Love Hurts

Chapter 5

Yaz found Graham sat at a table on his own and went to join him, he greeted her with a smile. The doctor joined them a couple seconds later, sitting the other side of Graham.

She scanned the room and noticed Ryan dancing with a very pretty girl.

"Not dancing Graham?" the doctor said, back to her cheery self.

"No, I'm not as agile as I once was" he chuckled.

Yaz spaced out as the doctor and Graham chatted, thinking about Ryan and what the doctor had said. She had only said those things to the doctor to wind her up but now she was actually thinking about it. Maybe there was something between them, they did have fun when they were together, and he made her feel safe. She was brought out of her thoughts when she felt a hand on her arm, jumping slightly as she turned to see Ryan taking a seat beside her.

"Alright jumpy" he sniggered. She smiled at him and noticed the girl he was dancing with at the bar.

"You're in with a chance with her" she said motioning towards the girl. Ryan followed her gaze then turned back to her shrugging his shoulders.

"Not really my type"

Yaz looked at the girl again "Really? She's very pretty. If you don't I will" she chuckled.

"Nah, I've kind of got my eye on someone else."

Yaz could feel his eyes on her, and she felt her cheeks burning a little. She glanced over at the doctor who was both listening to Graham and observing their conversation. She turned to face Ryan.

"Oh yeah?" she raised her eyebrow at him, she wasn't quite sure what she was doing. She was definitely not thinking anything through.

"Err... Yeah actually" Ryan stammered. He took her hands "there's actually something I've been meaning to ask you."

Yaz looked down at their hands and back up to Ryan, his hands felt clammy. She knew what was coming, she could stop it now before it gets too far but she doesn't. She nods at him to continue.

"erm... right. Yeah. I wanted to know whether maybe... maybe you would want to go on a date" he babbled "with me. A date with me." He was staring at her with those big brown eyes, Yaz could see how nervous he was. She glanced over at the doctor, her and Graham had stopped talking and were now watching her and Ryan. The doctor raised her eyebrows at Yaz as if asking whether she was really going to go through with it. She looked back to Ryan, he was looking worried now, she realised how long she hadn't spoken for.

"A date? Like a date date?" she didn't even know why she was asking, she knew the answer. She just wanted to buy herself time.

"Yeah, like dinner or something" Ryan stuttered.

"Dinner or something" Yaz muttered, contemplating for a moment "Yeah. Why not" she smiled at Ryan who let out a big breath.

"Great" he grinned at her "how about tomorrow night?"

"Sure, sounds good"

"Okay, date, tomorrow" he muttered as he stood up "I'm going to get another drink, do you want something?" he asked her still with a silly grin on his face.

"Surprise me" she smirked at him as he nearly tripped trying to walk to the bar.

"I'll go with him, make sure he gets there in one piece" Graham said as he got up and followed Ryan to the bar.

The doctor moved to sit in the seat opposite her, leaning forwards.

"Don't do this for the wrong reasons" she said seriously.

Yaz said nothing in reply and the doctor moved back to her seat. The truth was that Yaz didn't know the reasons she was doing this. She felt like she was 15 again, she was confused and didn't know how she felt. Was she going on a date because she really liked Ryan or was it a rebound, she didn't want to hurt Ryan, lead him on, but she didn't know where it was leading herself.

They had a few more drinks then retired to the Tardis for the night. Ryan hung back with the doctor when the other two went to sleep.

"Hey, doc?" Ryan said making the doctor jump.

"Oh Ryan, I thought you had gone to bed"

"In a bit" he walked over to her "I was wondering whether you could take me and Yaz somewhere for our date tomorrow night?"

"Like where?" the doctor turned to face him, trying not to act jealous again.

"I dunno. I want to take her out for dinner, I don't want it to be too much, but I want to impress her you know" Ryan tried to explain.

The doctor nodded "I know just the place". She smiled, it was actually somewhere she had thought about taking Yaz when she let her daydreams wonder too much. It was a psychic restaurant that was able to read your mind to give you the meal you wanted, exactly how you wanted it to be cooked. If you have memories of a childhood meal this place could replicate, not just the taste but the feelings as well. Yaz had often told her about the different meals her mum and Nani would cook her as a child, she thought this would be perfect. If she couldn't take her there then she figured Ryan taking her would be the next best thing, after all she was going through this so that Yaz could be happy and if Ryan could give her that then why should she stop it.

"Okay thanks, doc" Ryan yawned "see you tomorrow" he went to leave but the doctor stopped him.

"Wait" she shouted after him, following him down the steps. "I just need to know, you and Yaz, when did that happen?" He turned around slightly puzzled.

"I don't know, it just kind of happened. You know that feeling when you realise it's not just friendship, where you can't go a conversation without wanting to kiss them." Ryan explained, turning red briefly as he realised what he had just admitted.

"Yeah" the doctor sighed "Yeah I know that feeling" she said quietly.

"Do you love her?" the doctor blurted out before she could stop herself.

"Woah, that's a strong word doctor" Ryan chuckled "I don't think so, though, not yet. Why?"

"Oh, you know, she's my friend, I'm just looking out for her."

Ryan nodded

"Just look after her Ryan, she really does deserve the best" the doctor continued patting him on the shoulder.

"I will don't worry" he smiled at her "Goodnight doc".

She watched him walk away then leaned against the wall and sighed. As much as she wanted Yaz to be happy she didn't know how she was going to manage to travel with the two of them if this worked out. She started to wonder whether she had made a mistake, maybe they could have been happy together, maybe she could have kept her safe. But she pushed those thoughts aside, it was too late now.