Chapter Twenty-Two

Ben was awake ages before he needed to be. Which was very annoying because it wasn’t often he got the chance for a lie-in. However, he’d decided that he wouldn’t get up, he’d just stay in bed because he didn’t really have anything he needed to do and he couldn’t be bothered to move. So for about the last hour he’d just been lying next to Chloe, listening to her breathing quietly and enjoying every minute of being near her.

Ben looked at the clock and back to Chloe. It was getting close to the time when he really should think about getting up or he’d be late getting to the CD:UK studios. He didn’t know how long Chloe took to get ready, but he figured it’d be no more than an hour, so if he woke her up now they’d have time to get ready and then spend a bit of time together before they left. But he didn’t want to wake her up; she looked so peaceful sleeping. Ben wondered if she was dreaming. She’d told him about some of the dreams she’d had about a1, although Ben wasn’t too happy to hear that he didn’t feature much in them! He looked at Chloe again. She was sleeping on her side facing him, and she hadn’t moved a muscle the entire time he’d been awake.

“Clo.” Ben said quietly.

“Mmmm?” Chloe stirred, rolling over onto her back.

“We have to get up now, sweetheart.”

Chloe put a hand to her face and rubbed her eyes.

“What time is it?” she asked sleepily, rolling back over into Ben’s arms.

“It’s half past 8.” Ben told her.

“Mmmm…” Chloe closed her eyes again and pulled the covers closer around her.

“Can’t go back to sleep.” Ben said with a smile.

“Can.” Chloe muttered.

“No you can’t, I’ve gotta be on TV in three hours. Unless you don’t want to come with me…”

Chloe sighed. “But I’m so comfy and warm.” She complained.

“But it’s nice and sunny outside. If you get up you can be tanned and warm.”

“No.”

“I’ll just have to go without you then.” Ben teased.

“Fine.”

Ben realised that he didn’t mean that at all.

“No, I don’t want to go without you!” he said. “Get up!”

Chloe opened her eyes. “Do I have to?”

“Afraid so.”

“Okaaaaaay.” She said, sitting up in bed. “I’ve got a dilemma now though.”

“What’s that?”

“Clothes or breakfast. What do you do in the mornings?”

“Well I’m usually late, so everything at once!”

“Are we late this morning?” Chloe asked.

“Nope. Got plenty of time.”

“Clothes first then I think.” Chloe decided.

“Oh no! That’s the hardest option!” Ben said, getting out of bed and turning the light on.

“Why?”

“Coz I have to decide what to wear. Usually I put it off until the last minute so I have no time to worry about it. I’m hopeless at choosing what to wear.”

“Me too. We’ll help each other.”

“Help each other get changed?” Ben asked cheekily, sitting back next to Chloe and putting his arms round her waist.

Chloe smiled. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“I know.” He said, giving her a kiss. “Show me what you’ve got to wear then.”

Chloe got off the bed and went over to her bag. “Well Rose wouldn’t let me bring more than three tops so I just have this one,” she said, holding one of her tops up. “This one, and this one.”

“I like them all.”

“That’s not helpful! So do I!”

“Wear them all.”

“Don’t be stupid.” Chloe said.

“Okay, I like, um… oh I don’t know, try them on!”

“Yes sir!” Chloe said, grinning.

Turning away from Ben, she took her pyjama top off and put a short pink strappy top on. She turned back round.

“Goes great with the pyjamas.” Ben said.

“Well I won’t be wearing my pyjamas, will I? I’m gonna wear the trousers I wore yesterday. Anyway, what do you think of the top? Ignore the pyjama bottoms.”

“It’s nice.”

Chloe sighed. “Hopeless. Out of ten?”

“I don’t know, I haven’t seen the others yet!”

“Okay, hang on.”

Chloe took the pink top off and put on a white sleeveless one with a pink stripe across the middle.

“I like that one more.” Ben said. “Fifteen out of ten!”

“Or…” Chloe said, taking off that top and putting on a blue one with frilly bits at the bottom.

“Um… the second one.”

“Sure?”

“Yep. Goes best with the trousers… probably.”

“Okay, your turn.”

“But you’re only half dressed!” Ben complained.

“Yeah but I know which trousers I’m wearing and you don’t know anything that you’re wearing so get up and choose something.” Chloe ordered.

Ben got out of bed and went over to his chest of drawers, pulling out seemingly random clothes and dumping them on his bed while Chloe changed into her trousers.

“Show me what you’ve got then.” She said, going over to Ben and slipping her arms around his stomach.

“Ooh you’ve got cold hands!” Ben said.

“I know.”

“Are you cold?”

“Nope, just got cold hands. Show me your clothes.”

“We could be here for a while.” Ben warned, looking at the huge pile of clothes before them.

“Maybe breakfast would have been a good thing to do first.” Chloe joked.

“I could just skip the clothes and go naked.” Ben suggested.

“Not a good idea, although I’m sure all your adoring fans wouldn’t mind.”

“Would you mind?” Ben asked, turning to face her and putting his hands on her waist.

“You’re not going naked.”

“Spoilsport.” Ben said, turning back to the clothes.

“Would the rest of a1 be happy for you to perform naked?” Chloe asked.

Ben shrugged sulkily.

“You’re such a child.” Chloe said, laughing.

“Shut up.” Ben said, throwing some clothes at her.

“What song are you doing?” Rose asked Mark as they walked down the stairs to the kitchen.

“One More Try.”

“Oh! Why?”

“Long story.” Mark said. “We just want to do something so people don’t forget about us.”

“Why don’t you do one of your new ones? I thought you had loads.”

“We do. But that’s part if the long story.”

“Which you are going to tell me over breakfast.” Rose said.

Mark grinned at her. “Okay. But it’s boring.”

“Don’t care.”

As Rose and Mark entered the kitchen, Mark wasn’t pleased to see that Colin was also in there.

“Ah, the lovers surface.” Colin said, looking up from the cup of tea he was making.

“Why are you always where I am?” Mark asked.

“Coz I live here.”

Mark rolled his eyes at Rose. “What do you want for breakfast?” he asked her.

“Um…”

“Yeah, coz she’s telepathic and she can tell what there is by reading your mind.”

“Did I ask you?”

“No, but I thought I’d give you a few tips, being such a failure at relationships that you are.”

“Welcome to the world of Colin.” Mark said to Rose. “He has an inferiority complex, can’t handle the fact that I’m better than him.” He added quietly.

“Don’t think that coz I can’t see you, I can’t hear you.” Colin said, his back to Mark and Rose.

Mark shook his head. “Anyway, breakfast! We have three main categories; toast, cereal and none.”

“What cereal?”

“Um…” Mark went over to a cupboard and opened it. “Cheerios, Sugar Puffs and chocolate rice crispy thingys.”

“Chocolate rice crispy thingys please.” Rose said, smiling. “But you don’t have to get them for me, I can do it.”

“No, you sit down, I’ll do it.” Mark said.

“Are you sure?”

“Totally.”

“Okay.”

Rose sat down next to Colin who was looking through the pile of post on the kitchen table, while Mark got the breakfast.

“Do you want something to drink?” he asked.

“No thanks, I’ve got something.” Colin said.

“Not you. Rose.”

“My mistake.”

Rose grinned. It was going to be a fun weekend staying in the same house as Colin.

“I’ll just have water please.” Rose said.

“Okay.”

“You know, it’s nice to have someone in the house for once who isn’t a pop star.” Colin said to Rose.

“Mum and dad aren’t pop stars.” Mark commented.

“I don’t believe I was talking to you.” Colin said matter-of-factly, turning back to Rose. “Anyway. It’s cool, restores normality a bit. And I don’t feel like such a failure.”

“Why do you feel like a failure?” Rose asked.

“Working in HMV isn’t exactly career of the century.”

“Ah. Well you’re doing better than me, I don’t even have a job!”

“Fantastic! You’re my favourite person in this whole house.”

“Well I don’t think Mark would be too happy if you were my favourite person but you can be my second favourite person.”

“Works for me. What are you and Mark doing today then?”

“a1 are performing on CD:UK so he’s taking me with him.”

“Don’t fancy coming to work with me instead? You could sit behind the cash desk if you’re very quiet.” Colin offered with a grin.

“Uuuuuum, no thanks. It’s very kind of you but I think I’ll have to pass.”

“Well that’s a great shame. You can have free CDs.”

“Why didn’t you say so before?!”

Mark put a packet of cereal, some milk, two spoons, two bowls, a glass of water and a cup of tea on the table and sat down next to Rose.

“Your plans for today have changed a bit I’m afraid little bro.” Colin informed him.

“Why?”

“Rose is coming to work with me. We figured we better stick together being the only non-showbiz people in the house so she’s gonna sit behind the cash desk and I’ll slip her the odd CD if she’s good.”

“Oh really?” Mark asked, looking amused. “Well I’m sure that’ll be a million times more fun than hanging out with lots of celebrities backstage at a TV show with your best friend and boyfriend.”

“Oh yeah, definitely.” Rose agreed, pouring herself a bowl of chocolate rice crispies and adding milk.

Who’s your best friend?” Colin asked.

“She’s called Chloe. She’s going out with Ben. From a1.” Rose added in case Colin didn’t know which Ben she was talking about.

“Ohhhhhh. That’s very cool for you then. Well and her as well I’d expect. So yet again, it’s just me who’s single.”

“Awww.”

“Oh yeah, very sad.” Mark said.

“It is! Have some compassion. It’s alright for you being all loved up and happy and still so young. I’m nearly past my sell-by date.”

“How old are you?” Rose asked.

“27. Can you believe it?! 27 years old and I’m not married and I don’t have children and I don’t even have a girlfriend!!!” Colin cried dramatically.

“I think you’re in the wrong job. You should be an actor.” Rose said, amused.

“Why thank you little lady.” Colin said in an American accent.

Rose laughed.

“I’m better than him at American accents, aren’t I?” Colin asked her. “Have you heard his? It’s terrible! He thinks he’s really good as well. It’s a shame really.”

Rose looked at Mark. “Um, no I haven’t heard Mark's American accent.”

“Lucky you.”

“Oi! It is a very adequate accent thank you very much.” Mark protested.

“Go on then, do it now. Rose can judge.”

“No! I’m not in an accent mood.”

“Only coz you know you’ll lose.”

“I so wouldn’t lose. Rose would pick me anyway.”

“Why?”

“Coz she doesn’t wanna snog you, that’s why.”

“How do you know she wants to snog you?” Colin asked.

Mark glanced at Rose and they tried not to smile as they remembered the kitchen incident last night.

“Oh fine, apart from that.” Colin said, realising what they were smirking about.

“Anyway,” Mark said, looking at his watch. “we’d better be getting ready soon. Don’t want to be late.”

“You just don’t want Rose to talk to me any more in case I tell her your secrets. So unfair, he never lets me talk to any of his friends. Just takes them away. You realise that we didn’t even get properly introduced don’t you?” Colin asked Rose. “Obviously ashamed of his under-achieving older brother.”

“I’m sure that’s not true.” Rose said, finishing her cereal and getting up to put her bowl and glass on the kitchen side.

“It is, all of it!”

“It’s not.” Mark said quietly to Rose, kissing her on the cheek.

“Here we go again…” Colin sighed.

Mark gave him a look and opened his mouth to speak but Colin didn’t give him the chance.

“It’s alright, I know. Go away Colin, go to work Colin, don’t come back Colin. Fine, I’m going. Don't want to be late.” He said, mimicking Mark.

Rose smiled. “See you later.” She said as Colin left the kitchen.