"Shakeaway?" I ask Phil as we arrive in Manchester City Centre.
"How'd you guess?" Phil grins. We're standing side by side and I really want to hold his hand but I can't bring myself to do it. What if we saw someone we knew? Or fans? How would they react? But I didn't have to contemplate the thought any longer because instead, Phil put his arm around my waist, pulling me closer. I smile at the ground, secretly happy of his display of affection.
"You go find a seat and I'll grab us some drinks." Phil says as we walk into Shakeaway.
"The usual, please." I say, sitting on a bar stool at the front window. I look out the window, surveying the passerby's. Manchester city centre wasn't a bad place. It was a bit run down but the people were generally nice. I spot a little girl with brown hair in pigtails, clutching a teddy bear. I smile; she was cute. But my smile fades when I see her face. In fact, I failed to notice her tear streaked cheeks and pouted lips. I search for her parent and understand that she is lost. I keep watching, scanning the crowd for a motherly figure that could be hers. I begin to get worried for her, when a frantic middle-aged woman appears and pulls her close in a protective manner. I smile, relieved that she found her mother.
"Hey, what you smiling at?" Phil asks, placing the two milkshakes on the table.
I laugh, feeling weirdly emotional at what I had just seen. I tell Phil what happened as we drink our milkshakes.
"Aww. I'm really glad she found her mum." Phil says.
"Yeah, me too."
We sit in silence for a bit as we sip our milkshakes, but I can't help but feel a like I'm being watched.
"So what do you want to do, Dan?"
"I don't mind. We can-wait. Doesn't that guy over there look suspicious to you?"
"Come to think of it, yeah, he does."
"I had the feeling we were being watched."
"Well, what does he want?"
"I don't know. Do you recognize him?" It was hard to see his face from here.
"No. Maybe we should call Mum to pick us up." Phil says nervously.
"Yeah." I agree. I was slightly scared. Looking in our direction, the dark figure took a small black device out of his jean pocket and spoke into it before putting it away.
"They're on our their way." Phil says. "Let's wait outside." Grabbing our drinks, we step outside and wait by the window. Phil puts his arm around me again and I feel slightly safer.
"Don't worry." Phil says, sensing my apprehension. "Just stay close." We walk in the opposite direction of the hooded man towards the main road and stop at the crossing.
"They'll be here soon, right Phil?"
"5 minutes."
I peer at the crowd beside us and recognize the mother and her child, but before I could mention anything to Phil, I feel something cool and hard pressing into my neck. I freeze, feeling Phil tighten his grip on my waist.
"Either of you make a sound and I'll put a bullet in pretty boy's neck, okay?" a growls into our ears.
I somehow fought the urge to shiver.
"Now, you're both going to come with me and do as I say." He continued, menacingly. "Make a scene and I'll kill you both."
Following the directions of the mysterious man, I slip my hand into Phil's. I knew for sure that I wasn't letting go anytime soon.
