Chapter Five

An hour and a half later, the car finally stopped in the big car park outside Legoland.

Ben looked out of the window. “Are we there?” he called to their driver.

“Yeah, we’re in the car park.” Came the reply.

“Great!” Ben said excitedly. “Come on, lets go!” he cried, grabbing Chloe’s hand and getting out of the car. “Are you two coming or not?” he shouted to Mark and Rose, who were busy messing around with Mark’s cap. Rose had hold of it and was trying to get Mark to let go of it. They were very engrossed in what they were doing on a conscious level, but if you paid attention to their faces, they were both looking at each other 100% of the time. They couldn’t take their eyes off each other and every now and then they’d make eye contact and grin.

“Hello? Earth to Rose?” Chloe called.

“Huh?” Rose turned to look at where Chloe and Ben were standing impatiently by the car door. “What?” she asked.

“We’re here.” Chloe said slowly. “Are you and Mark going to come into the park or are you just going to stay in the car all day? Coz if you want to do that, that’s fine by us, but we want to go NOW!!!! So we’d like to know if you’re coming or not.”

Rose looked at Chloe as if she was insane and let go of Mark’s cap. “Yeah, we’re coming. God! You’re so impatient!”

Chloe just looked at Ben in exasperation as he smiled at her and squeezed her hand.

“You realise that means I won?” Mark asked, getting out of the car followed closely by Rose.

“What?! No way!”

“You let go of the cap!”

“The game was over!”

“Now now children, let’s not fall out before we get into the park.” Ben said. “Rich wants to talk to you Mark.”

While Mark went over to the driver’s window to arrange collecting times and other grown-up things, Rose wandered over to Chloe and Ben. She looked at their linked hands and gave Chloe a look. Chloe grinned at her and looked up at Ben.

“You two make such a cute couple.” Rose said.

“Really?”

“Yeah, you look great together. I always said you would.”

“So did you two talk about us a lot, before we met?” Ben asked curiously.

“Okay, you really don’t want to know what we used to say about you and Mark.” Chloe said, exchanging glances with Rose.

“No, I do!!” Ben said eagerly. “Tell me!”

Chloe shook her head. “You’d be scared.” She warned him. “You really would.”

“Yeah, in fact, you’d probably run screaming as far away from us as possible!” Rose agreed.

“I promise I won’t be scared.” Ben offered.

“You’d dump me!” Chloe said.

“I wouldn’t.”

“You really would. You’d think I was a total freak!”

“I wouldn’t, just tell me!”

“Do you actually have any idea about the kind of things your fans talk about to do with you?” Rose asked.

“Not really.” Said Ben. “I mean, I’m not a girl so I wouldn’t really know what girls talk about.”

“Well than we definitely can’t tell you then!!” Rose said laughing as she caught sight of Chloe’s face.

“It can’t be that bad!”

“No, it really is!” Rose said, in hysterical laughter with Chloe by now.

“Oh you two are mean! I’m going to go and talk to Mark, he’s my friend.” Ben said, going over to where Mark was still talking to Rich.

“Okay, we’ll see you later then. Thanks Rich.” Mark was saying.

The car drove off and Mark looked round as Ben approached.

“Did you sort it with Chloe?” Mark asked Ben.

Ben nodded. “Yep. I made a right mess of it, but we got there eventually!”

“What did you say?”

“Some really lame crap about being able to say I had a girlfriend if someone asked.”

Mark laughed. “Oh god, you and your lines. What did she say?”

“Well she didn’t get it. I don’t blame her, I couldn’t have been more vague if I’d tried. Worst thing was that I’d actually been planning what I was going to say in my head so I can’t even blame my stupidity on spontaneity. I’m just a first class idiot.”

“You got it through to her in the end though?”

“You make her sound really stupid.” Ben objected. “If anyone’s stupid, it’s me for not being able to string together a sentence that makes sense.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean it to sound like that. I just meant, she realised what you were trying to say?”

“Yeah. And she said yes, which was a relief. It would have been a shame to make a total fool out of myself and then be rejected.”

“It would a bit.” Mark agreed.

“How about you and Rose?” Ben asked.

“Nothing happening as yet. But give it time. I’m working on it.”

“Good good. That’s what I like to hear!”

“You’re a right little matchmaker aren’t you? Didn’t realise you had it in you.”

“Well when you’ve got a talent like mine, why hide it?” Ben asked.

“Yeah, okay.” Mark said smiling and looking over to where Chloe and Rose were almost falling over with laughter. “What’s wrong with them?” he asked Ben.

“I have no idea what they’re giggling about. They won’t tell me! Something about what they used to say about us before they met us.”

“Oh this I have to hear. Come with me.” Mark said, leading Ben on a trail in between some parked cars, circling round Chloe and Rose, finishing up some way behind them but close enough to hear what they were saying. Ben followed him. They stood there quietly listening to Chloe and Rose’s hilarity.

“Oh my god, we can never tell him.” Rose said to Chloe. “They seriously would be worried if they found out about all the dilemmas and stuff!”

“I know! Especially the pregnancy one…”

“Ohmygod!!!!” Rose squealed. “Imagine if they found out about that!!! We would be so dumped!!”

“We so would.” Chloe agreed.

“Well you would be anyway. Me and Mark haven’t quite got that far yet.”

“Give it time.”

“Yeah, well my whole big depression over Mark. That would not be a good thing for him to know. He’d think I was such a freak.” Rose reminded her.

“But we always knew though didn’t we?”

“Yeah! I kept telling you to stay positive and not be so hard on yourself all the time. I told you he’d fancy you!”

Chloe smiled. “I should think so too! And don’t worry about Mark, he does like you, Ben told me.”

“Not doing much about it though is he?”

“That’s just how he is, you what he’s like.”

“That’s true. We do know them so well.”

“We really do.”

Mark and Ben exchanged confused glances.

“Okay, we have strange girlfriends.” Ben said after a pause.

“They’re not strange, they’re just… young.” Mark said. “Anyway, we don’t even know what they were talking about. They could have moved on to a different subject or anything. We don’t know the context, we can’t judge them. And Rose isn’t my girlfriend anyway.”

“But you want her to be.”

“Don’t start this again!”

“Okay, but are you not ever so slightly worried about what Rose was saying about you?” Ben asked.

“She might not have been talking about me.” Mark said.

“Yeah, but she was.”

“Do you suddenly feel really bad for eavesdropping?” Mark asked guiltily.

Ben looked at him. “Yeah. Especially seeing as they were talking about things they didn’t want us to hear.”

“And the first prize for stating the obvious goes to…”

“Shut up! Do you think we should tell them we heard?” Ben asked worriedly.

“Would they be really cross?”

“I dunno!”

“I think we should.” Mark decided.

“Okay, me too. You tell them.”

“What?! I’m not telling them. You tell them.” Mark objected.

Suddenly they became aware that Chloe and Rose had stopped laughing. They looked round and saw that they had been listening to what they had been saying.

“Okay…” Ben trailed off, clearly unsure of what was going to happen next.

“How much did you hear?” Chloe asked seriously.

“From the stuff about the dilemmas.” Mark said.

All the blood drained from Rose’s face and she suddenly went very pale.

“How much did you hear?” Mark asked Chloe.

“Not much. Only that you couldn’t decide whether to tell us that you’d been listening to what we were saying. Unfortunately.” Chloe replied.

“Are you alright Rose?” Mark asked, looking concernedly at Rose who looked like she was about to cry.

Rose nodded, unable to say anything else. She looked terrified.

“Okay, I really think we need to explain this, or you’re gonna be left thinking we’re so odd.” Chloe said sensibly.

Ben came up to her and put his hand on her back. “You’re so not dumped.” He said quietly with a slight smile.

Chloe smiled back and relief flooded over her face.

“But don’t be cross.” Ben added.

“I’m not cross, just worried you’re gonna think I’m too weird to go out with now.”

Ben shook his head. “Nah, I like them weird.” He said with a grin, re-linking hands with Chloe. “It makes things much more interesting!”

Chloe looked at him. “What things?” she asked suspiciously.

“Just things.”

“Hmmm.”

“Hmmm what?”

“Just hmmm.” Chloe said, grinning at Ben.

“Do you think I’m weird now?” Rose asked Mark.

“Weird? No! I think you’re lovely.” Mark said.

Rose looked up at him, surprised at what he’d just said. She looked away shyly when they made eye contact.

“Oh.” She said.

She wasn’t sure what else to say. What are you supposed to say when someone says you’re lovely?

“That’s okay, right?” Mark asked. “I’m allowed to think you’re lovely?”

“No, you must not think I’m lovely.” Rose said with a smile. “Of course it’s okay!”

“Even if it wasn’t, I’d still think it. Just wouldn’t say it.”

Rose smiled at him.

“Shall we go in then?” Chloe asked, impatient to get into the theme park.

“Yes! Let’s go!” Ben agreed enthusiastically.

“Yeah, let’s make the most of the time we have.” Mark said as they started to make their way over to the ticket office.

“Have you got any money?” Chloe asked Ben as they walked across the car park.

“What, on me now or just generally?”

“Well I did mean today, but now you come to mention it, how much money have you got? You must be absolutely loaded!”

“I have some…” Ben answered vaguely.

“Why do famous people do that?” asked Rose.

“What?”

“Never answer questions about how much money they have. It’s really annoying! It’s not like we’re gonna come and rob you or anything!”

“Well would you go around telling complete strangers how much money you had?” Mark asked.

“No, but I’d tell you.”

“And I never said I wouldn’t tell you, Chloe asked Ben initially.”

“So will you tell me how much money you have?” Rose asked him.

“If you really want to know. It’s probably not as much as you expect though. It takes a long time for the money to come through from singles and stuff. We probably won’t be really rich until we’ve retired!”

“Will you tell me?” Chloe asked Ben.

“Yeah, but I haven’t got as much as Mark.”

“Why not?”

“He writes more of the songs and stuff. I write quite a lot, but I don’t do as much as he does. Why do you want to know anyway?”

“I’m just interested. I’m not a gold-digger or anything, I’ve just always wanted to know how much money celebrities make from things.”

Ben smiled at her. “I didn’t think you were. How much money have you got then?”

“About £3 in my bank, £10 in my savings account and £2 in a jar in my cupboard.”

“Wow! You’re just made of money!” Ben said jokingly.

“Don’t be mean, I can’t help not having much money, it’s not like I have a job or anything.”

Ben whispered something in Chloe’s ear and her eyes widened.

“OH MY GOD! And you say you’re not rich! That’s more money than I’m ever going to see in my life!”

“It’s really not much.”

“Compared to what? David Beckham?! Ben, that is a lot.”

“Well it’s enough.” Ben said casually.

"You’re so showbiz!" Chloe laughed.

"I am not!" Ben said with indignation.

"You so are! Brushing off that much money as "enough"."

"I have to agree with Chloe on that one I’m afraid Ben." said Mark. "You are much more showbiz than the rest of us."

"Well maybe I’m just making the most of what I’ve got." Ben defended himself. "I know I’m lucky to be where I am, I’m just enjoying being able to do things I wouldn't be able to do otherwise."

"I guess that's a good way to look at it." Mark contemplated.

"So who's paying then?" asked Chloe.

"I will." offered Mark. "And Ben can get all the food and drinks and stuff, seeing as he'll consume most of it anyway!"

"You’re so rude!" exclaimed Ben.

Mark bought four tickets from the booth and they entered the park.

"What shall we do first then?" Chloe asked.

"Well why don't we go on the monorail thing first so we can see the whole park and then choose where we wanna go next." Mark suggested.

"Yeah, lets do that!" agreed Rose.

The four of them headed over to the Sky Rider. There wasn’t a queue but you could only fit two people in each carriage.

“Who’s gonna go with who then?” asked Ben.

“Well I don’t mind, I’m quite happy to go with any of you.” Rose said.

“Why don’t we take it in turns then? There’s bound to be tons of rides where it’s two to a carriage and it’d be nice to spend a bit of time with everyone singularly. I think so anyway.” Chloe suggested.

“Yeah, that’s a good idea.” Ben enthused before adding, “As long as I get to spend the most time with you.”

“That’s hardly the point.” Chloe said.

“Well then it’s a terrible idea.” Ben said jokingly.

Chloe ignored him, trying not to smile.

“I think it’s a great idea.” Rose said.

“Yeah, lets do that!” Mark agreed.

“Okay, well let’s sort out a rota type thing now so it’s all sorted out.” Chloe said, taking charge. “Sorry, am I being a bit too organised? I can’t help it, I like to know what’s going on.”

“No, it’s fine.” Mark said smiling. “I’m like that too. I like to be in control. Ben drives me crazy, he’s all over the place!”

“I’m not as bad as Paul!” Ben protested.

“Ben, you’re like a million times worse than Paul! I’ve never seen anyone with such a disorganised house.” Mark laughed. “I’d watch out if I were you, he’ll try and get you to do the cleaning!” he advised Chloe.

“I’m a very clean person.” Ben said.

“Okay, when was the last time you hoovered?” Mark asked.

“Um…”

“It’s been so long you can’t even remember!”

“When was the last time you hoovered?” Ben asked Mark.

“Mum does it.”

“See, you’ve never hoovered!” Ben said triumphantly.

“I do it sometimes. Anyway, if I lived on my own I’d hoover.” Mark said with a smile.

“He’s only winding you up Ben, just ignore him.” Rose advised Ben. “Sort out the rota Clo.”

“I have done.” She said.

The other three looked at her expectantly.

“It’s in my head.” Chloe explained.

“Oh… Well er, are you gonna tell us about it or do we have to guess?” Ben asked.

Chloe shrugged. “Might do.” She left a silence for a minute, which was sufficiently long enough to make everyone look very confused, before elaborating. “It goes me and Ben, Mark and Rose, then me and Rose, Mark and Ben, then me and Mark, Rose and Ben. That okay?”

“Great!”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

Ben frowned. “I get to go with you first, right?” he asked.

“Was that too complex for you to understand Ben?” Mark teased.

“Oh shut up.” Ben said sulkily.

“We’re together first.” Chloe said to Ben, linking hands with him.

Ben smiled at her. “That’s okay then.”

“Come on, let’s go!!” Mark said impatiently.

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed Mark, but we can’t get in the carriage until it stops.” Ben said.

“I know that! But queue!”

“Mark, there’s no-one else here!”

“But there might be soon, get in the queue!”

“Queuing, queuing.” Chloe said, pulling Ben forward to form a queue.

When the first carriage stopped in the port, Ben and Chloe got into it, and when it had moved on to let the other one stop, Rose and Mark got in the one behind.

“Are you alright?” Mark asked Rose as he sat down next to her.

“I’m absolutely fine.” She said. “Better than fine in fact. Are you okay? Not too bored or anything?”

“Bored? No! I’m having a great time!” Mark answered.

“Me too.”

“Try not to let the two lovebirds get to you too much.” Mark said with a grin.

“I hope you’re not laughing at me.” Rose said.

“Me? Laughing at you? No, never.”

“Well good, coz you’re not allowed to laugh at me!”

“Why are you so anti-couples?” Mark asked.

“I’m not! Am I?”

“Either that or anti-Chloe and Ben.”

“No, oh no I’m definitely not anti-Chloe and Ben!”

“So why the disgust then?”

Rose shrugged. “I dunno. It’d be different if I had someone to be couply with as well…” Rose trailed off, averting Mark’s gaze. “So, anyway…”

Mark took the hint. “What do you think about Ben and Chloe then?”

“I think it’s great! I’m so happy for Chloe. She looks… well she’s normally a happy person but I’ve never seen her smile so much in one day. Especially not first thing in the morning. Why? What do you think?” Rose asked Mark suspiciously.

“Oh I think it’s great too, it’ll be really good for Ben. I’m just surprised that’s all.”

“In what way?”

“Well Ben’s not usually into the whole serious relationship thing… I hate to say this because it sounds terrible, but he’s more of a one night person.”

Rose looked worried. “Do you think he’s not as interested in Chloe as she is in him?”

“No, that’s exactly it. He genuinely likes her. Really likes her. I’ve never seen him so into someone before. Its just weird.” Mark shrugged. “She’s obviously a good influence on him!”

Rose was quiet.

“What?”

“I was just… don’t tell either of them I said this…”

“I won’t, what’s the matter?”

Rose looked as though she was debating whether to say anything.

“Rose? What is it?” Mark was beginning to look concerned.

“Well it’s just what you said about Ben not usually being into relationships, it made me remember something…” Rose started to bite her nails.

“About what? Ben and Chloe?”

Rose nodded. “But it might sound mean, about Ben, and I know he’s one of your best friends… I don’t want to insult you.”

“Is it important?”

“Kinda…”

“Okay, put it another way, are you worried about it?” Mark asked.

Rose nodded again.

“Well then it is important. You can tell me.”

“It’s just, well, I don’t want him to hurt her.”

“Do you think he will?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know him well enough to say anything like that really but I… she hasn’t got a lot of experience with relationships and she’s very… young and naïve and it would be so easy for Ben to hurt her without even realising he’s done it. Because he’s young as well and… oh it’s hard to explain.” Rose trailed off.

“I understand what you mean.” Mark said. “But I think it’ll be okay. He does care, he’s just a little bit wild sometimes. But I see why you’re concerned. Why don’t you talk to him about it?”

Rose looked horrified. “No! He’d hate me!”

“He wouldn’t. He’d appreciate that you’re only looking out for Chloe.”

“Well I am. I care so much about her; I don’t want her to get hurt. It’d destroy her and I just can’t let that happen. I don’t think I should say anything to Ben though.”

“Do you want me to?” Mark asked.

“Would you?”

“Yeah, if you want me to.” Mark smiled. “Don’t worry about Ben and Chloe. He does care about her, you can see that from just looking at him.”

“Do you think it’ll last?” Rose asked.

“Who knows? I hope so.”

“Me too.”

There was a silence as they both thought about what had just been said and took in the view of the amusement park. Rose looked to the carriage in front where Ben and Chloe were laughing.

“Chocolate bourbons.”

“No! Digestives are better!”

“They are not!”

“They so are!”

“Oh yeah?” Ben grabbed Chloe and started tickling her.

Chloe screamed. “No! Get off!!!”

“Not until you admit that chocolate bourbons are better biscuits than digestives.” Ben said.

“No! Coz they’re not!”

“Are you sure about that?” Ben asked, tickling her more.

“Alright alright! They’re better. Now stop it!” Chloe giggled.

“Which are better?” Ben asked.

“Digestives.” Chloe said quietly, with a grin.

“Now you’re asking for it.” Ben said, tickling Chloe again.

“No! Ahh! Get off!!!” Chloe shouted between screams and laughter.

“There’s nowhere to go, you can’t escape, mwahahaha!!” Ben said in an evil voice.

“It’s not funny! Stop it!!” Chloe shouted, hitting Ben on the arm.

“Violence won’t work on me, I’m stronger than you anyway.” Ben said with a smile, still tickling her.

“You… are… not!” Chloe said, struggling to break away from Ben.

Finally managing to get free from him, she moved right to the opposite end of the seat and sat as squashed up and far away from Ben as she could. Which wasn’t very far.

“Oh yeah, coz that’s really gonna work.” Ben laughed. “I can get you just as easy.” He threatened, moving closer to her.

Chloe screamed again as he came closer. But instead of tickling her again, he put his arms around her and kissed her.

“Digestives.” Chloe said when they broke apart slightly. Ben just smiled at her and kissed her again, hugging her closer to him.