"What?!" Louise shrieked quietly. "He wants to see Mark too? What’s he want to see Mark for? Oh my god he knows! He has too!"

"Calm down Lou." Mark soothed, taking her hand back in his. "It’ll be alright."

"No, but it won’t." She said, turning to face him. "If Anton knows then… oh my god I dread to think what he’s gonna do! He’ll chuck me out! He’ll…"

"Lou, you know that isn’t going to happen. For all you know, he probably doesn’t have a clue." Christie reassured as she pulled the door to.

"Did he seem angry?" Louise asked quickly. "Or was it like a calm angry? Or even just…"

"Lou." Mark told, pulling her gently to face him. "It will be ok. Just go out there and see him. I’ll be right behind you. And if you think he knows, I’ll just lie. It’s not as if he knows I went out with you that night anyway. He just knows you sneaked out."

"He doesn’t even know that yet. He doesn’t know anything I bet! You’re just worrying over nothing." Christie tried smiling.

"Exactly, now go." Mark grinned, pushing her slightly.

"I dunno why you’re smiling. You have to come too." Louise smirked.

"Yeah, but I’m not engaged to him am I?" Mark pointed out.

"And aren’t you just the lucky one." Louise said, full of meaning. "Whereabouts is he Christie?"

"The dining room." She informed as Louise walked slowly out. "Good luck!" She whispered.

Finding her eyes sink to the floor, Mark followed closely behind, himself even feeling a little nervous. Christian warned him about getting involved with people like this, but as far as he could tell, he hadn’t done anything wrong. Flirting was harmless and although inside he knew something bubbled everytime he saw her, he hadn’t yet shown it. If they hadn’t of been interrupted back then, then he would have had something to feel guilty about. But at the moment, feeling guilty didn’t really bother him and it hadn’t done since he knew he liked her, so why was he feeling nervous now? Was it for her?

"Lou." Mark said, gripping her hand and stopping her from walking. "Don’t worry ok. Remember what I said before? If something happens, it happens for a reason. Whatever happens next, that’s what it is."

"Thanks Mark." She smiled anxiously, squeezing his hand a little tighter.

Turning back round and heading through the kitchen, the nerves like plants had grown miraculously as the door he was behind was in sight. All sunlight and water seemed to come from a few words spoken earlier and as she trudged closer, that deep breath of oxygen had to follow for if he knew, she’d have some explaining to do.

"Go on." Mark encouraged as she stopped right outside the door. "You can do it." He smiled, as his warm breath comforted her somewhat.

Pushing down on the handle and pacing in, she kept her head low and her body closed while Mark strolled in after, a lot further behind. If Anton did think something was going on, then walking in holding her hand or standing intimately behind her wasn’t going to be one of the best ideas.

"Ahh Louise, Mr Read." Anton greeted, standing up. "Sorry to interrupt you but this has to be sorted now."

Smiling weakly, Mark stood by her side and glanced down, hoping to catch her eye and offer his heartening glint. Taking it, and letting it fill her mind, she tried to look less nerving and normal, yet that was hard for her to attain when he could know all along.

"Right, well I suppose we best get down to business." He chirped, clapping his hands. "This is not really the way I wished to do this, but with Mr Read her now, it seemed like the best idea."

"Erm… Anton, what are you talking about?" Louise asked quietly.

"Oh you know Louise!" Anton exclaimed.

"I… do?" She questioned nervously.

"Of course you do! It was you who did this in the first place." He told.

"Me? Then why do you need Mar… Mr Read here?"

"Well we cannot just expect him to sit in the music room when he is involved, can we?" Anton stated.

"Involved in what?" Louise repeated, tense.

"Oh Louise, you can be so silly at times!" Anton chuckled, as Mark stood mutely by her side. "This of course." He prevailed, heading behind the door before showing a black tux covered in a clear plastic bag.

"A tux!" Louise cried brightly, grinning while Mark still continued to stand, somewhat confused.

"Yes. What did you think I meant?" He smiled.

"Oh, nothing… its just I did not think you would consider so soon! Does this mean…"

"If Mr Read agrees, then yes." Anton added.

Looking to Louise, the suit, and then back at the Louise, a hazy sun continued to glare across his mind, as jumping to conclusions wasn’t always a trait he had prided himself in.

"Erm… what exactly do you mean?" Mark asked shyly.

"The ball. I asked you if you wanted to come. Remember that ni… remember?" She corrected.

"Oh… ohhh yeah, yeah. I remember." Mark smiled.

"Well Mr Read. I have a clean, pressed suit here which I will allow you to borrow if you wish to come. We cannot have you parading around in jeans, can we now? It would not look too good." Anton revealed. "So, do you wish to come?"

Gazing at Louise’s smile, it won him over and as he nodded his head and grimaced slightly, Anton gave him the suit.

"Well it is great that is sorted! Louise, I shall leave you to show Mr Read to the door when you are finished." He ordered, walking through the kitchen, ready to make the changes to the guest list and other requirements that all of a sudden, needed doing.

"Why the ugly smile?" Louise queried, after he had gone. "Don’t you want to come?" She said sadly.

"No, of course I want to come. I… I just don’t feel too comfortable taking off you. I could have quite easily got a suit of my own."

"Sorry." Louise apologised, a splash of regret rushing over.

The last thing Louise wanted to do was make Mark feel inferior to her and Anton. The ball was all she had asked for, yet with Anton offering the suit, it had obviously made the situation a little difficult between the both of them. Louise was no better then him, the same as Anton, yet with the way the world works, you couldn’t stop some people thinking that.

"Don’t apologise. It’s not your fault. I just don’t want you to think that because I’m not from where you are, that you have to… have to treat me differently… give me things." Mark explained.

"What? No." Louise told. "I don’t think like that and I never would of you - anyone. I just asked if you could come to the ball, the suit wasn’t any idea of mine."

"Ok, ok, I just wanted to make that clear." He smiled.

"Mark, you didn’t have to. As far as I’m concerned, we are from the same place. Everyone is. No one is better then anyone else and I don’t want you to think that about me just because I’m living here with Anton. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, the size of your house or how many cars you own. When it boils down to it, everyone’s the same."

"I know," Mark agreed, stroking her arm. "But not everyone sees it like that, do they?"

"It’s a shame they don’t…" Louise sighed, glancing down again.

"Well we shouldn’t worry what other people think, should we? As long as you and I know where we stand in the world, then that’s all that counts." He grinned, tilting her head up.

But where did they stand with each other? They definitely knew something was there and they definitely knew Anton was still in the dark so did that mean something was definitely going to happen in the future?