Fingerprints ( #1 BOOK IN THE SERIES )

January - New Year

       

Maddie's POV

"Do you miss it?" I ask Cory just after we have sat down at our table in Starbucks. We have been in London for a couple of hours and it feels like I was only here yesterday when in reality it was a year ago.

"Yeah of course I do. It was my home for the majority of my life. It's hard not to miss that yet all of this part seems new to me. Not that I haven't been to this part, because I have, it's just I don't come here often." He explains to me, taking a sip of his coffee while doing so.

"That makes sense. I'm sure there are plenty of areas in Leeds that we haven't been to." I reply back to him, taking a sip of my own drink.

Kristen makes a snide remark about my comment, causing Laura to start laughing at her. I watch as Laura's shoulders bob up and down with the rhythm of her laughter, and how wide she opens her mouth, shaping a perfect 'O' shape. I have to tear my eyes away from looking at her; otherwise I will begin to look rather creepy. Instead I go back to drinking my coffee and listening to the conversations taking place.

Kristen and Laura seem to be taking charge of the conversation, talking about the fireworks and when we should go and take our seats to watch them. I am quite happy to sit back and just listen to the two of them talk. They have always seemed to be more into planning events than what I am; I like to see where the day takes me. The boys on the other hand look terrified at the thought of getting to the Thames so early, Cory more so than Adam. Adam has done this plenty of times before so I don't know why he looks so worried.

Eventually we leave the coffee hours to my relief. It was becoming very crowded in there, making the room far too hot for my liking. The cool air is exactly what I am needing right now. The sky has also grown darker now, it was a light blue when we first got into Starbucks and is now a deep, midnight blue. I didn't realise that we had been inside for so long.

The five of us squish together as we walk down the busy London streets, making our way towards the Thames. If I thought the coffee house was packed then it is nothing compared to out here. Laura and Adam lead the way, with myself, Kristen and Cory behind them. I feel like that I have been pushed to the side because the two couples seem so involved with their selves and I can't say I blame them. Kristen and Cory both have rather big issues to discuss with each other such as what they are going to do with the unborn baby that she is currently carrying and Laura and Adam have been playing the 'will they/ won't they' game for as long as I can remember.

A part of me just wished they hadn't have gotten together though.

It's bizarre because I have never felt this way before about a girl, especially Laura. I've looked at women in magazines and telly and though that they are attracted but I have never thought about being in a relationship with one until now. I don't even understand why I am having these feeling about Laura now, I have known her for nearly five years, what has changed?

When we first met I always thought that she was pretty but the same applies for Kristen. Straight away I was jealous of the relationship that they had though, being friends since they were four years old. It's hard to compete with that. Even now I still feel like an outside when they and Adam remember something that happened when they were all small children. I can't imagine what it must be like for Cory.

I don't know how looking at Laura and thinking she is pretty turned into 'I want you' but it did. Everything about her seems perfect to me.

I'm snapped out of my thoughts when we finally reach the Thames and we take our seats. I hear Cory by my side complaining about the amount of people there are here which makes me chuckle because it is only going to get busier. Kristen teases him about the fact that he is from London and that he has never done anything like this before. We sit around and talk again for another couple of hours. I honestly don't understand how we have so much to talk about when we see each other every day as it is but that is one of the great things about my friends.