In My Life

Chapter 48

"Mind if I have a few with the lads?" John asked without much interest for my response.

"Um...okay?" I peeped as he pushed his way past me carelessly.

I couldn't help but feel bare inside as I watched him stride away without ever looking back; it was as though he had no affection for me anymore.

"Hey don't worry too much about him." Said a voice from behind, as a comforting hand cupped my shoulder.

I snapped my head around like a reflex reaction, no doubt slashing his eyes out with my hair as I jolted, only to find Paul smiling sympathetically at me.

"Sorry Paul." I sighed, helping him remove the guitar from his shoulder as he rubbed his eyes. "And yeh. He's been like this a while now."

"Well why on earth?" Paul queried, courteously guiding me back to the leather seating of our booth, and sitting me down.

"It doesn't matter." I shook my head, sinking my head into my palms after seating, too ashamed to even look him in the eye.

"Hey! Don't get down about it." Smiled Paul. "Give Paulie a smile, ay?" He pinched my cheek, making me giggle.

"Thanks Paul." I bit my lip with a smirk. "You guys were great tonight by the way."

"Pft, forget that! Let's cut the chatter." He waved his hand backwards. "What do you say the two of us get out of here for a while, huh? You seem pretty down, and I doubt being here is going to lift your spirits."

"But Joh-"

"We'll be back before he even notices." Paul winked deviously.

"A'right a'right." I lifted my hands to surrender with a light chuckle, as Paul practically jumped from his seat to whisk me away.
What did I have to lose?

I wasn't too concerned about John by this point, as it was most likely he'd be too drunk to even remember I'd left. To be quite honest, it wasn't like he'd taken much interest in me recently anyway, so it was unlikely he'd even notice my absence, and I was beyond certain I'd have a more enjoyable time with Paul anyway.

"Now Sam, if we're gonna make this work, you're going to have to close you eyes." Smiled Paul in a pathetic attempt to be stern with me.

I shut my eyes tightly in obedience, trying to suppress my laughter.

"They shut?" He asked.

"Affirmative." I teased, saluting him.

"How many fingers?"

"3?"

"They're open!"

"Paul!" I laughed.

"Here, let me just-" He chuckled, shuffling about until I felt his warm body incline closer, pressing his gentle palms over my eyes.

"Better?" I joked sarcastically.

"Much." I could feel him smile from behind my shoulder.

He guided me for what felt like miles, until we finally stopped somewhere quiet, with nothing but the symphony of crickets to fill the air.

"Ready?" Asked Paul, who removed his palms from my face.

"Ready!"

"3...2...1.." He whispered, his voice fading away with every word.

I fluttered my eyes open to a perfectly clear, starry night, where every star shone as brightly as Paul's smile, illuminating the pitch black sky.

"You like it?" Asked Paul, who outstretched his arms to present the view.

"Love it." I said, rather dazed by the incredible sight. "It's breathtaking Paul." I broke from the sky to glance into his eyes earnestly. "Thank you."

He scratched his head awkwardly, shrugging bashfully as his cheeks turned pink. I shook my head in amusement at him once he broke eye contact, before returning to the magnificent sight above me.

It was hard to find such a clear sky in a city like Liverpool, and so this was not a sight I'd seen often. Paul had lead me to a desert field of nothing but pure nature, not a single soul to disturb us now.

I gazed at the sky is awe, for what I wished could have been forever, before experiencing the shock of a lifetime when suddenly being grabbed by the waist, catching me very off guard.

"Got 'cha!" Paul teased, picking me up by from behind, and spinning me round.

"Paul!" I clasped my racing heart. "You could have given me a heart attack!"

"Sorry dear." He tickled my cheek playfully, having caused the both of us to collapse to the ground.

"Nah, it's okay." I smiled at ease, flicking his shoulder casually once rehabilitating myself, before letting my lingering fingers creep up his shoulder to play with his ear.

I hadn't realised that the entire time of which I'd been so transfixed by his ear lobe, he'd been gazing at me. I drew my eyes to his, where they stayed as things quietened down.

"Thanks again," I said, captivated by his doe, hazel eyes. "For everything."

"As long as you feel better." He smiled sweetly, reluctant to stop me playing with his ear.

"Much." I bit my lip, drawing my face closer to his, with the urging temptation to kiss him.

I didn't think either of us wanted the moment to end, but it surely couldn't have lasted forever. Eventually, I broke away from the gaze once the guilt had finally begun to kick in, and the two of us lay on our backs, side by side, Paul indicating various constellations in the sky. It wasn't until Paul realised how fast time has flown, and the two of us had to head back to the dank pub in misery.

"I had a lot of fun tonight Paul." I thanked him again, having difficulty remembering the last time I'd genuinely had so much fun or felt so happy.

"Anytime love." He winked, making my heart flutter.

As we made our way back to the pub, I couldn't help but wonder when I looked at Paul, if whether my little slip up the other night, was really just a slip up, or something more.

I mean, surely I couldn't love Paul; John couldn't be right.
But when was John ever wrong?