In My Life

Chapter 40

"You look-"

"Mind your words Lennon, don't say anything you'll regret you cheeky b-"

"Don't say anything you'll regret Sam." He mocked me.

He smirked at me with a smug expression as he'd managed to shut me up.

"But you do look gorgeous love." He smiled kindly as he observed my appearance. "And it's all mine." His hungry eyes darted around me.

"Yeh sure okay, now let's just...lets go." I took a deep breath as we reached the entrance of the venue.

They all looked the same to me. You couldn't really distinguish one venue from the next, or appreciate any qualities each individual would posses, as every single one was filled to the brim with oceans of people.

"Look, there are the lads." John indicated as we progressed through the doors. Eric, Pete, Nigel, Ivan, Ken, and Paul. All stood by their usual meeting place at the bar.

It was like a relapse of the time I'd been anxious about seeing John again, except now the tables had completely turned, as it was Paul I feared, and John I needed to cling to.

"Sam!" Eric bellowed in both shock and glee when he caught first glimpse of me, running straight for me to pick me up and hold me tight. "I've missed you so much! Where you been at?" He asked in a concerned tone.

"I've missed you too Eric." I laughed lightly, tapping his cheek after he set me down again. "I've just been a little busy lately, y'know?"

He shrugged, just happy enough to see me again, resulting in all the other lads (except Paul of course) joining us in a reunion-type hug, all warmly welcoming me back, until John soon told them all to scram and set up.

"I gotta go too love." John bent over to kiss my cheek before following them all, leaving me alone with Paul, who leaned casually against the bar with a glass of water at hand.

Neither of us said a word to each other after John's departure. If anything, Paul was acting as though I wasn't even there. I just hoped he'd soon leave too and set up with the boys.

"A water please." I asked the barista, now standing less than a metre away from Paul.

He nodded and filled me up the drink, where I left it to stay sat on the bar. I wasn't feeling that thirsty anyway. Instead, I twirled the glass in small circles on the bar, watching the water spin around inside like a whirlpool. I must have looked childish, but what did it matter? I really only felt like a child anyway.

"Long time no see." Said a voice.

I glanced upwards, only gradually turning my head to find Paul smiling at me.

"Who? Me?" I asked, peering from side to side to make sure he wasn't talking to someone else. "You talking to me?"

He nodded his head, chucking slightly to himself in amusement. I couldn't quite understand what game he was playing at.

"Yeh, long time." I shrugged nervously, causing my loose, dark hair to fall over my eyes.

He stepped forward, so we became merely centimetres apart, making my stomach churn.

"You look lovely tonight Sam." He smiled sweetly to me, pinning back the hair from my face behind my ears, saddening me slightly, as it reminded me of when I'd seen him do that very same action to the blonde girl he'd been with just the other week. "I recall that's the dress you wore the first time we went out."