When You Know

60. Not Nineteen Forever

Vinny rolled onto his side, surprised to find a body in his bed with him. It wasn't the fact they were there that was surprising, but more the fact they still were. Opening his eyes slowly, he tested the waters, trying to determine whether the girl was still awake or not. Sleeping, but only just. She had the distinctive frown that she always held on her face about five minutes before she was due to wake up, even worse when her hair fell over her face in her sleep like it had done now.

Emily was still wearing his t-shirt, though the collar of it had pulled over her collar bone, stretching it out even further than it already had been. Vinny knew that if he moved so much as an inch more, she'd be up, and whatever reaction she'd have at finding him half-naked in bed with her would be displayed out for him to witness.

This was bad, he thought. He wasn't even that hungover, but every action he'd made the night before had been a result of Murphy's heartache and his reckless encouragement. He hadn't meant to pine after the one girl that he'd fallen for since Sarah, but when he saw her dancing at midnight it was already set in the stars. Of course Murphy encouraged it, and of course he'd find himself weak at the knees when Emily wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear about how much she bet he missed her.

'Is it that obvious?' He'd asked, and the rest was history. He couldn't erase it now, no matter how much Emily might want to.

'Hey,' she coughed on her own words.

'You're up,' he couldn't help but smile. She wasn't kicking him out, but instead wrapping her arm around his chest. 'I should check Murphy's alright.'

'Did we?'

'No,' Vinny confirmed. 'You were really insistent on cuddles, though.'

'Makes sense,' Emily smirked to herself. Not the reaction VInny was expecting.

'I'll see you at The Courteeners? You're still going with Murphy?'

'If she's alive,' she closed her eyes again, burning her face in her pillow. Vinny didn't make much more conversation after that.

After confirming Murphy was still alive, and determining she was only coming out for one song, Vinny made his way to guest check in. Harry had texted three times already, probably still worried the passes he'd promised were a lie. It took him around thirty minutes to get there, and by that time the sun had shone down enough to leave him sore, dehydrated and unbothered by any conversation. When he spotted Harry, he was standing with two other's he vaguely recognised. Harry half-hugged him, Chris was more formal with a handshake, and Stephen just gave a polite nod.

'How long you here for?' Vinny asked, peeling the back off the first pass.

'Just today,' Chris answered. 'We've got filming this weekend, so we can't stay.'

'You're coming on Sunday, right?' He glanced up at Harry, who was still looking around himself like he expected someone familiar to round the corner.

'Ye-no, actually,' he corrected. 'I was going to come with Cal and Megan, but I've got plans now.'

'Nice, nice,' he spoke in a singsong voice. 'Anything good?'

'A date, actually,' he winced. 'Murphy knows.'

Vinny stopped for a second, processing what he'd just admitted.

'I told her about it yesterday,' Harry added, like he was trying to explain himself. 'She told me about the date she's going on today, too.' He spoke like it was an afterthought.

'She's going on a date?' Vinny asked without thinking.

'Yeah,' he raised an eyebrow. 'She didn't tell you?'