When Albert pulled the car up outside home Robin let out a short sigh of relief, both because she was finally free of work, and because she could just about see John's figure stood down the end of his garden.

"Think yourself lucky you weren't in the kitchen," Albert pointed out jokingly as he saw how tired she looked, making Robin let out a short, bitter laugh.

"Tell that to someone who didn't have to put up with table seven, nothing I could do was right," She explained, sighing again. "Kay said they were regulars as well,"

"Yeah, sorry kid, bit like throwing you in at the deep end really," Albert laughed. "Speaking of Kay, were the other wait staff nice to you?"

"I think they quite enjoyed having someone new they could make deal with the difficult customers," Robin joked dryly, and even though Albert laughed he looked at her with raised eyebrows, as if telling her to be serious. "No, everyone was fine. I know you had them be nice to me cause I'm new but they were all pretty good,"

In truth, Robin didn't really want to tell her uncle just how much she'd enjoyed working at his restaurant as a waitress. She felt exhausted sure, but it was worth it considering how fulfilled she felt. It was like how she felt after her first day of college, except better because she'd already taken herself out of her comfort zone so much the last few weeks it didn't feel as nerve-wracking and because she'd never had a job before she had nothing to compare it to. It felt like another step to building a proper life in Liverpool, an idea she'd been so against when she first moved in, but maybe it wasn't so bad after all.

It had also been nice meeting people that weren't just John and Stuart's friends and that weren't necessarily teenagers. Kay, who Albert had asked to show Robin the ropes, was in her mid-twenties and had been working at the restaurant since she was younger than Robin. She was cool but not in the way that was overly intimidating, and with a trendy pixie cut that made her resemble Audrey Hepburn she instantly made Robin feel at ease while working. She introduced her round the other waitresses that were working that night too, one of them being a quietly polite woman called Ana who'd just gotten married, and Susie, who was a bit older than all of them and even though Robin had hardly interacted with her she'd gotten the vibe that she thought she was superior to the younger girls. Even with Susie making her feel a little uncomfortable, and part of her did fear that they were all just pretending to be nice to her, it had been a good day's work, and Robin felt like she'd actually done something important, something other than immerse herself in her art.

"I think you were a really good asset tonight though, if you could work another couple of shifts this week I'll pay you on Friday and get you put on the rota properly," he suggested. "Obviously I know your college stuff still comes first, so maybe three nights a week if that's alright?

"Yeah, cool, cheers," she nodded gratefully, trying to stay stoic despite the thought of a proper job exciting her a little.

With that, the two of them got out the car, Robin carrying her college portfolio as usual whilst Albert hugged a brown paper bag full of restaurant leftovers to his chest. He locked the car up and went towards the path up to the house, but Robin didn't follow him. She was instead looking at John as he stood down the garden.

He looked like he was alone, holding his guitar, and for once he was wearing his glasses. As handsome as she thought he looked in his oversized frames she worried that he'd for once be able to see her watching him so she quickly looked away down to the floor. He'd been disappointed that she wasn't going to get the bus with him home from college that day, but he'd hidden it well behind sarcastic remarks about her being a working woman that had made her roll her eyes.

In his defence though after their deep talk the day before they hadn't had much chance to hang out properly. Robin felt as though their friendship had been fixed, no longer compelled by awkward anger to ignore each other, but there'd been no time at college to feel as though they were back to normal. At lunch they had been surrounded by the rest of the group and Robin had been talking to Stuart all about their coursework, and in lettering class neither Robin or John could talk, not as John had over a weeks worth of work to catch up on. Even if they couldn't talk properly, they both silently and unknowingly enjoyed the presence of the other, forgetting how nice it was to be cramped on the school desk together, their elbows occasionally bumping into each other, perhaps not always by accident.

Before she really knew what she was doing Robin was heading down the garden, digging in her jacket pocket with her spare hand for her cigarettes. At least if she was smoking she had a proper excuse to be outside and John wouldn't think she was there just because of him, not to mention she'd been wanting to smoke for hours but didn't get chance on her break.

"Sounds a pretty tune," she called out to John, the cigarette resting in between her lips as she lit it, going and leaning against their fence.

"Shame you caught me just about to go for a smoke break though," he replied with a wink, holding his hand out and gesturing for her to hand him one of her cigarettes. With a small sigh she obliged, handing him one as he got his own lighter. "So, how was it then?"

"What, work? It was alright," she shrugged. "Didn't miss me too much on the bus, did you?"

"God no, enjoyed the peace and quiet without you bothering me," he joked dryly.

"It's normally the other way round, John," she muttered, though she knew she'd feel lost on their bus journeys without him annoying her. "Al says I can start working there properly, he's gonna pay me a proper wage. I've never had a job before,"

"No neither have I," he told her. "The band gets paid a bit for playing clubs but not much, hence me constantly nicking your cigs,"

"I just thought you liked the thrill of winding me up to be honest," she shrugged again, flashing him a small, sarcastic smile. "Don't get too used to it though, I'm thinking of quitting. Not buying cigarettes every week plus my wage might help me save up for a camera by my birthday,"

John remembered Stuart once telling him that Robin wanted to be a photographer, but her dream was held back by the fact that she couldn't afford a camera. Based on what she'd told him about her Mum not being the most supportive of her art he couldn't imagine her offering any help when it came to photography, so it seemed almost sad that Robin's first decision made with her new freedom of income was based on finally realising a dream she'd previously been held back on. It was admirable, that she was already planning ahead, making sacrifices to be able to afford the one thing she truly wanted. It made him feel a little guilty, knowing that any time he had some sort of disposable income he squandered it away on alcohol or cigarettes, yet again Robin seeming more dedicated to her future than he was.

"Speaking of birthdays, I need you to book off work this Saturday," he said, making her frown as she took in a drag from her cigarette. "Mimi said I could have a couple mates round for my birthday. It'll just be the lads, you and Connie, maybe a couple of others. Should be a laugh,"

"Sounds good," she nodded, meaning it genuinely; maybe Liverpool had changed her introverted ways? "Do I need to get you anything? It's a big birthday, after all,"

"Nah, fuck that," he shrugged, blowing a puff of smoke in her direction, making her laugh quietly. "Just bring yourself, that's all I could possibly want, Roberta,"

"You're a shit flirt," she told him with a small smirk, laughing again when she saw him scowl at being accused of flirting. "I'll ask Al if I can have Saturday off then,"

She was on the verge of telling him that she was looking forward to it, because she genuinely was. In their week of silence she'd missed hanging out with him, she'd missed watching him smoke and smirk, missed watching the way he tousled his hair every so often as if to maintain it's casualty, missed hearing him laugh at his own jokes as if he was the smartest person in the world. She wouldn't tell him all of that of course, that would merely fuel his ego and embarrass her, but she was more than happy to tell him that she was looking forward to his birthday, and she was about to, until she heard her name being called from the direction of the house, her full name.

Looking over her shoulder, she saw her mother standing at the back door, and she let out a quiet curse hidden under a sigh, grimacing slightly at the thought that her mother had been watching her talk to John. That was all she needed. It was bad enough she'd been to work today, she'd prepared herself for an endless questioning session from her mother about it all, but John... Being seen with John would make things trickier.

"Is that your Mum?" John asked, noticing her frown.

"No, it's just the random woman that lives with me and my Uncle," she replied dryly, rolling her eyes as she took one last drag from her cigarette before she stubbed it out.

"Why d'you look like that?" he asked, though her eyebrows merely creased further together in confusion. "You look like you're gonna be sick, like you just bumped into your worst enemy,"

"Maybe I have," she shrugged, her voice low before she let out a bitter laugh. "I'm kidding, obviously, but it's complicated, like I was telling you before. It's an odd relationship, and that's putting it lightly. I better go, I'll see you on the bus tomorrow,"

"See you," he nodded, though she didn't wait to hear his farewell, turning round and heading off in the direction of her house, her mother still stood in the doorway like an ominous presence bearing over her.

In a way, he was glad he had his glasses on, because he could watch her walk away, taking in one final glance to admire her beauty before she disappeared into the house.

***

"You're still grounded, you're not meant to be out flirting with the neighbour boy," her mother said in place of a hello, and Robin had to bite back a bitter laugh.

Of course that was where her mother's mind instantly went, that she was flirting. Could she not just have friends? It was an unlikely concept concept considering how isolated she had been in Sheffield, but her Mum was always pestering her about making friends and not being such a loner. It was funny that now she was making friends, that didn't seem to please her mother any more than her isolation did; perhaps there was no pleasing Rita Knight. It also wound her up knowing that it was what her mother thought of her. She thought that she was talking and flirting with John to spite her, to rebel. It made sense, given her own history, but Robin certainly wasn't her mother, and she wasn't about to recreate the past.

"I was having a smoke, not my fault John was outside too," she told her, determined to set the story straight even if she knew there was no changing her mind once it was set on an idea.

She set her portfolio down in the hall by the stairs, ready to take it upstairs to her room as soon as dinner was over, then went into the kitchen where Albert was plating up the restaurant leftovers. Robin always loved the leftover dinners he brought home from work, he was an amazing chef after all, but after working all afternoon waiting on other people, she couldn't imagine anything worse than eating, even if the beef wellington smelt so good. She took her seat at the table regardless, and said a quiet thank you when Albert set her plate in front of her.

The plan was to eat as quickly as possible and then hide in her bedroom. She had plenty of homework to do, plus her own projects to be working on, but she couldn't help but worry that her night wasn't going to follow that ideal, not as her mother took the seat right across from her. Usually she just sat next to her, but sitting across the table told Robin that she wanted to look at her, which meant she wanted to talk to her. She prepared herself for the worst.

"Is that what he's called then? John," her mother said, saying John's name in an odd tone, as if she was trying it out and not liking the sound of it. "See, you never tell me anything, I don't even know the names of your friends,"

"John's a good lad," Albert chimed in, clearly sensing the hints of tension and deciding to try and defuse it before it could get any worse. "Bless him, he's had a hard time lately. It's good that you're friends, you can probably relate to a lot of things, the two of you,"

"Yeah, he's a good lad," Robin nodded in agreement, deciding to ignore the part about them relating, not wanting to think about her Dad in fear that it'd hurt. "He actually... Well, he-"

"Don't hedge your words, Roberta, get to the point," her mother said bluntly, and Robin stared down at the plate in front of her, hoping that she hadn't flushed red in embarrassment.

"It's his birthday Saturday, his band and some people from college are going round," she said, looking at Albert for permission. "I was wondering if I could have the night off work to go? Technically I wouldn't be grounded anymore by then, and I've never been invited to a birthday party before. It's not like I could be home late since it'd only be next door,"

Her mother looked as if she was instantly going to say no, which wouldn't have been a surprise. Instead though, Albert merely nodded, and Robin tried not to let out a sigh of relief.

"Yeah, course, I'll put down that you're not working that night," he said with a smile. "You've met his band before haven't you?"

"Yeah, George, Paul and Pete," she said, remembering the other Liverpudlian lads. "They're all nice, obviously Stuart will be there too, and I think he said his cousin Connie would be going, I don't know if you've heard of her,"

"Not met her personally, but I've heard the name," Albert nodded. "Her Dad works for the fire service, apparently won a load of medals in the war. They live next door to the McCartney's, don't they?"

"Yeah," Robin said simply, knowing her mother would be getting annoyed at the fact they were talking about a load of people she'd never met. "Yeah, they're all really good people, I'm really glad I've met them,"

It was the truth. She'd not really noticed herself opening up, but hearing her uncle ask about the people she'd met, she found herself thinking of them as friends. That was surprising. She'd never thought of herself as the sort of person who wanted or needed friends, but she found an odd sense of fulfilment thinking about how much she wanted to go to John's party, to be around those people. It was almost healing, thinking about how alone she'd been after her Dad had died, when she had no one but her mother, locked away in the flat with no signs of anything getting better, but now she did want to go out, she did have people she wanted to see. Maybe Albert could see that, hence him being so quick to say she could go, but whatever Albert saw her mother clearly didn't, as she merely scowled, taking Robin's determination to be social as a warning sign.

"I've never even met any of those people, why should I be alright with any of this?" Rita asked, and Robin felt herself go all tingly, as if she was battling against feeling anxious over her mother's tone.

"They're just people," Robin shrugged, not knowing what to say. "What did you want me to do, sit up in my room and not meet anyone, not have any friends? I've already done that, I'm bored of it,"

"Well your Dad had plenty of friends, look where he ended up," her mother said harshly, and Robin immediately dropped her knife and fork, her appetite gone completely.

"You don't need to bring him into this," Albert said quietly, as if he was desperate not to add any tension to the situation, trying to dissolve anything that was already there. "There's no harm in Robin going to that party, they're all only young once,"

"Yeah, I remember what it was like being young," she said quickly, and even though Robin didn't look up from her half empty plate she could feel her mother's stare burning into her. "Things come crashing down rather quickly if you're not careful,"

"Cool, I'll bear that in mind," Robin spoke bluntly, looking up and meeting her mother's eyes defiantly.

Robin silently decided in that moment she was going to that party regardless of what her mother thought.

***
Word count: 3018

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