Sophie must have gone through her closet a billion times but was still confused as to what she wanted to portray. Classy but casual. Soft but with an edge. This was all because she didn't know exactly what Sian wanted or liked about her in the first place. I mean yeah she liked when Sophie wasn't trying but, then what is that? She was ready to just say forget it and sat down on the bed. "Just be yourself Webster. Go on," she thought. "You can do this." Sophie sighed and picked out an outfit not too much one way or the other. A large sweater with black leggings and her army green waist coat. Sophie was in the middle of putting on her boots when her phone buzzed.
From Ches B:
"You going to the Rover's then to see… you know who? ;) I want you to meet Katy. I'm trying to get her to go."
To Ches B:
"Yeah mate about to go there now. It's not too early is it?"
From Ches B:
"Nah mate, never too early for a pint haha"
Sophie grinned, put her phone in her pocket, and started to feel nervous. She wanted to be calm and play it cool, but she was not good at that. She took one last look in the mirror. "Right," she said to her reflection and walked out of her room and down the stairs. Kevin and Sally were talking in the conservatory. Not arguing but Sophie knew the tones of voices by now and new an argument was brewing. She walked towards the door of the conservatory, to test the waters and to tell of her departure. "You're welcome mum for the housework," she said sarcastically.
"Sophie I don't need any attitude young lady, what with Rosie leaving the house and now your father trying to claim her room as his," said an exasperated Sally.
"I pay the mortgage on this house Sal, I can stay where I like," said a just as exasperated Kevin.
"You lost that right when you went and copped off with Molly Dobbs! Now you insist on staying here with your love child, when your own child that we had has left because of you… " Sally was on a roll now. Sophie didn't want to stay for the brutal blows about to be dealt and decided to leave.
"Alright yous two, I'm going out with Chesney, don't wait up," said Sophie backing out of the kitchen. She was sure they hadn't heard her, but they never heard her anymore. She walked to the Rover's entrance. It was now 7pm and well into the dinner hour. Instead of psyching herself out, she just went for it and reached for the door. When she opened it and walked to the bar it was like everything was in slow motion. She didn't know what she was expecting. She could hear herself breathing and everything was silent. Suddenly everything came to life and caught up to Sophie. She didn't see Sian behind the bar as she approached it and wondered if this was all going to be a wasted effort. "Why can't this ever be easy?" her inner voice wondered. She shook her head and grabbed a stool. Tina turned around from what she was doing and smiled at Sophie. "Alright Soph? What can I get ya?"
Sophie for her part was ready to just bolt out but instead of looking foolish, ordered. "A pint of lager thanks T. Is Sian not working?" she asked. She could barely get the words out. She lacked the confidence she had when she had already had a few drinks under her belt and was ready to just give up for the night and head home. It was becoming too stressful for our Soph.
"Aye, she's in the back taking some boxes out. She'll be back in a sec. Want me to tell her you're..."
"Uh no, that's okay, I can wait," Sophie interrupted. "Don't look desperate now," she chided herself. She smiled at Tina, and the minute her back was turned, Sophie took a huge gulp of her pint.
"Slow down Sophie, that's no way for a lady to behave," said Norris, who unbeknownst to her was watching from his normal booth. Sophie was already a jumble of nerves, she didn't need an audience.
She looked over to Norris's smug face, put her finger to the outside of her nose and said, "Mind that. Don't you have other people to watch and gossip about?" Norris simply shook his head, and continued on with his cocktail. Sophie was so distracted by the small, balding town cryer, she didn't notice Sian had returned to behind the bar.
"Ohh, alright Soph?" asked a smiling Sian. Sophie had been called Soph by people before, but usually reserved it for people she knew well, like family or Chesney, even Erinn called her that. But something about when Sian said it…"Sophie? You hanging out tonight or are you moving on after a bit?"
Sophie was struggling to understand the question she was being asked. She saw Sian's blonde almost white hair under the lights and her top that was over one shoulder and hanging over the other. And those eyes…"Uhhm, yeah," was all she could manage.
"Haha, which is it Sophie?"
"Staying! I'm staying yes. Your hair looks.. nice," she sputtered out. "Oh you idiot! Just stop talking," she thought.
"Thanks lady," said Sian with a slight wink. Sophie's heart almost stopped. "I've got other customers," she said with a slight eyeroll, "but stay here at the bar."
Sophie nodded, managed a smile and said, "As you wish." Sophie was getting slightly irritated with how her confidence was so inconsistent. Maybe it was the half of a lager she downed on an empty stomach, maybe it was how unpredictable Sian was, or maybe it was just overall confusion. This sort of confusion was how she felt with Erinn, and she didn't like it, but at least Sian was nice. Erinn was not.
As much as Sophie wanted to start downing drinks to calm herself and to take the nervous edge off, she wanted to last a bit, so she continued sipping. She checked her phone for texts, new Facebook updates, new Instagram pics, new Snapchats.. anything to make her look busy and not like she was just watching Sian, which she was but didn't want it to SEEM like she was. Sian would every once in awhile glance over at Sophie and give a quick smile. The Rover's started getting more and more packed and business started picking up, leaving less time for Sian and Sophie to interact besides Soph ordering another drink. She was about to text Chesney to ask where he was, when suddenly he appeared with an almost sulky looking companion. "Alright Ches? Where ya been? I've been waiting.."
"Sorry Sophie, Fiz is driving me crazy right now. Anyway, Sophie this is Katy, Katy this is Sophie." Sophie reached out her hand and looked at the newcomer. She was struck by her beautiful green eyes and her very dour appearance. She gave Sophie a quick handshake and a just as quick smile then started looking around the Rover's. She seemed decidedly unimpressed.
Chesney went off to find stools for the two of them and left Katy with Sophie. "So, Chesney tells me you're new in town? How you finding Weatherfield then? Claustrophobic yet?" she said with a laugh. Katy couldn't help but smile a bit at Sophie's line of questioning.
"It's not that bad, well not yet anyway," Katy answered. It seemed to Sophie that was enough of an ice breaker and Katy loosened up a bit.
Just then Sian appeared behind the bar in front of Sophie and Katy with a slightly raised eyebrow. "Sophie? Same again?" she asked, eyeing Katy up.
"Cheers Sian. Oh and what would you like?" Sophie asked Katy.
"Umm, white wine spritzer?" said Katy but more as a question. Sophie wasn't sure but could have sworn Sian quietly laughed when Katy ordered her drink. Like a scoff. "Was Sian scoffing? Is that drink that bad? I mean it is disgusting…" and from her experience only old ladies drank it. It suddenly dawned on Sophie that Sian might be acting a bit… jealous. Was that the right word? The way she was sizing up Katy and making fun of her drink, albeit quietly. She thought she should clarify who this other girl was. "Cheers thanks," Katy said as Sian gingerly set her drink in front of her.
"That'll be three fifty.."
"Oh no Sian I got hers and um.. my pint?"
Sian looked at Sophie and was blushing slightly, "Coming right up."
Sophie watched as Sian poured the lager looking straight ahead and smiled when Sian set it down in front of her. "Sian this is Katy, she's new to Weatherfield. And she's here with Ches wherever he flipping went."
Sian's demeanor changed completely. "Nice to meet you, I'm Sian." She smiled and looked, what was the word Sophie was looking for? Relieved. Katy picked up on something, but before it registered, Ches was back with just one stool.
"Sorry again. Fiz is relentless. Nagging me on the phone now. Anyway, here sit Katy."
"Oh aren't you the perfect gentleman?" asked Katy. Sophie tuned out the mild flirting/banter Chesney and Katy were engaging in and continued to watch Sian. What did the Geordie Shore people call it? Flanter? Sophie hated third wheeling it when it came to couples so she stayed in her own little bubble. Her Sian bubble. So many questions swimming around her mind. "Was Sian jealous for a little bit there? Is she into me? Are we still on then?" Sophie was taken out of her thoughts by a dark headed figure moving towards the three of them. Ryan.
"Alright mates? I was wondering if I'd catch you in here." Before Sophie could form an answer, Ryan locked eyes with Katy. "Well, we meet again! Let me formally introduce myself, I'm Ryan."
Katy shyly reached for Ryan's outstretched hand and replied,"Katy." Sophie quickly sized up the situation. Chesney was fuming, Ryan was in full flirt mode, and Katy looked uncomfortable.
Sophie took charge and did what she normally did when the lads were about to combust: Separate them. "Oi Ryan, help me go pick some songs from the jukebox."
"You go on Soph," said Ryan not taking his eyes off of Katy.
"Yeah Ry, come with me please. You always know what songs to pick. You're a natural born DJ aren't ya." Just then Ryan looked over to Sophie to give her the squints for ruining his game but saw that Sophie was giving him the squints, so he complied. The squints were their code for when something was wrong and to get out of there.
"I'll be back in a bit yeah?" Ryan said to mostly Katy. Katy gave a small smile and looked at Ches who was looking down. Sophie looked at the bar for one last glimpse of Sian before she went to the other side of the room. Sian was looking at them but when she locked eyes with Sophie, she looked away and went back to customers. Sophie sighed. "Really right now?" She was going to diffuse the situation but not at the expense of her own. "Not this time," she promised herself.