Longshot - catfish and the bottlemen

15- Bella

Another day in the shop, another day behind the counter, another day listening to some of my favourite songs while I sit with a coffee waiting for the next person to step inside. Suppose that's the good thing about working in a record shop, you get to listen to music all day while you sit and wait for the next customer who's usually someone that's actually passionate about music. The customers here are always so lovely, you get the odd familiar faces like my neighbour who loves a good chat, sometimes she only pops in for that which is nice.

Although with it being quiet you have a lot off time to spend with your own thought, todays thoughts weren't as bad as the usual ones though. Today all I could think about was Van, last night was amazing, spending it with the people I used to spend everyday with. The way he was so nice to me, they were all so nice to me but Van was so sweet, walking me home without even saying anything, having his arm round me in the bar and just the fact he was so careful around me. Just as I'm sitting there smiling to myself from behind the counter while a Jake Bugg album plays in the background two familiar faces walk in. Van and his dad come straight over, it's kind of scary cause I was literally just thinking about him but it's nice to see them.

"alright love? Someone stood on my Sparkle In The Rain record and ruined it" His dad says, giving Van the evils.

"What'd you mean!? It was in the middle of the floor!" He argues back, lifting his arms up behind his head, quite clearly stressed out as his dad looks at me and shakes his head.

I get up from behind the counter and walk over to where all the Simple Minds vinyls are as they argue from behind me. It makes me chuckle, both are just as bad as each other and they've barely even noticed me wander off. When I walk back over with a new copy of his Sparkle In The Rain vinyl they're still at it, going back and forth about who's fault it really was.

"Right stop your arguing, there you go and I've thrown my staff discount on there so you've got 60% off and I'm sure paying £9 each won't kill yous" I say, interrupting their argument and finally getting their attention.

"You didn't have to do that love Van would've been fine paying the full amount" His dad says whole giving a slight dig at van who just shakes his head.

"Right Van get your wallet out, Bella was nice enough to reduce the price for you. I'll put the rest in the charity box" His dads always been the kind to argue about paying for things, would never accept the cheapest offer or let people pay for him which is where Van gets it from, rightly enough he puts £20 in the little charity box which I couldn't argue with. Van soon payed the £18 which I felt bad about making him pay for but I know I can't be giving out free vinyls to people so giving them my discount was the least I could do.

"Thank you so much, we'll see you soon yeah" His dad says, it was more of a question so I nodded my head politely.

"I'll be home later dad" Van said, not moving from where he's standing as his dad leaves the shop waving good bye and smiling at the both of us.

"You're never home you" I tease, although there is truth behind what I say. He's been home for almost two weeks and most of that time has been spent in the pub with the boys or coming to me for a cuppa.

"I'll have you know I've spent my time with them during the day, helping mam with the garden but theyre the ones who encourage me to go out. Think it's so they get the feeling of old times or whatever, like I'm still the boy who runs about during the day helping at the house and then off at night, think they just missed having me annoy them"

It's sweet how close he is with his parents, I understand how they feel about wanting to feel like old time's, like Van never left Llandudno in the first place. Just before I'm about to respond my brother walks in.

"You not working?" I ask while he makes his way over.

"You not working?" He teases, nodding his head towards Van. "Only joking, nice seeing yous together again. Popped into see if you were wanting lunch"

"No I've got pasta, thanks"

"Right well I'll be off then, you make sure she eats that pasta eh Van, nice seeing you lad" Smiling at van as he makes his way out before Vans even got the chance to say something. Ewan worries too much, always checking up on me but Vans getting that way himself. I don't mind though, it's nice having people who genuinely care about you, people that you know you can trust. See Van wasn't someone I thought I could trust when he got back and tried to waltz into my life again but I trust him, I really do and I trust the boys.

I went for tea to Ewan's last week and him and his partner Sophie convinced me that Van wasn't all bad. They've always been fond of him and always told me he'd be back, I just couldn't tell whether Ewan was trying to protect Van cause they were mates or he genuinely believed it. Doesn't matter now though because he was right and Dad would've said the same thing, Dad would've told me to go back to Van because Van was always the perfect man in their eyes, just not my mother's but she didn't care when we broke up. Ewan and my Dad were gutted for me, they were annoyed Van ended things the way he did but somehow they knew that he was just over thinking things and I wish my dad was here to see how Vans come back to my life and proved himself. God, I do have feelings for him, I do.

Since that night I told Van things I've spent less time in my bed crying at night, if we hadn't sorted things I don't think I would've been able to move on like this. Everyday he texts me asking if I'm alright and when he sees me he's all 'have you eaten, are you alright,' the questions that aren't too invasive and annoying but enough to know he cares and he actually wants to know I'm okay. The old Van never did leave, the old Van just grew muscles and got a new hair cut.