Jen stood shaking in the toilets. She held onto the sinks, trying to regain her composure after her exciting encounter with Tilly. She looked at herself in the mirror and couldn't help but smile slightly at the sight of smudged lipstick all over her face. Tilly's lipstick. Her smile fell as she remembered Tilly's words. She couldn't deny it, Tilly was right. As long as they lived together in the same place they were always going to end up together. Jen had been stupid to think otherwise. She reluctantly wiped Tilly's lust off her face and took a deep breath before making her way back to the bar.

"I'm not feeling too good Lex, think I'm gonna call it a night" Tilly put her coat on.

"Oh what?! The nights just getting started." Lexie looked behind Tilly and spotted Jen making her way back to Mel. "Has she got anything to do with your sudden desire to leave?"

Tilly turned and mocked surprise as she saw Jen "what? Why would she?" Tilly panicked. Had Lexie heard them in the toilets?

"Have you reverted back to miss goody two shoes? Not wanting your teacher to see you out on a school night?" Lexie nudged Tilly playfully.

"No I'm just really tired" Tilly lied flushing slightly and hoping Jen hadn't seen Lexie's flirtatious gesture.

"Want something to perk you up a bit?" Lexie raised her eyebrows and opened her pocket just enough to expose the bag of white powder.

"Drugs? Are you kidding me?" Tilly took a step back from Lexie.

"Oh come on its just a bit of coke. Hardly makes me Amy Winehouse. Chill out tills." Lexie laughed.

"It's Tilly. See you around." Tilly shook her head and left the bar. She stood outside shivering and waiting for a cab. She just wanted to get home. Although she believed completely what she'd said to Jen that they'll always end up together, she still didn't want to see Jen on a date with someone else.

"Oi. Come on Tilly don't be like this." Lexie had followed her out much to Tilly's annoyance.

"Leave me alone I just want a cab"

"Listen I'm sorry. I'll throw the coke away, I didn't realise you weren't cool with it." Lexie stroked down Tilly's arm. "Those guys in there want us both to stay and party... They've invited us back to their hotel."

"Erm for what exactly?" Tilly pulled her arm away.

"What do you think? For some fun with us both. Live a little..." Lexie laughed and pulled Tilly close to her again.

"No." Tilly tried to pull away again. Lexie over confident from the white powder in her pocket held Tilly tightly and closed the gap between them by kissing her hard. Tilly pushed her off.
"Lexie I'm not interested!"

"Oh come on. The hard to get act is fastly losing its cuteness" Lexie tried to kiss Tilly again.

"She said no!" Jen had left the bar and was now stood watching.

Tilly stepped away from Lexie as she was distracted by Jen.

"Oh what's it to you? We're not in college now. It's not any of your business" Lexie snarled. Her nasty side shocking Tilly.

Jen looked to the floor screaming inside that it was her business. That she loved Tilly. Tilly looked at Jen so much love in her eyes for the woman who was her world standing there protecting her. Lexie looked from Tilly to Jen.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me? You two?" Lexie laughed. Jen couldn't think of anything to say. How could she deny what was written all over her face.

"Don't be ridiculous. You're just off your face." Tilly jumped in hoping to save the situation. She didn't want Jen to feel threatened by Lexie. Didn't want to be the cause of Jen losing her job.

"And you're a dirty little liar..." Lexie shook her head and headed back into the bar.

Jen stood biting her lip and rubbed her head over her fringe as she closed her eyes.

"I'm so sorry Jen" Tilly genuinely felt sorry. This was all her fault. She was shaking half cold and half shocked.

"Don't be silly" Jen walked over to Tilly and rubbed her arms.

"Thanks for stepping in I didn't-" Tilly started but Jen put her finger on Tilly's lips.

"Of course Id step in. She's lucky I didn't rag her off you.." Jen blushed as she heard the jealousy in her own voice and Tilly smiled.

"Shall we get away from here?" Jen stepped away from Tilly realising they would probably make the situation worse if they stayed any longer.

"Yeah. Let's go..." Tilly and Jen started walking down the cobbled Chester streets. Close enough to each other so that their arms brushed slightly against the others as they walked.

"She was a forced blind date... Diane invited her round and I couldn't say no" Jen was the first to break the silence.

"Bloody Diane" Tilly laughed as the relief spread across her face. She stopped laughing as Jen took hold of her hand as they walked. Stroking over the top with her thumb sending shivers through Tilly's body.

"You're shaking." Jen whispered grabbing Tilly's other hand and looking into her eyes. "I'm here Tilly. She's not going to hurt you. No one could ever hurt you while I'm here."

"Jen you're the only one capable of hurting me. There's no one else. Just you."

"I hate that I do hurt you." Jen looked to the ground. "This is a mess"

"Hey. I wasn't having a go." Tilly put her finger underneath Jens chin and lifted her face to look into her eyes. "We'll sort this. I'll make sure Lexie doesn't say anything."

Jen sighed. "Tilly. I can't stand this anymore. A part of me wishes we'd used those tickets... Ran away."

"We were right not to Jen. You love your job. No matter how much you feel like you wouldn't have I know that you'd end up resenting me for being the reason you'd had to give it up. I couldn't live with that. I love you." Tilly smiled.

"Even after all I did? Practically forcing you into seeing someone else?" Jen bit her lip at the memory of hard it had been to do that.

"Jen I told you before. I'll love you forever. Even when we're not talking, not together or if you ever stop loving me. I promise I'll always love you. Forever." Tilly pulled a necklace out from under her collar revealing the promise ring that Jen had given her attached to it. "Until then. Yeah?"

Jen smiled with tears in her eyes and pulled out her own ring also attached to a necklace from under her dress. Tilly laughed at how they'd both done the same. Neither wanting the other to know they were still holding onto the ring... Still secretly holding on to their promise.

"I love you so much Tilly." Jen cupped Tilly's face in her hands just looking all over her face for a few seconds before gently pulling her lips close enough to her own and kissed her softly.

tbc...