Longshot - catfish and the bottlemen

13- Van

Tonight we're going out, all six of us including Isabella just like old times. A week ago I told her I was still in love with her and she told me the truth about how she spent the last three years. Today also marks three weeks since Bells been free of the man who ruined her life. If I never left her they would never have met but I can't be selfish, not when she's the one that needs all the support she can get and I know I've been back a few days more than a week but she's a lot more relaxed around me now and I'm glad.

"Fucking 'ell son is there any aftershave left in that bottle?" My dad teases as I walk down to the kitchen to announce my departure.

"Leave him, he's got to do anything he can to win back Bella" Mum says, giving me a wink.

I just shake my head and let out a chuckle before waving goodbye and heading out the door to walk towards a Bellas house. It's not dark yet and it's not cold either, perfect for a walk alone to briefly think over lyrics I'm working on for album three. We'll be recording soon and we'll be doing it at home so I'm glad we've got a while off touring to focus on the album and making it perfect while being at home surrounded by things and people we grew up with. Although I'd rather be on stage than in the studio, I'd rather be playing my songs to thousands of people than a group of 'experts' in a recording studio but in order to get to the arenas I've got to spend time in the studio. It's not all bad, it means I've got time at home and time at home means I can spend time with people I , regrettably, rarely spent time with and one of those people is of course Bell.

Walking up her drive I can see the kitchen light on and that's it so I'm guessing she's ready. I ring the doorbell and I don't know why I'm nervous, perhaps it's because she'll no doubt look stunning, perhaps it's because the more I see her the more I wish I never left or perhaps it's because I don't want history to repeat itself. She answers the door with a smile on her face, the makeup she wore only enhances the features she has and she looks stunning. The summer dress she wore was paired with a pair of black ankle boots and a leather jacket, keeping it casual but then again she could make a pair of joggers and an oversized T-shirt look fashionable. Her hair is loosely pulled back, something I know she spent thirty seconds doing but it looks so amazing.

"You smell nice" She says, stepping out her house and locking the door behind her as her own fruity scent lingers in the air around us.

"I can afford a decent aftershave now you see" I joke back as we make our way down the drive on to the street.

I pull a cigarette out from my pocket at attempt to light it, trying to look all cool and slick but the lighter however, quite embarrassingly fails me. A little giggle escapes Bells mouth as she whips out her own lighter and passes it to me. I do offer her one of my ciggys but she furrows her brows and shakes her head as soon as she sees the packet.

"God you still smoking them?" She asks jokingly, pulling out one of her own and placing it between her lips looking as cool and as slick as I wanted to look before my lighter failed me.

"I won't smoke if you don't no more, cause I know you hate the taste of it" I sing back in a jokingly manor to which she laughs quietly to herself.

The rest of the walk to the pub where we were meeting the rest of the lids was filled with the same banter, the same jokes which were usually at my expense but I didn't mind, seeing her happy made me smile like a kid again. The four of them are all standing on the corner by the probably crowded bar we were about to spend the next few hours in. Larry is the first to give Bella a hug and the boys follow, they didn't know how she'd really been but I think they knew something was up, especially Larry. Apparently when he seen her she was on edge and it was very much like she was giving out a call for help but he wasn't sure. He was right though, if only Larry knew or acted upon what he was thinking it maybe wouldn't have went on as long as it did. Who was he to know though, it's nobody's fault but the man who did it all.

Larry the one that gets the first round as we all sit round a table in the corner, Bells a beer drinker which is class, makes things easy. She sits down next to me on the edge of the seat so I budge up slightly thinking she might want the space but she moves up when I do, staying just as close. Maybe because she feels safer next to me, close to me, that's what I hope but the reality is that she probably just wasn't sure whether Larry would come and squeeze on the end or sit down on the chair.

He sits on the chair, but she doesn't move back, she stays with her thigh against mines but to be honest their isn't much space on the couch like seat that curves around the table so she's probably just sitting this close so she's not sitting with one leg hanging off the side. I like having her this close so I know she's okay and I know she's safe because I won't let anything happen to her. She's a strong lady, she's a really strong person and she doesn't need protecting from someone who's broken her heart a couple times but it's mainly so she knows I'm here for her and I can feel like I've tried to make things right, selfish but I'd hate myself for not looking out for her.