A/N: Thanks to those who are reading this story and (hopefully) enjoying it. I assure you, it's not over yet. Feel free to leave a review to let me know that you like/or don't like where this is going. It helps me.
Nervous didn't cut it. Sophie was terrified as she went up to the door. Hayley had gotten her up and dressed even as she protested mightily.
"Hey, you're not backing out now Sophie! I won't let you" Hayley said. She pulled her out of bed, even as Sophie moaned and groaned. "But What If…" Sophie started her millionth bad case scenario.
"Enough Buts…get in the shower. Don't make me strip you" Hayley threatened pushing Sophie into the bathroom. As she cleaned herself up, Sophie practiced what she would say. She walked the line between desperately trying to be grown up about it and pathetic. She also prepared herself for the fact that she just might get a "door in a face". In the past Sian was the emotional one, while Sophie had bottled it. Sophie tended toward extreme shouty outbursts. Sian would run away to Southport or a holiday if she needed to get out.
As she regarded herself in the bathroom mirror, she reflected about how much she had gone thru in the last year and a half. She wondered if Sian had gone thru hard times as well. Sian had never had a great family to support her like Sophie did. Her father was awful and her mum not much better. Since she had fled to America, Sophie guessed that it hadn't gotten much better. But Sian had always liked warmer climes and school so it made sense that she would try to combine the two.
After fretting over what to wear all over Hayley's bedroom, she settled on a pair of jeans and a nice top. Sophie wanted to fit in and not look like too much of a foreigner. Her accent was hard enough to hide. She worked on speaking slower and clearer, but sometimes Manchester still crept out. Sophie wondered how long Sian had been here in LA and how much it had changed her. She would certainly have an amazing tan. Sian always tanned well.
Hayley had dropped her off. She gave her a hug and a pep talk. "You can do this" Hayley said confidently. Sophie turned her head downward unable to look her in the eyes. Her hands shook from the nerves. Hayley lifted Sophie's chin to meet her eyes.
"Hey, don't do that. You won't be happy if you don't settle this eh?" Hayley asked.
Sophie nodded.
"Well then go get it Sophie Webster" Hayley cheered.
So here she was standing in front of a closed door. She lifted her fist to knock on the door, but then lowered it. Exhaling she steeled herself. Stop being stupid she admonished herself. Just knock goddammit. So she did.
One knock. Two knock. And then she waited. No answer.
Could it be possible that she wasn't here? Could Ryan have been wrong? How stupid was Sophie for coming all this way on a goose chase?
She was working herself up with every moment that passed. Raising her hand for one final knock the door finally opened. Surprised Sophie took a step back.
A woman in shorts and a tank top opened the door. Sophie didn't recognize her at all but she was clearly American. A cigarette dangled from her lips. She looked Sophie over.
"Yeah?" she asked.
"Oh…hiya…I must have the wrong address…I'm looking for Sian Powers. Does she live here?" Sophie asked nervously.
"Should have guessed that. You have the same funny accent," she laughed taking a drag on her cigarette. "Yeah she's at class. Should be back soon though" the woman leaned against the open doorway.
"Oh…" Sophie sighed. This was so typical. Nothing ever works out for me she thought.
"Hey, you can hang out here. She shouldn't be too long" the woman offered her entrance inside. Sophie stepped into the flat. It wasn't too bad. Looked like typical college digs, although a little messier than Sophie would have liked.
"That'd be brilliant if it's not too much trouble," Sophie said. She stood in the center of the room unsure what to do.
"You're not some bill collector or contract killer are you? She didn't say that anyone was coming by" the woman went into the small kitchen getting a coffee. Sophie laughed.
"Eh No! Just an old friend, I wanted to surprise her" Sophie smiled.
The woman offered her a cup of coffee. "No thank you. By the way my name's Sophie, Sophie Webster" she introduced herself. "Oh yeah, sorry, I'm Jaimie, roommate" she put out her hand to shake.
"Oh good to meet you" Sophie shook it. She stood there nervously. Well this wasn't the scenario that Sophie had planned on. She didn't know what to do with herself, so she just stood there stiff.
A cell phone rang. Both women looked at the their phones. "It's mine, one minute," Jaimie said putting her phone to her ear.
Sophie continued to stand awkwardly. She turned as she heard a key turn in the lock on the door. The door opened and in walked Sian Powers.
She had short blond hair, cut in a bob, and a tan, but Sophie would recognize her anywhere. Their eyes met across the flat. Sophie steeled herself for whatever reaction would come. Sian's mouth dropped open like her mouth was unhinged. She seemed frozen in place as neither of them dared blink. They had dropped into that bubble that always seemed to form around them. There was nothing but the two of them in that moment.
Then Jaimie came back into the room and it broke.
Sophie finally exhaled. She hadn't realized that she had been holding her breath.
"Didn't know anyone would be dropping by," Jaimie said. Sian took off her jacket and dropped it on the chair near her.
"Yeah well, neither did I" Sian said forcing a smile. Unfortunately it didn't reach her eyes.
"Hi" Sophie said nervously. She moved toward her slowly, afraid that she had made a horrible mistake.
The tension in the room was thick.
"Well I'll leave you two" Jaimie said bailing out of the room as quickly as possible.
"You're really here," Sian said shaking her head in disbelief. A smile slowly moved across her face.
Sophie couldn't be more relieved. Sian Powers had always had the most amazingly beautiful smiles. It had been Sophie's aim in life to keep it on her face when they were younger. She was willing to do the silliest, foolish, things to get her girlfriend to laugh. It had filled her with the greatest warmth to see it again.
"Yeah" Sophie said biting her lower lip.
"Well C'mon let's go take a walk. I don't know if you've heard but California has palm trees" Sian said grabbing her keys and phone.
"Yeah I've heard that" Sophie smiled as they walked out the door.
They walked out on the beach. Sian was lucky enough to have a flat nearby. But then again she would. Sian had always liked warm climes and sandy beaches. They barely said a word to each other. Neither knew where to start.
Sian suddenly stopped and turned toward Sophie.
"So how did you find me?" Sian asked.
"Super spy tricks. I've become a member of her majesty's secret service" Sophie tried to make her laugh. It was her first line in a charm offensive.
Sian crossed her arms in front of her chest. She was not amused.
"Ryan Connor" Sophie spilled.
"Ugh, Shocker. Still causing trouble for me after all these years" Sian shook her head annoyed.
"Too be fair. He did give me a choice, so you can't blame him entirely" Sophie said.
"What are you doing here Soph?" Sian said. She clearly didn't want to pussy foot around.
Sophie exhaled. She locked eyes with her ex-girlfriend.
"Ever since you, I keep screwing up. And I need to know why. I need to figure this out and I think you can help me," Sophie said in a rush.
"So it's all about you huh?" Sian snapped.
"No! Look that came out wrong" Sophie shook her head. She always screwed this kind of thing up. Talking feelings wasn't her strong suit.
"Yeah Sophie I think I saw this movie with John Cusack, in fact we saw it together if I remember right?" Sian looked away.
"Sian!" Sophie couldn't help herself. This was not going as she planned at all. She grabbed her arm. Sian turned back towards her.
"I am sorry! So sorry. There's no measure for how sorry I am," Sophie pleaded.
"Okay. I believe you! But that doesn't mean that we're…" Sian replied.
"I know! I know. I just…" Sophie halted. Why was this so hard? Sophie sighed in frustration. A phone rang. They both looked toward their phones. It was Sian's cell. She answered it. She mouthed an apology.
"Yeah…I'se sorry…I forgot about our lunch date babe…A friend dropped in from Manchester…I know right…Total surprise…We'll have to do it later baby…Okay love…talk later" Sian hung up the phone.
She turned back to Sophie.
"Sorry. Blokes right?" Sian shook her head.
"Bloke?" Sophie said archly.
"Sophie, I always said I didn't fancy women, I just fancied you" Sian said looking out onto the ocean.
"Well I just have to know-Does that mean that I have to return my toaster? Because I get a toaster every time I convert a lass to my side. Now if you are jumping to the other side of the fence…" Sophie smiled.
Sian smiled. It was the first real smile that Sophie had seen from her since they'd seen each other today.
"There it is. That smile. My heart can go on" Sophie smirked.
"Cheeky mare" Sian chuckled again. They looked at each other and it was like they were transported. Once again they were on a beach in Southport, hands entwined, in their own bubble. It was their own special kind of magic that no one understood. If they could find this bubble then they would have no problem being around each other 24/7. And now they had found it again after all this time.
"Look I have to go, but how about tonight we go out, I'll take you for real Mexican take-away" Sian asked.
"Of course! But what will your bloke say?" Sophie replied.
"He won't care. American blokes are so casual. Easy-going like" Sian shook her head amused.
"Yeah of course I would! Came all the way here after all" Sophie confirmed.
"I'll pick you up at 7. What's your number so I can call and get the address?" Sian asked.
Sophie whipped her phone out so fast that she nearly dropped it. After exchanging numbers, she watched Sian as she walked away.
She just couldn't help but sigh. Sian still had a tight ass.