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Sophie Webster wasn't sure if she wanted to be in a relationship with Louise Kane but she did know that she wanted to wake up wrapped in the brunette's arms. She knew she wanted the benefits that came up with a relationship... just without the label. Was that possible? Sophie didn't know. The feeling was out of body for her. Sophie was used to the normal steps into a relationship alongside a little controversy, not debating whether or not the situation was right for her.
Louise isn't a bad person, above everything Sophie was learning that, and it confused her feelings even more. She didn't understand what was holding her back.
Maybe it was the fear everything would be different because they wouldn't be drunk the next time. It was like Sophie's first time with Sian, her first girlfriend. Getting hammered at a bus stop then going home before midnight so they didn't miss seeing in the New Year which resulted in being sent upstairs wasn't suppose to end in them having sex but it did, and the next day, Sophie didn't know where she stood with Sian and thought she had to have alcohol in her system for it to happen again.
Maybe she was still grieving from the memories of the fire. The day, despite it was almost a year since it happened, was still raw in her memory. The flames, the sound of screams, the moment her future was taken away from her…
She could still feel Maddie's presence at night, as she lay alone in their bed. Maybe she still felt the urge to be held and told everything was going to be okay.
But it was also that guilt of moving on so soon since Maddie's death that was holding Sophie back. That unfaithful night shouldn't have happened, she shouldn't have let Sinead and Steph take her out. She should have stayed in and had a quiet birthday at home like she usually did.
It was what made her and Louise different.
From what Sophie had gathered from yesterday was Louise liked to go out, socialise in groups. Whereas Sophie stayed to herself and kept to one group of friends she could rely on. Louise was a confident speaker, Sophie wasn't. She was shy. Despite in previous she went for the chase, she was never confident in her actions and backed off eventually. Whereas Louise wanted to chase her, keep talking, get to know her more out of the most unlikely of circumstances and Sophie wasn't use to it. She didn't know how to behave in return. She couldn't flirt to save her life so if Louise was expecting her to be feisty, she was wrong. Sophie was a feisty one, there was no doubting that. It was a similarity between the two young women but they had different ratios of it. Right now, Sophie saw more differences between them oppose to similarities and she wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.
Whether or not Sophie agreed to go out with Louise again the next day, she would be overanalysing the situation so she wasn't going to beat herself over it as she prepared for the day.
Counting her steps as she walked the length of the house while waiting for Louise to pick her up, Sophie tried to calm her nerves. She was just scared that, although they had fun yesterday, she was going to say or do something stupid and Louise wouldn't want to see her again.
She didn't even know what they were doing. Louise just told Sophie to be ready for ten-thirty and they'll drive until they find somewhere to spend the day.
Sophie's heart stopped beating when she heard the sound of a car horn outside. She peaked out the curtain to make sure it was Louise. She checked she had everything she needed in her bag for a third time before leaving the house.
"Hey," Sophie said quickly when she got in the car, briefly smiling at Louise.
"Hey," Louise replied much more eager than her companion. "You ready to go?"
"Yep." Sophie nodded. "Where are we going exactly?"
Louise pursued her lips. "Wherever the road takes us. Just kidding, I've got a few ideas."
Not long into their journey Louise asked Sophie if she had been to Bakewell before. When Sophie said no, Louise took the next turning towards the town.
Louise had spent many breaks in the town since her move to Manchester. It was such a beautiful area full of history.
She knew she couldn't take Sophie too far away from Manchester under such short notice but it was nice to get out every once in a while and Bakewell was the perfect location; not far from home to go to for an afternoon.
They agreed to go for a sightseeing walk after finding a spot for lunch. Louise asked Sophie if she liked Bakewell Tarts, and, of course—being from Manchester—she liked them. It was a known fact in Weatherfield if you went into Roy's Rolls after one of the Underworld ladies had been in for a cake run, it was hit and hope there was one spare. Knowing that information, Louise made sure they found a cafe that was home to the original Bakewell Tart—which proved harder than expected when nearly every window they passed made the claim.
Once they found somewhere suitable, they grabbed a table. A waitress came over after a short while and gave them a menu each before taking a drinks order, then left them to make a decision.
Louise couldn't help but admire the woman's beauty as she walked away. It didn't go unnoticed by Sophie who felt a strange wave of jealousy when Louise made no effort to hide her sudden attraction. But it wasn't for the reason she knew it should have been. Admittedly, Sophie had clocked the waitress' appearance. She was cute. A natural beauty and wasn't helped by her waitress' outfit, hair tied in a bun and softly-soften voice.
"How are you so comfortable doing that?" Sophie asked, pointing behind her as the subject of her question walked away.
"Better question," Louise leaned towards Sophie across the table. "Why aren't you comfortable doing that?"
"I don't know," Sophie shrugged. "I see she's attractive but wouldn't go and ask her out."
"Why not?"
Sophie took a sip from her Coke before stirring the ice with her straw. "Incase she's straight!"
"You don't know unless you try," Louise fixed her eyes on Sophie's movements. "And so what, if she's not interested; you move on."
"Why don't you try and ask her out when she comes back then?" Sophie asked.
"Because I'm with you," Louise nodded in her direction. "I invited you out to lunch. It would be rude of me to."
"But we're not together or on a date," Sophie pulled on sleeve ends of her coat to cover her hands. "What's holding you back?"
"I don't want to," Louise said softly. "I want to talk to you."
Sophie tried to hide her smile. "Fair enough."
"You approached me remember?"
"Yeah, because you staring at me," Sophie's eyes widened.
"Oh, excuse me!" Louise leaned back in her chair, hand over her heart like she was offered by what the brunette opposite had said. "I'll apologise, shall I? You didn't have to come over. No one told you to."
"Actually, my friends did encourage me," Sophie responded.
"Should I thank them?" Louise cocked an eyebrow.
"Not yet."
"We need to become friends before you wonder if you did the right thing?"
"Yep."
Sophie sucked a breathe in, just about to ask Louise a question but she was interrupted by the waitress reappearing. She placed their drinks down in front of them and asked if they were ready to order. Both the young ladies blushed in embarrassment, realising they hadn't looked at the menu since they'd last seen the waitress. They apologised then skimmed over the words before giving their order. She wrote it down before taking the menus off them. Louise smiled at her and Sophie caught her breath. She waited for Louise to say something, take her chance but it never came. The waitress smiled back politely and left them to continue talking.
Louise looked at Sophie smugly. "Told you I wouldn't."
Sophie blushed for a second time. She bit her lip. She didn't want to talk about it. It wasn't a test, it wasn't important. Sophie made a judgement and got it wrong. Lesson learned.
"Why did you tell me random facts that night?" she asked instead. It was easier to change the subject.
"I wanted to break the ice, as they say. I really did think you were cute," Louise smiled before her eyes widened suddenly. "You are cute. I wanted to know you. I still do."
"Stop," Sophie hid her face in her hands. She didn't do well with compliments.
"Why? You don't believe it?" Sophie shook her head and Louise frowned. "You're beautiful. I think a lot of girls would be envious of me right now."
"Stop," Sophie shook her head. She'd heard it all before but she didn't want to believe it. She didn't hate herself. It was simply, she didn't know how to respond to kind words.
"No. I'll keep saying it," Louise reached for the brunette's hand. "I won't believe you're not confident, Sophie, not after what happened on your birth—"
"Okay. Stop! Seriously," Sophie pulled the pixie-cut's hand away. "We're in public."
"Okay. Sorry," Louise held her hands up. "Teaches you to think I'd chat up the waitress."
"And I'm sorry for that."
"So, we're even now then?" Sophie whispered. "Should we start over?"
"Sure," Louise giggled. "I think we know each other's name pretty well already but, uh, hi. I'm Louise."
Sophie chuckled, shaking Louise's extended hand. "Sophie."
Louise grinned. "Nice to meet you."
Lunch was nice. Sophie had an original Bakewell Tart. She didn't taste a difference from a Mr Kipling but it was an experience all in all. She enjoyed the sightseeing more. Getting out and seeing a different Northern area was so freeing. Louise told her stories and they walked peacefully together, enjoying the sights.
Unfortunately they eventually had to go back to Manchester. Duty called, but it was nice while it lasted and they let like they knew each other a little better. Maybe now Sophie could let down of the sickening feeling in a stomach. There was no harm is befriending Louise at least.
"What do you mean you don't like Jeremy Kyle? His show is my Monday motivational wake up call," Louise scoffed as she turned into Weatherfield.
"My family could be the show," Sophie said sternly. She wasn't joking.
"Why?" Louise's eyes widen. She pulled up outside No.13. "Don't they have any teeth?"
"No!" Sophie tried to laugh it off. "They have a history of stories he would love."
"I doubt it," Louise mused. "Have you seen some of the stories he covers? Can't be that bad."
"Trust me. You don't want to know," Sophie breathed out. "Anyway, thanks. For today."
"You're welcome," Louise smiled gratefully. There had been something she had been wanting to ask Sophie since they left Bakewell. Since today went so well and she felt she was heading in the right direction with the brunette, she was itching to find the right moment. "You're most welcome. You know Christmas is in a fortnight. What are your—"
"No."
Louise was taken back by Sophie sudden change of tone. "You don't know what I was going to say—"
"No."
"Will you just—"
"No."
Sophie sighed, realising how heartless she was sounded. "I'm sorry. No, it's not your fault. It's just… Christmas is important to me this year. I can't…"
"Well," Louise asked nervously. "What about Christmas Eve? I only want to meet up for a drink."
"No," Sophie shook her head. "I'm sorry. I really can't."
She could feel a lump forming in her throat. She didn't want Louise to see her cry so, again, she apologised and got out the car.
"Can I at least you text you?" Louise asked.
Sophie ignored it. Regretfully, she closed the door forcefully. It slammed behind her. She winced at the noise before moving towards her house, not stopping to look back at the confused girl she'd left behind.
Louise didn't think and stop about it. She was frustrated. She shook her head in disbelief before starting her car up again and speeding off before Sophie closed a second door on her.
