That evening, Carla was walking-back-home. But she didn't particularly feel like going home after college this-time. She knew fully-well what kind-of state her Mum would be in when she went home, and her Dad wouldn't be much better either. And after a relatively good day at college, Carla didn't fancy having her day ruined. She had considered going over to the Connors, but she went there most days, and she didn't want to use the families' closeness to her so much that they would end-up falling-out with each-other.

Eventually, Carla remembered the conversation with Peter, that new-kid, which she had-had with him earlier. And remembered that he had told her that he lived on Coronation Street. 'Maybe I could pay him a visit?' Carla thought, and despite thinking that it was perhaps a little soon to be turning-up on his door-step, she made her way to the street anyway to see what kind-of place he lived-in, it had to be better than where she lived.

Carla had soon arrived on Coronation Street and immediately noticed that there was a subtle buzz about the place, which Carla preferred to the rowdy Gang's that she was used to as Neighbours.

"HEY Carla!" Carla was suddenly drawn out of her little-trance when a voice called-her from behind.

Carla turned around to find Paul walking towards her. "What are you doing in this dump?" Paul asked her.

"I could ask you the same question." Carla replied as she flirtatiously winked at Paul.

"I saw ya walking past ya house on the way home from college and wondered where you were off to. So I followed ya!" Paul told Carla cheekily with a small-smile on his face.

"You did what?" Carla asked.

"I said I followed you here…..I really like ya Carla, I wouldn't want you to be getting-up to any mischief now would I….." Paul trailed-off nervously around the girl who he had fallen hook and line and sinker in love with.

"Well I'm flattered that ya care about me Paul….." Carla said with a sweet-smile, what Paul hadn't realised yet is that Carla rather liked-him too.

"Of-Course I care-about ya, you're one of my best-mates." Paul continued.

"Alright Paul I get the point, now get-lost will ya!" Carla joked, and Paul laughed before the two-close-friends said their goodbyes before Paul ran-off in the direction that he had come-from.

Just as Carla was watching Paul run-off into the distance and out of her sight, she heard shouting coming from the one of the row of houses behind-her. She span around again to see what all the fuss was about…..

"PETER don't go off like this!"

"NO DAD. You always put Tracy first! I'm your REAL SON! I'm the one you should be caring for, not her! Deirdre can deal with HER! Not YOU!"

"PETER!" Ken shouted worriedly, before Peter then slammed the door in his face and ran-off. He ran straight past Carla and ignored her, before he leant against the wall a couple of metres away and burst into floods of tears.

"Peter?" Carla questioned to herself as she watched the seventeen year-old cry his heart-out.

"Peter is that you?" Carla asked a little-louder so that Peter could hear-her.

Peter slowly looked-up as he heard Carla's voice and tried to wipe-away the tears as Carla approached-him.

"Oh. Carla?" Peter asked shakily as he tried to sniffle-in some of the tears falling from his eyes and down his face.

"Hey." Carla said softly. "Are you okay?" She asked Peter as she stopped-in her tracks with her arms folded to keep herself warm about a metre away from where Peter was stood, trying to stop himself from crying, but failing to do so badly. She was concerned for him despite having only-met the kid once. The fact was he was a nice kid, and didn't deserve to be as upset as this.

"I'm fine. You?" Peter answered her question.

"I'd be great if you weren't lying to me. Come-on Peter you're so obviously not okay. Now what's up? Things didn't look too good over there? Was that man you're Dad?" Carla questioned, maybe if she could help Peter with his problems, then it would help her to forget about her own-family-problems.

"Oh. You saw that. Well…..It's nothing alright?" Peter said. It was as-if he gone into his own little bubble that he wouldn't let anyone into. But Carla was determined to burst that bubble and get to know Peter a bit better. It would do her some good to have one or two friends other than the Connor Family.

Peter pulled-out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket, took-one out, and tried to light-it as Carla watched-him.

"What?" Peter asked rudely.

"You think smoking's gonna solve all of ya problems do ya? Because trust-me…..It won't….."

"Who are YOU to tell-me not to have a fag? You only met-me a couple of hours ago remember Carla? Man you're worse than me Dad….." Peter trailed-off angrily.

"Why are you so angry Peter?" Carla asked bluntly. "You were nothing like this earlier….." Carla told Peter truthfully.

"Yeah well people change…..And things happen okay?" Peter replied, slightly less-viciously than before.

"You don't have to tell-ME that Peter, trust-me…..Tell-me what's up Peter. Because I'd rather listen to you blubber-on than go-home at the moment to be honest….."

Peter looked Carla directly into the eyes and Carla nodded at him as if to silently tell-him that he could trust-her.

"It's my Mum's birthday tomorrow….." Peter said as some fresh-tears fell-down his face, and he wiped-them-away, but soon gave-up as some more-fell.

"And?" Carla questioned.

"Oh sorry did I not tell-you? My urm…..My Mum died last year….." Peter revealed as he looked-down sadly. "Sorry…..I'm just so used to everyone knowing now that I tend not to mention-it..."

"Oh Peter I'm so sorry. When you said that you lived with your Dad and Step-Mum, I just assumed that they had split-up, I didn't even think…..Oh my gosh I'm so sorry!" Carla said, sad for Peter, but also annoyed with herself that she had been so genuine about him never mentioning his real-Mother.

"It's fine…..You weren't to know….." Peter said tearfully, biting his bottom-lip and closing his eyes to try and stop anymore tears from falling down his cheeks.

"Alright…..Well why have you run out of the house then?" Carla asked trying to change the subject.

Peter inhaled-in his cigarette and then blew the smoke-away, into the wind, trying to calm-himself down before he then answered Carla's question.

"Me and Dad had arranged to go and visit her grave tomorrow morning…..But Tracy, Deirdre's Daughter, is going down to London on the train at the weekend, and my Dad's just agreed to go with her because Deirdre's working and Tracy doesn't want to go on her own….." Peter said, throwing his cigarette down to the floor in frustration before covering his head with his hands.

"Isn't there anyone else that can go with her? Or with you for that matter?" Carla suggested, noticing that Peter was obviously distraught upon hearing this news.

"I suppose someone-else could come with me…..But I just wanted my Dad there…..I mean…..Why should he put Tracy first when I'm his son? His Biological Son! And my Mother was once his wife! It's like he's forgotten about her already and she's barely been gone a year!" Peter said, raising his voice once-again as he rested his hands against the wall to stop himself from punching-it.

"I guess it's hard for ya Dad aswell Peter. He wouldn't have forgotten about your Mother…..And I bet he'll be thinking about you and her all day tomorrow…..But he obviously wants this Tracy to like him, if she's ya Step-Mother's Daughter….." Carla trailed-off and she tried to help Peter with his frustrations and sadness.

"You sound like you're speaking from experience…..I bet you're from a loving-home where everyone gets along…..A Mum. A Dad…..Both as Happy as Larry. Well isn't that just lovely for you Carla." Peter said harshly.

"Peter. You really don't want-to know about my Family set-up. Your Dad looked really worried when you ran-off just now. My parents probably wouldn't even notice that I was missing in the first-place…..Then probably haven't even wondered why I haven't been home yet….." Carla told Peter truthfully.

"I'm sorry. I'm going-on about how perfect your life must be when I barely know anything about you. I'm sorry Carla….." Peter apologised genuinely.

"It doesn't matter. Anyway, I was about to ask if you wanted me to come with you tomorrow morning?" Carla asked delicately. "I mean. I know I'm not ya Dad…..But I've cried on enough shoulders over the years…..Maybe it's my turn to have a soggy shoulder ey?" Carla said with a sympathetic chuckle, and Peter smiled slightly at her words.

"Would you do that? For Me? I don't wanna ruin your plans Carla…..It's the weekend, surely you want to be out partying or summet?" Peter asked, still slightly tearful as he slid-down the wall and eventually sat himself against the hard and cobbles, bringing his knees-up to his chest.

Carla went and sat-down next to Peter. Of-Course I'll do that for ya Peter." Carla whispered into his ear sweetly. And there was a comfortable silence between the pair of them before Carla spoke. "Now please tell-me that you don't plan on sleeping-out here all night? Because believe-me Peter, I've done-it before, and it might seem like a good-idea now, but in the morning, it'll seem like the worst idea ever." Carla told Peter, trying to warn him off not going home tonight.

"Well I can't exactly go back in there now can I? I'll just end-up kicking-off again, then who knows what could happen." Peter revealed to Carla.

"Alright. Well if you're staying here then so am I!" Carla stated confidently.

"Uh. No Carla you don't have to do at." Peter told her, feeling-bad that she would end-up getting a rough-night too.

"Urm yes I do. Have you ever slept on the streets alone before Peter?" Carla asked.

"No." Peter replied.

"Well in that case you're gonna need some company." Carla said with a light-laugh. "It gets cold out here on your own ya know. But just promise-me one-thing Peter….." Carla trailed-off.

"Promise-me that you'll go back home in the morning before your Dad goes away for the weekend and make-things up with him?" Carla said, knowing how it felt when argument with either your Mum or Dad turned-into a massive feud that would eventually last for weeks, months even!

Peter sighed. "Alright I promise….." Peter said, knowing that Carla was right.

Carla watched as Peter drifted-off to sleep, his head dropping onto her shoulder as they sat closely next to each-other to keep-each-other-warm for the night.

Just before midnight, Carla was still-awake when she received a text from Paul.

Paul: Hey. Hope u stayd out of mischief this evenin'. ;) Fancy comin to the park with us tomoz morn? Xxxxx

Carla: No Mischief this end. And No. Soz. Busy. XxX

Paul: Oh…..xxxxx

Carla: Friend needs me. Soz. Next time ey? XxX

Paul: Spose. C u soon then. Nyt. Xxxxx

Carla: Nyt. XxX

Carla then put her phone into her pocket and then rested her head on-top of Peter's head as she tried to get to sleep in the freezing weather.

I hope you liked-that Chapter!

:). Please-Review! :).