Beside You

"Bonnie! I'm here!"

"You did literally just text me," I shouted, running downstairs towards my best friend.

"You alright?" Luke asked, pulling me into a hug.

"Fabulous," I grinned, following him into the kitchen. He took a slice of cake out the fridge and sat on the floor, expecting me to do the same. I turned down the cake but sat opposite him. "How's the gig searching going?" I asked, watching in fascination as the entire slice of Victoria sponge disappeared into his mouth. He nodded as he struggled to chew the cake, and I just stared at him battling his mistake.

"Yeah," he said when he finally finished. "We're booked into this theatre next week, this other little band are supporting us. Good guys."

"Cool," I sighed. "Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"You know I've been looking for jobs in the military?"

"Yes," he said sadly. He'd always been opposed to my career of choice, but I'd never actually found my way in, except a couple of cadet sessions when I was younger.

"I've got a physical exam tomorrow. If I pass it I go straight into admin and training for the field."

"I'm proud of you, Ginge." He hugged me again, ruffling my hair as if I were a good dog.

"Now my life can finally begin," I said, thinking of my plan. My idea from the start had been to go into the military, serve as long as I could, and then go into football coaching. I'd always been a tomboy, hanging out with the guys from the first day of nursery, and after I yelled at a boy for telling me girls couldn't be soldiers, my position had never been questioned.

"I'm so happy for you, I know how much it means."

"I won't get shot, I promise," I told him, and he rolled his eyes and hugged me one more time. We stood up and went into my bedroom, where I put RuPaul Drag Race on the TV, and we sat on my bed cuddling.

"Bonnie?" He turned to look at me with an unfamiliar look on his face.

"Yes Luke?"

"Come to the cinema with me tomorrow?"

"Of course," I agreed, confused as to why he seemed so doubtful. "After my physical though."

"It's a date."

*****
welcome to beside you. in this book, flora and michael will still be together, but everything else is new and interesting, i hope you enjoy. (there will also be a character based on grace, see if you can guess who!!)
in other news, tonight was the One Love Manchester concert, and honestly I've never seen anything so incredible. I didn't go, but Manchester is so close to home that it meant a hell of a lot for me. I'm so proud that hate, no matter how awful, unites us all instead of driving us apart as it intends.
love always wins.

lauren x