Oxygen (Catfish And The Bottlemen/1975)

Van

"so whatre yous doin tonight then love is it all very made in Chelsea?" i smirked into my phone as i stood in front of the mirror checkin my hair. I was only off down the pub for a reflective pint with Bondy but nowadays you could never be sure when you were going to get caught out.

"I'm in a cocktail dress Van, me? In a little black dress? Can you believe that?" she hissed in the back of her cab, as if the thought of her dressed up was revolutionary.

"I'll believe it when i see it," i chuckled back though the image she'd conjoured up was enough.

"We're just going to some fancy little over 21s place, you know a cocktail bar, Rosa and her friends are staying at this spa for the weekend, its all a bit housewives of Holmes Chapel to me," she giggled.

"aye a spa day is not to sniffed at young lady, I'd kill for one right now..." i gasped and at that she snorted painting another grin on my face as i grabbed my keys from the table and locked the door behind me.

"i know i know, I'd have jumped on the opportunity for a couple of days relaxin on a stone bed if it anna been for Cardif and that," she laughed down the line and my stomach did a flip because she'd reminded me.
I'd be seeing her tomorrow.

Not that she knew that.

"Oh yeah Cardiff kidda a forgot about that, yous excited?"

"Shittin it actually," she was laughing when she said it, i could picture her sipping her rose through a straw, pushing her hair out her eyes the way she had the first day I'd seen her, sitting crossed legs in maida vale, beaming up at huw and then at me. Cheeks tinged pink, her inner sweetheart impossible to hide away.

"what why?" i cried desperate to snap her out of self doubt, "you'll smash it darlin yous dont need worry about it! Its a small show an all youve played way bigger shows and blown the roof off, Cardiff ain't gonna know whats hit em!" i grinned hoping my enthusiasm would rub off on her.

"aye a know we have but that was supporting yous lot and we had Alice, we sound way different now and what if we've only sold tickets to your fans, they arent gonna like us now are they!"

"are you mad love?" i grinned though i was smiling disbelieving, because i really wasn't sure how to react.

"no im being serious Van, they might only have bought tickets because theyre hoping you might be in the crowd or somet..."

"fuck me Fliss you've cracked," i giggled, "you've actually cracked, youve sold all them tickets because yous are brilliant, cause people want to hear yous sing, cause they think you're somet worth seeing, its got nowt to do wi me at all," i said finally taking her serious, "wheres all this come from suddenly anyway? Yous woulda been one of the first to argue against that a month ago," i said chewing my cheek a frown threatening my brow as i slowed down seeing the pub in the distance, knowing that this conversation had a little way to go yet.

She was quiet on the other end of the line and that made me question her again with a little more belief.

"cmon where'd you find a daft idea like that sweetheart?"

"its nowt you know, jus somet someone were sayin the other night,"

"what one of your mates?"

"no," her tone had really changed, she was dull and muted, uncertain and creeping round the conversations, closing up like a rose bud shying away from my touch.

"then whatre you bothered for ey, fuck em, theyre full of shite," i heard her crack a smile one of those half hearted giggles and cracked one myself relieved to hear her settling again. "listen here babygirl, Cardiff are gonna fucking love you, and if they dont they'll have me to answer to," i was only teasing but it seemed to be working and i could recognise the sound of a smile in her voice by the time i reached the pub, by the time i was satisfied that she was smiling,  heading to her sisters hen do light hearted as you like, about to have a class night.