OK…stop…Hayley said standing in front of Jen so she stops moving…Firstly stop walking your making me dizzy….Secondly if she never thought about you she wouldn't have asked me about you…..Twice..Hayley explained. Holding two fingers up…
Twice? Jen frowned…Yup…In the pub she asked if you was with me…look Jen why don't you go and see her?
Before Jen could speak Hayley continued….Even if its just for closure?
Jen shook her head….No….I cant…She seems happy.. I don't wanna ruin that….I've hurt her enough….
What so your just gonna pretend like you haven't seen her? Hayley moans
"Yup…! Jen answers 2 days a go I didn't even know she was here…I accepted she was out of my life…I was getting on with things…so….she sighed" That's what im gonna continue to do…
Hayley tutted in disagreement…But Jen..
No buts…Jen snapped….I cant go there again. She's moved on H…Its about time I did…..
