Amy jumped up
on hearing the door slam “Who’s there?” she asked the light flicked on to
reveal a familiar figure “It’s just me” said the voice Amy stared at him
“Chris…are you okay?” he nodded as he sat down on the edge of his bed “What’s
wrong…oh don’t tell me Mark’s had a go at you as well?” he shook his head “Ben”
he sniped Amy’s eyes narrowed “Mark had a go at Ben?” Chris shook his head “ME”
Amy looked confused “Ben had a go at you?
Why?” Chris placed his head in his hands “He didn’t exactly have a go”
Amy placed her hand on his shoulder which for Amy was the bravest thing she’d
ever done, she didn’t trust men at all except Chris she trusted him “Chris
you’re not making much sense…look start from the beginning” she encouraged he
frowned “They slept together” Amy’s eyes widened “What?” Chris sighed, “Who
told you?” he turned to face her “You knew?” she shrugged “No not really…Morven
had her suspicions and she told me” Chris stood up and walked over to the
window he could just about make out the two figures seated in the garden below
“Well this is a fucking mess” he cursed Amy stared at him “Chris you have to
decide what you’re going to do…presumably you still love Sara” he rested his head
against the window then looked down to where Amy knelt on his bed “Yes…but she
was unfaithful and with one of my best friends” Amy stared at him “You have to
talk to her…get her side of the story…as far as I can make out the only side
you got was Ben’s” Chris let out a deep
sigh then turned back to the window.
Amy got up from
Chris’s bed “I’ll got fetch her okay?” he nodded absently. Sara was being comforted by Morven when Amy
signalled to her “Chris wants Sara to go talk to him” Morven glanced at Sara
“Don’t be pressured into anything Sara” she advised as she watched her go.
“Well that’s a turn up for the books,” whispered Amy
“You’re telling me…Christ I had my suspicions but I was
hoping I was wrong”
“Do you think they’ll be able to patch things up?”
“I don’t think so”
“But surely if Chris loves her?”
She doesn’t love Chris Amy”
“What?”
“She told me herself…she has very strong feelings for Ben”
“How could anyone choose Ben over Chris that’s just insane!”
Morven stared at her wide-eyed “Well Sara obviously has”
“Poor Chris…he’s going to be devastated”
“Never mind Amy…you could always go and give him some TLC”
Jas said as she entered the kitchen “As if I would!” snapped Amy angrily “I’m
being serious…you obviously fancy him”
“No I don’t!” she denied just a little too much
“Fine…my mistake…where’s Mark?”
“Mark…don’t you mean Ben? He’s the one you usually lust
after” Morven said in a sharp tone of voice.
“No I mean Mark,” she said as she headed for the door.
“Do you love me
Sara…it’s a simple enough question?” Sara swallowed “Yes of course I love you…I
want to marry you” even as she said the words alarm bells rang out in her head
“Then tell me everything” she sank dejectedly onto the chair next to the bed
“It happened the night I met my real mother” Chris turned away from the window
to look at her the pain visible on his face “What? He was with you when you met her!” she bowed her head “He
arranged the meeting” Chris pouted angrily “He what? What was it pay back?” Sara’s eyes widened “No! It wasn’t…I was vulnerable my mother had
just rejected me…I needed to be comforted and he was there…I’m really sorry
Chris” she sniffed Chris side glanced the two figures in the garden his insides
churning at the thought “He took advantage?” he growled “No!” cried Sara he
whirled round “Then what?” Sara’s head was in a spin “I was as much to blame as
he was…I should have stopped him at the station when he turned up…I knew how he
felt about me”
“He’s come on to you before?”
“No! He just told me
how he felt about me”
“Great!”
“Chris you never even called I left a text message and you
couldn’t be bothered to even call”
“That’s not true I did call and don’t say your phone was
switched off because it rang”
Sara tried to recall her phone ever ringing “Shit it did ring…when
I was in the shower or something…but Ben said…” she started to explain
“Ben! Now why
doesn’t that fucking surprise me!”
“I’m so sorry Chris…please give us another chance?”
“I don’t know Sara…I can’t get my head round this…I need
some time to think” Sara got up and headed for the door “Okay I’ll call you
tomorrow” she said sorrowfully as she left his bedroom.
Ben sprang
from the seat on noticing Sara leave and quickly made his way across the well
kept grass to where she now stood “Not now Ben” she muttered he accosted her
“What’s happened are you and Chris finished?” she stared wide-eyed “Oh you’d
like that wouldn’t you?” he searched her face but she gave nothing away “You
just had to tell him didn’t you?” Ben wasn’t proud of himself but he wasn’t
entirely regretful either “Sara…I know you’re angry at me right now but please
don’t do anything haste” he begged as he put his arms around her “Angry at
you? That’s an understatement…right now
Ben I really really hate you!” she spat as she pushed him away then took a few
steps backwards Ben made a move to follow her but was prevented by Mark “Leave
it!” he advised “I did all this for nothing Mark” he muttered as he looked up
catching a glimpse of Chris who merely turned away “She’s going to stay with
him” he added downheartedly Mark placed a hand on his shoulder “Come on…I’ll
just go and see Chris then I’ll walk you home…heaven knows I need the exercise.
Chris was lying
on his bed when Mark knocked on his door “Can I come in?” he asked Chris let
out a deep sigh “Please yourself” Mark smiled then closed the door “I hope
you’re not here to plead his case?” Mark lowered himself onto the chair “I
wouldn’t do that…I can only listen” Chris scoffed “Well where will I start?” he
sniped “I know you’re hurting right now”
Chris shifted nervously “You have no idea what’s going on
with me right now!”
“Well I’m all ears”
“I really don’t want to talk about it”
“Fine”
“Has he gone?”
“Not yet…he’s waiting for me”
“Well you better go then”
Mark stared at his best friend “Not until I know you’re
okay”
“I’m fine” sighed Chris Mark flashed him a disbelieving look
“Really I’m fine” Mark struggled to his feet “Okay I’ll call you tomorrow” he
nodded as he watched his friend move towards the door.
A sad expression
crossed Ben’s face as they headed towards his home Jas insisting she go with
them all three lost in their own thoughts as they walked, the sun now gone and
a slight chill filling the air “Do you want us to come in?” Jas offered when
they reached Ben’s home “No…I’d rather be on my own if you don’t mind” he said
Mark nodded knowingly as he watched his friend open his gate “Well call me
tomorrow” he nodded in answer to Mark.
The house was
quiet as his parents watched television and his siblings were in bed taking a
deep breath he headed for the stairs “That you Ben?” he heard his mother call
“Yes” he said his voice almost cracking with emotion “You’re home early…party
not so good huh?” she added he closed his eyes “Err yes it was okay…I’m just a
bit tired that’s all” he told her “Oh okay goodnight then” he let out a deep
sigh “Goodnight” he said as he rushed upstairs and into the bathroom he locked
the door then moved to the sink determined not to let the tears come boys
don’t cry! He kept telling himself over and over but the
tears came and no matter how hard he tried he just couldn’t stop them.
“Ben you in
there?” he closed his eyes “Ben I need to go” the voice continued he quickly
unlocked the door then forced a smile as he past she glanced up at him huge
blue eyes full of alarm “Ben what’s wrong?” she quizzed he smiled down at her
“Nothing I’m okay” he reassured as he entered his room.
Once finished
Lucy knocked on her brother’s door and entered without waiting to be invited
“Hey you should be in bed” he told her she switched on the lamp beside his bed
then sat facing him “What’s wrong?” he stared “Nothing” he told her “Is it a
girl?” he gasped “It is isn’t it?” she answered her own question “Is it Sara?”
his eyes widened “It is isn’t it?” he shrugged “You’re really sad because she’s
going to marry Chris when you love her to” Ben blinked a few times “Well as I
see it if Sara really likes you then she’ll tell Chris it’s over and if she
doesn’t then you can find someone else” life was simple to a child “Yeah try
telling that to my heart Luce” he muttered she stared at him “You’ll get
someone else easy…I mean look at you all the girls in my class at school love
you” Ben smiled “Well that’s nice to know” Lucy stared at him “You’re the best
big brother anyone can have” she confessed “Even although you do throw me out
of your room at times and you constantly cheat when we’re playing on the play
station” he grinned “D’you know what you need?” he shrugged “You need a big hug
from your fav sister” he laughed as he felt her arms around him “Don’t worry
Ben…I’ve a feeling things will work out just fine” she whispered as he kissed
her cheek “Yeah?” she smiled then shook her hair out of her eyes “Yeah” she
told him happily.