Difference (*Ackley Bridge*)

ELEVEN

That night Missy, Nas and Chloe slept round mine, I let them have my bed while I slept on a blow up mattress that my dad had kept in the spare room just in case. We ordered a pizza from town and sat on my bed eating and talking.
"Cory just texted me." Nas said and I instantly looked up from my phone because I was confused as to why he was texting her at night.

"Well what does it say?" Missy pushed her for an answer,

"Please tell L that what she saw with Florence doesn't mean anything." Nas said

"Is that it?" Chloe asked

"He's still typing." Nas said

"And the whole jacket thing, I didn't give it too her I nearly left it in a shop so she decided to pick it up and wear it. I only didn't ask for it back because I felt rude." She continued to tell us all,

"What about the nickname?" I asked Nas showing some form of an interest.

"Yeah what's with the whole one letter thing with you?" Nas asked me and I smiled,

"I don't know he just started to call me it one day and I liked it so I just let him carry on." I said casually and she nodded.

"Oh he's sent another text." Chloe said before biting into her pizza slice,

"You probably won't believe me when I say that I do really like her. When she ended things last night I absolutely hated it she is the only one who has ever made me feel the way I do I want her too see that I care and that I want her back in my life." Missy read from Nas's phone.

"He really cares Lee, he actually likes you." Nas said

"Ring him." I say bluntly

"Why?" Chloe asked me,

"Just do it." I say so Nas rings Cory and after two ringing tones he picks up the phone. Missy holds her finger to her lips and points at me indicating that I should stay quiet so I do as I'm told.

'Hello? Nas?' Cory questions

"Hi, just wondering why did you text me all that?"

'Because I know that you and Missy won't believe me when I say that I do care for Leeanna. You just think that I was playing her but I wasn't I really do like her.'

"So why not just talk to her?"

'She won't listen to me she said that we could be friends and then last night she breaks down and tells me that seeing Florence and I together hurts her too much and that she can't even be my friend anymore and that killed to hear and to see her like that.' Cory explained with sincerity.

"Then what happened?" Nas asked him,

'We kissed, I told her that I loved her and she said it back and then she gave me back my denim jacket and she walked away.' Cory sighed down the phone.

"She never told us about that." Nas said whilst the other two girls stared at me and I frowned a little at them.

'Oh right listen just tell her I'm sorry and that I miss her-' just as Cory was explaining to the girls I accidentally sneezed quite loudly yet a little softly and all our eyes went wide. 'She's there isn't she? Lee please talk to me.' Cory said, we were all sharing hand gestures; the girls wanted me to talk too him but I didn't want too so eventually I just pressed the hang up button on the phone.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Chloe asked me,

"I panicked!" I said loudly

"He knows you heard all of that what do we do?" Missy asked me and we all shrugged.

"I'm not hiding from this I'm going over to his house." I say as I grab my hoodie and shoes.

"You're in your pyjamas it's half twelve at night." Nas says seriously

"I don't care I'm going over are you all coming or staying here?" I asked them all and the girls gave in and came with me.

(*Time Skip*)

When we got to Cory's house I stood outside and saw that his dad was passed out on the sofa with a can in his hand whilst I peered through the window so I knew I was safe to be here. I found some pebbles on the floor and started to throw them at Cory's window in hope that I would get his attention, and after a few attempts the bedroom light turned on I then pushed Missy, Nas and Chloe round the corner so that they wouldn't be seen whilst I stood in front of the house. Cory drew back his curtains and opened his window.

"Lee w-what are you doing here it's nearly one in the morning?" Cory whispered

"Are you going to come down or am I coming in?" I asked him in return.

"Hold on." He said as he closed the window, I was waiting for a few minutes before the door opened and out walked Cory in some joggers but no t shirt on.

"I heard what you said and what you texted to Nas earlier on." I told him,

"And I meant every word of it you're such a significant part of my life L." He said

"And you're in mine, I just wish that when I look at you I don't see future upset." I sigh.

"And I don't want you too see that I want you too see something good too come out of us being together or at least being friends." He says

"Is she in? Is Florence in your room?" I asked him

"What? No! Of course not, you're the only girl who has spent the night in my room."

"But I thought that?-"

"I stay at their houses they never come too mine. Ever."

"Oh right. Listen Cory I like you so unbelievably much and you don't know how much I have loved spending time with you over these last days and weeks and when you told me that you loved me I felt cared for." I explained,

"But?" Cory questioned me.

"It shouldn't have too be like this, I shouldn't have to be here in early hours of the morning saying what I have said and you shouldn't have to listen to me say it. Because we should both know how much we mean to each other without having to argue and make up afterwards, I don't want us to be like that." I sigh heavily.

"Neither do I please L just take things slow because I know you're scared and I am too but don't throw something away that hasn't even been given a full chance." Cory said softly as he took hold of my hands.

"You know when I first met you I wanted to stay away from you because I had been warned off. But that just made me want to know you more and when I did get to know you I loved every second of it from spending the night with you even to experiencing your dad. You make my life worth while and I adore you for that." I smile at Cory,

"Then don't leave me and everything else that we have done together all because of one stupid throw away comment." Cory said to me referring to what Missy has said the other day about Cory not liking me as much as I like him.

"Just give me some time okay?" I whispered to him,

"Okay." Cory smiled before hugging me tightly and kissing me softly which I had missed so much it was indescribable.

"I really need to go I'm freezing." I say as I look down at my pyjama shorts and hoodie.

"Alright well I'll see you Monday at school?" He wondered and I nodded before kissing his cheek and walking away with Nas, Missy and Chloe following behind me.

When we got back to my house we went straight into my bedroom and talked about everything that had just happened and how I was going to be getting back with Cory.