At first she visited all the old haunts. It wasn't always easy because she wanted to avoid the local gossipmongers. Sian didn't want it getting back to Sophie until she wanted to see her. If she really wanted that at all. She still was not sure whether she could face her ex. In the last few years she'd managed to pull herself back together. She feared anything that would undo all that hard work.
Sian knew that she had grown into her looks. Blonde hair and legs-she had managed to keep her figure. She had no problem with lads ever. Pulling didn't even require any effort. But they never stayed. It was mostly her own fault to be honest. Sometimes she practically kicked them out of bed after it was over. She didn't mean to be such an ice queen, but it was easier than being on the other end of the stick.
The more she thought about it, the more she realized what had set her off. It had been the picture. That picture that she had seen on that girl's phone in the bar. Sian had only seen it briefly but everytime she closed her eyes there it was. It had been a soppy picture-that was undeniable. Sophie, a few years older, and the girl, were sitting on the street. The brunette had clearly just said something cheeky. It was a look that Sian remembered; she had always loved how funny Sophie could be. The younger girl, Maddie, was nearly falling over laughing. The dimples in her chin stood out making her look far younger than when Sian had seen her. There was nothing really special about it on the surface. Except the two lasses were laughing at something between themselves. There was an implied intimacy where the viewer was being involved in a moment of pure joy.
Sian knew she hadn't felt that way in a long time, and she ached for it.
Ducking into the Rovers, she was glad to see no one she knew at the bar. Luckily she had managed to avoid the typical pub crowd. A few years ago she would have been too young to grab a pint anyway. Walking up she ordered a vodka cranberry from the barmaid who looked vaguely familiar.
"3 pound fifty" the barmaid charged her.
Sian went to reach down into her purse.
"Oi Eva! I've got the lady's drink" she heard coming from a lad at the bar. Looking up Sian saw the smug smirk on his face and an unsubtle air of self-satisfaction. He was dark-skinned, but not enough to be African, perhaps Salford-born Sian guessed. His hair was curly but with only the hint of Afro. Well, at least he wasn't chavvy.
"Thank you" she said as she took her drink and headed toward a back table. He jumped up from his stool.
"Don't I get to join you?" he pleaded.
"Well I guess but these shoes aren't made for standing" she said over her shoulder.
"If I must" he shrugged sitting down opposite her. "So you are either sitting here because you are trying to avoid someone from here or trying to find someone here before they find you" he said laying on the charm. "Cuz there's no way I wouldn't have noticed you by now if you were living here" he said with a cheeky grin.
"What if I'm both?" Sian answered.
"Full of mystery aren't you? Well I think I can guess your deal" the lad replied.
"All right go on. Let's hear this" she laughed. Sometimes playing with blokes was so easy.
"What it is right, well you're suited and booted right? My guess would be a solicitor, or you work for one. How'd I do?" he smirked.
"Not bad" she chuckled. "I am looking for someone" she arched her eyebrow and hitched back her shoulders.
"Who? I know everyone here" he responded eagerly.
"Sophie Webster? We used to be bessie mates, but I need to talk to her about something that happened in the past" she lied only slightly.
"Oh yeah! Of course I know her. I work for her dad" he laughed.
"Really? Can I get her phone number?" she pushed her chest a bit forward. "She doesn't know that I'm just dropping in but I guess she doesn't live with her mum so I just want to talk to her" she explained.
"Oh yeah I've got it. But what say I get yours in exchange?" he slyly said with a calculating look.
"How about this? Let's play a game. If I can guess your name, which you haven't told me, then you give it me. If I'm wrong then you get mine. Deal?" she proposed. He nodded that it was all right.
"Okay" Sian got out a pen and grabbed some placeholders. She tossed one his way. "Here we'll each write down the number and give it over to the winner" she explained as she wrote something down quickly. She held it up in her hand. He laughed as he wrote the number down.
"If you can guess my name then I'll buy the next round because then you're a mind reader" he held up his place holder.
Sian took a dramatic sip from her drink and smiled. Men were so easy, she thought to herself.
"Your name is...Luke" she laughed. Defeated he laughed and threw down his hands. He lightly protested and finished off his pint. He got up and went to the bar.
Sian grabbed Sophie's number. She inputed it into her phone quickly but didn't use it. Still unsure what to do, she didn't mind having a distraction to put it off.
Luke returned to the table putting a drink in front of her.
"Well I hope that I haven't gotten poor Sophie in trouble but a bet is a bet" he said genuinely.
"Don't worry. We just have some old stuff to settle" she replied.
"Well it must be something because other than be an occasional lairy, I can't imagine of anything she could have done. It can't even be about another bloke...because yano…" he paused and took a drink from his pint.
"Sophie's not a saint trust me. I used to know her better than anyone" Sian sighed and finished off her second drink.
She sat up and grabbed her coat.
"Leaving already?" he said looking up at her.
"Can't sit here drinking all day, but if you are ever out in Newcastle" she smiled as she slid the placeholder from in front of her across the table "you can buy me some more drinks".
She walked out of the Rovers disappearing out onto the street. He looked down at the phone number and saw that he was still wearing his work overalls. His name was clearly printed on the left side of his chest.
He laughed to himself as he turned back toward the bar.
A/N: I know! But don't worry we'll get back to Sophie & Maddie trust me! Reviews are the fuel which move things along, so feel free to drop them if you'd like more.