Pictures Of You

Televangelism

AN: And onto the sweet sorrow of parting

September

Maggie sighed shakily as she gazed around her room, which was now only an assault course of boxes. She wasn't taking much with her. She was moving to a small flat in London with 3 other students so lost of this was going into the attic and Mr Sifter had kindly let her organise a sale at the shop this weekend to try and give her an extra boost to her meagre savings.

Her last weekend in Burnage. Her last shift in the shop. Her last time at Banshee with Kelly. Her last time with...Noel. everything was coming to an end. She gazed out of the window to see the very top most leaves on the trees turning amber. The summer was over. Her very own summer of love in Burnage gave way to the harsh, new, unpredictable chill of autumn in London. She swallowed the lump in her throat. She hadn't allowed herself to cry. She'd spent her whole life dreaming of ways to get out of Burnage, and now her time had finally arrived, she didn't want to leave. It wasn't Burnage she didn't want to leave. It wasn't Burnage she'd fallen in love with... a boy had taught her how to love Burnage because he was Burnage. And he made all of the shitty things about this town beautiful. He'd taught her to love Burnage, him... and most importantly herself. And it was breaking her heart to think of never seeing him again.

Maggie wasn't the only one arranging her life into boxes. Noel had finally saved enough money to move into a little bedsit in town. It wasn't great but it was clean and it was his. They were both moving onto the next stages in their lives. Just not together.

Maggie gazed around the lightly flaking paint on the stark white walls. Noel looked at her slightly, nervously awaiting her approval.

"It'll look wicked when it's finished. Shame I won't get to see it."

Noel nodded with a sad smile. They'd intentionally avoided all mentions of their imminent parting but ot seemed unavoidable now. There were only 3 days left.

"You will. You can visit when you're home. Christmas isn't too far away."

Maggie smiled. Again swallowing the lump in her throat. They would drift apart. There would be no Christmas visit. Just as suddenly and intensely as they had entered each other's lives they would be gone just as quick. Their paths should never have crossed in the first place. Burnage was their only connection with that severed their paths would never need cross again. But she appreciated the comfort of his lie from the normally honest to a fault Noel Gallagher.

"I'd like that. Here, I got you something. To decorate the place you know, if you want it."

Maggie reached into her bag and pulled out a poorly wrapped item balled in tissue paper.

Noel looked bashful.

"You shouldn't have got me anything. You need to save your money."

Maggie shook her head.

"I didn't spend any money...and I wanted to give you something to remember...me...us." She said quietly.

Noel unwrapped the sculpture cast of their intertwined hands. The symbol of their relationship becoming something more than an unlikely friendship. A chance meeting. A chance friendship. A chance at love.

Noel swallowed thickly. His chest felt suddenly tight with emotion. It physically hurt to look at her. He was going to miss her so much.

Maggie blinked away the tears in her eyes.

"You aren't gonna cry are you? You've gone soft Gallagher." She said with a waiver in her voice just barely holding herself together.

Noel rolled his eyes and gave a shaky chuckle. He placed the sculpture down on the bedside table.