Sophie not-so-patiently waited for Ryan to walk over to the jukebox. "Ryan, what are you playing at aye?" Sophie was trying to not scream at him since she knew eyes were on her.

"What do you mean? I'm here to pick songs and from the looks I was getting from you to talk about something? I..."

Sophie ran her hand through her hair in slight frustration. "I meant with Katy! Can't you see she's here with Ches? You can't just barrel through here and lay your claim! I thought you weren't coming here anymore anyway," Sophie knew she was overly agitated with him, and she was hoping that it wasn't the thing he had with Sian finally bubbling up to the surface.

"Whoa, what? Yeah I saw Chesney but from the looks of it, it didn't look like they were together. We bumped into each other on the street a couple of days ago and I saw her again just now and I introduced myself," said Ryan as confusion crossed over his face. "And what, you guys avoiding me or something? Is that what this is?" Now Ryan looked… well a bit hurt. Sophie couldn't help but feel guilty. She didn't want to hurt his feelings or bruise his albeit over-sized ego.

"No of course not but after whatever happened before with yous two, I want this to work out for Ches," said Sophie. "I mean face it, I love the guy but he hasn't had the best of luck lately with girls, and I don't know… he really likes her Ryan." Sophie gave a half smile to Ryan and Ryan for his part was looking at Sophie suspiciously.

"Is that all? You seem a bit… tense. Anything else going on?" asked Ryan as he put his hands on Sophie's shoulders.

"Well this is it," thought Sophie. "My chance to tell him." She wanted to, she hated hiding things from him, but she thought she could maybe tell him one on one, and if she was going to tell him she didn't want to do it in Sian's presence. Sure she was behind the bar, but she didn't want anything to go awry, like Ryan being rude to Sian or Ryan and Ches going at it. For as much as she liked the guy and needed his friendship, sometimes he was a bit of work.

"Um, well…" started Sophie.

"Oi Sophie, you going to put songs on or what?" yelled over a slightly inebriated David Platt.

"Yeah David, keep your hair on," yelled back Sophie. She turned her attention back to Ryan. "Well mate let's hang out just me and you yeah? I feel like we haven't had time for just us lately." Sophie wasn't lying, she hadn't seen him one on one, but she wanted to come clean and knew how to diffuse a Ryan tantrum.

"Yeah sounds good Soph. And look, I promise I'll just be friendly with Katy yeah? But if there's one instance where I see it's not working and I'm on it. Fair?"

"Yeah yeah. I know how friendly your 'friendly' is. Just let it rest for now. Promise me," Sophie almost pleaded.

"Sure. Anything for a mate."

"All right you numpty, help me pick out some songs," smiled Sophie, pleased that things were placated for now.

The night went on without a hitch, and drinks were consumed. Sophie made sure to not get sloppy so she slowed it down a bit and tried to grab some conversation with Sian when she could.

"Hi Soph, you alright? Need anything?"

"No I'm fine, thanks Sian." Sophie had been struggling to ask this for about an hour. She first looked around first at Ches and Katy who seemed to be chatting each other up, and then at Ryan who had another mate show up and they were over by the jukebox. "So what are you up to after work then?" Sophie tried to steady her voice and act casual. TRIED.

"Oh nothing probably. Have to get up early. Me dad's been on me about not spending time with him so.." Sian rolled her eyes. Sophie got the feeling that Sian wasn't close to her parents, and was dying to think of something to say.

"Yeah I know right? Parents. What are you going to do aye?" Sophie tried not to sound disappointed and slapped on a smile. "Well I was thinking of getting out of here soon actually. My parents are on me about going out so much, meanwhile they are in here at practically every night. Or well they used to be…" Sophie trailed off and Sian grabbed her hand that was resting on the bar.

"They'll be fine Soph. You told me they've already been married twice, they will keep finding each other. Mark my words." Sophie looked into Sian's piercing blue eyes and smiled. She hadn't meant to get all soppy about it but sometimes it was tough to talk about. She was always so on guard with anger and also on her toes about avoiding their constant bickering. Sophie sometimes forgets how sad she is about it. Something about Sian made her feel like she could even just say one thing and she'd understand.

"All right Sophieeee, we were thinking of moving the party to my house. Michelle is out of town and I can have a few over. What do you say?" Sophie quickly snatched her hand away from Sian at the sound of Ryan's voice. "Right. This ends tonight," she thought. She was going to tell him. Tonight. Ryan noticed the quick movement and looked at Sophie, but avoided looking at Sian.

"Uh yeah sure Ryan, let me settle up," Sophie said blushing like crazy. Ryan nodded, gave Sian his fakest smile and walked outside, looking a bit confused. She cleared her throat. "How much Sian?"

Sian looked toward the door, then back at Sophie who was getting her money together. They locked eyes for a moment and Sophie could see a bit of embarrassment crossing over Sian's face. "Uhhh, I'll give you a friend's discount." She said with a cheeky grin. "Twelve fifty."

"Are you sure Sian? I was here almost all night.."

"No, my math is correct. Thanks for being a loyal customer," she said with a wink.

Sophie left a twenty pound note on the counter. "Well thanks for the excellent service haha." Sophie turned around to look for Ches and Katy. "Alright Sophie, don't over do it. Walk out without a fuss."

"Oh you're leaving Sophie?" asked Chesney as Katy took a drink of her cocktail.

"Yeah I think I should talk to Ryan tonight. Even though he's a bit tipsy," she said looking towards the door, making sure Ryan wasn't lurking.

"Talk to him about what?" piped in Katy. Sophie looked at Katy to answer but she could see a definite smile on her lips. "Asking about Ryan? In front of Ches? Ugh," Sophie thought. She hoped it was just the cocktails and the company making her smile and not the mention of Ryan.

"Oh you know, friend stuff. Anyway it was nice meeting you Katy. I'll probably see you out in this goldfish bowl of a neighborhood," Sophie said almost as a warning. "Don't go messing Ches about, we will all find out."

Katy smiled. "Nice to meet you too Sophie. See ya around."

Sophie walked to Ryan's house and as she reached for the door, it swung open. "All right Ben? Where you off to?"

Ben smirked at Sophie and went in for a hug. Ever since Sophie and Ben hooked up two years ago, Ben always thought he had a chance with Sophie. She liked Ben sure, but they got together on a night when she wanted to forget Erinn and told herself she was done with that situation. She now regrets it, but Ben's a nice guy. Never creepy. Just kind of.. persistent. "Oh got a swim meet in the morning, on the road to the Olympic trials," he said in a sort of bragging way.

"Oh that's really cool Ben, good luck," said Sophie sincerely as she pat his arm. She could have sworn he flexed a bit then, but she let it go. "Is it happening up there or what?" she pointed upstairs to the Connor's flat.

"Not at all actually. Just Ryan playing his demos over and over. I told him he's a better DJ than guitarist but he won't listen. But he's a mate so, what can you do?" Ben chuckled.

"Haha oh great, sounds like a fun night," said Sophie, stalling a bit. She didn't really want to have this conversation with Ryan but she felt she should.

"Ha, anyway I'm off, night Sophie," he said as he reached in for another hug. Sophie reciprocated but didn't let it linger too long.

"Night Ben," she said as he walked away. She looked up the stairs and took a deep breath. Sophie didn't really do anything wrong, but it's hard to tell Ryan, or well... Ryan's ego that someone wasn't into him. It could go either way, but he didn't want their relationship to be how Ryan's and Chesney's is now. Sophie wasn't really sure what it was with Sian anyway. I mean she did turn Sian down.. and yet she still was flirty and even seemed a bit jealous. So confusing. "Alright Webster, enough stalling," her nagging inner voice piped up.

About 30 mins later Ryan and Sophie were on the couch. "Well? What do you think?" asked Sophie. She had told Ryan everything. Well, almost everything. She didn't want to let on that she knew that they had been together.

"About what?" countered Ryan. His face was in a cross between a smirk and a frown. He shook his head, as if he was clearing his thoughts. "The fact that she came on to you? Or what you should do now?"

Sophie felt an overwhelming sense of relief. "You mean.."

Ryan smiled at Sophie but had a hint of reluctance. "Yeah I'm fine with it Soph. She blew me off remember? No girl does that and gets a second chance. And you? You're in need of a change of pace aren't ya?"

Sophie wanted to hug Ryan for his loyalty, but was frozen to the spot. "Really Ry? Thank heavens. I didn't want to tell you because she blew you off when we were hanging out that night.. and…"

"Alright Soph, let's not bring up details now okay? Haha."

"Fair enough Ry. So what happened with you guys? If you don't mind me asking that is." Sophie was in the mood for a drink now. Things were looking up indeed. "Any cans left?"

Ryan got up and grabbed what was left of the beer he had in his fridge. He told of how he was in the Rover's during Sophie's hiding and they got to chatting while Sian was working. Ended up making out in front of the chippy, and ended up in bed. Being the "romantic" that he is, he asked her out for an official date the next night. Sophie rolled her eyes at the order of events but sat and listened intensely. She could tell Ryan was trying to buff up his ego a bit by telling Sophie that during the movie they went, she talked non-stop and had a negative attitude when she spoke. She nodded along. He was making it seem like he was the one that ended it, and Sophie was in no way going to kill the mood by correcting him.

"Hm, and that night we saw you, that was…"

"Three nights after the 'date'. I would shoot her a text a day and she either wouldn't answer or have an excuse," said Ryan kind of looking away. He was embarrassed Sophie could tell.

"Well okay to be honest I'm kind of nervous that she's just sort of going to make her way through Weatherfield, I mean I barely know her and she's already been with one of my mates," said Sophie finishing her can.

"Yeah she's pretty guarded. She wouldn't say anything about her past except that she left a hairy situation in Southport," said Ryan with a shrug. Sophie was trying to both soothe Ryan and also try not to jump for joy that he's okay with her liking Sian. And well.. Sian maybe liking her. Sophie got some butterflies in her stomach at that thought. "What Sophie? What you grinning at then?"

"Oh just Tracy Barlow."

"What about that nutter?" asked Ryan starting to giggle.

"What isn't funny about her? Talking about being a good parent and that earlier. Haha." replied Sophie quickly. That was a close one. She would have to hide her feelings a little better for the rest of the night. She would finish the rest of the cans with Ryan and head home. They talked of music, other gossip on the street, and yes, listened to his demos.

After about another hour, Sophie said her goodbyes to Ryan and started to walk home. She checked her phone for the time. "Oi, one AM, really?" She then saw she had a Snapchat notification. She opened the app, and saw she had a Snap from the one and only Erinn. Erinn rarely used it, and of course she was curious as to what the heck it was. Her head started to feel hot as she held her thumb on her screen waiting for what was about to pop up. Before she could really see what it was, it was over, but figured out what it was after staring at her blank screen. It was a snapshot of photobooth pics from two years ago when they went to Blackpool. The top two pictures were of them making funny faces and the last two were of her and Erinn kissing. That had been one of Sophie's greatest days ever. Sophie felt tears welling in her eyes as the drink was making feelings of frustration, anger and sadness come back to the surface. "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!" she shouted to the sky. "I just want to be happy," she said to herself. She noticed lights coming on and a few "Shh's" from different houses, but she didn't care. Why can't Erinn just bugger off? Was she meant to suffer for that "relationship" forever? Sophie didn't know and she didn't care at that moment. She just wanted to pass out. And her last thoughts that crossed her mind before sleep washed over her, were of a laughing and smiling Sian. "Maybe there's hope after all," she drunkenly thought as a tears fell from her eyes. Before she could agree with herself, she was asleep.