"Sorry," Lia apologised rushing through the door from Dev's and bumping into Leanne who was with Simon and Amy.
"You look busy," Leanne smiled laughing slightly.
"Yeah I needed to pop out and get something for mum before she goes to see Peter and my party starts," Lia explained slightly out of breath.
"Party?" Amy questioned and Simon's ears also perked up.
"Sorry kids I think this party is for older boys and girls," Leanne said softly placing her hand on Simon's curly bob of hair.
"I'm 10," Amy defended as Simon nodded in defence.
"I know darling but I think you may have to wait a few more years," Leanne chuckled as Amy pouted.
Lia pulled two pound out of her pocket and placed it in the girls hand, "Sorry you can't some Ames but go and get some sweets for you and Si to have at Grandma Deirdre's tonight."
"Awe thanks Lia," Amy grinned as she went to run off into Devs, "See you tomorrow!"
"See you," Lia waved before calling Simon before he entered the shop after his cousin, "Oh Si do you maybe want to go to the red rec before you go to your dad's next week, I'll beat you at football again."
Simon grinned, "Go on then, but you have no chance of beating me!"
Leanne laughed slightly as he ran into the shop and Lia went to take off down the road to Victoria court again, "Thanks for that Lia, enjoy tonight."
"See you Le," Lia waved before continuing to speed walk down the cobbles to make sure she was back in time for her mum leaving and her friends arriving.
Lia entered back into the flat to see Carla packing the remaining things into the girl's changing bag as Ava slept and Rosie began to pull on her twin sisters hair in the car seats. A high pitch scream escaped from Ava's lips as Rosie giggled, Carla shook her head and sighed.
"No Rosie, that's not very nice," Carla warned as she picked Ava up from the car seat and shushed her.
"She's such a bully," Lia smirked as she strapped Rosie into the car seat.
"Yeah, you were the same and look how you turned out," Carla laughed slightly as Lia pulled a face.
"Right come on baby," Carla cooed as she strapped Ava back into her car seat before standing up, "Right we're off sweetie, what time are the girls coming. I take it they're coming to get ready here before the rest get here."
"Yeah," Lia nodded before checking her imaginary watch on her wrist, "And they are turning up in precisely 5 minutes, I said 10 past 6 instead of 5 past 6 cause I new you'd never leave on time."
"And why can they not come when I'm here," Carla rolled her eyes playfully.
"You'll get in the way," Lia retorted as Carla hit her playfully before placing a kiss on the top of her head and picked up the two car seats.
"Love you," Lia blew a kiss to her mum and sister's before shutting the door behind them.
Lia took a deep sigh before turning around walking into her bedroom, she pulled the bottle of vodka out from under her bed and turned her speaker on and began to play her music through her ipod, ready for the party.
It had been many hours since Carla had left and Maisie and Bethany had turned up at the flat to get ready for the party, since then everyone had began to arrive and Lia had lost count of the amount people who were there. The empty bottles of booze lined up on the counter one being knocked into the others, the music blared as teenagers shouted and partied around the chaos.
"Liaaaaaa," Bethany slurred searching for the girl before stumbling upon her sat on a boy's lap kissing him passionately, "Never mind!"
"Urg wait there!" Lia moved off of the lap of the boy and stumbled over to Bethany, "What?"
"Only gonna ask if you wanted another drink, Billy's brought some more vodka," Bethany mused.
"Of course I do!" Lia celebrated before going heading back to where she came from.
"Oh Abbie, just leave!"
A shout was heard from the area of the front door making Lia's head whip round. Maisie appeared from the crowd as Abbie followed her.
"Thought this was a party for everyone," Abbie snapped her friend Lacey following behind, they stumbled slightly clearly having been drinking before coming to the party.
"What is SHE doing here," Bethany growled.
"Who invited you," Lia snarled.
"Well I thought you must've missed me," Abbie shrugged, "So much you lost my invite..."
"Yeah well you've been now so sling your hook," Maisie scowled.
"Oh no let her have a drink first," Lia smirked grabbing a plastic cup of drink off the side and throwing it in the girls direction.
Everyone turned to look at the commotion most breaking into laughter at the sight of the drenched teenage girl. Abbie stormed towards Lia, "You bitch!"
"Come on then," Lia summoned as she went to leap at Abbie.
"No no no, Lia, not here," Maisie interrupted stepping front of her friend and pushing her by the shoulders backwards.
"Come on Abs," Lacey huffed pulling her friend back as everyone moved on from the commotion and continued their conversations.
"Wait there," Abbie sniped turning to push through the crowd of teenagers towards the oven where empty pizza boxes were stacked on top of.
"What are you doing?" Lacey huffed picking a can of lager up off the kitchen bench.
"Learning that bitch a lesson once and for all," Abbie smirked turning the gas on the oven and stove before going to walk off.
"Abs don't you think that's a bit dangerous," Lacey asked.
"Oh well, not our issue," Abbie rolled her eyes grabbing her friends arm and stalking out of the door slamming it behind her.
"Silly cow," Lia slurred dropping on the seat next to Ben the boy she had previously been with before Abbie came in.
"Drink?" Bethany recommended passing a drink into Lia hand as she sighed before taking a large gulp.
The three began to talk as the party continued, and as the many, many teenagers partied the door slipped open again then quickly shut. The many crowds moved around and morphed into one another as two small children crouched between their legs and went between each person to make it to the hallway to see Carla's bedroom straight ahead. They made a run for it before quickly slamming the door and taking a deep breathe.
"What's the point in coming to a party if we aren't in the party," Simon whinged turning to Amy, "We may as well of stayed with Grandad Ken."
"Well if we were there we would've had to be asleep hours ago," Amy pointed out, "That's one positive. Plus we can still here the music and have a good night in here!"
"Well what if grandma Dierdre and Grandad Ken wake up and check on us?" Simon questioned as Amy huffed.
"Stop being such a baby," Amy rolled her eyes as she put her eye closer to the door.
The hours continued on and as they did more drinks were consumed, more split and overall everyone began to dwindle off within their groups in their drunken states. Bethany had fell asleep on Lia's bed after both Lia and Maisie had to put her to bed in order for her to go to sleep rather than continuing to party. Lia had later passed out on the couch, shattered from the night and alcohol in the her system, Maisie had locked the door behind the last couple to stumble out of door. She picked up Lia's mobile and text Michelle pretending to be Lia.
Everyone's gone home Chelle, we're going to sleep love you xxx
Maisie sighed grabbing a glass of water and walking into Lia's room. As Maisie left the room Lia's mobile lit up with Michelle's replying text.
Okay sweetie I'll pop round in half an hour after closing to make sure your okay xxx
Amy and Simon were still in Carla's bedroom and had fell asleep long before the music had turned off and were sleeping side by side peacefully in her bed. The whole flat went into darkness and silence, the wind whistled outside as it began to rain. The whole place went silent until there was a whistling sound coming from the side where the oven was in the kitchen, it came faster and louder until finally ... boom.
The explosion occurred.