(Leve
DrØmet i Norge)
Monday
6:30 p.m., Oslo
“You know if you want, just me and you can go out.” Chloe said as Mark let them both back into his hotel room. “Just coz we don’t wanna go out with everyone else doesn’t mean we have to stay in.”
Mark smiled. “I don’t know what I’d do without a friend like you.” He said.
“Be miserable and alone?”
“I probably would be. I really appreciate you staying in with me, but are you sure you didn’t wanna go out with the others? I feel kinda bad…”
“Don’t be silly!” Chloe said. “I didn’t want you sitting here all on your own moping over Rose. And anyway, we have got some catching up to do – I haven’t seen you for ages; I’ve missed you!”
“I’ve missed you, too.”
“Awww, soppy moment.” Chloe said with a grin, giving Mark a hug. “So, what do you want to do tonight? I reckon the others will be gone for a couple of hours at least. We could watch a film, go and get some food, do a bit of exploring of our own, sit and chat… anything you want!”
“I don’t mind. What do you want to do?”
“Not bothered!” Chloe said, sitting down on Mark’s bed. “How come you get a double bed?”
Mark shrugged. “Christian booked the hotel. Why - are you and Ben in bunk beds, or something?!”
“No, we’ve got a double bed, but I don’t get one all to myself!”
“Well aren’t I the lucky one?”
“You don’t know what it’s like sharing a bed with Ben!” Chloe complained. “He’s so fidgety! And he steals all the covers – drives me mad!”
“Well you’re welcome to have my bed and I’ll share with Ben. Although he probably wouldn’t enjoy the sex so much…” Mark contemplated.
Chloe wrinkled her nose. “Gross. It’s okay, I’m sure I’ll cope – I’m used to it by now!”
Mark climbed onto the bed and sat in the middle next to Chloe, picking up the films leaflet on the way over.
“Anything good on?” Chloe asked, peering over his shoulder. “Where’s the remote?”
“Over there.” Mark said, pointing to the bedside table.
Chloe picked it up and flicked the television on.
“Oooh, MTV Norway, my favourite!” she said with a grin, watching as the Norwegian adverts finished and the music videos started again.
“That sounds familiar.” Mark said, looking up as ‘Caught In The Middle’ started to play.
“What are you doing on MTV Norway?” Chloe asked, smiling as the guys she knew so well appeared on the screen. “Aww look, there’s my wonderful boyfriend in his fetching woolly jumper, storming out of the house after an argument. Yep, that’s a fairly accurate reconstruction of everyday life.”
“You and Ben don’t argue.” Mark said.
“No I know.” Chloe said. “But we used to. Fun days… Oh, and there’s Christian, trying his very hardest to walk in a straight line.”
“I really wish I’d known you a bit better back then.” Mark said. “You know, like when all that stuff was happening.”
“You had stuff of your own.” Chloe said, still looking at the television. “Work that steering wheel, Paul!”
“Yeah, and what a disaster that turned into.” Mark reflected. “But I mean, it’s weird how we knew each other right from the start and were probably the least close out of everyone.”
“It would have been hard to get near me back then.” Chloe said, turning to smile at Mark. “I was too busy only having eyes for Ben.”
“And Paul.”
Chloe laughed and hit Mark on the arm. “That was uncalled for.”
“So was that!” Mark said, rubbing his arm.
“Ooh, hang on a minute.” Chloe said, putting her hand back to the spot she’d hit him. “Wow, get a load of those muscles!”
Mark smiled. “I’ve had rather a lot of time to go to the gym these last few months. I’d let myself go a bit before.”
“Who cares about before?!” Chloe exclaimed, still squeezing his upper arm. “Right, that’s it – get your shirt off!”
“What?”
“I have to see the muscles! Shirt: off!”
Mark shook his head. “I’m not stripping for you.”
“I think you’ll find you are.”
“You’re going to make me, are you?” Mark asked, suppressing a smile.
“Yes.”
“You’re going to make me do something I don’t want to do when I have muscles this big,” Mark said, illustrating his point with a big emphatic gesture. “And you’re just a tiny weeny little girl?”
Chloe gasped. “So rude! I have strength!”
“Go on then – make me take my shirt off.” Mark challenged.
“Fine, I will.” Chloe said, lunging at Mark, but being stopped by two hands connected to two very strong arms on her shoulders.
“That’s not fair!” She complained and she struggled to get closer to Mark.
“You’re so weak!” he mocked, holding her in the same position, despite her best efforts.
“You’re so mean!” Chloe pouted. “I only wanted you to take your clothes off.” She giggled. “That sounded more sexual than intended.”
“Why are you so desperate to see my muscles?” Mark asked, letting go of Chloe, but staying on his guard.
“Mark. I’m not desperate.” Chloe said sternly.
“Sorry, of course not.”
“Shut up – I’m not! I’m just curious!”
“Well… Ben has muscles – look at his!” Mark said.
Chloe burst out laughing but then stopped herself, looking incredibly guilty.
“Did you just laugh at Ben’s muscles?” Mark asked, a glint in his eye.
“No.” Chloe said, stifling another giggle.
“Shall I tell Ben that you laughed at his “muscles”?” Mark said, laughing with her.
“Nooo, we shouldn’t laugh – he’s worked very hard for, um, those.”
“Oh I know, I can see the effort that’s gone into it.” Mark said, trying to be serious.
Chloe wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes. “He would kill me if he could hear this.”
“He’s a bad sport.”
“He’s very… touchy about his appearance. It’s all his mum’s fault. Oh my God, did I tell you what happened when we went to stay at her place?!” Chloe exclaimed.
“No – what?”
Chloe put her hands over her face. “She haaaaaates me.”
“Does she?!” Mark asked in surprise. “Why?”
“Oh God, where do I start?! I’m too young, I’m not posh enough, I’m not pretty enough, my “etiquette” isn’t up to scratch, my family aren’t wealthy enough… She uses a variety of those reasons every time we go to see her.”
“Ahhhh, you’re not good enough for her little boy.” Mark said knowingly.
“By a long shot! I don’t actually care – I think she’s a stuck-up cow – but then I feel bad coz I’m putting Ben in an awkward position and arrrrrrgh.”
“She was always really nice to me! She was a bit iffy about Christian though, come to think about it.”
“Christian?! Why? What was wrong with him?!”
“Too foreign, I think.” Mark said, laughing with Chloe again. “I wouldn’t worry about it, babe: my mum thinks you’re great!”
“I’ve only met your mum like, once!”
“Yeah, but she loves everyone!”
“She is a cool mum. Makes you feel very welcome. Ben’s mum made me sleep in the spare room!”
“She what?!”
“She wouldn’t let us sleep in the same room, let alone the same bed! I felt like I was at Primary School!”
“Oh my God! She seriously made you sleep in the spare room?”
“Well, one of them.” Chloe said with a grin. “Of course, we didn’t stay in separate rooms… Ben came and rescued me. Bless him, he was so apologetic. Evil woman.”
Mark snapped his fingers. “Got it!” he exclaimed.
“Huh?”
“Sorry, you’ve just been giving me major déjà vu by reminding me of someone, but I couldn’t think who.”
“And now you know?”
“Yes.”
“And do I get to know?”
“In a minute! I’m still revelling in my relief at having realised who you remind me of.”
“Sorry.” Chloe said, grinning at Mark. “Tell meeeee.”
“Alright, I’m done now, anyway.”
“Good! Who do I remind you of? Is it someone cool?”
“Yeah, I guess some would say they’re moderately cool.”
“Are they famous?”
“They like to think not, but they are.”
Chloe frowned. “Do I know this person?”
“Fairly well.”
“Who is it?”
“Paul!”
Chloe made a face. “Paul?! Why do I remind you of Paul?”
Mark shrugged. “Dunno. You just do sometimes. I think it’s the way you say things.”
“Oh. Alright. Still haven’t seen your muscles.” Chloe said, changing the subject.
“Not likely to.”
“You are so mean! It’s not like I’m trying to seduce you, or anything – I’m your friend; I’m meant to see you naked!”
“What?! Since when was naked in the equation?”
“Since when were you so prudish?” Chloe asked with interest.
“I’m not, am I?”
“Yeah! You won’t even take your shirt off! You never used to seem to mind so much and you weren’t even that fit.”
“I’ve always been fit!” Mark protested.
“I have a feeling we’re talking about different kinds of fit here.”
“Which kind are you talking about?”
“The ‘Phwoar look at the muscles on that!’ kind.” Chloe said with a grin. “Show me your muscles!!!”
“No!”
“It’s not like I’m asking you to strip completely! If I had muscles, I’d show you.” Chloe said matter-of-factly.
“Don’t need to – I’ve already seen you naked.” Mark said.
Chloe gasped in horror. “What?! You have not!”
“Have.”
“When?!”
“Ahhh, well, that would be telling…”
“Marrrrk!” Chloe said, hitting him hard on the arm.
“Ow! You’re so violent!”
“You have not seen me naked.”
“Seen you in a bikini.”
“That’s hardly the same as naked.” Chloe said with relief.
“Partly naked.”
“So show me your muscles!”
“Thought you weren’t desperate?”
“Well I am now! Come onnnn, just take your shirt of!”
Mark sighed. “Fine.” He said, undoing the buttons on his shirt and taking it off.
“Wowww.” Chloe said with a smile, looking from Mark’s muscle-filled arms to his finely toned, tanned stomach.
“Can I put it back on now?” Mark asked, reddening under Chloe’s gaze. “Stop looking at me!”
“You are such a wuss!” Chloe said, poking him square in the stomach. “Stop looking so uncomfortable! It’s only me!”
Mark smiled. “Yeah, and you make me feel uncomfortable!”
“Why? Can I touch your six-pack?”
“Why?!”
“Coz it’s incredible! It’s more like a multi-pack! Have you been living in the gym?!”
Mark shook his head in disbelief. “Go on then.”
“I can touch it?”
“If you must.”
“Cooool.” Chloe said, running her hand slowly down Mark’s chest, feeling every ripple of muscle. “You know,” she said, eyeing Mark. “If I was Kate, right now, do you know what I’d be thinking?”
Mark looked confused. “What?”
“Passionate affair between best friends.” Chloe said, laughing at Mark’s shocked look.
“You what?”
“Well she’s a writer, isn’t she? So she’d have us do this really long look, with my hand still here,” Chloe patted Mark’s stomach. “And then we’d lean in, reeeeally slowly, and we’d kiss, and next thing we knew we’d be madly shagging.” Chloe laughed. “And then I’d wake up in the middle of the night, riddled with guilt, suddenly finding myself caught in a love triangle with you and Ben.” She shook her head. “Gritty stuff.”
Mark looked at Chloe uneasily.
“You look terrified.” She said in amusement.
“Oh I am, believe me.” Mark said.
“Coz I’m unpredictable and wild?” Chloe asked animatedly.
“Not exactly...”
“Anyway, we’re not gonna do that, are we? Coz that would be a very silly thing to do.” She said, taking her hand off Mark’s stomach and giving him a friendly hug. “See, you feel better already, don’t you?”
Mark smiled. “Yes, thank you, Chloe. Can I put my shirt back on now?”
“I suppose I can allow that.”
“Thank God for that.”
“Why are you suddenly all weird about nudity?” Chloe asked, leaning back on her elbows and watching Mark button his shirt up.
“I’m not weird…”
“So are.”
“It’s just that…” Mark looked down at the duvet.
“What?” Chloe asked, sitting up.
“Oh, it’s so stupid.”
“Serious stupid?”
Mark smiled. “Kinda.”
“Okay, hang on.” Chloe said, taking a deep breath and composing herself. “Right, I’m ready for serious now. What’s the stupid thing?”
“The last person who saw me naked was Rose.” Mark admitted.
Chloe gasped. “Oh my God, you haven’t had sex for a year?!”
Mark opened his mouth, but didn’t say anything.
“Sorry, sorry that wasn’t serious.” Chloe apologised. “I meant, awww, really?”
Mark nodded, smiling slightly at Chloe’s reaction.
“Awww, you’re such a sweetheart.” Chloe said, leaning forwards and hugging Mark again, this time for longer.
It wasn’t just a hug of friendship, it was a hug of support and reassurance.
When they pulled back from the hug, Chloe couldn’t hide the smirk on her face.
“Say it.” Mark said.
“No no, I’m alright, I can keep it in.” Chloe said, the smirk creeping over more and more of her features.
“What?” Mark asked, catching her smile in anticipation of what she was thinking.
“No really, I’m fi- I was just thinking that the next time you do have sex – wow.”
Mark laughed. “Yep, that’s what you’re here for – bringing random inappropriateness into my life every day, making the world a better place.”
Chloe shrugged. “What can I say? You’ve got me down to the last…” she paused. “Can’t remember the saying. You know what I mean.”
“I do.”
“You always know what I mean.”