I can't think of a song that really fits this part, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. It was hard to write, though I'm not really sure why. Lol, anyway- read on
Chapter 29- Catching up“God it’s been ages!” Jess gushed to Rhys as they walked out of the supermarket, both carrying plastic Asda bags; and in reality it had. Four years had passed since Jess had said goodbye to Rhys, when he had announced he was moving to Manchester with Gilly. Jess had missed him when he had first left, as he had become good friends with both Jess and Kris when they had needed him the most. He had helped Jess out so much during her pregnancy, and in the first two years of Rosie’s life he’d been with her all the time. But, in the end, things at home had become too much at home as he became all too aware that he couldn’t help Hannah. At the end of the day, moving away was what was best for him, he wasn’t able to sit and watch Hannah deteriorate like she was and it helped in the hope that when he got back, he’d have his old sister back, the one he loved so much. “So how long have you been back?” Jess asked, curious to why she hadn’t bumped into him before this.
“About a week ago actually,” Rhys stated. “I’ve been thinking of coming back for ages but I just couldn’t find the strength to, you know?”
Jess nodded “Yeah I know what you mean, so err,” Jess hesitated, knowing that it could still be a fragile subject, but decided to go ahead with asking. Gulping, she said “So err, how’s Hannah doing then?”
Rhys smiled thinly and gave a slight nod. “She’s great actually. Eating normally again. I mean, her weight is still a bit off what it should be but she’s nearly there I guess.”
“I’m really pleased Rhys. I haven’t seen her since we moved out of Hollyoaks so I hadn’t heard anything.”
Jess reached her car and, placing shopping bags in the boot, turned back towards Rhys, who was stood with his hands in his pockets behind her. “How’d you get here?”
“Bus.” Rhys stated. “Mum won’t let me use the car still, thinks I’m not safe.”
“Well you did crash the last one she had into the pond outside The Dog, so I don’t really think you are.”
Rhys tried to suppress a laugh, remembering his Mum’s face when she had seen the top of her car peeking up from the murky water. A grin plastered on his face, Rhys shook his head in disbelieve of what he had once done. “She went ballistic.” He reminded her, now helping her unload bags into the boot himself.
“Well are you surprised?” Jess joked.
Rhys rolled his eyes, smiling as he did so, showing Jess that he hadn’t changed since all those years ago. Looking at Jess though, he could see she was an entirely different person. On the outside she still looked the same; the same smile, the same manor about her that showed she was sophisticated; but Rhys could tell that she had grown up a lot over the years. He supposed that having a daughter gives you certain responsibilities in the way that you need to, but in a way he thought that the way she used to act, would be the way she would always act. Obviously he had been proven wrong.
“So how’s Rosie?” Rhys asked, remembering the tiny baby he had once known.
“Wild.” Jess remarked, laughing at the thought that her daughter would probably be running around the flat with Kris at this very moment.
“Just like her dad then,” Rhys retaliated, sending a bigger grin to Jess’ face.
“Yeah, yeah she is. Hey do you want to come back to the flat and see her?”
Rhys hesitated, he hadn’t expected that.
“Come on we can catch up, Kris will be there too.”
Rhys smiled; he had missed Kris too, more than he ever thought he would if he was being honest.
“Yeah, okay then I will.”
***
“Gilly’s got a girlfriend?”
Kris made no attempt to hide his shock at the news his old friend had just told him. “Since when?”
Rhys merely chuckled, well aware of his best friend’s track record with women. “Well he started seeing her about a year after we moved so…”
“He’s had a girlfriend for three years!” Kris cut in, taking a swig of his can of beer and becoming even more overwhelmed by the second. “How’d he manage that?”
“No idea mate.” Rhys stated. “I mean she’s really fit as well. I don’t know how he did it.”
Kris shook his head in disbelief. “I just, I…” He stopped and gave a half sigh which gradually turned into a laugh. “Who’d of ever thought that he’d be the one with a girl while you’re stuck by yourself. Rhys the love machine wasn’t it.”
Kris gave Rhys a sarcastic smile and flashed him a look at his teeth before adding “Not any more- clearly. The tables have turned mate.”
Rolling his eyes, Rhys shrugged, showing Kris that he didn’t care. “I’m just waiting for the right person I guess.” He said; a sentence which was greeted by a maniacal laugh from Jess, who had just returned from putting Rosie to bed.
“Seriously Rhys, I thought you hadn’t changed, but I actually think you’ve gotten more mature over these 4 years.”
Rhys smiled inwardly, knowing full well what his friends were trying to do. They were trying to get him annoyed, just so they could laugh at his touchiness- just like old times. Well, Rhys Ashworth wasn’t going to rise to their games; he was just going to sit and laugh, and let them insult him. After all, it was nothing he hadn’t had to endure before.
Kris gave Jess a sideways glance, who motioned for him to continue what she had already started, so seeing this Kris leaned forward, feigning eagerness and asked the question which Rhys had been expecting, and a one he had primed himself for. “So, have you been with
anyone in these four years?”
Smirking at the naivety of Kris, Rhys replied with the answer he had already prepared. “I think the question we should be asking Kris, is have you?”
Kris swore under his breath. If Rosie hadn’t of been in the next room, he really would have flung his beer can at Rhys’ head.
'I wrote you. I wrote you 365 letters. I wrote you everyday for a year. It's not over, it still isn't over.' Maddii, Lorno, Nikki, Yasmin, Annie, Kirsty, Georgia, Caitlin 
![Picture of Alex {[They Call Me Idiot]}](http://community.channel4.com/groupee_common/platform_images/avatars/set3/23.gif "Picture of Alex {[They Call Me Idiot]}")
