Don't Stop The Music

- nine -

CHAPTER IX

- £12 worth of cake -

[Liam]

Saturday morning was dull and cold, greyish skies and frost iced over the roads and windows, crunching slightly underfoot. Liam had spent the past half an hour sitting in one of the coffee shops with a small, sweet coffee and a blueberry muffin, killing time, when he noticed a familiar figure leaving the bookstore just opposite, wearing a short green dress and a leather bomber jacket with a loose woollen scarf and boots for the cold.

Jen.

He couldn't believe the coincidence – the two of them, in town together. It must be a sign, or something. Forgetting why he was meant to be there, he abandoned his food and jumped down from his seat, walking over as casually as possible until he was within earshot.

"Jen! Hi," he said, pretending to be surprised.

Jen glanced over at him and gave a small smile. "Oh, it's you. Fancy meeting you here."

oh my god she totally smiled at me this time I am moving up in the world, was his first immediate thought, second to suck it, Eli I totally got this.

"I know, right? It's crazy," he said. "So, what are you doing out here?"

She shook the bag of books she was carrying. "Shopping, it would seem."

"Nothing too radical, then."

"Not in front of the kids," she replied. "What about you?"

"Oh, I'm just killing time. I'm meeting some friends later."

He was supposed to be singing again at around midday with the others: he'd got a message from Dom a couple of days ago. Turned out they also did busking in the town centre on occasion, more often than they did shows on school grounds. He'd come to meet them at the bandstand in the park at 11:30 to warm up and get ready and stuff.

Jen nodded. "That's nice," she said, hefting her shopping bag. "Well, hate to keep you waiting. I'll see you–"

"Wait," Liam said, determined not to let her disappear again. This was his chance, while they were both in town together. "Uh...have you eaten yet?"

She blinked. "Not yet, no. I was just going to get a sandwich or something later."

"I know a pretty good café around here. Seed & Barrow, have you been there before?"

"Can't say it rings a bell, I'm afraid."

"Seriously? You've lived a deprived life, Jen," he said. "They do the best Spanish Omelette I've ever tasted. Like, in my life."

"Wow," Jen said, raising her eyebrows. "That's a bold statement."

"Of course, a claim like that is only scientifically valid if other people get the same results, right?"

Her mouth twitched slightly, like she was trying not to smile. "You're asking me to lunch?" she asked.

"Oh, it's nothing serious," he said. "I was just thinking, seeing as we're in the area and it's nearly midday..."

"Weren't you supposed to be meeting your friends?"

Oh, shit, he thought. It had totally slipped his mind; he'd been so caught up in trying to get her to come with him. He hesitated for a fraction of a split second, but this was more important to him. Dom and the others would understand. Well, they probably wouldn't, but...