Lost In Our Imagination 2: Not As Planned

56 - Thank You

March 2019

Livi's P.O.V

"Please Livi, what else do you have to do today?" Ben asked down the phone.

"Everything!" I laughed and he sighed.

"You can't even take one day off for me? I thought you told James that I was back, so it's not like you'd be sneaking around behind him"

"It's not about James, I just have lots of work to do today"

"Well what time do you finish work?"

"Ben, seriously what will it take for you to let me go to work?"

"Meet me, for lunch at least, I just want to see you"

"Fine, come by the studio at 1 and we'll go get something to eat"

"Thank you, I'll be there, see you in a bit"

"Bye Ben" I laughed before finally hanging up the phone. I got ready to go to the studio and left the house about 9.

"Hey Livi" Katie smiled as I walked in to the studio.

"Hey, sorry I'm running a bit behind, I'll just get changed in to my dance stuff and head to my class"

"Don't worry they're not all here yet so you're not late" She smiled as I ran in our changing area. I quickly got changed and then went to talk to my class.

***

3 classes later and it was finally 1. I was looking forward to my lunch with Ben, I wanted just to hang out with him, without thinking about everything else that's going on at the moment.

"Livi, Ben's here for you" Katie said walking in to the dance studio.

"Ah" I said, "I'm sorry I forgot to tell you I was going out for lunch"

"No it's fine, but with Ben?" She asked and I smiled.

"We're going as old friends, nothing more I promise, I am still with James"

"Have fun" She smiled before walking out. I grabbed my bag and walked outside to find Ben.

"Hey" He beamed, "Come on, we're going to this really cute cafe down the road"

"Well, lead the way" I said and he walked about 30 seconds down the street before stopping. We walked inside and were sat down and had are orders taken pretty much straight away.

"Thank you for agreeing to come out with me"

"Well you weren't exactly giving me much choice" I laughed, "But I'm glad I came too, it's nice to spend time with you again"

"So, how is life going now teaching instead of performing?" Ben asked and I smiled.

"I love it"

"Is it really that good?" He laughed.

"Yeah it really is, of course I loved dancing with you but teaching is fun, I'm so grateful to Gemma for teaching Katie and I everything and giving us the chance, I would love to be able to do the same thing for other people"

"Well that's a really nice thing to do"

"Thank you" I laughed, "Anyway what are your plans for work?"

"My plans are still unknown, I will start looking around for something soon"

"You were on a dance TV show in America Ben, you can walk in anywhere and they will be crazy not to give you a job"

"Thank you, I have been nervous about looking for something, but I really needed to hear that"

"Of course, you're an amazing dancer, I should know I put up with you for long enough"

"Oh you put up with me did you" He laughed as our food came. We ate our food and continued chatting before finally it was time for me to head back to the studio.

"Ok, I'll go pay then" Ben said getting up but I stopped him.

"No you can't pay, I'm paying"

"Why can't I pay? I was the one who wanted to take you out"

"Yes but if you pay I'll feel like this is a date"

"Which it isn't...?" He said looking like he was confirming.

"No it isn't" I said shaking my head.

"But I can't let you pay for mine too"

"Ben, go wait outside and then you can walk me back to work" I said and he smiled getting up.

"I thought this wasn't a date" He winked before walking out. I laughed as we walked away and went to the till. I paid for the food before turning round to see Ella walking in, with only who I could assume is her new guy.

"Livi" She smiled walking over to me, "Please can you get a table Tom?" she asked the guy she was with and he nodded before walking over to a table.

"That's Tom" I smiled nudging her with my elbow.

"Yeah that's him" She laughed.

"So what are you doing here? I didn't think you lived round here, unless you've moved?"

"No Tom lives around here, how come you're here?"

"I work just down the road with Katie now, Ben and I came for lunch"

"Ben's back?"

"Yeah, he's out there" I said nodding to the window to where he was standing outside.

"I didn't realise he was back in town"

"Yeah, he's sort of here for me" I sighed, "To be honest it's all become very complicated and I don't know what to do"

"Livi, you can talk to me"

"Ben just wants me to end things with James and be with him because we sorta had this thing in America and we live in different places so I was like of course I'm going back to James, so he came here to make things more complicated...." I said really fast.

"Wow that sounds like a lots going on" She laughed, "How do you feel about it all?"

"I don't know, everyone's telling me they'll support me whatever but I just don't know... They're all so close with James I just feel like if I move outside the circle of the band then that will be it, of course I'll work with Katie but they all work with James, and everyone tells me how much he loves me, after waiting with me for so long and what we were like before my car accident..."

"Look Livi, I've seen you with James before and after your accident and I've seen you and Ben since day of of you being friends. None of them really know Ben or have seen you together, so as your friend and someone who has seen you with both guys, there is something between you and Ben that even James can't match and I know that because I wanted it, and now I do, with Tom. I only want you to be happy, but you and Ben are honestly more of a perfect fit than any other two people I know, your friends just haven't seen it"

"Thanks El, I want to try things with Ben, I just know him well enough to know what he's like and I don't know if I should trust him"

"He moved back to England for you Liv, if that doesn't say commitment to you I don't know what else will"

"You're right, thank you" I smiled, "And we need to meet up, I really want to meet Tom properly"

"Of course I would love that" She smiled and I hugged her before walking out to Ben.

"Thank you"

"For what?" He asked as we started walking towards the studio.

"For coming back, for me, it was really amazing for you to do that"

"Well you know I would do anything for you"

"I know" I smiled before kissing him.

"I thought this wasn't a date?" he asked and I laughed.

"It wasn't" I winked before walking in to the studio.