Partick

Liam

I can't stop looking at Chloe.

How has something I thought was just a silly crush managed to snowball into proper feelings over a couple of hours? This definitely wasn't the way I saw today going.

But it's been a pleasant surprise.

Michael watched the videos. Even the one of me and Chloe kissing. He looked momentarily troubled then laughed. Which is probably a relatively normal reaction to watching a film of your fairly recent ex being kissed by the guy who is standing beside you.

Alex is fuming that, once again, his evil plans have not worked in his favour. I'm almost starting to feel sorry for him. But not quite.

Currently I'm more preoccupied with how to get Chloe alone. Turns out it's more difficult that I anticipated. Now that Lola has gone, there's less drama which actually means less distractions. Less opportunity to try and get her to one side without other folk in the group noticing.

In the end, Becky's refusal to wear flat shoes today is what actually benefits me. One of her heels has snapped.

"What am I going to do?" She's waving the useless shoe about, wobbling on her one remaining intact shoe. This is not going to end well.

"My flat isn't far, why don't I go and get you a pair of my shoes?" Chloe offers. She glances around the group, humour sparkling in her eyes. "Funnily enough, despite the fact I'm about five inches taller than Becky, we actually both have tiny feet."

"What will I do until then?" Becky asks. A bar stool frees up so she pulls herself up onto it, pouting as if this is everyone else's fault and not her own for choosing inappropriate footwear.

"I'll give you a piggyback to the next pub," Luke nudges her and grins, trying to cheer her up.

"How very dignified," she sniffs, but she's smiling now. Becky is never down for long.

Chloe downs the rest of her drink. "So I'll go back to mine now and I'll just get you in the next pub?" She suggests. "Pair of ballet pumps alright?"

Becky nods. "Someone should go with you, keep you company," she says. "I would come but . . . You know!" She waves her ruined heel in the air again.

"I can come," Michael offers immediately and I curse inwardly. This was my chance to get Chloe alone.

Thank goodness for Becky. "You've only just got here Michael, you need to catch up with us on booze," she insists. "Plus, aren't you expecting your girlfriend at the next pub? You don't want her to turn up and you're not there."

"Oh yeah, good point." Michael looks apologetically at his ex. "Sorry Chlo."

"It's fine," Chloe nods. She actually seems relieved. "Anyway, I'm happy to go myself."

Becky ignores her. "Liam, can you go with her?" She asks.

I could kiss her. Well, if it wasn't for the fact she's about to marry my best friend. And I actually fancy her cousin. But I'm very grateful to her.

"Of course," I say before anyone else can volunteer. Chloe seems to be trying to hide a smile and I find myself doing the same. I drain the dregs from my glass. "Shall we?" I ask her and she nods. As we go to leave, Becky shoots me a sly wink. Which makes me wonder if the heel breaking was an accident or not.

"Where do you live?" I ask Chloe as we leave the pub.

"White Street, so not very far," she replies. "We'll just have to double back on ourselves very slightly to get to the next pub." She shoots me a glance. "You really don't have to come if you don't want to," she adds. "I know Becky put you on the spot."

I shake my head. "Becky did me a massive favour," I tell her honestly. I can't waste this chance. "I've wanted to get you alone since the previous pub."

Her cheeks redden. This girl blushes a lot. And it's really bloody cute. "I'm really nervous," she says quietly after a moment of silence.

"Why?" I have to ask.

Chloe shrugs. "I'm not really sure. Probably because whatever is going on here, between us . . . It's new to me. I don't really know how to act . . . Normal about it."

"If it's any consolation," I say. "I feel that way too."

She sighs. "That does help." She hesitates before she speaks again. "So tell me something I don't know about you, Liam McCall."

"Christ, you couldn't really be less specific if you tried, could you?" I smile to soften my words. Don't want her thinking I'm trying to pick an argument again. There's been enough of that over the years.

She returns my smile. "That's the beauty of it. I have literally no idea what you're going to tell me."

Okay. I nod, gather my thoughts. Try to think of something incredibly random to lead with. It's really quite difficult. "When I was younger, I wanted to be a priest. I used to pretend to do masses in the living room and my sisters would have to sit there and listen to me giving sermons."

Chloe starts to laugh. "No way. Your poor sisters! What age were you?"

"27," I joke. "Nah, definitely less than 10. It took me a while to come out of that phase though."

"You think you can be anything when you're that age though," she says wistfully. "Then reality hits and you grow up."

I can only nod at this. My mum dying definitely forced me to grow up fast, virtually overnight. I think Chloe can sense what I'm thinking about as she reaches out and briefly squeezes my arm in reassurance.

"Here we are." She stops outside a tenement and reaches in her bag for her keys. "Home sweet home."

"I can wait out here," I offer as she fits her key into the door of the building. I don't want her to feel awkward.

"Don't be daft," she replies, standing aside to let me walk into the hallway. "You're welcome to come in."

We enter the flat, which is one floor up. "I live with three other girls," she explains as she leads me along the corridor to her room. "Had to find something cheap and cheerful in a hurry after Michael and I split." It's a decent size, as most tenements in this area are, and her room is actually pretty massive.

She drops her bag on the floor and pulls off her jacket. "I'm just going to nip to the loo; make yourself at home," she throws over her shoulder as she leaves the room again.

And then I'm alone. In Chloe West's bedroom.

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