It had been a while since Michelle and Steve had thrown one of their themed pub nights, in fact it had been almost a month seeing as their last one had been on Halloween. Michelle had been keen on throwing a Karaoke night for weeks now and after lots and lots of nagging she convinced Steve to let her throw one on Saturday night.
"Really Chelle?" Carla said as she saw Michelle putting up the poster for it on Friday morning, They were on their way to get breakfast in the café but they had to stop every so often as Michelle put posters up all over the street. Carla leant forward and looked at the date, "The twenty ninth? Chelle that's tomorrow."
"I know." Michelle said, as she pinned a poster onto a lamppost out side Roy's Rolls.
"Well it's a bit last minute aint it?" Carla said,
"I know but I wanted to get it done before Steve changes his mind, he's not to keen on the idea to be honest." Michelle said,
"I'm not surprised…" Carla said, "I mean how many people around ere other than you, ave a good singing voice?"
"It's not about that Carla, it's about having fun." Michelle grinned as they walked into the café.
"Oh I beg to differ…" Carla said as they reached the tills, "I reckon it should be illegal to do Karaoke unless you can actually sing."
"Oh you are such a spoil sport Carla." Michelle grinned as Roy greeted them at the tills.
"Good morning ladies what can I get for you this morning?" He asked,
"Morning Roy." Carla said, smiling at him fondly. "The usual I think." She said looking at Michelle who nodded.
"So that's two coffees and two bacon sandwiches then." Roy checked although he knew that it was correct because Michelle and Carla had been coming into his place for years to get breakfast and they almost always had the same thing.
"Perfect." Michelle said as Carla gave Roy a wave and went to sit down at her and Michelle's favourite table in the corner. "Carla I hope you know that me and you are gonna be getting up on stage and singing something together." Michelle said as she sat down opposite Carla.
"Erm… I don't think so Michelle." Carla said, shaking her head adamantly. "You know I don't do Karaoke anymore, those shameful days are well and truly gone"
"Oh I think you'll change your mind once I get a few wines down your neck." Michelle said, as Peter walked into the café, he was dressed in his black coat and in work clothes, he smiled when he saw Carla but she had her back to the doors so she didn't see him as he walked towards her.
"Morning." He said, bending down and giving Carla a quick kiss on the back of her head before walking on towards the tills. She grinned from ear to ear and watched Peter as he said, "Can I get a black coffee Roy?"
"You coming over ere to join us?" Michelle asked, but Peter shook his head at her.
"No can do, I'm already late for work as it is."
"Aww go on." Carla said pouting,
"Eh it's alright for you two, I mean you can just stroll into work when you want, but me, I ave to make sure I get to work on time, they need me down there." Peter said.
"And where exactly was this kind of attitude when you used to work at the factory?" Michelle asked, "You used to turn up at gone eleven sometimes."
"Yeah well I could get away with it then, I were sleeping with the boss after all." Peter said winking at Carla and then turning to pay Roy for his drink. Carla smiled in a besotted fashion over at Peter, she was still unable to understand how simple wink could give her so many butterflies and she was also unaware that Michelle was watching her.
"I bet you'd sing if he asked you to." Michelle said nodded towards Peter with a grin, Carla stopped smiling and shook her head at her best friend.
"No I wouldn't." She said although if she could be convinced by anyone to get up and sing, Peter would definitely have been the one to do it.
"Yes you flamin well would, you'd do anything for that man." Michelle said, as Peter came over to their table.
"What man?" he grinned,
"You… there's a Karaoke night at the pub tomorrow and I want Carla to do a duet with me." Michelle said,
"A duet?" Peter said with an eyebrow raised, "Is it classed a duet when one of you can sing and the other… is Carla?" he nodded towards her as Michelle laughed.
"Awww she's not that bad." She said.
"No he's right Chelle, I cannot hold a bloody tune, which is why I will be there tomorrow night but only as a spectator to the pure madness that is going entail when you let the folks round here loose with a microphone and a backing track." Carla said.
"Oh come on Carla, I wanna do a song with me bezzie mate… please." Michelle groaned as Roy brought over their coffees. "I'll even let you pick the song." Michelle reasoned as if that would change Carla's mind.
"Really?" Carla gasped excitedly. Peter could tell that this was more of a sarcastic gasp but Michelle couldn't and nodded at Carla excitedly.
"Yes!" Michelle cried.
"Hmmmm let me think." Carla said bringing her finger up to her lips as if she was deep in thought. Peter watched her shaking his head in amusement, as she then looked at Michelle dead in the eye and said. "No!"
"Oh Carlaaaaa!" Michelle cried putting her head on the table in a dramatic fashion. Peter laughed along with Carla as Michelle lifted her head up a little, "Come on Peter, help me out ere, get Carla to at least think about it." As she spoke Roy handed Peter his coffee over the till.
"Cheers Roy." Peter said before turning back to Michelle and Carla, "Sorry Chelle this is my cue to leave I'm afraid." He said holding up his takeaway cup of coffee.
"Have a good day baby." Carla gushed, getting off her seat slightly so she could reach Peter for kiss.
"You too love." Peter said as she sat back down, He looked at Michelle who was still pouting about Carla's duet refusal.
"Bye Peter." She sulked,
"Bye Chelle." He said and then he grinned, "Whatever you decide tomorrow, just make sure that Carla's microphone is switched right off." Michelle and Carla both laughed at this and as Peter began to walk away Carla leant back and gave Peter a quick slap on the bottom. "Behave you." He said before leaving the café.
Carla turned back to Michelle with a grin as their Bacon sandwiches were brought over, they both said thank you to Roy and tucked straight in. Michelle was halfway through her sandwich when she looked at Carla and said,
"Can you at least just think about singing with me?" Carla rolled her eyes as she chewed her food and said,
"Y'know what Chelle if you stop talking about it, I promise I will think about it, okay?"
"That's all I ask." Michelle said triumphantly. "It was nice to see Peter this morning…" Carla nodded and took a sip of her coffee. "How's he doing?"
"Yeah he's…" Carla began smiling infatuatedly, she sighed peacefully to which Michelle put on her best Carla like voice and said,
"Oh he's so dreamy and I am so clearly obsessed with him that I cannot even finish my flamin sentence." Carla laughed to herself and shook her head at Michelle.
"Oh I can't help it Chelle," She said, still smiling away.
"I don't quite know how it's possible but I swear it's like you two are even more in love than before." Michelle said, "I mean you weren't even half as bad as this, when you got together the first time around."
"Yeah well it were different back then, I mean we had everyone judging us and everything with Leanne to deal with on top of that. We didn't really have time to just be us and to be happy y'know…. Which reminds me…." Carla said as Michelle went back to eating her sandwich, "You've not heard people saying out ave you?"
"What d'ya mean?" Michelle asked,
"Like stuff about me and Peter?" Carla said, Michelle shook her head,
"No why?"
"It's just, I ran into Luke the other day and he said that Steph had been saying stuff that's all." Carla said with her hands wrapped tightly around her coffee cup.
"Steph? Why would she have something to say?" Michelle asked,
"Well she were Tina's best mate, she's clearly not over what Peter did." Carla said sighing a little,
"Well she should be, I mean if you can get past it, who cares what everyone else has to say."
"Well I don't, not really it's just I don't want Peter getting wind of it that's all, I mean he's in such a good place right now and I don't want anything to make him feel bad." Carla said. Michelle nodded at her understandingly as they both went to finish their breakfast.
As they were almost done, Michelle looked down at the leaflets she'd also made for the Karaoke night and had an idea,
"Could you hand some of these out to your factory lot for me?" She asked.
"Oh do I ave to?" She joked, "I mean it's bad enough I have to hear their foghorns singing along to the radio at work let alone in the pub."
Later on that evening Peter had just finished work and was making his way down Coronation Street to see his Dad when he saw Simon walking miserably down the road.
"Si? What's wrong?" he asked, Simon just shrugged at his Dad and shook his head.
"Nothing." He lied.
"Well it's obviously not nothing is it Si? I mean look at the face on it." Peter said, pointing at a reflection of Simon in a car window.
"I had an argument with Santana today…" Simon began, "In fact it were just now."
"What happened?" Peter asked as they got to number one.
"I were round her house with her after school because we always hang out on Fridays and she seemed a bit off with me, so I just asked why she was in such a bad mood and she said that she wasn't but I said she was and then she told me to go home and leave her alone." Simon said as if he had just had the worst argument in the world.
"That was hardly an argument Simon." Peter said as he knocked on his Dad's door.
"She seemed really annoyed with me though Dad and I haven't even done anything wrong." Simon said as the door opened.
"Hello Dad." Peter said, Ken smiled at him and let him and Simon in properly.
"Hi Granddad." Simon said miserably, Ken looked at Peter upon Simon's appearance.
"Oh ignore him Dad, he's just had his first tiff with Santana that's all." Peter said as they all walked into the living room. Amy and Tracy were both sat at the table surrounded by dozen's of nail polish bottles.
"Hiya..." Tracy said as she leant was leant over Amy's hand and painting her nails black. Peter looked at the colour that Amy had chosen and said,
"Black nails really? You're not going all emo on us are you Amy?"
"No, black nails look really cool and sophisticated actually." Amy said,
"Yeah and if anyone looks like they're going emo it's Simon, I mean what is that face for?" Tracy said watching Simon as she slumped down onto the sofa.
"He had an argument with Santana." Peter said, taking his coat off.
"Why don't you just tell everyone Dad?" Simon said dryly.
"Watch it you." Peter said as he sat down next to Simon. "Come on Si, she's probably just had a bad day that's all."
"You can say that again." Amy said, Simon gave her a perplexed look and sat up right.
"What do you mean?" He asked, as it was obvious that Amy knew a little more about the situation.
"Well I saw her earlier, I had P.E and she just had a lesson before me so she was in the changing rooms when I went in there, she was arguing with this girl who said something about her Dad and the next thing, I saw Santana gave the girl one hell of a slap, Mrs Bolton came in at that very moment and took Santana and the girl to the headmaster." Amy said as Tracy continued to paint her nails.
"Well it sounds as if she did have a bad day after all then." Ken said, sitting down on his favourite chair. Peter looked at Simon to try and guess what he was thinking, he was guessing that Simon was probably feeling slightly embarrassed for but Peter was wrong.
"So she's going round hitting girls in her year yet she had the cheek to ave a go at me for giving that Darren a good punch." Simon said shaking his head.
"Honestly, you two are a right pair of troublemakers." Tracy said.
"Yeah... sounds as if they are made for each other." Amy grinned, Simon glared over at them as Peter sighed at his son.
"Simon did you even listen to what Amy said? Obviously Santana was provoked by this girl talking about her Dad… and I know that you of all people have some experience in that area... don't you?" Peter said, reminding Simon of when he lashed out at school because someone was taunting him about his Dad.
"I guess…" Simon said, feeling guilty now. "Should I go back round there? He asked and Peter shook his head.
"No, she told you to go and leave her alone, so you should respect her decision. Why don't you just send her a text to say that Amy told you what happened and that if she needs to talk to you then she can." Peter suggested. Simon nodded and got his phone out, he ended up sending Santana a message that said the same sort of thing that his Dad had just suggested.
Hi… Amy just told me what she saw in the changing rooms earlier, if I'd ave known I wouldn't have been so stupid, I understand if you don't want to talk about it but if you do just give me a call. x
It was only a few minutes later when Simon's phone began ringing and it was Santana, he answered it immediately and even went into the hallway so he could speak in private.
"Honestly kids these days, so dramatic." Tracy said as she finished Amy's nails. Amy admired them and had her hands laid out on the table so they could dry.
"Thanks Mum." She said smiling, "Hey granddad, what do you think?" She asked, holding a hand up so Ken could see.
"Erm… very nice Amy." Ken said although he didn't think black nails looked good at all. "Are they for a special occasion or something?"
"Yeah, Santana's best friend Chloe is turning thirteen tomorrow night and she's having a disco in a hall." Amy said,
"And you're invited?" Ken asked surprised,
"Yes, I know her from Netball." Amy said, Tracy watched Ken's slightly worried expression and said,
"It's fine Dad, Simon's going too, he'll make sure she is fine besides the girls entire family will be there too." Amy nodded at her Granddad as Tracy started putting away the bottles of nail polish, "I've gotta say, it is slightly depressing when your eleven year old has a better social life than you." Tracy said unhappily. Peter watched her for a moment and decided to send out a little message out of his own.
"Carla…You know what we spoke about the other day about how you & Tracy should spend sometime together?..."
Peter only had to wait a few moments before receiving a reply.
"Yes… why?"
"Well I'm with her right now & I were thinking the Karaoke night would be a good opportunity for it, what do you think?"
"Yeah I guess so…"
"Hmmm you don't sound too convincing if I'm honest Carla."
"Well I were planning on sitting & judging all the horrible singers all night, not having an awkward chat with Tracy."
"You don't think Tracy will be doing the same as you, Carla the woman lives for that kind of thing, you two would have a ball together I just know it."
"That's true… Okay you've twisted me arm but Peter you better be there so that I can at least have some eye candy nearby."
"Ha ha of course I'll be there, I wouldn't want to miss the chance of seeing you & Michelle up on that stage."
"Peter Barlow you can whistle if you think I'm even going near that stage! Feel free to serenade me at some point during the evening though... Just make sure that it's a song from this century. Ahahaha"
"Oh there you go again, I'll ave you know that if I got up on that stage & started singing, there would be flocks of females around it with in seconds. I'm gonna ask Tracy about tomorrow night in a sec."
"Ha ha Peter you're honestly in a dream world sometimes. The only females that would be around the stage would be ones armed with rotten tomatoes to throw at you. Let me know what Tracy says. x"
"What are you grinning at like that?" Tracy asked as she watched Peter type on his phone.
"Nothing I'm just texting Carla that's all." He said, Tracy rolled her eyes at him.
"Honestly, between you and Simon it's getting really depressing around ere."
"Can I paint your nails Mum?" Amy then asked.
"No point Amy, it's not like I've got any where to show em off." Tracy said, giving Peter the perfect opportunity for asking Tracy to come out tomorrow night.
"You not going to the Karaoke night tomorrow?" he asked nonchalantly. Tracy shaked her head at Peter and said,
"No."
"Well why not?" Peter asked,
"Because I've got no one to go with ave I?"
"What about Beth?" Ken asked,
"She's going with Kirk, she says there're going to sing I've Got You Babe by Sonny and Cher." Tracy said almost smirking.
"Oh there is no way you can miss that." Peter said. Tracy just shrugged and kept quiet, she was also a little apprehensive about going into The Rover's as Liz would obviously be in there. She normally wouldn't care about stirring up trouble but she really didn't want to cause her Dad any more stress. "Come with me and Carla." Peter then said, Tracy raised an eyebrow at him,
"Errr no thanks, I'll end up spending the night watching you with your tongue halfway down her throat." She said.
"No… Carla's already said she is going to be armed with a large glass of red, ready to completely take the mick out of anyone who sings." Peter said, "She could probably do with the company seeing as I obviously wont be drinking."
Tracy thought for a moment, she was sure that Peter was just inviting her because he felt sorry for her.
"And what has Carla got to say about you inviting me out with you two tomorrow?" Tracy asked,
"She'll be fine with it, she actually really likes you Trace…" Peter said, he wasn't really lying, Carla and Tracy still had a very long way to go before they could ever be proper friends but Carla had recently told Peter that she did sort of like Tracy so he thought that for now it would do.
"I think it would be really nice for you to go out tomorrow night Tracy." Ken said, smiling at Peter proudly for offering Tracy the invite. Amy looked at her Mum and said,
"Go on Mum, I reckon it'll be seriously funny to see everyone try to sing." They all waited with bated breath for Tracy's answer.
"Oh go on then." Tracy said smiling sheepishly at Peter, Amy looked overjoyed and then asked.
"So does that mean I can paint your nails then?" Tracy nodded as Peter text Carla again.
"Tracy just said she'd come tomorrow night, She said she's really looking forward to spending time with you."
Peter wondered if Carla would see right through this little white lie, he soon found out that she had done when he got her reply.
"Yeah right, don't lie to me Peter Barlow…"
Peter grinned as he typed out his reply,
"It was worth a try though right? What you up to right now anyway?"
"Oh I'm currently avin a right wild night in on Netflix, how about you?"
"Nothing, Si's on the phone to Santana, in the hallway I might add, Me Dad's got his nose in a book & Amy is painting Tracy's nails."
"So… where's Si spending the night tonight?"
"At Leanne's…"
"Well in that case... I expect you to be ere in no less then five minutes Barlow! Don't keep me waiting xx"
Peter didn't want to be rude to his family but he also didn't want to keep Carla waiting so after two minutes or so went by he got up and said,
"Well seeing as you lot are all busy with your own bits and bobs I might go home and see if I can get some work done."
"Oh yeah right." Tracy said sarcastically
"You're so going to see Carla." Amy said, making a kissy kissy face at Peter. He grinned at them as Ken looked up from his book and said,
"Bye bye Peter."
"Bye Dad." Peter said, "Amy enjoy this party tomorrow night n Tracy I'll see you in The Rover's at half seven."
"Oh I can't wait." Tracy said keeping up with her sarcasm, although she secretly was looking forward to it after all.
The next night, Carla had made sure that she'd got to the pub early so that she could bag the best seat for her, Tracy and Peter. She'd chosen one right in the middle so that they had the perfect view. Michelle and Steve had set up a stage in one corner of the pub, it had a microphone stand and a brand new karaoke machine and there was also sparkly backdrop behind the whole thing to finish it off
Michelle went over and sat with Carla, armed with the book of songs that were available to sing.
"I don't know why you're bringing that over to me, I told you that I wasn't singing in ere tonight." Carla said,
"You said you'd think about it." Michelle said, flicking through the pages
"Yeah and I did… the answer is still no babe." Carla said, Michelle looked a little disappointed as she closed the book.
"Okay." She said, "Will you at least pick a song for me then?"
"Really?" Carla asked,
"Yeah… If I can't with my best friend than I can at least sing a song chosen by my best friend." Michelle smiled handing Carla the book of songs.
"You know you might regret this…" Carla said with a mischievous grin. She was busy making her way through the book when Peter came in with Tracy.
"So what you singing then?" He asked, Carla closed the book as he and Tracy sat down at the table she had chosen.
"How many times? I am not singing." Carla said as Peter kissed her on the cheek, he had done it purposely so that Tracy wouldn't feel like a gooseberry. "Alright Tracy?" Carla asked cheerily.
"Yeah, I'm okay… You." Tracy asked back taking off her coat.
"Spose so, I'd be better if Chelle and Peter wouldn't keep trying to pressure me into singing though." She said.
"I take it you can't sing then?" Tracy said, Peter grinned at her and said,
"Tracy my dear, Carla is blessed with many, many talents but singing is definitely not one of em."
"So why d'ya keep asking me what I'm gonna sing then?" Carla asked him.
"Because you shouldn't let something like being tone deaf stop you from getting up there and having fun." Peter said making Carla and Tracy both laugh.
"I have no idea why someone would want to get up there and embarrass themselves like that." Tracy said shaking her head,
"Maybe because sometimes it's good to step outside your comfort zone." Peter said brightly, Carla looked at him and laughed again.
"Nah I'm with you Trace, It's much funnier to sit and just watch other people make a fool of themselves." She said, Tracy nodded at Carla companionably and then smiled at her. Peter who was overjoyed by this display of almost friendship said that he was buying the first round of drinks and was sent to the bar by Carla and Tracy.
"Would you look at that?" he said smiling, "You two both ordered the same wine."
"Yeah and so did half the pub by the looks of it Peter." Tracy said as he went off to the bar. Carla smiled as he walked away and then looked back at Tracy. There was a slight moment of awkwardness before Carla looked down at the songbook and asked,
"So if you were going to get up there n embarrass yourself, what song would you pick?" Tracy thought for a moment, as if she was actually imagining her self, up there and said,
"I'd sing something me Mam would have liked… or maybe a Madonna song or something… not that I can sing either." She grinned "None of us Barlow's can."
"Oh you wouldn't think that if you heard the way Peter carries on sometimes." Carla said,
"Oh trust me, I've lived with the guy for the past six months, I've heard his singing plenty of times, and don't even get me started on the singing he does in the shower." Tracy said
"Tell me about it." Carla said as Peter came back with their drinks "And why does he insists on singing songs from a gazillion years ago?" Peter put Carla and Tracy's drinks down on the table and looked between them.
"Are you talking about me?"
"No." They both said, simultaneously picking up their wines and taking a sip.
"Hmmm why don't I believe you?" Peter asked as Carla moved her chair up a little so that she was leaning against him, Peter thought she was going to kiss him but she didn't as she too didn't want to make Tracy feel too uncomfortable. "Did Tracy tell you that we just sent Amy and Simon off to their first proper high school party?" Peter asked, Carla shook her head at him and turned to Tracy,
"Really?"
"Yeah, It's really one of Simon's mates, well his girlfriends mate's birthday but she knows Amy from the netball team and was kind enough to invite her." Tracy said, "It's a proper little disco and everything, doesn't finish until midnight."
"Midnight?" Carla said surprised, "Wow… they grow up so fast don't they?"
"Don't remind me." Peter said thinking of the conversation he'd had with Simon the other day about the birds and the bees. He told Tracy about it whilst the pub started to fill up with people, by half past seven it was rammed and it was clear that this Karaoke night was going to be a real success.
Steve was armed with his own Microphone and was almost like the master of ceremonies as he got up to introduce the first singer.
"Right Ladies and Gents, I would first like to thank you all for coming ere tonight and I hope you're all going to ave a go at singing one of your favourite songs, if you do want to come up ere, come over and write your name on this clipboard so we can get the song ready for you and to kick things off, it's only right that I invite my gorgeous wife up on stage to sing to you all, put your hands together for Michelle McDonald." Steve said, there were very loud claps and cheers as Michelle got on stage and began singing Dolly Parton's Nine to Five.
When Michelle was finished the entire pub clapped and cheered because she truly does have an amazing voice, then it was time for the fun to start because Beth and Kirk had got up to sing I Got You Babe. They were both surprisingly good though and as they finished they both got a round of applause as well.
As the night went on and more people got up to sing, Tracy and Carla found them selves laughing more and more, especially at the truly awful singers. There was a rather unexpected performance by Mary Taylor who sung Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus and then a hilarious rendition of Ice Ice Baby from Luke and Tyrone. A tipsy Liz and Eileen both got up and comically sang Cher's Believe, which they both dedicated to Tony. Then a friend of one of the regulars got on stage and began singing Don't Look Back In Anger by Oasis.
As the guy, who was tall and had a brown hair with a lot of stubble and who could actually sing, started singing Peter nodded along with him, he turned to see what Tracy and Carla thought but Carla was glassy eyed and was staring at Tracy who had her gaze permanently fixed on the singer.
"What's wrong?" Peter asked, leaning in so Carla could hear him. Carla sniffed and turned to Peter.
"Rob's favourite song." She said, Peter looked back at his sister who wiped a tear from her cheek. Carla then reached over and put an arm around Tracy. Tracy looked at Carla's hand that was hanging down from her shoulder and smiled tearfully at her. Peter smiled too at his wife and his sister who really did seem as if they were becoming friends.
As the song continued Carla and Tracy smiled at each other and sang along the words and when the singer finished his song they both gave him a loud cheer and a clap, he looked sheepish as he walked past them both back to his table. "Aww he's dead cute." Carla said smiling away at him.
"Oh is he now?" Peter said in a jokey fashion.
"Now now don't get jealous Peter." Carla said smiling at him now instead. Tracy got up and said that she was going to the toilets leaving Carla and Peter both alone. When they both realised that they were alone they wasted no time in having a quick kiss.
"That was really cute earlier, you putting your arm around Tracy like that." Peter said when Carla pulled away from him and took his hand. She played with his fingers in silence for a while, Peter could tell she was a million miles away and that she was probably also thinking about Rob. "Do you want another drink?" he asked, Carla looked up at him and nodded as Tracy came back from the toilet. She threw herself down in her chair and looked angry rather than upset.
"What's wrong?" Carla asked her, Tracy turned around to make sure that Peter wasn't listening and said,
"I swear I almost just hit that Steph, annoying cow."
"Steph?" Carla said, she also turned around to make sure Peter wasn't listening "What's she been saying now?" Tracy looked confused, as she didn't know that Steph had been talking to Luke about Carla and Peter.
"Why what's she been saying to you?" Tracy asked,
"Nothing, well not to me anyway... Luke just told me that she's been saying stuff that's all, so go on, what's she been saying." said Carla. Tracy rolled her eyes and said,
"She were in the toilets with Alya, who was being really nice about you and Peter, saying that she'd never seen two people who were so obviously in love and loads of soppy stuff like that and then Steph starts saying that Peter is a complete utter snake and it won't be long before he cheats on you again."
"What?" Carla said irately before Tracy continued.
"Anyways I went out there and I said to her, that's my brother you're talking about, so of course she starts saying all this stuff about how she's entitled to her opinion and how you were an idiot for taking him back and that just got me even more mad so I had to walk out of there before I knocked the idiot out."
Just then Steph came out of the toilets with a rather worried looking Alya, who looked as if she was expecting Tracy to be stood right outside the loos. Steph looked over at Tracy and Carla's table and went and sat back down with Luke, her boyfriend Andy and Garry. Carla had been getting angrier and angrier as Tracy told her what happened and had decided that she'd had enough.
"Where you going?" Tracy asked her, as Carla got up from her chair.
"Well if she's got something to say, she can flamin well say it to my face," Carla said storming over to Steph.
"Is… everything alright Carla." Alya asked her boss, she really didn't want any arguing to start between Carla and Steph, especially after working for Carla for so long. She knew that Carla was not to be messed with.
"No it's not Alya... Steph I hear you've been talking about me and Peter and quite frankly I've had enough of it." Carla said, staring at Steph. Luke was also looking at his sister,
"Steph, what have I told you?" He said sighing. "Carla I am so sorry…." He began but Carla put her hand up to stop him from saying anymore.
"Let the lady speak for herself Luke." She said loudly, she didn't care who was listening at this point, which was a good thing because there wasn't actually anyone singing at this moment in time so the pub was rather quiet.
"Look… Carla I just think you are making a big mistake getting back with Peter." Steph said, she was trying her very best to act like she wasn't intimidated by Carla but it didn't seem like it was working.
"Oh you do, do ya?" Carla said, "I wasn't aware that my mistakes were anything to do with you." Steph opened her mouth to speak but Carla interrupted her. "First of all, even if me getting back with Peter is a mistake, which it isn't, it would be my mistake not yours. Second of all, if you have something to say about me, or the men I choose to be with then say it to my face. Have you got that?" Steph nodded at Carla but didn't keep quiet.
"Tina was my best friend Carla, my best friend and she is gone because of him. I can't get past that and I'm sorry but that's just the way I feel." Steph said.
"And what about how I feel? I don't deserve any of this and you know what? Neither does Peter. Yes he made a mistake, a big mistake but who hasn't? None of us are perfect and that man has more than proven himself to me and everyone else round here over the past few months. He makes me happier than I have ever been in my life. I am not going to let you or anyone else ruin this for us. I love him and he loves me so you better get used to it because we aren't going anywhere." Carla said adamantly, she spun round on her heel so that she could go back to her table but she stopped when she realised that almost everyone had been watching and listening to her speech, that everyone included Peter who looked as if he was surprised, proud and sheepish, all rolled into one.
"Here here." Tracy said loudly, holding up her wine glass in the air. Michelle started clapping at Carla's little speech and so did Steve.
"Shall we go and sit back down?" Peter asked Carla, holding out his hand. She nodded at him, took his hand and said,
"Absolutely." But she pulled him towards her and kissed him passionately in front of everyone, just so that they all got the message. There were more claps as Carla and Peter kissed and they both grinned as they quickly went and sat back down with Tracy.
"Now what was that all about?" Peter asked, Carla shook her head and him and said,
"Steph was just saying stuff bout us that's all."
"Like what?" Peter asked, Carla didn't want to tell him as Steve made his way on stage
"Just stuff that's all, like how me getting with you was a mistake… She was talking out of her arse Peter." Carla said as Steve then presented another singer who had chosen to sing a song for his wife. "Darlin don't take any of this to heart, okay?" Carla said, Peter nodded as the man on stage began to drone on. He was awful and as Carla and Tracy both started howling with laughter Peter kept quiet, it was only when the dreadful guy who was singing had finished that Carla had noticed how quiet he was being. "Baby what's wrong?"
"Nothing." He said gloomily.
"Don't lie to me Peter, what's wrong… is this because of Steph?" Carla asked and Peter nodded. "Peter…"
"I know you stuck up for me and everything, it's just… I wonder if what she has been saying is just what everyone else is thinking." He said sighing "But hey, I knew this was coming."
"What are you talking about?" Carla said as Steve got up on stage again
"Well we've been on cloud nine for more than a week now, something like this was bound to come up eventually." Peter said, Carla shook her head at him,
"Don't think like that Peter." Carla said, "I don't care what any of them think all I care about is you." She wanted to continue but as Sinead and Fiz got onstage to sing she knew it wasn't the right place or time for it.
As Peter continued to look glum and as the only time they had to chat properly was in between songs Carla soon gave up trying to cheer Peter up, she could have actually gone over and slapped Steph for spoiling their evening and then she had a brain wave. She got up from the table and went over to the bar where Michelle was stood.
"Alright babe?" Michelle said, "Loved your little declaration of love earlier, it were dead cute." Carla nodded along but she wasn't really listening.
"Listen Chelle, you know earlier you wanted me to pick a song for you to sing…" Carla said, looking at Peter who was still sat with Tracy. "Well I've got one…"
It was a good few songs later when Peter realised that Carla hadn't come back to the table, he looked over at Steve who was making his way back onto stage and then he realised that Carla was stood with Michelle and they both had microphones in their hands.
"Right everyone, please can we have some hush and welcome Carla Barlow onto the stage." Steve said, as Carla walked onto stage, Peter actually felt as if he might have a heart attack.
"Did you know she was going to do this?" Tracy said turning to Peter, he shook his head but didn't dare take his eyes off the woman on stage. Carla was incredibly nervous but no one else but Peter could tell as she smiled confidently to the crowd. He still didn't understand what she was doing, he knew that she hated drawing attention to herself and wondered just what she had up her sleeve.
"Hi everyone… So before I get started I can see a few nervous people looking back at me... Don't worry I will not be singing tonight." Carla began, a couple of her Underworld staff looked disappointed and frowned.
"Aww come on Carla." Sean shouted out, "Give us a tune." Beth, Sinead and Kirk all started cheering Carla on but she still shook her head.
"No, no honestly… I'm only thinking of your eardrums guys." Carla laughed, "However I ave chosen a song that my very special best friend Michelle is gonna sing instead." Carla was gripping the microphone tightly and was almost beginning to regret this idea, until she looked directly at Peter that is, he was watching her as if she was the only woman in the room. He was half smirking and half in awe as she stood on the stage. "Now the song I've chosen is dedicated to a certain someone in ere who I think needs a bit of cheering up and as totally cheesy as this sounds, this song speaks volumes about how I feel about him… Just in case he didn't know all ready." Carla said with a devoted smile and almost everyone in the pub turned to look at Peter, who was still watching Carla in awe, "Take it away Michelle." She said before quickly getting off the stage and letting Michelle get on it instead.
"Right you lot, I want you all to grab a loved one and ave a little dance." Michelle said as the backing track started playing.
The song Carla had chosen was S Club 7's Two In A Million and as Michelle started singing the lyrics, Peter watched Carla as she slowly began making her way over to him and as Michelle got to the chorus more people started getting up and dancing along to the song.
Carla and Peter kissed the moment their bodies touched and even Tracy smiled at them as they passionately embraced. Carla pulled away from Peter when she felt her cheek get slightly wet.
"Are you crying Peter Barlow?" She asked putting her arms around his neck, Peter sniffed slightly and shook his head.
"No." He grinned albeit a little tearfully. "Y'know you really didn't have to do that."
"Yes I did." Carla said, getting a bit teary eyed herself.
"I thought you said you weren't going anywhere near that stage." Peter said, still amazed that she had gathered up the courage to do something like that.
"Yeah well you're worth it." Carla said, "When I saw your face earlier, y'know when you heard what Steph had been saying it almost killed me Peter… I just wanted you to know that you mean the absolute world to me." Peter sniffed again and wiped his eyes, Carla giggled at him as he hopelessly shook his head at her.
"Look what you've done to me eh?" He said as more tears came streaming down his face.
"Honestly Peter, people are looking." Carla joked, she was finding it very hard not cry as well.
"I thought you said you didn't care what people think." Peter said,
"Yeah well I don't but I've got a cold hearted bitch reputation to keep up with." Carla said as a tear ran down her cheek.
"After what you just did, I don't think anyone is going to believe that you are anything but a big softie." Peter said, Carla turned and looked at her employees who were all watching her and Peter.
"Oh crap." Carla said pulling Peter in towards her into hug and as Michelle continued to sing, Carla sang along to the song too.
"When I lose my way and the skies, they get heavy
It'll be okay the moment you're with me
No one would have guessed we'd be standing strong today
Solid as a rock and perfect in every way…"
"Stop it…" Peter said, as Carla's not so bad voice, sang into his ear. "This is not doing anything to stop me from crying." He said hoarsely. Carla leant back and grinned at him.
"We gotta think of a way to stop these tears avent we?" Carla said wiping a tear away from his eye. Their lips met as Michelle finished the song and they only stopped kissing so they could give Michelle a huge resounding cheer. "Thank you." Carla mouthed to Michelle.
"You're welcome." Michelle said, smiling at Carla and Peter lovingly. Peter put and arm around Carla's middle as Tracy got up and said,
"Oh would you get a flamin room?" She cried standing up. "Seriously what on earth are you both still doing ere?"
"Well we said we would spend the night with you." Carla said.
"Oh trust me, I've spent more than enough time with you two tonight." Tracy said with a smile.
"I hope we haven't made you feel like a gooseberry." Carla said,
"Honestly… You avent, I'm going to get Simon and Amy from that party soon anyways." Tracy insisted.
"Only if your sure." Peter said, Tracy nodded and then Carla did something that surprised everyone once again. She gave Tracy a hug. "Oh wow... You really are a big softie." Peter said in amazement.
"Oh leave her alone Peter." Tracy said gripping Carla tightly. "Thank you for tonight." Tracy said she was far from being Carla's bestie but she was touched that she had made the effort.
"No thank you." Carla said smiling at her warmly. She then turned to Peter and asked, "So… Is it your place or mine?"
So originally this was supposed to be where I took a little break on this fic.
The main reason I was going to do this was because September is always a very busy month for me work wise and since the next few chapters aren't even finished yet, I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep updating this as regularly as I do...
However I've decided against the break because I have way too much fun writing this and I don't want to lose any readers.
So bare with me and I will try my very best to get this to you every weekend.
Don't forget to review and let me know what you think about this chapter :)
Oh! Also I should be updating Back To Life tomorrow, I stupidly wrote Chapter 10 on my iPad, which decided to crash on me so I have to re-write the whole thing.