✔️Soundtrack To My Life (18+) part 1

Opinions Won't Keep You Warm At Night

Sam, July 2003

"Remind me again why we're doing this?" Beth huffed at me when I got out of the shower and started getting  dressed, acting as if I'd asked her to clean the United locker room, not just go out for a nice, simple dinner with my friends, she'd been digging her heels in ever since I got the text from Shay about going out tonight. 

"Because it's Bridget's first night in London and I'm going back to Manchester for pre-season training on Monday so this will be my only opportunity to see them all for a bit." I was buzzing to catch up with Bridgy and see how she was settling in. 

"But why do I have to go?' Beth whines, making no effort to get ready in the hopes that I'll just cancel, I'm well aware of her little mind games by now but tonight she's not going to win, I'm looking forward to this and I'm not caving in this time just to avoid her tantrum. "Those people are not even in our league Sammy, they're beneath us."

"Bethany, those people are my friends, they're important to me and I'd like them to get to know the girl that I'm dating." I lay it all out, hoping she understands why I this means so much to me. 

"The people from your past are just after your money, look at the sob story those sister's fed you to get you to buy their Dad's house, they're going to bleed you dry Sam." What a surprise, she's arguing with me again about people trying to get their hands on my money.

"Bridget and Veronica have no idea I even bought the house, you weren't even meant to know about it but you just had to have your private investigator follow my every move so I'd appreciate it if you kept it to yourself." I realise that they will eventually find out I bought the house but I'd rather the news come from me so that I can explain my reasons. 

"Why is it so important to you that I meet your friends though?" She asks, moving away from the money angle when she realises she's fighting a losing battle.

"Because their opinions matter to me." I say firmly, almost having to spell it out for her. If my friends didn't like my girlfriend they'd be honest and upfront with me, especially Shayla.

"You'd break up with me if they told you they didn't like me?' She asks, looking worried.

"My friends are good people, I trust their judgement." I say, looking her in the eye, Beth knows that things haven't exactly been smooth sailing with us since going public, the magazines print all sorts of tripe about our relationship and it's been a big adjustment for me to handle. I haven't asked her for much, just this one thing really.

"Then I better be on my best behaviour because I need to win them over." She says, jumping up from the bed and wrapping her arms around my neck, giving me that signature, sweet smile.

"You've already won Bridget over, she's been a fan of yours for years, plastered her bedroom in posters of you and watched all you movies." Bridget was why I was pushing so hard for Beth to come to dinner, this would make Bridgy's year.

"The girl has good taste." Beth giggles and stands on her tippy toes to plant a kiss on my cheek. "Give me 20 minutes."

An hour later we're finally ready to leave the flat I've been renting in London.

~~~

Kate had booked a table at Garfunkel's,  in Trafalgar Square which would have been a short tube ride from my my flat but Bethany detested catching public transport and instead made us hail a taxi, which was near impossible on a Friday night in busy peak hour traffic, by the time we managed to flag one down, we were already an hour late for dinner and I knew Kate had to feed the kids to I text her to start without us. When we finally arrived at the restaurant I could see the group through the window, they'd all eaten and we're looking ready to leave.