Title: Go With it

Author: Austen

Fandom: Coronation street

Pairing: Sophie/Sian

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

GO WITH IT
(Chapter 1)

"Sophie!"

I looked up from my magazine at the sound of my name and glanced around quickly, trying to spot my best friend on the crowded train platform.

She was late.

My train had arrived over an hour ago and Sian had promised faithfully that she would be here to meet it.

It had been over two months since Sian had moved to London to go to university, and this would be the first time I had been able to get away from my own studies back in Manchester to come and see her.

We had both spent the last six weeks arranging this visit, sorting through our schedules, ticking off the days on the calendar. All that time, all that effort, all that planning…and she was bloody late!

I'd spent the first twenty minutes looking up and down the platform expectantly, randomly checking the clock. Thinking that any minute, she would come bouncing along with excuses and 'I'm sorry' muffins. Well, the muffin part was just in my head because I was hungry, but still.

As the passengers from the train had started to disperse and the platform had begun to clear, I'd started calling Sian's phone, leaving increasingly irritated voicemails when she didn't pick up.

I cringed as I remembered the last voicemail I had left for her.

"Please leave your message after the tone…BEEP…'I swear on all the Jaffa cakes in the world Powers, if you don't get your arse down here soon….I'm gonna go mental!...and it won't be pretty! There will probably be blood…and…err…monkey's. Ha! That's right. There will be blood and monkey's…Is that what you want? Where the flaming hell are...' BEEP…If you wish to re-record your message, please press one."

Yeah, probably should have re-recorded that one.

Oh well, too late now.

"Soph!"

I spun my head around again looking for the source of the voice, and eventually caught a glimpse of Sian on the bridge that spanned the platforms.

As mad as I was, I couldn't help but smile at the sight of her. Sian was leaning over the rail in her black leather jacket with a huge smile on her face, long blonde hair flying in all directions and waving both arms around like an idiot.

I couldn't be sure if she was trying to get my attention or land a 747.

I got up from the bench and turned towards the bridge, pointing towards Sian and then dragging my hand across my throat to exaggerate just how much trouble she was in. Sian threw her hands into the air and mouthed 'I'm sorry', before turning to push through the crowds and skipping hurriedly down the stairs towards me.

"I'm so sorry!" Sian apologized breathlessly as she came to a halt in front of me. "My alarm didn't go off…I couldn't get a taxi…and I left my bastard phone in my room…so I couldn't even call you or anything…" Sian rambled adorably, taking deep breaths in between each sentence and holding her hand to her chest. She paused when she realized my attention had shifted elsewhere, her eyes following my line of sight down to her feet.

"…and I'm wearing odd shoes, aren't I?"

"Okaaay," Sian shook her head and laughed self consciously. "That just about sums up my morning." She looked back up at me with a pout. "Forgive me?"

"That depends." I sighed dramatically, pretending to think. "Did you bring me a muffin?"

Sian looked confused. "Muffin?"

"If you've cocked up big time…you have to bring a muffin!" I smiled playfully. "Everyone knows that."

Sian rolled her eyes and grabbed my arm, pulling me towards the taxi stand, muttering under her breath. "I'll give you a flaming muffin."

The taxi ride to Sian's halls of residence was short. I spent most of the journey casting small sideways glances at my best friend as she stared out of the window, intensely happy just to be around her again. It always felt as if some part of me was missing whenever I wasn't with Sian, and I always relished the sweet rush of affection that seeing her gave me.

Soon we had pulled up in front of a five storey brick building that had seen better days.

"Ok, here we are." Sian said as she paid the driver and grabbed one of my bags. "Welcome to the lovely halls."

She entered a code into the keypad and shoved the door open with her shoulder.

"Just a couple of things you should know before we get up there..." Sian spoke over her shoulder to me as we trudged up the concrete stairwell. ".. The people on my floor can be…a little bit mental. But, it's in a good way, so just…y'know…go with it."

I shrugged and nodded, traipsing obediently behind her.

"Erm...don't try and run the hot water tap after about ten at night or the kitchen floods..."

We rounded the second landing and headed up another flight of stairs.

"…don't make toast…ever! Even though there's a toaster, just don't…it's buggered. Sean's nearly burnt the place down twice cos he had the munchies after the pub..."

Sian pulled open a door on the fourth floor and I followed her into a narrow hallway.

".. And I think that's about it really." Sian came to a stop outside of the first door, dropped my bag down, and turned face me with a smile.

"This is the kitchen. This is usually where everyone hangs out." Sian put her hand on the door handle. "I'll show you which stuff is mine, and you can just help yourself, ok?"

"Yeah, I think I can handle all that." I laughed.

Sian opened the door a little and then closed it again.

"Err...there is one more thing Soph." Sian's eyes darted around the corridor.

"Oh yeah?" I smirked at her and raised my eyebrow. "What's that? Don't stamp your feet and clap your hands at the same time or the roof falls in?"

"Funny." Sian said sarcastically and gave me a playful shove. "No..its just erm…its…"

"Sian." I groaned impatiently, pointing to my stomach. "I'm wasting away here. Just tell me!"

Sian fiddled with the zip on her jacket and bit her lip.

"Ok, well…" She began hesitantly. "It's…what it is…is.."

"Sian!"

"They think you're my girlfriend!" Sian blurted in a rush.

I stared at Sian with my mouth open in shock.

What?

For a second, I even considered waggling my finger around in my ear like cartoon characters do, but managed to control myself.

"What?" I squeaked eventually, and then cleared my throat. "They think what?"

Sian looked up from her shoes and began twirling a piece of hair around her finger.

"Umm…they think you're my girlfriend." Sian repeated quietly, never meeting my eyes.

"Why would they think that?" I eyed her suspiciously.

"Soph…It's a really long story..." Sian whined. "Which I'll totally explain later, so please can we just.." She trailed off and nodded towards the door behind her.

I raised my eyebrow and crossed my arms, waiting for an explanation.

Sian sighed and rubbed at her head.

"Ok…there was this guy at the Student union, and he kept asking me out…" Sian shrugged self-consciously and rolled her eyes. "…a lot!"

I smiled sadly. Typical Sian. She could never understand why someone would ask her out like that, repeatedly.

'Duh. Because you're beautiful?' Honestly, sometimes I just wanted to shake some sense into her.

She jerked her thumb towards the kitchen. "So anyway, Beth came over and said, 'Why don't you just tell him about Sophie?'"

"…and I was like, 'What about Sophie?'" Sian threw up her hands.

"…and she was all, 'You know…that she's your girlfriend?'" Sian blushed a little and pulled worriedly at her ear as I stared at her blankly.

"…which you know...Ka Boom!" She put her hands up to the sides of her head and mimicked her brain exploding.

'Now, that part I understand.' I thought dryly as I rubbed at the back of my neck.

"And it all just got completely out of hand from there." Sian sighed and took a step towards me, looking at me hopefully. "Please Soph?"

"Umm please what Sian?" I asked warily, taking a step back, not liking the glint in her eyes.

"Will you pretend to be my girlfriend?" Sian took another step closer, and at my dubious look continued hurriedly. "It would just be for this weekend. Just two days!" She held up the fingers as if I couldn't figure it out for myself.

"Soph, this place is all new…and weird." Sian gestured around her. "It's hard enough…getting to know new people…" She glanced down at her feet for a second, before fixing her bright blue eyes on mine. "I just don't want them to feel like I've lied to them." She finished softly.

"Err…Well hello?" I scoffed. "You kinda did…lie to them, I mean."

Sian narrowed her eyes. "Not on purpose!" She snapped. "They just assumed."

"Yeah…but you didn't set them straight did you?"

"No pun intended?" Sian raised one eyebrow mischievously.

"Sian!" I groaned, slapping at her arm. Sian seemed to relax slightly, the tension that had started to build few minutes before easing away with her smile.

"Why would they assume that anyway?" I asked curiously after a few moments.

"Err…" Sian looked away embarrassed, fiddling with the zip on her jacket again. "I dunno…" She coughed sheepishly. "…apparently I talk about you a lot."

I couldn't help but wonder at the warm feeling that swelled inside me at Sian's words. I wiped the huge smile from my face when Sian looked back at me again.

"Look Soph…I promise I will sort everything out after this weekend…I promise!" Sian crossed her fingers over her chest and stuck out her bottom lip. "…Please?"

I squeezed my eyes shut briefly and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Ugh. I'm gonna regret this."

"Yes!" Sian grabbed my arms and grinned excitedly. "You'll see Soph…this is gonna be fun!" She waggled her eyebrows and winked at me cheekily. "You might even like it!"

"Oh God! I changed my mind." I groaned as Sian laughed and grabbed my hand, pulling me over to the kitchen door.

A host of friendly smiles greeted us as we entered the room. Sian tugged on my hand until we were standing side by side.

"Sophie this is everyone. Everyone…" She tossed her arm casually around my shoulders and flashed me a lopsided grin. "…this is my Sophie."

I blinked at my best friend in surprise.

'My Sophie?'

Sian grinned back at me and waggled her eyebrows once more.

I took a deep breath and slung my arm around Sian's waist, pulling her closer to me and whispering into her ear so that nobody else could hear. "You owe me soooo many muffins!"

Sian chuckled softly and gave my shoulder a slight squeeze.

I turned back to the group gathered in the kitchen and smiled widely, deciding to take the advice Sian had given me as we climbed the stairs earlier…

"Hi everyone. I'm Sian's better half."

…and just go with it.

The End.