Acquiesce

Chapter 3

Winter set in, it was my favourite time of year. I couldn't wait for the snow to fall and for everywhere to be it up with Christmas decorations. Enzo didn't rate this time of year, he'd spend the whole season with his family in Italy if he could.

In December we got the Christmas tree out and I decorated it while Enzo stood and watched me.

"You can help if you want." I'd already done the lights, the tinsel and some of the baubles.

"I'm alright. You'll only complain I've put them in the wrong places."

"Cos you do it on purpose to get out of doing it!" I accused. "Come on, it's fun."

He picked up a big bauble, the biggest he could see, put it right near the little ones I'd put at the top and smirked at me. "Perfect."

"Perfect." I agreed.

He started messing about putting the baubles all over the place on the tree. "Don't know why you bother." He tried to sound like he didn't care but I knew he was having fun. "We always go round your Mum's on Christmas, my parents' on Boxing Day."

"Cos it's pretty and I've decorated the Christmas tree since I was a toddler. It's tradition." I pointed out, something I'd told him every year.

I tried to reach the top of the tree with the star, five foot three girl, six foot tree, never going to happen. He grabbed my waist and lifted me in the air until I got the star in place.

"Look's perfect."

"You did most of the work." I over credited him.

"Was talking about you." he said and kissed me.

Things were better between us (not that anything was ever wrong) but I still wanted to see Liam, my heart beated faster for a moment every time I saw the the Hammersmith Palais advertisement poster.

...

I rang as soon as I thought Oasis were back in London. I spoke as soon as they picked up, prepared for him to have forgotten me. Three months was a long time. "Hi, it's Haileigh."

"Who gave you my number?" I recognised Noel's voice.

His place and his number actually belonged to his brother, apparently.

"Liam did. Is he there?"

"Groupies don't ring him." he told me insultingly. "If he wants you, he'll let you know."

I am not a fucking Groupie. "I'd have to actually want to endure your music to be a groupie." If he wanted to be nasty to me I could be just as nasty to him. "He hasn't got my number."

"I know or he'd have used it hundred fucking times." he said, annoyed. "You're not coming to the gig tonight then?"

"No, as much as I love Liam's singing, I'll pass." I did my best to sound like I couldn't care less about the band. "Is Liam there or not?"

I was getting so impatient with Noel, he seemed so moody and cut off, the complete opposite to his brother. They had about four days before they were gone again so we agreed to meet up.

...

This time we had lunch together, I took my lunch break and didn't go back to work since I didn't have any appointments booked.

"How come that Travis just lets you off work?" Liam asked as we got sat down. "Noel would kill me if I just walked."

He remembered everything I said, my every word. "I have no reason to be there right now."