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Chapter Fifteen

I put a little extra effort into my appearance the next morning. Not because Noah would be there, but because in just a couple of hours I would be performing on stage in front of my entire year. Yep, that was definitely the reason.

As I ran the straighteners through my hair I made a mental note to book in at mum's salon for a trim next time I went home. My long fringe now almost completely covered my eyes, so I could only leave it to fall across my forehead like curtains. It was a look that Kris had convinced me was very Brigitte Bardot, but a look that also meant I could no longer wear it straight down unless I wanted to walk around blind.

The golden highlights that always appeared through the ends of my hair during summer had long-since faded with the cold, dark British winter and my skin was missing the natural glow of a tan. On top of this, my eyes were red and puffy from crying myself to sleep.

God, you look like shit, I thought, before opening my make-up bag to try and make myself appear a little more human.

Half an hour later, I felt - and looked - a lot better. Even if on the inside I was feeling fragile, nobody needed to know. I pulled on a pair of black tights, teamed with a short, green tartan skirt and a black off-the-shoulder jumper. Finishing off the ensemble with my trusty black ankle boots, I took one last look in the mirror.

Something was missing. Remembering it was still in my make-up bag, I pulled out Charlotte's MAC lipstick and slowly painted my lips. The deep red colour instantly brought life back into my face, and I forced a smile from my reflection.

I wasn't ready to explain what last night had been about, so I quietly slipped out of the flat as I heard Kris in the shower and Charlotte clattering around in the kitchen. The group performances didn't start until the afternoon, but I figured I would just hide out in the coffee shop beforehand and deal with their questions after.

As I made myself comfortable in one of the armchairs tucked into the corner with a large milky tea, I pulled out my book and began to read. The main character had just found out she was pregnant by her secret lover and was unsure of whether to keep the baby, so things were getting juicy. At least my life wasn't that much of a mess.

Just as her husband was about to find the pregnancy test hidden in the kitchen drawer, my eyes were distracted from the on-page action by a familiar voice at the counter.

"Hey man. Can I get a large cappuccino and a green tea?"

Shit. Noah.

By the looks of it he hadn't seen me, so I raised my book higher across my face and slowly angled my body in the other direction.

As the barista called his name, I watched him head to the end of the counter to collect his drinks, before carrying them over to one of the tables by the window. Already seated was a brunette woman. Smiling up at him when he placed the cups down then pulled his chair closer around the table to her, she looked to be in her late thirties, maybe even early forties.

Even from where I sat, I could tell that her clothes were expensive. Her perfectly blow-dried hair swung effortlessly across the shoulders of a smartly tailored navy jacket and white silk top. A pair of tight leather trousers, that I would have never even had the guts to try on, were finished off immaculately by nude stilettos with a trademark designer red sole.

Next to her, Noah looked like some kind of fallen angel. His hair was tidier than usual but still messily swept up with a side parting. As he removed his jacket, I noticed he had ditched his usual T-shirts for a tight, checked shirt, rolled up at the sleeves showing off his tattoos. I couldn't take my eyes off the two of them; spying out across the top of my book like some crazed bunny boiler.