"Today's the day, baby." Carla whispered, tilting her head upwards and poking Peter's cheek.
She lay on his bare chest, making the most of their last morning in this room together as they were surrounded by a multitude of boxes.
"Finally," He croaked, placing a strand of hair behind her ear and kissing her gently. "I've waited so long to have a place alone with you."
"Well, we've taken our time." She chuckled.
"I feel like we need to stop with the cuddling and start taking the boxes down." He suggested, scrunching his nose up.
"Mmm," Carla thought about it for a moment. "Five more minutes?"
Wrapping his arms around her tighter, he kissed the top of her head, "No, I think I prefer doing this."
"Who's helping us move in?" Carla asked.
"Daniel, Adam and Sarah offered to help. And then Dad said we could go over for dinner, make sure we're well fed."
"That'll be nice," She smiled. "Johnny insisted on helping but I was dead against it. Not with his MS."
"I'm sure we'll be able to manage with my lot. I was gonna say it won't take long because it's just down the road but with the amount of boxes full of your shoes..."
"What about it? A girl has her needs."
"I don't think any woman needs that many shoes." He laughed.
"I beg to differ."
"Most of the boxes in here are all your things. I've got about two full of mine." He raised his eyebrows, playfully.
"I am high maintenance, Barlow. You knew what you were getting involved in." She grinned.
"I wouldn't have you any other way."
As Carla and Peter walked down the cobbles, each of them carrying the first load of things to Victoria Court, they quickly notice Lucas who is stood by the bench outside of Aurdreys salon.
"Are you alright, love?" Peter muttered in her ear.
"Mm-hmm," Carla painted on a smile before raising her voice, "He's just being a creep as usual."
"Are my ears burning?" Lucas smirked, crossing the road so he was closer to them.
"Don't go near her." Peter warned.
"Oh, so you've been telling more lies about me then I see. Look, I'm not a bad man, Peter. Obviously she is still paranoid-..."
"Don't you dare bring that into this!" Peter interrupted.
"How do you even know about that?" Carla shook her head, her heart beating faster.
"Have a guess?" He taunted, the wicked glint in his eye going noticed by Peter who fought every part of him to not punch him.
"It was Tina, wasn't it? Well, she lies. She compulsively lies," Carla scoffed. "If you don't mind us, we have a new flat to move into. Come on, Peter."
As the pair start walking away, Lucas called out, "We'll have to have a catch up at some point, Carla! We have some unfinished business."
"In your dreams!" She shouted back, rolling her eyes as Peter gave her a worrying look.
As they got inside, Carla immediately walked out onto the balcony and checked her surroundings. She was in a daze and fixated on one thing only...where Lucas was.
She failed to hear Peter follow her and as he placed a hand onto her shoulder, she jumped in fright and whipped her head around.
"Sorry, I didn't think." Peter sighed, pulling her into his chest.
"It's alright," She mumbled, taking in his scent which always gave her comfort. "It's all me."
"Are you okay? And be honest with me, Car. Because we could go to the police if he carries this on."
"I'm fine. It's not as if he's done anything bad this time, is it? He's just being creepy as per."
"Still don't like it though."
"I know, but I promise you I'm fine. So, let's get all our things in here and start our new life."
"Oi, we wouldn't mind a bit of help whilst you two chill out on the balcony. It is all your things." Daniel moaned, sarcastically.
"Can your strong manly arms not take it, Daniel?" Carla teased.
"Carla, how many shoes do you flamin' own!" Sarah whined, dropping a box on the floor and clutching her shoulder in discomfort.
"Forty three." Peter and Carla said in unison.
"Why do you need that many pairs?" Daniel frowned.
"Oh, not this again. Look, my shoe collection is the least of our worries. Chop chop." Carla clapped her hands together, signalling them to do more work.
"And what are you planning on doing whilst we do all this hard work?" Adam asked.
"Me and Sarah are going to start unpacking," Carla smirked, before grabbing a full carrier bag and lifting a bottle of wine out of it. "With the help of this."
"Sounds good to me." Sarah laughed.
"Non-alcoholic though, still on my meds."
"Unbelievable." Daniel muttered, as the men walked out.
"Looks like they're moving into their new place today." Tina sighed in frustration as she walked arm-in-arm with Lucas out of the Kabin.
"Yeah, I bumped into them this morning. They really are a ray of sunshine, aren't they?" Lucas said, sarcastically.
"Tell me about it," Tina rolled her eyes. "That woman needs a muzzle."
"She's not that bad," He shrugged. "It's that other bloke thats the problem."
"He's misunderstood. She brings out the bad side of him."
"Oh, there he is now," Lucas watched as Peter left the Rovers with Adam and Daniel. "Alright, Peter? Anything we can help you with?"
"Do you enjoy standing there watching us get on with our lives, knowing that you can't relate? Get out of our face." Peter snapped, placing a box on the floor and standing directly in front of him.
"Who is this-..." Adam asked.
"Lucas," The Irish man smiled, holding his hand out. "I know Carla from when she lived in Devon."
"That's how you're going to play it then?" Peter scoffed.
"Excuse me but don't you speak to him like that, Peter! He's done nothing wrong." Tina piped up.
"Nothing wrong? Oh, you have a lot of catching up to do."
"Does someone want to explain what's going on here?" Adam narrowed his eyes.
"He used to stalk Carla when she was back in Devon. She didn't want to be in a relationship and he wouldn't take no for an answer. He was obsessed with her!" Peter shouted. "And you still haven't changed. But I'm here now so if you try anything, you'll regret it. D'ya hear me?"
"What a load of rubbish!" Lucas cackled. "Do I seem like the type of guy that would do that? I've got a business, loads of money. I haven't got time to be doing that."
"Maybe we should leave it-..." Daniel intervened.
"Is this what Carla's told you? She messes with your head, Peter!" Tina rolled her eyes.
"You're deluded if you think he is with you because he likes you. He's only trying to find out more stuff to do with Carla."
"Actually, he lost his girlfriend a few years back and Carla took advantage of that and tried to get with him. Probably trying to get his money because let's face it, it wouldn't be the first time she's done that." Tina snapped.
"What a load of-..."
"I'm not letting my reputation get wrecked, like it has been with Tina's already. Let's go." Lucas cut Peter off, walking away and dragging Tina with him.
"I wonder why Carla is saying all of that." Tina asked, watching as Lucas bit his nails and wandered around the room.
"You weren't wrong when you said she was a screw loose."
"Mmm." Tina put her head down, thinking back to all the mind games she'd played on Carla recently.
"Don't know why you have feelings for that man either to be honest. He's a pathetic drunk."
"He has his issues but doesn't everybody?" Tina muttered.
"I don't suppose you could talk to him? Find out more about Carla?" He asked, his eyes wide.
"Why would you want that?" Tina frowned, feeling slightly suspicious.
"Just to find out what she's said about me, that's all." He shrugged.
"We heard what she's said," Tina replied. "As did half the street."
"Fine." He snapped, walking out the room.
"Ey, where are you going?" She called.
"I've got a business meeting soon. Did I not mention it?"
"No, you didn't."
"Well, I've got to get ready and leave soon." He said, distantly.
"What do you want to unpack first?" Sarah asked.
"I'd say the kitchen things, we just need the necessities for now." She replied, opening them up and beginning to pick out things as Sarah copied.
They were quickly interrupted by Peter, who groaned as he dropped the box.
"Oh, what happened to those muscles you had when we first got together?" Carla joked, but Peter's glare suggested he wasn't in the mood for playing.
"Those stupid shoes of yours weigh a ton." He snapped, kicking the box in annoyance.
"Peter!" Carla frowned.
"What's happened here?" Adam questioned, standing behind Peter.
"I'll pick them all up. Go get the others." Carla suggested, softly.
"I feel like I should be getting paid a working wage with the amount of work I'm doing whilst you're sat there gossiping with Sarah."
"I'm unpacking, Peter." Carla raised her eyebrows.
"What's rattled your cage?" Sarah asked.
"That Irish guy out there," Adam said, pointedly. "What's his name? Lucas?"
"Oh god," Carla put her head in her hands. "What happened?"
"Tina was stood there defending him so I gave her some home truths," Peter snapped. "He was acting so nice and smarmy, it was a joke. It reminded me of..."
"Who did it remind you of?" She asked as his voice faded out awkwardly.
"Frank." Peter exhaled, regretting mentioning his name by the look on Carla's face.
"I thought the same," Carla replied, biting her lip. "But we can't let him get to us. This is supposed to be a positive day, hmm? So it's PMA for now on."
"PMA?" He frowned.
"Positive mental attitude," she smiled. "So let's call it a day here and go to your dads for a brew because I've been slaving away today."
"Course you have," He chuckled. "But you're right, I'm sorry, baby."
"Don't be sorry, he gets under my skin too. But just leave it, don't give him the reaction he wants."
"Come here." He pulled her into him, giving her a long and sensual kiss.
As it grew more passionate, he lifted her onto the kitchen island before they were interrupted...
"Are we going to dads or not?" Daniel asked, walking into the room at the wrong moment. "Oh my god. I'll go there now."
Whilst Daniel left with a disturbed look on his face, the pair start hysterically laughing.
"That's told him." She giggled.
"Now where we were?" Peter smiled.
Back to writing now and really enjoying it! I think I got burnt out from writing so much in a short period of time before so a break was needed but I've planned all of this story properly now and am so excited about where it's going to go! Thank you for all the reviews for the previous chapter. Can't believe it's already chapter 20; I'm usually so bad at long stories hahaha.