And that was exactly what she did that night. She called him; asking when he was free next and Sean suggested she come to Weatherfield and have a few drinks. Get to know Billy, his new beau, as well. It had been a while since they had a real catch up.
"Here we go, gays—gang," Sean chuckled, shaking his head before placing the drinks he ordered on the table in the booth.
Louise covered her face in embarrassment. "That is the oldest joke in the book."
Sean scoffed. "What book?"
He sat down next to Billy then took a slip of his pint. They agreed to meet for lunch in the pub. It was the home of Coronation Street after all.
"So, how you two been?" Ali asked.
"Good," Sean said. "Just working as you do."
"I only moved here recently so still settling into a new church," Billy replied.
"Hearing that, Sean," Louise looked at him. "I would not think you two would go together, you're so different but it must work?"
"We said the same thing to each other," Billy rubbed his chin. "But yeah, it works."
"Opposites attract sometimes, I guess," Sean laughed.
"Sometimes." Louise shrugged her shoulders, smiling. "So what brought you guys to Hurricanes the other night?"
She needed a way to move the conversation onto Sophie. She loved hearing about how they were doing but it wasn't her mission.
"Fancied a night out, I suppose," Billy answered.
Sean nodded. "And our friend isn't very in touch with us queens; we wanted to show her the ropes."
"The girl you were with the other night?" Louise asked. Her eyes darted down to the glass in her hand; she ran her finger around the ring of it.
"Yeah. Sophie," Sean said. "She lives just around the corner."
"Do you know her or something?" Billy wondered.
Louise tilted her head. "I think I've seen her about," she smirked.
"You must of. She saw you and wanted to leave. What did you do to her?" Sean said mockingly.
"Nothing," Louise raised her eyebrows. "How do you know it was my fault?"
"I talked to her; she says it has nothing to do with her being a Christian," Billy shrugged.
"You asked her if it was about religion. There's nothing in the bible about 'thou shall not go to a nightclub'," Sean rolled his eyes. Like Louise, he was an atheist.
Louise laughed. From the amount of times the brunette used the Lord's name in vain during the night they were together, she never would have taken Sophie for the religious type.
Billy starched the back of his neck. "I know, I just thought, maybe..."
"Nah," Sean disagreed, lifting his glass to his lips. "She's had bad experiences with alcohol in the past; I think that's why she doesn't go out much."
Louise narrowed her eyes then bit her lip. "Like what?"
"She had this girlfriend, Sian, who went on holiday. So her friend—if you could call her that—took her to a club to feel better. Ended up spiking her drink, and kissed her. That moment on, she tried to manipulate our Soph."
Billy nodded over at Alison who didn't quite believe it. "And what was that story she told us about a church?"
"Oh yeah! She got in an argument with that Sian," Sean stated the obvious. "Long story short: she got drunk and ended up on the roof of a church. Tried to get down, fell. Proper bad."
"Does she not drink then?" Louise had to ask. She felt her body go numb. She didn't want to think she had taken advantage of someone who was venerable or too drunk to get consent, it was one of her rules.
"She had a few in here before," Sean said. "I wouldn't say she's against it, just doesn't go over the units too often."
It didn't exactly ease Louise's mind.
"Do you know where I can find her?" she breathed out. "I need to talk to her about something."
"I think she's working tonight so she'll be in the corner shop at the end of the road," Billy pointed out.
Louise finished up her lunch with Sean and Billy and by then it was getting late. Louise had to be at Hurricanes tonight. She said goodbye to the guys with a hug.
She walked towards her car, stopping with her hand on the door handle. She looked behind her and saw the corner shop, D & S Alahan's. The place she needed.
She still had time before she needed to get back to Canal Street.
Louise moved away from her car. She adjusted her hair through the window and straightens her shirt before stepping towards the shop.
She opened the door slowly. The bell above rang and Louise stepped in, keeping her head down. She didn't look up, instead she went down to see the contents this lot held. Sophie was preoccupied by the magazine in front of her.
Louise figured if she was going to make this as much of as anti-awkward moment possible, she was going to need something to take to the till, then she saw a fridge that held soft drinks. Perfect.
Sophie felt a shadow over her. She moved her magazine to one side and turned her attention to the till. "Is that all?"
"Yes."
Sophie scanned the item then looked up to meet the eyes of the customer. "That'll be eighty—what are you doing here?"
"It's nice to see you again, too. Buying a drink, if that's alright," Louise smiled. "Eighty, what? Pounds? This place is a rip off."
"Pence," Sophie narrowed her eyes then smiled smugly.
"Better," Louise put her hand in her pocket and pulled out a one pound coin, she put it on the counter.
Sophie picked it up and put it in the till before taking out a twenty pence piece to give back to her. "So what are you doing here?"
Louise tapped her knuckle on the charity money box. Sophie took the hint and put the change in there for her. "Like I said, I'm thirsty."
"So you came to Weatherfield for that? There's a pub at the end of the road."
"I know. I was in there earlier having lunch with the only gays in the village, Sean and Billy."
"You missed out Todd," Sophie looked away shyly.
"Sorry, don't know him," Louise put her hands in her jean pockets. "Did I miss out anyone else?"
"Umm," Sophie swallowed. She wasn't sure why she was nervous, she never had a problem with admitting her sexuality before. Maybe it was because the girl in front of right now, she'd only met a couple of days ago, and already had sex with her yet she knew nothing about her, something Sophie Webster had never done before.
"Sorry. I didn't come here to embarrass you." Louise spoke up. "I came to see Sean and Billy. But if you do come to the club again," she pulled out a card from her pocket and put it on the counter. She pushed it towards the brunette with two fingers. Sophie picked it up, "the first drink is on me."
"Do you own Hurricanes or something?" Sophie asked with the card in her hand. It was a business card.
"No," Louise shook her head. "My manager gives them out, promotional reasons. Look on the back."
She pushed herself away from the counter, her arms falling by her side and she started walking backwards. "See you around, Sophie."
Sophie looked up, shocked. She sat with the card, frozen, in her hand and Louise had left the shop. Sophie was confused.
She turned the card over. On the back was a number and address. Sophie was gobsmacked. She couldn't understand what this girl wanted from her but she wanted to found out.
