Let It Be

Gin & Tonic

April 1994

Alison looked through her busy schedule. She sipped her tepid coffee, she'd left it too long. The buzz and bustle of a busy office environment cocooned her as she looked over the sets of portraits from the Suede shoot. Her phone rang and she jumped slightly startled by it.

"Alison, the boss wants you. It's about that Suede set."

Alison sighed.

"Give me 5."

She collected the stills abandoning her now cold coffee. Working for NME wasn't how she'd imagined her post college photography career going but she loved it. They saw something in her. And her photos had been featured on covers regularly. It still gave her a thrill seeing her name, well her new version of it at the bottom of the page. "Photos by Al Black". She'd changed her name to avoid any issues with her parents (who she hadnt spoken to or been financially dependent on in 5 years). She used Al so no bands or potential people that wanted to work with her would be put off by her being a woman until they met her. Equality for women was a bit behind with regards to working in environments like this. They didn't want "birds" ruining the "boys" club. NME was different in that way. They hired lots of amazing women.

Alison slumped into her seat on the subway after another mental day. She'd worked late putting together the cover feature just right. It left her little time to catch up with friends but she made sure she did. She walked through the bustle of Camden into The Good Mixer where she was embraced by a mixed group of friends she'd met at college and work.

Alison sipped her gin and tonic letting the bitter bubbles burst on her tongue taking her stresses away with each pop. She let her friends conversation was over her with the loud music from the jukebox as she began to unwind. She glanced up at the small TV behind the bar playing some music video channel that wasn't MTV. Her eyes drifted over the black and white images oddly transfixed by the rotating camera.

Her breath caught in her throat and her heart pounded. Those eyes, behind tinted glasses now, but she'd recognise them anywhere. Longer hair now that curled over his ears. A hint of a stubble on his chin but the same face as the boy she'd once known. That boy, man now she supposed, on the telly was Liam Gallagher.

They'd kept in contact for the first year by letter, Trix had too, but then life got in the way for all of them. It happened. That was life. She thought about him sometimes. She wondered how he was doing and if his eyes were really as blue as she remembered them. She'd loved him as only a 17 year old girl could love a 16 year old boy. Purely and wholly. She'd never felt anything like it since. Perhaps that was first love for you. It could never strike as intensely ever again.

Her mind was flooded with memories of his blue eyes, long coal black lashes, soft lips, innocent kisses and hands, warm arms, one dimpled smiles, his rough voice. The feelings she'd buried so deep inside herself washed over her anew upon seeing him. Whispers in the darkness. Secrets and intimacy she'd never known before.

"Alison? Hello? You've completely Zoned out."

She slowly came back to the room. Her fingers shook around her cold glass.

Millie looked up at the telly and grinned. She was the office Juniour at NME and theyd instantly clicked.

"Oh. Yeah they're new. Everyone in the office has been all buzzing about them. Oasis. From Manchester apparently. They did some early gig reviews few months back. Singer's a bit of all right isn't he?" She teased with a wink.

Alison nodded and smiled sadly.

"Yeah. He is."

Alison turned her eyes from the television. Good for you Liam. You made it. Her mind settled on their long forgotten pact. Innocent affirmations of first love. She sighed she wondered if he ever thought of her and the wonderfully strange few months they'd spent together. Probably not. She knew it was strange to think of some 6 year old relationship that only lasted a few months.  She slowly felt her heart rate returning to normal but a strangely hollow feeling settled in her stomach. Thinking of him made her oddly emotional and she couldn't figure out why. She downed her gin and ordered another instantly.