Thank you SiophieForever for the lovely reviews! I appreciate them! I completely forgot I'd started writing this story and then found it so thought I'd finish. I'll warn you, it's gonna be a really slow burner so please bear with me. I won't promise weekly updates because that's not always going to be possible but I will update as often as I can but it's taking me a while to write and I have no idea where it's going, but I have ideas haha. But I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! I hope to God, Sophie and Sian return to the cobbles one day!
Chapter 4
As the car travelled uphill along a country lane, one side showing nothing but the side of the hill, and the other side overlooking the city. Sophie watched the twinkly lights of the town's buildings pass by and admired the night sky blanketed by stars. She had to admit, this was very trusting of her to allow a stranger to take her on a mystery drive where she had no idea where they were headed, but she couldn't help but be curious as to what Sian was thinking. She turned to look at the blonde who had her eyes looking ahead at the open road. "Was this your plan all along?"
"What?" Said replied, not taking her eyes from the road but turning her head ever so slightly in Sophie's direction.
"Get me alone, drive me into the sticks and have your wicked way?" The brunettes eyes widened at her own sentence. That's your fucking fantasy not hers. Don't judge people by your own standards Sophie. She quickly corrected herself stumbling over her words, "I mean, like.. kill me.. and stuff."
The blonde giggled, raising her eyebrows and looking over at the other girl momentarily, before turning back to the road. "And stuff?"
Sophie relaxed letting out a giggle, thanking her lucky stars she'd got away with saying her own ideas out loud. "Look, if that is your plan, you should know I did Judo at school."
Sian smiled, turning the steering wheel as she drove the car into an open car park at the top of the hill. "Judo? I had no idea you were so tough," she said sarcastically.
"Yeah, so you just think again."
The blonde tutted, "and there was you joking about being the axe murderer." She pulled up in a space where the front of her car met the edge of the gravel and led onto grass going over the hill they were upon. As she turned the engine off she continued, "you just wait til you see what's in my boot."
Sophie looked at the other girl, watching her remove her seatbelt. "That's not funny," she said seriously.
Sian giggled and rolled her eyes. "I am joking," she stressed.
The brunette blushed, "I know! ..So was I.. Obviously."
Sian continued to smile as she sat back in her seat and looked out at the view of the city in front of her. Tall buildings windows still lit and street lights shone over the roads.
As Sophie relaxed a little she unbuckled her seat belt and looked around the outside of the car through the windows. There was no other car to be seen and apart from one street light by the entrance it was dark. Her eyes widened slightly and she turned her body in her seat towards the drivers side. "I don't dog."
"What?!" Sian spluttered out as she looked at Sophie. "Dog?!"
"The dogging thing. I don't do it! I don't do dogging" she spat urgently.
"Good!" Sian laughed. "That makes two of us!"
Sophie let out a sigh of relief, her body slumping into the seat.
"You really do have a filthy mind you don't ya?!" Sian continued to laugh.
"Well!" Sophie began as she threw her arms over her chest crossing them in front of her, realising maybe she hadn't been so subtle with her ideas earlier that evening. "You drive me to an unknown location, Ten O'clock at night and we end up in a very dimly lit car park. What am I supposed to think?"
Sian shook her head looking back out to the city, "well just to put your mind at ease, I'm more likely to be the axe murderer than the dogger."
Sophie stare wide-eyed. "Oh cheers," she croaked out which just made the blonde laugh more. God, I could listen to that sound forever. She let out another sigh, pulling her tan coat around her tighter. The warmth from the heat that had been on earlier in the car still present but her body feeling the cold slightly. "Why are we here?"
Sian sighed, calming from her laughter, "just wait."
"For what?"
"Just," the blonde sang, "wait." She looked over at the other girl who was rubbing the tops of her arms. "Shall I put the heat back on?"
"No no," the dark-haired woman insisted. "If you do intend on not killing me, the last thing we want is for your battery to die and us be deserted out here where the bears can get us."
"Bears?! This is Manchester!"
Sophie scoffed, "fine, axe murderers then."
They both turned to share a look and regarded one another, unable to help the smiles that appeared on both their faces.
For a second, Sian got completely lost in Sophie's eyes, she was already fascinated by them but if possible they were even better when she smiled.
Meanwhile, Sophie was having similar thoughts deciding her favourite look on Sian was her smile, it made her whole face glow and was clearly infectious as she felt her own only growing, and her heart beginning to thud a little harder.
After a moment, Sian spoke earnestly, "I like you." She couldn't help it. She had to say it. She didn't know the exact meaning behind her words but it wasn't a lie. She liked this woman, she enjoyed being around her. And in that second she wanted to tell her so she did.
Sophie smiled her warmest smile, "I like you too." The brunette was unsure if Sian meant it the way she did but she appreciated that she was doing well in whatever this whole scenario was. She likes me. I'm fucking in love. But hey, she likes me.
Sian broke their gaze, tilting her head and scrunching up her face, "ahhhh, we should've got hot chocolates or something!"
"Whhyyyyy?" Sophie dragged out the word, "what is it we're waiting for?"
"Okay, so an obvious flaw of yours is impatience" she stressed turning her head back to the brunette, widening her eyes.
Sophie went to argue but before any words could escape Sian looked out again onto the city as she saw a bright light out of the corner of her eye.
"There!" She pointed, "that.. that is what I was waiting for!" She dropped her arm and smiled smugly.
The brunette looked over at the view and noticed fireworks beginning to go off, scatted across the skyline of Manchester. There were long pauses in between each but she finally understood why she was here. She smiled to herself and looked over at Sian, her smile beaming as she sat back in her chair. Fuck. Now I'm in love.
The blonde met her eyes and lifted her shoulders, "see."
Sophie grinned at how happy Sian was with herself and looked back over at the different colours filling the sky.
"Happy Birthday" the blonde said softly watching the display in front of them.
"Here we are then.." The blonde said, almost sadly.
The girls had stayed in the parking spot until gone midnight, the fireworks hadn't lasted much longer than half an hour but they found themselves still talking for ages afterwards. They'd spoke about whatever had popped into their heads and put the world to rights together. Three of the bigger subjects being Sophie's sister, Sian's job and how long Sophie and Katy had been friends, Sophie telling her stories of their uni days. The blonde had been keen to suss out who the girl was that made Sophie laugh so hard and the brunette eager to ask questions about what a barristers job was like genuinely interested in what was involved.
Now they were pulled up in front of the pub again and Sophie knew there wouldn't be another opportunity. She glanced over at the blonde and subconsciously moved her hands together twirling her index fingers around one another. "So.. Can I get your number?"
The older girl looked across from her, watching the other woman stare at her own hands as they continued to fidget with one another. Number? Oh, you didn't think this through did you? Sian began to realise she hadn't been the only one feeling this thing between them.
When she heard nothing but silence Sophie tried again, "or Instagram may be better?"
The blonde started to panic inside, all the questions she'd been asking herself all evening were now rushing through her mind all at once; what does this mean? Why do you like her so much? Why does this feel so natural? Why do you keep staring at her fucking lips?! "Urr.."
At Sians silence Sophie closed her eyes for a second cringing internally. "If not, don't worry. It's just, this was nice and.." She reached for the door handle, "..I thought maybe we could see each other again, but if not.."
As the brunette continued to ramble Sian smiled warmly thinking it was possibly the sweetest thing she'd ever seen. Why is she so adorable? It's annoying how much I like it. "Soph" she said in an attempt to calm the other woman.
She locked eyes with the girl sat next to her. Soph? Soph?! Even the way she says that is perfect. She breathed gently and relaxed as Sian began fumbling in the tray under the radio, but seconds later she tensed up again as the blonde took her hand, she was sure her stomach flipped at the contact.
Sian removed a pen from the tray and reached up to switch the light on. She then began to scrawl on Sophie's hand. "I don't have Socials, " she muttered, "cause of my job."
Sophie nodded studying the other girl as she wrote, enjoying the physical contact they were sharing even though it was only slight.
Sian continued as she let the hand in hers go, "and I would love to see you again."
Sophie smiled glancing at the blondes lips. She looked down at her hand and saw an eleven digit number scribbled on it. She looked back to Sian who returned her smile. Now. Do it now. As she stole another look down to the lips opposite hers she leant forward slightly.
Sian's body was edging forward slowly before her mind had a chance to get into gear. What are you doing? STOP! Stop now.
Sophie closed her eyes as leant closer to the blonde, this is actually happening. God, I hope her lips are as soft as they look. Wait, what's that? She opened her eyes when she felt a hand pressed lightly to her shoulder. She was met with scared eyes and a body that was now further away.
Sian swallowed trying to dampen her throat as it had become dry. What was happening? Twenty-four hours ago she'd never even thought about kissing a girl without it being a dare or a joke and now she was having to remind herself not to pelt this woman with her lips. Why did she feel like this? She'd had a real shitty start to her day and it had just got worse from then but then fate had plonked Sophie smack-bang into her universe and all she'd done since she met her was smile and laugh and feel content. They'd been together roughly three hours but she felt more comfortable with this girl than people she'd known her whole life. She'd guessed Sophie was gay from the way she had been flirting with that barmaid earlier in the evening, but it didn't make her uncomfortable, it didn't make her not want to know Sophie. It was the thoughts she was keeping to herself about the brunette that was scaring her. Maybe it was because the other woman had been the one to cheer her up without realising. Maybe it was escaping from reality. Or maybe it was just Sophie. But there was something that made Sian's stomach flip every time the brunette glanced her way. There was something that made her want to spend as much time with this person as she could. And there was something about this feeling she'd never known. She was confused, tired, nervous, comfortable, afire and frightened all at the same time.
Sophie sat back turning her face away, her cheeks suddenly flush and the feeling of utter embarrassment washing over her. "I'm sorry, I thought.." Idiot. Idiot. IDIOT! "Well I -"
"I'm not gay" Sian blurted out interrupting the brunettes sentence. They locked eyes as she continued, smiling weakly, "..or bi.. or -"
The Webster girl interrupted this time, "but.."
Sian sighed looking over at the other girl, "I wanna be your friend Soph," she lied. That was a lie, right? "I'm sorry if I led you on. I didn't mean to" she said sincerely.
Sophie shook her head cursing herself for misreading every signal or sneaky look she thought Sian had been giving all evening. "It's okay, I just assumed. I've had a great night, and I just thought, we get on so well -"
"We do!" Sian insisted. "..No one can ever have too many friends though right?"
Ouch. "..Right." She painted on a smile, "right."
"I had a good time with you and I'd love it if we could be mates."
Ohh that's a knife to the gut. Shake it off Webster. You got it wrong, no biggie. "Hey, can't blame a girl for trying, right?" She joked. Lame. She tried her best to hide the disappointment in her voice.
Sian smiled, "if I ever change teams.." Oh do shut up Powers.
Fucking hell. Kill. Me. Now. Sophie reached for the door handle, "thanks for tonight I had fun."
"Me too."
Sophie gave one last awkward smile before opening the door and stepping out of the car.
Sian watched as it shut behind the brunette, her eyes following the girls waist as she crossed the street. She began mumbling to herself, "what the fuck? What the actual fuck is wrong with you?!" She berated herself starting her engine up, her headlights now lighting the street ahead. She watched as Sophie continued walking the street.
The brunette fumbled in her bag for her keys as she approached her flat door. You are such a fucking moron Webster. Liking a straight girl at your age for crying out loud! As she groaned at her own thoughts she pulled her keys from her bag and reached up to the high key hole, pushing the door as it unlocked.
Sian watched as the girl disappeared inside the flat next to the flower shop and couldn't help physically feeling her heart sink. Stop thinking about her. Stop. Stop! You've already got lots of issue's, let's not add fancying a woman for the first time in your life to the list. It'll be nice to have a new friend. Someone to spend time with. Someone who just gets you. And looks sexy while doing it. Oh those lips. Fucking hell Sian, stop! She pushed her foot down on the accelerator pedal and sped off in a huff with herself.
As Sophie entered her home she threw her keys down on the coffee table closing the door behind her. She stepped into the room and and shrugged off her coat sighing. How can one evening feel better than reality and turn into a nightmare so quickly? Oh my god, why would you try and kiss someone before even checking they were interested? Are you fifteen?! As she threw her coat over the back of the sofa and stepped into the small kitchen she couldn't help but grumble at her own thoughts again. "Stupid, stupid Sophie," she mumbled flicking the switch of the kettle on, leaning her back against the sink. I hate you. "Yeah, well, I hate you too" she retorted to the voice in her head.