Ben waited inside his flat nervously, flipping a picture in his hand. Eventually, the doorbell rang, and he rushed outside, into the awaiting car. Mark was inside, in a suit similar to Ben’s. He tugged the tie around his neck irritably.
“God Mark, anyone would think you’re more nervous about this than I am!”
“I just want to look okay-I do look okay, right?”
“Fine. Hey, It’s my girlfriend, why are you so worried?”
“Sammie said she has a friend she’d like me to meet, I want to make a good impression.”
Ben shook his head and stuffed himself back uncomfortably into the seat.
“I can’t believe you’re actually suing them for this.”
“It’s an invasion of privacy, Sammie’s mate looked up the guidelines for us-her friend’s studying for a media degree, so she should know. Hope Sammie doesn’t look too great, I won’t be able to concentrate with her.”
“Is she okay? I’ve heard a few things from Paul and Kaz since ‘the show’-most of it not in Sammie’s favour.”
“Yeah? Well, don’t bring it up, she still cries every night about it to me. It’s really irritating.”
“Ben! She’s your girlfriend!”
Ben gave Mark a curious look, then explained himself, exaggerating his words.
“Yes Mark, she’s my girlfriend, which is why people upsetting her bugs me so much.”
“Oh, right, I get you now.”
Ben sighed, and gazed out the blacked-out window, trying not to think of the things Sammie had told him were happening to her. He knew she kept some things back, to protect him, but he’d seem some of the scars last time they’d been together. It was all he could do not to hit out at the people who’d hurt her, but she assured him that his reputation was more important. He snorted lightly-how could his reputation mean more than people hitting her, cutting her slightly with knives-as threats, he supposed. All because they’d enjoyed themselves on a week away which was slowly turning into the biggest nightmare of his life. They pulled up outside the courts.
“Shit, who invited the paparazzi?”
“Probably the show, they don’t think there’s a case against them.”
They straightened their suits and stepped out of the car, into the sea of cameras. Ben resisted the urge to blink, until he heard booing. Sammie had just pulled up and climbed out of the car. Ben immediately forgot where he was, and rushed over to greet her. She smiled wearily and held him back, before turning around and calling:
“Kaz! Siobhan, get out here now!”
Two more girls climbed out of Sammie’s car. One had black-shoulder length hair with red streaks, and craned her neck over the crowd as though she was looking for someone. The other, shorter girl, who had climbed out last, was looking curiously at the paparazzi, her bright red hair capturing the sunlight and making it seem even brighter. Ben recognised the black-haired girl.
“Hey Kaz!”
Kaz looked at him quickly.
“Hey Ben, where’s Paul?”
Ben shrugged, and looked at Sammie’s other friend. Sammie saw him watching.
“That’s Sio-SIOBHAN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”
“ . . yeah, I was told to practise with black-and-white thirty-five millimetre, but I don’t want to take photographs, I wanna do other things within the-”
“SIOBHAN!” Sammie yelled again. Siobhan carried on pretending she hadn’t heard.
“So is it easier to be freelance or a steady reporter with a paper? Which feels safer? Do you get more if you’re freelance?-”
Sammie marched over and grabbed her bright-haired friend.
“Ah, come on Sammie, it was primary sources, all those photographers, I could’ve found out so much.”
“Siobhan, you said you’d behave! Bugging paparazzi is not behaving. You can’t teach us any veggie tales songs now.” Sammie rolled her eyes at Ben who grinned back. Siobhan finally noticed Ben.
“Oh, you’re going out with Ben-Ben? Sammie, have I taught you nothing? OW!!!” Sammie smiled politely as Siobhan bent down to rub her foot better, after Sammie had trodden on it. Sammie saw Ben staring, shocked, and giggled.
“Siobhan’s okay, she’s the one who told me about those guidelines. She just goes a little crazy sometimes . . . most of the time . . . I was hoping she and Mark could entertain each other, or else she’d wear me out. Siobhan, I didn’t hurt you that much.”
Siobhan stopped hopping about, straightened up and pulled out a file from her bag, and handed it to Ben as they entered the courthouse.
“Use those, you’ll be fine, I checked with your lawyer-Sammie put me through. This is a closed court, so the pap can’t infiltrate, and if they do, they’ll be even more at fault. It’s a pity they aren’t allowed, and no one here’s under sixteen, I would have loved to read that.” Sammie shook her head once more, and pulled Ben away from their crowd.
“I missed you.”
“I missed you too. I can’t believe it’s come to this.”
“I know, but you got me and I got you so we’ll be okay.”
Ben smiled, and hugged her tightly, stroking her long blond hair. He watched over her shoulder as Christian and Paul walked into the courthouse, and Paul grabbed Kaz, putting on what could only be the most disgusting display of affection Ben had ever witnessed. He looked at Mark and Christian, who had started talking quietly with the lawyer, while Siobhan looked around dreamily.
“Your friend doesn’t seem very comfortable.” Ben whispered. Sammie whipped around, and shrugged.
“She’s okay, she does that sometimes. She’s talking to herself. Oh, gross, who let Kaz and Paul near each other? That is disgusting!” Ben laughed, and caught her eye, before leaning forward and giving her a tender kiss on the lips. All too soon their case was called on an intercom, and they made their way to courtroom five.

“Is this the weirdest feeling ever or what?”
“No, Ben, it’s fantastic, I can’t believe Siobhan found so much on it.”
“I didn’t. I just did what I usually do-leave it until the last minute and do it half-arsed.” Siobhan blushed, and blushed even further when Mark and Christian caught her up in a hug.
“I don’t care, we won!” Ben grinned, and grabbed Sammie, pulling her close and kissing her. Everyone else looked away in mock disgust, until Paul and Kaz joined in the competition. Siobhan spoke from between Mark and Christian’s chests.
“Aren’t you supposed to go out to the press and give a statement now?”
Ben and Sammie pulled apart, and smiled at each other.
“I’d rather the seven of us just went somewhere and celebrated.” Ben said quietly, and tugged Sammie out to the cars. Mark watched and panicked.
“Don’t let them go without us. Come on you.” He grabbed Siobhan’s hand, who grabbed Christian in turn, and the three of them ran after, and into the following car. Paul and Kaz broke off their kiss, realised that they had been left and dashed out into the remaining car. They all ended up at Ben’s flat, and dashed inside, all willing to start chattering from the remaining euphoria. It wasn’t long before they were sprawled out in Ben’s lounge, all drinking from Ben’s own collection, and eating cold pizza he had ordered the night before but never eaten. Sammie snuggled into Ben’s chest happily as she listened to an argument that had developed between Mark and Siobhan.
“-But cold pizza can be nicer than hot pizza, if it’s the right type of pizza.”
“No, it only works if it’s hot because then the cheese is gooier and greasier and just seems more real-cold pizza is healthier.”
“Well, from what I’ve heard, you’re a health nut, so why bother saying that hot pizza’s better if it’s against your principles?”
“Well, maybe you shouldn’t listen to all you hear.”
“If I did that then I woulda never stuck up for Sammie.” She poked her tongue out, complete with tomato sauce. Mark started laughing. “You find me funny Read?”
“Hmm, yup!”
“Bring it!” She jumped on him and started hammering away at him with a couple of pillows. He stole one from her and beat her into submission by way of retaliation. She started giggling, which set Kaz and Sammie off, which set Ben and Paul off, until they were all rolling around the floor laughing uncontrollably. Ben sat up first, and forced himself to calm down.
“What were we laughing at again?” He panted. Siobhan, who was now completely under Mark, and still being beaten by him, was trying to answer.
“Because . . . . we’ve ha-OW, that one hurt!-had too . . . . stop it! . . . . much . . . booze.”
Ben shook his head and grabbed Sammie, leading her to his bedroom.
“She’s right, too much booze. I don’t care, we’re celebrating.”
“Yeah. Want to celebrate in other ways?” He smiled slightly shyly.
“With them around? No way, Kaz and Paul will work it out in five seconds, and find ways for them to watch and laugh.”
“Urgh, they’d watch?” Ben giggled, and pulled her into a light kiss. Sammie wasn’t fooled, she knew any second he would make it as intense as possible. All too soon she was proved right, and closed her mouth to stop his tongue going any further, teasing him.
“Hey!” He complained as he pulled out. “Give me the goods woman, I know you have them.”
She play slapped him.
“I’ll give you woman.”
“That’s all I’m asking for!”
She shook her head and pulled him close for a kiss.
“Sammie, I’m sorry.”
“You should be, never call me ‘woman’ again, got that, boy?”
“I meant for the way people treat you, it shouldn’t happen. You mean everything to me-you’re everything I ever wanted, seriously. I’m so in love with you.”
“Ben . . . I’m so in love with you too.”
He smiled at her again, and pulled her into a hug.
“I’m always going to protect you.”
“I’m always going to enjoy that.”
She smiled back, and nuzzled into him further.

Um, hey everyone! Guess that’s the end of Blind Date! Wasn’t sure how to end it . . . it was always gonna be happy . . . I thought about adding a fan saying that everyone was getting used to Sammie but frankly, I’ve had too big a writing block to master that—my stories are only just coming back after my A2’s! Hope you enjoyed it, whether you reviewed or not *Shreena’s trying to make me believe every a1 fan on the planet reads this, which I’m not really inclined to believe but she doesn’t review ergo why I feel the need to add this comment* and read my other stuffs, as Starr calls them! Big huggles to Sammie and Sam, who always reviewed this one—it gave me the boost to try my other ideas. xxx zee xxx