"So, what do you say?" Freddie asked as he made his way into the sixth form common room and over to me, slinging his arm around my shoulder

"What do I say to what?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow at him in confusion

"Pizza Hut, just you and me?" he suggested

"Can I order whatever I want?" I questioned

"Don't you always?" he asked, smirking at me

Hitting him playfully, I saved the assignment I'd been working on and shut my laptop… "I'm in"

"Great, let's go" he proclaimed. Standing up from his chair, I quickly put my laptop and books away, smiling warmly at Freddie as he took the bag from me, both of us leaving the common room

"Off anywhere nice?" Sinead's voice questioned as Freddie and I reached his car

"Sinead, hi" Freddie greeted her "Linds and I are off out for dinner"

"Just you and her?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow at him

"It's just something we do" he explained "I can see you later when we're done?"

"How about I tag along?" she suggested "you don't mind, do you, Lindsey?"

Yes, I bloody mind…

"No, course not. But I call shotgun" I informed her, smiling at her falsely as I climbed into the car

Freddie put my bag that he'd been carrying into the back of the car as Sinead climbed in the other side. Climbing into the driver's seat, he smiled at me apologetically and started the engine, driving off…

Later on that evening Freddie dropped me off at home. Climbing out of the car with me, he grabbed my bag and handed it to me and walked me to the door…

"Sorry about Sinead, she can be a little…" he sighed

"Clingy?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him "it's fine. I think she's a bit protective, but it's to be expected after what happened"

He nodded his head in agreement… "I better get off. See you tomorrow morning?"

"Yeah" I replied, kissing his cheek before making my way inside

"Lindsey, there you are" Mum proclaimed

"What's wrong?" I questioned as I placed my bags on the floor

"Your father and I have wanted to speak to you for hours. Where's your phone?" she asked

"In my bag" I informed her "and what about?"

"Come through and we'll tell you" she replied, smiling at me warmly

Following her into the living room, I sat down on the sofa… "So, what's going on?"

"I've been offered a promotion" Dad informed me

"Congratulations" I proclaimed, smiling at him warmly

"There's one catch though" he admitted

"Yeah?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow at him

"We have to move to London" he replied

"What?" I asked "we can't. I've just started sixth form"

"Lindsey, we've got no choice" Mum explained "this is a great opportunity for your father"

"And what about the great opportunities that are here for me?" I inquired "or do I not matter?"

"Of course you do" she replied "but there'll be even better opportunities for you in London"

"And what about leaving my friends? What about leaving Freddie?" I questioned

"Is there something going on between the two of you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at me

"No" I sighed "but he's my best friend, Mum. You can't expect me to just be okay with leaving him"

"Don't talk silly" she proclaimed "you'll see him all the time. He can come and visit, and you can come back here to see him too. It's not as if we're moving to the other side of the world"

I sighed heavily… "Do I have no say in whether we go or not?"

Mum shook her head, signalling no… "What did you expect? Us to say you could stay here. You're 17, Lindsey"

"And I'm a mature and responsible adult who's got a part-time job and can look after herself" I sighed

"A part-time job wouldn't help you run this house" Dad admitted "you'd need to quit sixth form and get a bloody good full-time job"

"I better go and start packing then, hadn't I?" I questioned

FREDDIE'S POV:

I'd just arrived home from Sinead's and was making my way to the front door when my phone started to ring. Lindsey…

"Hey" I greeted her

"Hey" she mirrored, her voice no more than a whisper

"What's the matter?" I asked worriedly

"Why does anything to have to be the matter?" she questioned

"Linds, I know you. What's wrong?" I inquired "talk to me"

"Dad's got a promotion. I'm leaving Chester, Freddie" she admitted

"What?" I asked "you can't leave. You're at sixth form. You've got a life here"

"I haven't really got a choice, have I?" she inquired "Mum and Dad are moving to London and so am I"

"I'll sort this out, I promise" I assured her

"How?" she questioned, sniffing back her tears

"I don't know yet but I'll think of something" I replied "just you wait and see. Now can you do something for me?"

"I guess so…" she sighed

"Wipe those tears, dry those and eyes and get yourself to bed as it's getting late" I informed her "and by the time you wake up tomorrow morning, I promise you I'll have a plan"

"Thank you" she replied

"Anytime" I sighed "sleep tight, Linds"

"Sleep tight, Fred" she mirrored, and with that, we both hung up the phone

I leant back against the door as I hung up the phone and shoved it back into my pocket. Steadying myself from falling as the door opened, I turned and saw Mum standing there, shocked…

"You made me jump" she proclaimed "what're you doing out here?"

"I've just been on the phone to Linds" I informed her

"She okay?" she questioned, stepping out of the door, throwing some rubbish into the bin

"Not really" I admitted, sighing heavily

"What's happened?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow at me

"Her Dad's got a promotion. They're moving to London" I informed her

"Oh, Freddie" she sighed, hugging me tightly

"She's my best friend, Mum. I can't just let her go, can I?" I asked

"I don't think you have any other choice, love" she admitted

"I promised her I'd have something sorted so she could stay" I informed her

"Freddie" she proclaimed, running her hands over her face "you really don't want her to go?"

I shook my head, signalling no… "She makes me a better person, Mum"

"I know she does, love" she replied "okay, I've got a plan"

"What?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow at her

"How about Lindsey moves in here?" she suggested "she's part of the family anyway, so it makes sense"

"Are you sure?" I asked

"If her Mum and Dad are okay with it then yeah" she informed me

"Thank you" I replied, hugging her tightly

"Don't thank me yet, her Mum and Dad might not say yes" she stated "and don't tell Linds yet, you don't wanna get her hopes up over nothing"

Nodding my head in agreement, we made our way into the house…

So Lindsey might be staying in the village and moving in with the Roscoe's – nothing wrong with that, right?