"She’s not gonna come is she?" Mark said dejectedly.

"Mark you don’t know that…" Christian pointed out. "It’s only just turned seven."

"Exactly." Paul beamed. "She’ll show up, I’m sure of it."

"Yeah, don’t worry mate. Any second she’ll be wandering down that path…" Ben said, looking up the road.

As silence fell around the fountain and night sneaked in, all watched the road she would be heading down, but still, no one came.

"Well yeah, it is dark…" Ben endorsed. "Maybe we just can’t see her yet…"

Hearing the gush of water, fall and crash behind them, time for Mark seemed to go extra slow as the prospect of Louise showing up was slowly merging with the dark. Something was telling him she wasn’t going to show, no matter how much he wanted her to. People like her just didn’t hang out with people like him…

Feeling water splash up against the back of him, Mark turned round, somewhat annoyed as Paul stood there looking at him innocently.

"What? It wasn’t me…" Paul smirked, pointing at Ben.

"Hey, don’t get me involved. I’m just waiting here patiently for Louise for Mark…" Ben told.

"Well whoever it was, stop it cos you’ve just got my jeans all wet. How’s that gonna look when Louise comes?" Mark said to himself, more then anyone else.

"Looks fine to me…" Louise smiled, appearing from behind him.

"Hey, where’d you come from? I was looking out for you…" Ben asked.

"Oh, I erm… came a different way. It was quicker." Louise informed.

"Well I’m glad you could make it." Mark smiled as the hazy look washed over his face again.

"Yeah, Lou." Paul grinned. "Mark was getting worried here in case you weren’t coming…"

"Sorry if I was a bit late but I had a bit of trouble finding something to wear…"

"It doesn’t look it." Mark added. "You look great to me." He complimented.

"Thanks…" Louise blushed, looking down and smiling to herself.

"Oh, before I forget." Christian remembered. "Here’s your pass to get in. I picked it up this morning for you when I went to check the bar out."

"Cheers Christian." Louise grinned, taking the pass. "That was really nice of you. Thanks."

"Hey, what happened to your hand?" Mark suddenly intervened, grabbing her hand so he could look at the graze.

"Oh, erm, when we were sneaking out, Anton was coming so Christie had to close the door quickly and me being me, fell over." Louise laughed, a little embarrassed.

"You sneaked out?" Paul asked, looking thrilled by the revelation.

"Yeah. You seriously think I’d get out any other way?" Louise giggled. "Christie helped me though so I didn’t do it all by myself…"

"You shoulda brought her along!" Paul exclaimed. "I’m sure Chris over there could do with some female company tonight…"

"Shut up Paul." Christian told.

"Yeah, I mean, if anyone’s gonna need any female company tonight, its gonna be you." Ben laughed. "I’m the lead the singer and Chris is the all-singing, guitar playing, Norwegian heart throb. Then there’s you…"

"I’ll just wow everybody with my tambourine… everyone loves the little guy…" Paul chuckled, grinning smugly.

Ignoring everything that was going on, Mark still had hold of Louise’s hand, as they both zoned out of the conversation that was taking place.

"Does it hurt?" Mark asked softly as he ran his finger gently over the sore area.

"No, you’re fine… I mean, its fine. It’s fine." Louise flushed, pulling her hand away slowly.

"You two ready then? We’re on at eight." Ben notified, turning to leave as the others followed.

"Yeah… just coming…" Mark smiled as he looked intently at Louise before joining her side and strolling ahead.

Approaching the bar, the outside already looked quite busy as people queued in messy lines, hoping to get in. The neon sign that flashed above the door made the doorman below look extra scary, and as his huge shoulders and height advantage shadowed down onto smaller people, the red light above gave the entry its danger. Surely this was a well refined bar, wasn’t it?

"Just show him your pass that Chris gave ya." Mark whispered, as they slowly grew closer to the door. "And you’ll get in."

Smiling, and pulling the pass from her jacket pocket, she showed the doorman as he let the five trail in. With Mark behind her, and Christian in front, she followed them down the narrow steps until a gateway to a huge room opened up, and the heat swarmed at them. The place wasn’t as crowded as Louise thought, and although the outside put her off slightly, the inside obviously proved differently.

A metallic bar swept across the right hand side while a reasonably big stage, or as some would call, a stand, was more or less on the left with soft chairs and small tables surrounding it. As Louise wandered through, heading over towards a table, which Ben was leading them to, she took off her jacket on the way and threw it over her arm. The heat certainly was different to the outside, and as she slid along the small purple leather couch, she smiled as Mark sat next to her.

"Wow Chris. You can pick the places we perform at more often." Paul grinned, lying back in the chair opposite. "It’s pretty damn nice in here."

"Well… when you have style like mine…"

"You might as well go against it!" Ben laughed. "But you did… as we can tell…" He added cheekily.

"So, who’s for a drink?" Mark offered. "My round."

"Ohh acting all Mr nice guy now Louise is here…" Paul smirked, "But make mine a lager." He chuckled.

"Ben? Chris?" Mark questioned, standing up.

"Yeah, same thing please." Ben smiled.

"Yeah, same again, cheers Mark." Christian thanked.

"Lou? You want a drink?" Mark asked.

"Yeah… yeah please. I’ll give you a hand if you like?" Louise smiled, sliding across the couch and leaving her jacket behind.

"Ok, thanks." Mark grinned as they both headed off towards the bar.

"That Louise is a bit of alright, ain’t she?" Paul said after the two disappeared.

"Oh my god, you fancy her!" Ben laughed, turning round to look at her at the bar with Mark.

"No… but you’ve got to admit, she is kinda gorgeous! Makes me wish I could play the piano…" Paul simpered, playing with the table mat.

"Well me and Chris can." Ben beamed. "But like you said earlier Paul, I’m sure someone will erm… love you for your tambourine." He laughed.

"Well, when you have a tambourine like mine, I suppose no one can resist! You think Louise will be tempted?" He joked.

"I doubt it somehow…" Christian answered, glancing back at the bar where Louise and Mark’s attraction was slowly becoming obvious as he stroked her arm.

"Mark! The dirty rascal!" Ben exclaimed. "She’s engaged isn’t she? What’s he getting himself in for?"

"I don’t know…" Christian sighed. "Let’s just hope he can handle it…"

At the bar, Louise and Mark laughed together as they waited for the drinks. Already ordered, it now gave them time to talk alone while the barman redeemed service and placed them in front of them.

"I’m so glad you could come Lou." Mark smiled. "Are you sure it wasn’t too much hassle to get out though? I don’t really want you to get in trouble."

"Nah, it was fine. Christie’s covering for me, and more then anything, I wanted to come." Louise told truthfully.

"Really?" Mark grinned as hope burnt in his eyes.

"Yes, really." She said, touching his arm. "I wanted to see what you were like outside of that house when you weren’t teaching, plus I wanted to see you perform."

"Well isn’t that weird?" Mark laughed. "Because I wanted to see what you were like out of that house too…" He added, taking a few glasses of drink and heading back to the table. "Hmm… but I won’t see you perform…"

"Ooo you’ll have to come to the ball!" Louise squealed, as she held a glass and small bottle in her hand. "You’ll have to!"

"Mark’ll have to do what?" Paul grinned as they both reached the table.

"Come to the ball." Louise smiled.

"What ball?" Christian asked suspiciously, taking his drink.

"The ball I’m teaching Lou piano for. She has to perform… next week I think… and she wants me to come." Mark explained, handing Ben his drink before sliding back across the small couch.

"Yeah, it’s gonna be pretty big apparently, not that I really wanna go or perform actually, but it’ll be cool if Mark was there." Louise commented, looking towards Mark.

"Ah, you’ll have to wear a tux! Or whatever those people at those posh things wear…" Ben laughed, after taking a gulp of his drink and placing it on the table.

"Just imagine Mark in a suit!" Paul chortled. "He’d never be able to go ‘cos he always lives in jeans…"

"I’ve not even been invited properly," Mark pointed out.

"Well then, Mr Read." Louise grinned. "I Louise, courteously invite you to the ball next week."

"Why thank you." Mark smiled, taking a sip of his drink.

"And us?" Paul asked, raising his eyebrows as a smirk appeared on his face.

"Oh, I’m sorry Paul. But they don’t accept ruffians!" Mark laughed, as did the others.

"Hey Paul, if I could give you an invitation, y’know I would." Louise smiled. "But I can’t… sorry…" She grimaced.

"Ah, I was only joking with ya anyway Lou!" Paul chuckled. "I’m sure Mark’ll keep you company that ni…"

"Yeah, come on the guys. We’re on soon and we have to go sort everything out." Christian interrupted, standing up quickly.

"But…" Paul began.

"Come on. We wanna make it a good set for Louise…" Christian smiled uneasily, heading off.

"Ok Lou, well we best go. But you’ll be alright here won’t ya? It’s only to sort the staging out and then we’ll be performing." Mark told her, leaving his seat as the others began following Christian.

"Yeah, sure… go on!" Louise encouraged.

Walking ahead, trying to catch the others up, Louise smiled to herself as already she was enjoying her time out. She just hoped everything was ok back at the Manor.

"Hey Chris, what was all that about?" Paul asked, tapping Christian on the shoulder, hauling him back a little.

"What was all what about?" Christian said innocently.

"Interrupting quickly like that. What’s up?" Paul questioned, strolling by his side.

"I… I just don’t think Mark should get too involved with Louise. It’ll get messy… I know it will…"