Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ben woke up with the feeling that something was missing. Looking over to where Chloe should have been sleeping, he saw that she wasn’t there. He lay there wondering where she could have gone until he heard the toilet flush and his question was answered. Seconds later, Chloe opened the bedroom door and came back into the room. She smiled at Ben when she saw he was awake.

“You’re wearing clothes.” Ben said.

Chloe looked down at her attire of t-shirt and pants. “So I am.” She said.

“You’re wearing my clothes.” Ben said as Chloe got back into bed.

“I know, you don’t mind do you? Only I woke up in the middle of the night and I suddenly felt very naked, and my clothes seem to be all the way over there and your t-shirt was by the bed so I put that on.” She explained.

“I don’t mind.” Ben said, unable to help smiling as Chloe moved closer to him under the covers. “It suits you actually. I think you should wear it today.”

“Yeah and you can wear one of my tops.” Chloe joked.

“Okay.”

“I hate to shatter your illusion Ben but I really don’t think my clothes will fit you.”

“Are you calling me fat?”

Chloe grinned. “I’m most definitely not calling you fat. You’re just bigger than me. And plus I don’t think pink’s really your colour.”

“You’d be surprised. I look very sexy in pink.”

“You look sexier in your own clothes though.” Chloe glanced at the clock on the bedside table. “Uh, Ben?”

“Yep?”

“It’s 9 o’clock.”

“Is it?” Ben asked.

“Yeah and Paul’s gonna be here in like, a minute.” Chloe reminded him.

“I see… I guess I kinda forgot to set the alarm.”

“I guess you kinda did.”

“I wonder why that could be…” Ben said, grinning at Chloe and kissing her.

They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

“And that’ll be Paul.” Chloe said, breaking away from Ben.

“And he can wait.” Ben said, pulling Chloe back towards him and kissing her again.

“Ben, you have to answer the door.” Chloe said, breaking away from him once more.

“Ow why? He won’t mind waiting for a couple of minutes.”

“Well it’s okay coz I’ll have to let him in anyway.” Chloe said.

“Why?”

“Because, unless I’m very much mistaken, you’re still completely naked. And I have clothes on.”

“Unfortunately.”

“And I’m sure Paul won’t really want to see you naked at 9 in the morning.”

“Well you can’t answer the door just wearing a t-shirt!” Ben complained.

“Why not? It’s only Paul! I don’t mind.”

“I mind!”

“Don’t be silly.” Chloe said, giving Ben a kiss and getting out of bed.

She walked down the hallway and unlocked the front door. Glancing quickly in the mirror on the wall to check she didn’t look terrible, Chloe opened the door.

“Hiya!” she said cheerily to Paul.

“Uh… hi.” Paul replied, clearly not expecting to be greeted by Ben’s semi-naked girlfriend.

“Sorry, we’ve only just woken up.” Chloe said. “But come in!”

“Are you sure? I can come back later.”

“No, it’s fine! Ben’s awake, he’s just getting dressed, he won’t be long. Come through!” Chloe stepped back to allow Paul to enter the flat and closed to door behind him.

Paul went through to the sitting room.

“Do you want a drink or anything?” Chloe offered.

“No I’m okay thanks.”

“Okay, well, I’ll just go and put some clothes on then.” Chloe said with a grin.

Paul grinned back. “I would comment but I’ll probably get a slap from Ben so I’ll refrain.”

Chloe left Paul sitting on the sofa and went back into Ben’s bedroom, only to find him still in bed.

“Ben, why aren’t you dressed?”

“You sound like my mum.” Ben said with a smile.

“Sorry.” Chloe said. “It’s just I told Paul that you’d only be a minute.”

“I did attempt to get dressed, I put some boxers on, but I reeeeally don’t want to get up. I just want to stay in bed with you all day. Come here.”

Chloe sighed and went and sat on the side of the bed.

“Get back in bed.” Ben said, putting his arms around her waist.

“I can’t.”

“Please?” Ben begged, looking at Chloe with puppy-dog eyes.

“No.” Chloe said, suddenly having an idea how she could get Ben out of bed. “You come here.” She said, standing up, knowing Ben wouldn’t be able to resist.

Her plan worked brilliantly as Ben almost immediately got out of bed.

“Good boy.” Chloe said, kissing him as he put his arms around her. “Now get dressed.”

“It’s like living with an army general.” Ben said under his breath as he turned away from Chloe to find some clothes.

“I heard that.” Chloe said, doing the same. “And it’s for your own good. You’ve got work to do.”

“I need my t-shirt.” Ben said.

“Well I’m wearing it, you’ll have to wait.”

“I need it now.” Ben said with a mischievous glint in his eye as he silently made his way across the bedroom to where Chloe was standing with her back to him.

“Well you ca…” Chloe gasped as Ben pulled the t-shirt up and over her head. “Ben!” she exclaimed, spinning round to face him.

“That’s much better.” Ben said, taking her in his arms. “Love you.” He said before kissing her.

Rose was sitting in the kitchen eating breakfast with Colin. Mark had left about an hour and a half ago, and armed with Ben's phone number so she could phone Chloe, Rose… went straight back to bed. She got up an hour later and after getting dressed, decided to leave the safety of Mark’s room and get some breakfast.

“It feels weird being here without Mark.” She said to Colin as she ate her cereal.

“Why?”

“I dunno. I kinda feel like I shouldn’t be here.”

“Don’t be stupid, you’re very welcome to be here, Mark or no Mark. Anyway, you’re keeping me company, and vaguely sane in fact.”

“Oh well I better leave now then! I don’t want you turning sane!”

Colin laughed. “Oh there’s no danger of me ever being completely sane, don’t you worry about that.” He assured Rose, sitting down next to her.

Colin went unusually silent.

“You look very serious all of a sudden.” Rose observed. “Anything wrong?”

“No, there’s nothing wrong with me. I was more wondering if there was something wrong with you. Well not wrong exactly just… Mark told me that you know about Sam. If you need to talk about it to anyone, I don’t know exactly what’s going on, you probably actually know more than me, but I’m willing to listen and I won’t tell Mark.”

Rose smiled gratefully at Colin. “Thank you.”

“So what do you think about Sam?” Colin asked.

“She sounds, um…”

“She’s a bitch.” Colin said.

Rose looked at him surprised.

“Oh don’t worry, Mark knows exactly how I feel about her. You hate her, right?”

“I could think of more appropriate words but to be honest, yes.”

“Good, then we can have a good bitch about her.”

“Is that really fair?” Rose asked, glad that she wasn’t alone in her hatred for Sam but not entirely sure she should be slagging her off having never met her.

“Is what she’s put Mark through fair? It’s no less than she deserves if you want my opinion.”

“What’s she like?” Rose asked.

“Have you seen a picture of her?”

Rose shook her head.

“Well she’s gorgeous, I can’t deny her that, but she certainly knows it and she exploits that fact shamelessly. She’s a complete slut.”

Rose was actually quite shocked at Colin’s strong words and her expression showed that clearly.

Colin smiled. “You think I’m being too harsh.”

“I dunno. I really wish I could badmouth her, god knows I want to, but it doesn’t really feel right. I mean, I’ve never met her…”

“And you don’t want to, believe me. Has Mark told you anything about her?”

“Some stuff, but not much.”

“Well he somehow manages to overlook what a horrible person she is, which I find unbelievable after what she’s done to him. Okay, I’ll admit to being a little bit biased, but seriously, she is not a very nice person. Honestly, you are so much nicer than her. I knew that the very first time I saw you. And getting to know you… Rose, you’re fab, you really are and I’m so glad that you’re with Mark. You’ll be good for him. And plus, you talk to me. Sam never ever had a proper voluntary conversation with any of us except Mark. Too good for us probably.”

Rose smiled. “Well to be honest, I’m glad you’re talking to me! I thought that it might be a bit awkward, coz I’m quite young, y’know.”

“I wouldn’t care if you were 10 years old, it’s the person inside that matters.”

“Aw, thank you.”

“Any time.” Colin looked at his watch. “I guess I should be getting to work round about now.” He said.

“Okay, I should give Chloe a ring anyway, see if she wants to come shopping with me.”

“Cool, where are you going shopping?”

“London probably.”

“Do you need a lift? It’s not exactly on the way, but I wouldn’t want you to have to get the bus or anything. Especially when you don’t know the area.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, of course!”

“But won’t you be late for work?”

“I’m the manager, I can take the whole day off if I want to.”

“And you said you don't have a good job?!”

“Well it’ll do. You go and phone Chloe and I’ll get my stuff together. Give me a shout when you want to leave okay?”

“Yeah, okay. Thanks Colin.”

Colin smiled at Rose. “Not a problem.” He said.

“We should go and get some work done then.” Ben said to Paul, as they stood in the kitchen with Chloe, drinking coffee.

“Yeah. If we don’t get at least one song together by the end of today, we’ll be exiled from the band. Mark and Chris have been in the studio since 8 this morning.”

“Have they?” Chloe asked.

“Yeah I think so.”

“What’s Rose doing then?”

Paul shrugged. “Dunno. Haven’t spoken to Mark since yesterday at CD:UK.”

The phone rang and Ben went into the sitting room to answer it.

“Hello?”

“Hi it’s Rose, is Chloe there?”

“Hiya Rose, we were just talking about you. Yeah, Chloe’s here, I’ll just get her for you.” Ben said, taking the phone through to the kitchen.

“Okay, thanks.”

“It’s Rose.” Ben said to Chloe, handing her the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hiya!”

“I was just about to ring you.” Chloe said, happy to hear her best friend’s voice.

“Were you? Why?”

“Paul said that Mark’s in the studio with Chris this morning and so I was just wondering what you were doing today.”

“Really? Oh my god, I was ringing for the same reason!”

“Really?! Great minds think alike.”

“They do.”

“So, what are you doing today?” Chloe asked excitedly.

“Nothing. Mark’s left me at his house while he’s in the studio with Chris so I was wondering if you wanted to go shopping in London or something?”

“Yeah! Wow, that’d really cool!”

“Great! Well Colin’s giving me a lift into London…”

“Is he? Aww.”

“I know, he’s dead sweet.”

“Nicer than Mark?”

“Duh, of course not nicer than Mark.”

“A girl’s gotta check these things you know.”

“Yeah, anyway. So, do you want to meet somewhere in London?” Rose asked.

“Well why don’t you come round here? Then I can show you around Ben’s place and we can go shopping after.”

“Yeah okay, cool.”

“Does Colin know where Ben lives?” Chloe asked.

“I dunno. Have you got his address?”

“I’ll just go and ask him for it okay? Hang on a minute.” Chloe said, putting the phone down on the kitchen surface and going in search of Ben, who’d disappeared into his studio with Paul. She knocked on the door and went in.

“Hi. Sorry to disturb you.”

“That’s okay, we haven’t really started yet anyway. What’s up?” Ben asked.

“Well Rose hasn’t got anything to do this morning coz Mark’s left her at home so we’re gonna go shopping in London, and she’s gonna come over here first if that’s okay?” Chloe asked.

“Yeah course it is.”

“Okay, cool, well she needs your address and I don’t know it, so can you write it down for me so I can tell her?”

“Yeah sure.”

Ben picked up a pad of paper and a pen and scribbled own his address for Chloe. He walked across the studio to Chloe and handed it to her.

“Thank you!”

“Come and say bye before you go won’t you?” Ben asked.

Chloe smiled at him. “Of course I will.”

“Good.” Ben said, putting his hands on her waist and kissing her.

“I better go, don’t wanna run Mark up a huge phone bill.” Chloe said.

“Okay, see you later.”

The morning passed quickly. Chloe and Rose met up and had a good shop around London, the whole time chatting about all the things that had happened since they’d last spoken to each other. However, Rose didn’t tell Chloe about Sam and Chloe didn’t tell Rose what had happened with Ben last night. Chris and Mark worked hard in the rented studio, getting one track completed and starting work on another one. Ben and Paul weren’t quite so successful but they managed to write some good lyrics to add to the five million songs already written for their third album. When they’d all finished doing their individual projects, Paul and Christian went back to their own houses, Chloe returned to Ben’s house and Mark took Rose back to his.

“Did you have a good time with Chloe?” Mark asked Rose, as they got ready to go to Hyde Park.

“Yeah it was lush! We just wandered round the shops and chatted and stuff. Oh and we went to see Chloe’s brother.”

“Chloe’s brother lives in London?” Mark asked, surprised.

“Yeah, he’s the manager of Virgin Records in Piccadilly.”

“Really? Wow, that’s cool. What’s his name?”

“Sean, I think. I’m not sure though.”

“Cool. Wha…” Mark was interrupted by his mobile ringing. “Sorry.” He said, answering it.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Mark? It’s Sam.”

“Hi, how are you?”

“I’m um, I’m okay. You?”

“Yeah I’m good.”

“Um, I was just ringing to say that I’ve booked the tests for tomorrow afternoon at St. Julian’s. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, uh, that’s fine I think. I’ll have to check though.”

“Yeah okay. I can change it if you’re busy.”

“It’ll probably be fine. What time?”

“Half past 4.”

“Okay. Do you want me to come and pick you up?” Mark asked.

“No it’s okay, I’ll get there myself but I’ll meet you outside the front entrance at about 4:20 okay?”

“Yeah okay then.”

“Okay, thanks Mark. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Yeah, see you then.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

Just from the tone of his voice, Rose could tell that he was talking to someone who he didn’t exactly want to be talking to. Either that, or it was someone who he felt awkward talking to… It was Sam wasn’t it? It was so obviously Sam. God, why couldn’t she just leave him alone? Always trying to ruin things between Rose and Mark. Bitch.

“You okay?” Rose asked as Mark put his mobile back in his pocket.

Mark sighed. “Yeah I’m fine. I think I could do with a hug though.” He said.

“Was that Sam?”

“Yes. She’s booked the test things to make sure the baby’s actually mine at the hospital for tomorrow afternoon.”

“Oh. I guess it’s best to make sure.”

“Yeah.” Mark sat down on his bed. “I wish this had never happened.”

“I know you do.” Rose said sympathetically, sitting down next to him.

“I’m trying to be grown up about it, handle it well and everything but this wasn’t the way it was meant to happen. I’m not even ready to be a dad yet, I’m only 22, and I don’t want to have a kid where me and its mum aren’t together.”

“I think you’re handling it really well. If it was me, I’d have freaked out a long time ago. And it’s not your fault, mistakes happen.”

Mark looked at her. “I don’t want you to go tomorrow.” He said. “I need you to keep me from going mad.”

“I don’t want to go either. I’m having the best time!”

“Even with all my moaning?”

“Mark, you have every reason to moan and I don’t mind anyway, I’m a good listener.”

“You are.”

“Have you told your parents about Sam?”

“No. God, I wouldn’t know where to start!”

“Don’t you think you should?” Rose asked.

Mark smiled at her. “You’re far too sensible.” He said, putting his arm around her. “I should tell them, and I will. Just not yet. Wait until we’re one hundred percent sure the baby’s mine at least.”

“Do you hope it’s not yours?”

“Yes, but then if it isn’t, although I’ll be incredibly relieved, I’ll feel really sorry for Sam.”

I won’t. Rose thought.

“Yeah.” She agreed. “Who else knows?”

“I told Colin and Ben, Paul and Chris as well. Gotta be careful who I tell. If this gets in the press, life’s suddenly gonna get very difficult.”

“Oh God yeah. That would not be good.”

“No have you told Chloe?”

“No. I didn’t think it was really my place to.”

“Well I think you should tell her. You need someone to talk about things with.”

“That’s your job.” Rose said, smiling.

“Yeah, but someone other than me. And she won’t tell anyone will she?”

“No, not if I tell her not to. Definitely not.”