Forbidden Love

Chapter 25

Despite the snow in January as soon as February hit it was unseasonably warm. Valentine's Day fell on a Saturday.

As I was eating my breakfast there was a knock on the door. Mum looked at me.

"I'll get it then." I said taking a drink from my glass before standing up.

I opened the door to see Joe standing there with a bouquet of flowers.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him, throwing myself at him for a hug.

"It's Valentine's Day." He said in explanation, catching me in his arms.

When I pulled back he gave me my flowers.

"They're beautiful." I said sniffing them.

"Just like you then." 

I brought him inside and showed mum my flowers.

"You told me you were still grounded until March!" I said sitting down at the kitchen table continuing to eat with him next to me, "I swear to god, Michelle better not be standing outside waiting for you!" I joked.

He laughed, "no!"

He didn't tell me how he got out of the house.

"Are you finished your food? Can we go?"

"Yeah I'm ready." I stood up, "where are we going?"

"I thought we could go to Birmingham, in the day light."

I got excited. I loved looking at cities up close and I didn't get to do it much.

We got to Birmingham and got off the bus at the same stop we did last time. This time the town centre was packed full of people.

"It's so busy!" I said to Joe in amazement.

"Is Belfast not like this?" He asked me, taking my hand and pulling me towards the shops.

I shook my head.

We went in and out of shops. Neither of us had much money so we didn't buy anything but I loved looking through all of the shops.

As it approached lunch time my feet were starting to get sore and all I could see was a row of never ending shops that we hadn't explored.

"This must be boring for you." I said, my eyes drifting off to the unknown shops, I at least wanted to have a look.

He shook his head, "I like watching you. It's like every shop we go into is the best place in the world."

I giggled, "that's because it is!"

"Someday, I'll bring you back here, when we're rich and we'll actually buy stuff." He promised me.

"Ok." I kissed him sweetly, "a few more shops then." I pulled him in the directions of the undiscovered shops.

Eventually I heard his stomach rumble and I had to admit I was hungry too, "we need food." I admitted as we left a clothes shop that held the most beautiful jumper I think I would ever see. It pained me to leave it behind.

"Follow me, my Lady." He took my hand and lead me through the streets. He knew these streets better than I thought he would.

Eventually we arrived at a small cafe and he opened the door for me. I walked inside and was greeted with heat and the smell of food cooking in the background.

We were shown a table in the back.

When we sat down I pulled out all the money I had in the world. Three pounds.