Thank you so much for the reviews, so appreciated you lovely bunch!
Here's the second chapter, decided I quite like using Lana Del Rey lyrics for inspiration, hence the Dark Paradise lyrics at the start and end. Hope you don't mind, I just think it sets the scene/feeling for the chapter.
Let me know if you like the dream/memory piece, I'm thinking of doing the next chapter as another memory if you like it.
Reviews are loved and appreciated as always!
x
Loving you forever can't be wrong, even though you're not here I won't move on.
Every time I close my eyes, it's like a dark paradise.
She tossed and turned in her sleep, the covers becoming tangled around her body. She used to love her sleep, everyone knew never to wake Carla when she was in her cocoon of covers, but recently her sleep had been short lived, full disturbances.
Every night when she shut her eyes, finally slipping off to her desired place of rest, she would see him. He'd popped up many times before in her dreams, but now it was every night, without fail. He'd be there immediately, never missing his cue. The darkness of her eyelids would soon be transformed, showing her a distant memory. A loved memory, the kind she was scared she would regretfully forget.
They were different every night, but tonight was one of her favourites.
Liam's 21st birthday party.
Oh that night had been a good one. She remembered looking exceptionally good, she wasn't afraid to admit it, after spending hours making herself look the image of perfection. She wore a tight fitting black dress, accentuating every aspect of every curve she held so well on her body. Her cleavage looked astounding, something everyone made sure to comment on when more than a few drinks had been consumed. The shade of the dress matched her loosely curled hair, which hung gently over her shoulders and down her back.
This dress was perfect, and didn't Liam know it.
As soon as she'd walked in she felt his eyes on her. He was standing by the bar, holding a bottle of champagne someone had just bought him, and already looking a little tipsy. She let her glittering eyes gaze over to him, giving him a cheeky grin and lifting her hand to wave. Her gaze was broken when Paul walked in front of her, leading her over to the bar, shouting his best wishes and happy birthdays at Liam in a jolly and excited manner. Carla chuckled, shaking her head at Pauls actions and gratefully taking a glass of champagne someone had passed to her.
The drinks were flowing easily, round after round of shots were being bought and quickly consumed by the Connor siblings and their friends. Barry and Helen looked on in dismay as they saw the effects of the buckets of alcohol their children were consuming take hold. They hadn't really wanted to be here, it was hardly their scene. So they sat, taking in everything around them like a pair of hawks. They watched Carla carefully, they never did believe she was good enough for Paul and Helen had to bite her tongue many a time as she took note of Carlas actions. She watched in dismay as Carla ran her hands over Liams chest leaning against his back, draping herself over him so her head was by his shoulder, whispering in his ear before the pair of them fell about laughing. She had already corrupted Paul in Helens eyes, which was why she couldn't take a minute more of watching her corrupt her youngest boy as well and was soon dragging Barry home.
What she didn't see didn't hurt her, she repeated to herself.
It was a good job she did leave, Carla was pretty sure she wouldn't like to see her youngest son pressed up against his sister in law to be. Paul didn't care, he was too busy working his way through his body weight in alcohol and chatting up other girls. Of course he loved Carla, but they both knew they were allowed to have fun, up to a certain level.
Carla had dragged Liam up to dance, a slow song was on and Paul was going to be no use. She didn't want to dance with Paul anyway, when she compared him to Liam that night he looked like a poor excuse of a Connor brother. She giggled flirtatiously as she saw Liams friends standing behind her, making gestures to tease Liam. One was running his hands up and down in a curved motion, as if to run his hands up and down the sides of a woman. Others were making thrusting movements and shouting to Liam to 'get in there'. Carla didn't care, she loved the attention she was getting.
She wrapped her arms around Liam's neck, pulling her body up to his, pressing her soft chest against his. He moved his hands to her waist, holding her against him as they swayed together. They whispered and chuckled into each others ears as the song played, happily teasing each other.
'Hey, you better not get too excited when I'm this close to you!' Carla teased as their bodies reached a new closeness, not a slither of light being able to slip between them.
'Ah don't worry yourself, I'm not as easily pleased as my brother.' He grinned back playfully.
The teasing continued, but neither could deny the building sexual tension between them both.
Maybe it was the booze they were both filled with. Maybe it was the flirting that continued to get more outrageous. Maybe it was how her head had come to rest on his shoulder, her hot breath tickling his neck as she spoke. Maybe it was the way her thumb rubbed his shoulder through his shirt, as if she were trying to break the barrier between them. Maybe it was how his hands held on to her bum, pulling her lower body so extremely close to his.
Neither of them really knew what it was, but eventually the song came to an end and they parted, giving a knowing grin to each other, both enjoying the moment they had just shared. They looked around before laughing and pointing at each other, resuming the teasing that they always played with.
As they glanced around the room they were glad to see Paul practically asleep on one of the chairs, he never could handle his drink like they could! Then they spotted Michelle far too consumed in what they guessed would be her bed partner for tonight. As they drank their drinks they both thought about it, they knew the position they had been dancing in had maybe been a step too far. Maybe it was crossing the level that she and Paul shared for the fun they had with others.
But she had liked it, and so had Liam.
And neither could wait for it to happen again, soon they hoped.
That was when Carla woke, she hadn't wanted to, she knew what was left of that night, the rest of the memory that she wanted to envisage. It was as if her dreams were teasing her, mentally showing her what she was missing, what she needed.
Who she needed.
There's no remedy for memories, your face is like a melody - It won't leave my head.