OG -4-

AN: Apologies for the delay in updating. We've had some worries about my toddler daughter and I felt guilty if I was writing this instead of researching stuff for her. However I'm feeling a bit more creative and this is a good outlet/distraction. Enjoy and thank you so much for the lovely reviews, they make my day

By her 2nd glass of Prosecco, Molly was starting to unwind. She was with her friends Kate and Ella (from work), her colleagues who were friends and her colleagues she wasn't that keen on, but they were flung together in work so they better try and get on!

"Sooo girls, I met a boy today..." She dragged the words out, teasing them both.

They squealed simultaneously,

"What the hell Molly?"

"Tell us tell us!"

She laughed and explained her encounter with Charles.

"This Elvis guy sounds like a sure thing, maybe you should just shag him." Ella said.

"No!" exclaimed Kate, "You've got that look Molly! You really like this guy! This Charles one."

"I've barely met him Kate, I can't really like him! But I admit something about him has got under my skin." She squirmed a little.

"Thank God!" Ella said, "it's about bloody time you were moving on from Dull Daniel!"

"Ella!" Molly looked around nervously. Both she and Ella were aware that Daniel still had his loyal supporters among their colleagues.

"What?" said Ella defiantly, "After what he did he doesn't deserve any loyalty from us or you!"

"I know," Molly said quietly, "but I don't want people talking about me."

Kate rubbed her shoulder sympathetically,

"I know babe, but it's going to happen in a situation like this."

"Yes, but I'm attempting to keep calm, so when his cosy two timing life comes crashing down around him, I can maintain the air of being the bigger person." Molly spoke gently and quietly, but a menacing tone underlaid her voice.

Ella and Kate whooped, "That's our girl!"

"So you said Charlie and Elvis were heading into town, maybe we'll bump into them!" Kate sounded hopeful.

Molly smiled, "Maybe..." She was of course hoping the same thing.

As the evening moved on, so did their group of merry school staff. Each bar they went into, Molly scanned the room hopefully for a sign of her new acquaintances, but their paths never crossed and as her hopes got lower, Ella's blood alcohol got higher.

Around midnight, they were making their way along George Street, all a bit more worse for wear, feet beginning to hurt in the high heels, groomed appearances starting to slip. They were aiming for Lou Lou's so they could all have a dance, but Molly was doubting whether half of them would get in, they were so drunk.

The street was busy with summer night revellers and their group was moving along in dribs and drabs. They had to stop every so often to let people past, mostly because Molly and Kate were holding Ella up between them and couldn't go in single file. Molly wasn't paying much attention to the crowds, but suddenly she heard an unmistakeable Essex accent and her head snapped up. Heading towards them were Charles and Elvis.

She stopped dead and Ella swayed,

"Oi what you doing?" Ella questioned loudly, "Molly!"

At the sound of her name, Charles looked around eagerly. She'd not taken her eyes off him and suddenly he found her in the crowd, his face breaking into a massive grin.

"Molly," it was Kate's turn, "what is it?"

"It's him." she hissed

"What?"

Then he and Elvis were standing in front of them.

"Hey Molly," he said quietly still beaming at her.

"Is this the guy Molly?" Kate asked with no subtlety

Molly glared at her.

"Am I the guy?" Charles asked amused.

"If anyone's the guy I am!" interjected Elvis. He'd clearly had more to drink than Charles

"Who the fuck are you?" asked Ella shakily, "are you the prick that ran Molly over?!" Ella prodded Elvis in the chest.

"Steady on love you make it sound like I backed over her with a truck! It was just a small collision."

"She could sue you you know, an accident that wasn't her fault and all that."

"Listen darlin' she can sue all she wants she ain't gonna get nothing from me." He flashed Ella his mega watt smile and she simpered a little.

During this whole exchange, Charles and Molly had stood looking at each other, smiling shyly, unsure what to say.

"Looks like your mate has succumbed to Elvis's chat then."

Molly rolled her eyes,

"To be fair she's so drunk she'd probably succumb to a lamppost."

"I heard that!" said Ella.

"Well I said it so you could!" smiled Molly.

"So you're Charlie then?" Ella diverted her attention to him. "We've been looking for you!"

"Ella shut up!"

"Hoped we'd run into you." Ella continued in a sing song voice.

Molly shifted uncomfortably,

"I um told them I'd met you guys, about the taxi and stuff, said it'd be funny if we ended up bumping into you."

Molly hoped she sounded convincing.

"I thought the same actually and here we are." Charles smiled that mischievous smile again and Molly's stomach did a flip flop.

"Come on girls, what's taking so bloody long?!"

One of their colleagues Stuart shouted back along the street from where he and a few of the other guys were standing waiting for them. Molly held up her finger to indicate one minute. The guys nodded, they'd bumped into a hen party who they were now trying to convince to go with them to the club. A few more minutes might help their cause.

Suddenly Molly felt bold,

"So where are you heading now?" she looked straight at Charles.

Charles shrugged, "Not sure to be honest, Elvis seems determined to get me on a dance floor."

"Oh well tag along with us," Kate piped up, "we're going for a dance now."

"Sounds good ladies," Elvis winked at Ella.

"Yeah why don't you join us?" Molly asked Charles.

He smiled, "Lead the way."

There was an awkward moment where he looked like he might put his arm round her, but there was still the issue of holding Ella upright so after a few seconds of dancing round each other so to speak, he gestured that they should all go first and he and Elvis would follow.

Just then a chorus of shouts went up from their colleagues on the corner,

"Hey hey!"

"Hey boy!"

"Look who got let off the leash!"

"Slumming it with us lowly teachers are you now Mr Deputy?"

Molly was frozen to the spot.

"Fuck!" She snapped

"Bloody hell what the fuck is he doing here?! Fucking wanker, wait 'til I see him!" Ella made to stride forward and went over on her ankle, "Daniel!" she screamed.

"Ella! Shut the fuck up!" Molly grabbed her friend's hand.

"No I won't Molls, what does he think he's doing crashing our party?"

"Ella just leave it yeah?" Kate said quietly looking at Molly. Her eyes had filled with tears and she was looking like she was about to make a run for it.

Charles came round the side of her and touched her elbow gently,

"Is everything ok Molly?"

Molly looked at him as if she'd forgotten he'd been behind her all this time. She shook her head,

"No not really, but it's nothing for you to worry about. Sorry..." She wiped her now leaking eyes.

"Girls are we going this club or what?" Elvis seemed oblivious to what was going on.

"Oh my God," Molly sounded panicked, "he's coming over. Kate take Ella I need to go!"

"What? Molly no!" Kate held onto Ella while trying to convince Molly to stay where she was.

"Sorry Charles I need to go." She started walking away from the group as fast as she could in her heels. Charles had caught up with her in a few long strides. He walked beside her then,

"Molly what's wrong? Who is that guy? Where are you going?"

"He's my ex, I don't want to see him and I'm going home."

"You can't go walking on your own."

"Yes I can, there's about 150 people just on this stretch of road I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Please," he took her elbow, gently pulling her to a stop "let me go with you, just to make sure you get back ok," he added in case she thought he was suggesting something else.

She looked up into his eyes which were full of concern and she felt her guard drop a little.

She nodded, "Ok thank you, but I don't want to talk about it if that's alright."

He nodded in agreement.

Just as they started to walk again, she heard Daniel's voice behind her,

"Hey Molls,"

She stopped, took a deep breath and turned,

"Daniel," her voice was shaky and Charles slipped his hand into hers protectively. She grasped it gratefully, feeling less alone in this ambush.

"How are you?"

"Good thank you,"

"Right yeah um..."

It was clear that Daniel hadn't thought much beyond the initial pleasantries and he fidgeted uncomfortably.

"You look good Molly,"

"Fuck off Daniel!," the vehemence in her voice surprised Charles and he realised there must be a lot more to this than just an ex-boyfriend.

"Molls come on be fair, can't I compliment you now?"

"No."

Molly looked at him properly now. He didn't look good at all. He'd put on weight and he'd lost some more hair. She supposed stress might do that to a person. She found herself more and more wondering why she had stayed for so long.

"You not coming with the rest of the crew?" Daniel jerked his head in the direction of the group who were not even trying to hide the fact they were watching this exchange. Charles thought they looked like he often did on tour, waiting to see if an IED was going to blow.

"No." said Molly again.

"Don't leave on my account Molly please, surely we can be civil."

She chuffed out a humourless laugh, "Don't flatter yourself Daniel. I'm heading home, go party with your friends."

"I only came tonight to see you."

He was laying his cards out.

"Where's Melanie?" Molly enquired sarcastically.

"At home." Daniel sounded downhearted.

"Well maybe that's where you should be too." Molly's voice had a sliver of threat in it, Charles was afraid she might flip without warning. He made a split second decision which had the potential to back fire but he wanted to help her here, she was so obviously struggling to hold it together.

He slipped his arm around her shoulders,

"You ready to go babe?"

Molly looked at him in shock. He raised an eyebrow at her so she'd get what he was trying to do.

"Emm yes I think I am. Goodnight Daniel." She turned away taking Charles' hand again.

"Molly wait! Who is this guy?!"

Looking over her shoulder she spat the words out, "That is none of your damn business Daniel."

With that she walked away, holding tightly onto Charles' hand. He thought it better not to speak until she did, she was obviously trying not to cry.

After they'd moved a good bit down the street, Molly spoke in a shaky voice,

"Is he still there?"

Charles glanced back,

"No he seems to have gone. Your friends are coming this way though and Elvis is with them."

They rounded the next corner and she stopped, dropping his hand. She leant against the wall and closed her eyes, breathing deeply.

"You ok?"

She nodded "Thank you for that, back there, I really appreciate it. Sorry it was so awkward."

He shook his head, "It wasn't awkward, I was glad to help. Is he really your ex?"

"Unfortunately so."

Charles made a face.

"What?!" She demanded.

"Nothing.", Charles looked at the ground, he hadn't meant to make it so obvious.

"Go on say it!" She sounded pissed off now.

"Just that he was clearly punching above his weight."

Molly deflated, "Oh. That's such a nice thing to say." She felt the tears welling up again, but at that moment Kate, Ella and Elvis came round the corner.

"Well well well Charlie, what's going on here?" Elvis punched his friend playfully.

"Nothing Elvis, I was just helping Molly out of an awkward situation.

"You ok honey?" Kate hugged Molly. She nodded.

"Want to hear the good news or the bad news?" Ella asked sheepishly.

"Oh Ella what?" Molly looked warily at her.

"The bad news is I was sick-"

"Oh Ella!"

"-the good news is I was sick on Daniel's shoes." Ella smiled cheekily.

Molly burst out laughing. A proper belly laugh, not only did Daniel think she had a hot new boyfriend, but Ella had puked on him.

"Ella you're a star sometimes, but you're looking a bit pale again, let's get you home."

"What you mean you're not staying out?!" Elvis asked indignantly.

"Sorry Elvis, I think our night is done." She turned to Charles, "Thank you again for looking out for me,"

"Anytime." he smiled. And he meant it.

She came closer to him and for a moment he wondered what she was doing, but she leaned up to hug him. She squeezed tightly then kissed him on the cheek,

"Goodnight Charles."

"Goodnight Molly."

Then she was gone. Kate hailed a taxi and off the three of them went leaving Charles and Elvis wondering what had just happened.