You've Changed.

Chapter 4 - Go Away

"Sweet hurry up!" I hear my mum yell over the top of my music. I roll my eyes pulling my right shoe on and press pause on my music. I had changed my outfit so I was ready for tonight's gig, even if it meant I was freezing before (https://www.polyvore.com/untitled_40/set?id=224786145)  I pick up my phone and my jacket and run down the stairs to see mum waiting by the door.

"Where's Paul?" I look around pulling my coat sleeves through both arms.

"Oh, he's next door, are you ready?" I ignore her questions and furrow my eyebrows.

"Why?" She opens the door and I feel the cold air brush my hair.

"Well I was talking to Hazel-"

"Hazel Albarn?" I interrupt. Mum nods happily and I roll my eyes. "Mum are you kidding you know I don't get along with their son."

"Connie, it's not always about you ok? We wanted to have a catch up over dinner since both our children have been away recently." Mum puts her hand on my back and walks me out the door. 

I sigh annoyed thinking about how I had found Damon last night completely wasted. I don't want him to realise that I was the one that walked his arse home, I would prefer he didn't. 

I started living with my dad after the incident with him and I in school. A lot of people who knew me on the bus started making fun of me for having a crush on an older boy. It eventually got really bad and I decided I would live with my dad in Falmouth at 13. Since then I haven't really made much contact with my mum, I found it easier just to call her instead of full on visiting her cause she always had Paul round which had made me uncomfortable. Last time I saw Damon however was about two years ago. He hadn't recognised me of course I was only 16. He thought I was older and tried to flirt with me, but I turned him down. This all happened when I came to visit mum for her birthday, we were in town and bumped into him. 

I started university this year in London so I have been living with mum for the past three months. I'm still looking for somewhere new to stay because living here is just killing me. 

Mum locks the door behind us and we proceed to walk towards her car, I see the Albarn's stood around their car talking to Paul to which I turn and face away so they can't see me.

"Come on Paul we have to get going!" Oh god mum keep your voice down and don't draw attention to me. I scramble into the backseat of the car as soon as I hear mum unlock it. Mum walks round the car to the driver seat and opens the door waiting for Paul.

I peak in the mirror and notice Paul walking towards us where I can see behind him Jessica and Damon looking towards our car and talking. It freaked me out a bit so I ignored them and did up my seat belt. Mum got into the car and so did Paul and started up the engine.

Paul looked at me. "Jess says she's surprised to see you!"

"What, why?" I look down at my phone where I see the multiple times Liam texted me today. I feel the car push forwards and start travelling down the road.

"Cause you've changed so much she was just surprised to how much you've grown."

"Yeah well it happens to everyone at some point doesn't it?" I close my phone and look up at Paul rolling his eyes.

I ignored him for the rest of the car journey, I didn't need his sly comments like "what do you see in that silly Liam boy anyway?" or "why don't you visit often?" It's just plain annoying.

When we got to the restaurant I lugged myself in standing close to mum. We found our table where I could see the Albarn's pulling out their chairs. Mum and Paul go and sit down across from Keith and Hazel, leaving a space opposite Damon and next to Jessica. I sit down slowly and pull my coat off letting it rest on the back of the chair. I look up to see Damon looking at me like he was thinking. I gather my hair behind my ears and pick up the menu placing it in front of my vision.

"So Connie you've changed a lot! Last time we saw you, you were just 13." I pull the menu down and awkwardly smile at Hazel.

"Yeah... I was living with my dad. I'm back for uni now." I awkwardly look around to see everyone's eyes on me.

"What are you studying?" Keith joins in.

"Art, but I also help out in the fashion and photography department." I study my nails.

Mum open her mouth to join in, "she helps out modelling the clothes they make-"

"Yeah but it's nothing special, it's just cause my friend Harley studies fashion textiles there." I interrupt. I shrug it off and pull out my phone receiving more notifications from Liam, a couple from another guy I had been seeing.

"I was going to say you don't look like the Connie I used to babysit." I look up at Damon smiling, I ignore his comment and excuse myself from the table. I pick up my coat and walk outside to the smoking area pulling a cigarette from my pocket. I light it and sit by one of the tables. I press reply on my phone and start texting out a message to Liam:

"go away, we r not dating."

"You texting your boyfriend?" I recognise his voice.

"No." I bluntly reply and hit send taking a toke from my fag. I look up and Damon sits across from me with a cigarette in his mouth.

"So it's been a while." He begins. I mumble a response and continue looking down at my phone. There was a long pause. "So you and Gallagher?" I roll my eyes.

"He wishes." I snort.

"Really, he seemed pretty proud telling everyone at the Brits that you two were a thing." I ignore him and breathe out grey smoke. "I didn't even realise yesterday you were the Connie that used to follow me around until mum said something at the table."

I look at his face, "ok?" I shrug really not giving a shit and throw my cigarette into the fag bin standing up.

"Hey." He stands up and places his hand on my shoulder, his voice was much softer now. "I'm sorry about what happened before in the past, I honestly didn't think shit would happen. I mean you don't really seem like you've gotten over it. I just wanted to check you were ok so we can move past it." I step away so his hand slides off my shoulder. "Plus you look really good, I thought you'd want to hear that." He grins while i just roll my eyes.

"Go away, Albarn."