Sorry for the short chapter, but my Grandmother died yesterday. And I wanted to get something out, so I just used what I had done already earlier in the week. Thanks for understanding.

Sian couldn't help but read Sophie's text for the 10th time in just as many minutes. If Sophie is going to say they are all good and just a see you around, then it sounds like she's over it. "Right? Or not…" Sian needed to clear her head, maybe take a walk down the cobbles. "Desperate." She stared off into the distance. Well she WAS desperate. If it whatever it was with Sophie was over just as fast as it began, then she at least wanted to state her side. Explain what that was all about, and get everything out in the open. Sian wasn't a tease, and didn't want to be thought of as such.

When she first started picking out the people she thought seemed like fun and cool to hang with, she couldn't help but be drawn into Ryan Connor's "charm". He was roguish, attractive and he played music. How can you not like that combo. Well Sian couldn't, not after she got to talking to him one on one and found out how boring and simple he really was. No shade on him, he seems nice enough, just lacking in certain areas. Sort of full of himself too.

Sophie on the other hand was beautiful. Thick brown hair, blue eyes that get a shade darker than Sian's own powder blue ones. A knowledge of interesting facts coupled with a sense of humor that doesn't quit, is all a plus. Sian never was one to grab people's attention right off. Sophie though, she could talk to anyone about virtually anything. It was a gift she had that Sian was envious of. Not in a mean spirited way but more like...intrigued by it. She was sweet and kind, and got slightly nervous being around Sian. The fact that she was a girl wasn't as strange as it should have been. She had always got closer to girls than she had boys and Sophie was hot enough to want it to go all the way to the next level. Or levels. Sian smiled at the spot on the wall she was staring at. Just that quickly she had tears welling up in her eyes. "I fucked this right up didn't I?" She would need a game plan to get Sophie back to where she wanted her. Namely on that park bench under a ridiculously starry night in each other's arms. She just had to.

Sophie sat at the counter in the Corner Shop texting back and forth with Erinn. She was having fun with it for once, but she also knew that she couldn't get too deep emotionally or Erinn would most likely pull the plug on whatever it was they were doing. The physical aspect of the relationship or at least the prospect of it was quelling her need for Sian in a big way. She thought of Sian but only of the nights they had hung out, not as she would call it "Future Sian". Sophie's mind didn't work that way. She didn't want to think too much of that Sian because she didn't want to get bummed out that it probably won't ever happen.

From Erinn S:

"I was having trouble walking all day from you. Didn't know you liked it rough. Should have showed me that side earlier ;)"

Sophie blushed, not from embarrassment but from pride. This is Erinn texting her this! Wow. She wished she had a time machine to tell young, frustrated 17 year old Sophie that someday this would all be worth it.

To Erinn S:

"Oi, there's plenty more where that came from, keep it up love :)"

Just then the door opened at the Corner Shop.

"Alright Ryan?"

"Yeah Soph, how are you? You had the plague last time we saw each other," he said with a laugh.

"Ha, well I survived it. How have you been then?" Sophie said putting her phone under the counter. Last thing she needed was any grief about Erinn being back in the picture.

The pair talked for more than a 15 minutes about things that had been going on in their lives, both of them skipping over the more controversial topics. Ryan said nothing of Katie and Sophie was no fool, she was not about to blow the lid off of her sleeping with Erinn for virtually a day straight.

"So what's been going on with Sian then hmmmmm?" said Ryan playfully. Sophie grinned through the pain she quietly felt.

"Oh not much. I decided to let it lie. She was smooching some dude last time I saw her so...yeah. That's about all she wrote I'm afraid," said Sophie whose heart started racing just then. She remembered the pain she felt watching it happen, and now she was trying to talk about it matter of factly and it just wasn't okay with her yet. She could pretend, but Sophie knew she felt like shit about it. She had wanted it to work out, and she could see herself even more happy than she is right now with the blonde but alas, you can't go forcing things. She then pictured Erinn having the loudest orgasm of the morning and started blushing right then.

"What's that face for Sophie? Keeping something from me then?" asked a far too inquisitive Ryan.

"Ha no mate, just remembered a joke is all," said Sophie quickly. She had to think fast around here if she was going to keep the Erinn thing under wraps.

"Go on then, I love jokes me," said Ryan.

Sophie quickly scanned her memory for a joke she just heard… she got one!

"What do you call a computer that sings? A Dell. Get it? Like Adele? A. Dell." said Soph quite pleased with herself actually.

Ryan threw his head back and laughed. Even though Ryan caused her grief occasionally she did enjoy when he truly laughed. He was a good lad even though he let girls ruin things sometimes. Like Sophie could talk. She let Erinn ruin things for about 3 years. All made up for now though. Sophie smiled.

"Alright Sophie. Let's do lunch tomorrow eh? Got to have tea with Michelle tonight, wants to talk about 'something serious' as she says." Ryan did the air quotes thing with his hands when he said it.

"Alright mate, see yas tomorrow. I'll text you," said Sophie with a wave. She loved the kid but was glad she got rid of him in that moment when she could feel herself possibly tripping over her words and letting the truth out. "Pheww," she thought. She had a standing late dinner date with Rosie, with who she was going to let the cat out of the bag as to where she was all night and day. Even though she wasn't in the mood for the grief she knew she had to share it with Rosie. She grabbed her phone. No texts. Sophie stared at the clock. "Only 3 hours left," she sighed. Her mind wandered to where Sian would be now, which she quickly shook her head to get rid of the thought. "Don't start that now." Sophie couldn't help it though. That was always her weakness, she couldn't help herself sometimes.