Chapter 2

“Mark?” Robbie said, his dark eyebrows raised. Mark’s soft features were pulled into a frown.

It was strange seeing Mark upset; he always had such a beautiful smile. Robbie wondered if Mark saved his smiles for Gary and his fans of course. Mark loved his fans more than anything. They are the reason we’re here, he always said. Robbie agreed, his Friendlies were really something else, one of the reasons he had pulled himself out of alcoholism. He couldn’t let them down.

“Its nothing… its um… I don’t know.” Mark dragged his hand through his hair heaving an exasperated sigh. “I wrote Gaz an email last night… telling him everything… How I feel… But I didn’t send it… at least I didn’t think I had until I received this.”

Mark held up his phone.

We need to talk.
My house?
Gaz

Panic laced Mark’s voice. He didn’t feel ready… he didn’t want to talk to Gary about how he felt yet, it was too… oh god, it was too important, too complicated. Mark didn’t want to sound to eager; maybe Gary would want to take it slow… Mark was already totally in love with him but what if Gary needed time? Or worse, what if he didn’t love him back?

“You should go.” Robbie said draining the last drops of his coffee. “If it was something serious why would Gaz have signed it ‘Gaz’, surely he would have used his ‘serious talk’ name… Grumpy Gary.” Robbie grinned.

Mark smiled weakly. Robbie always had a joke up his sleeve to lighten the conversation, it was one of the reasons Mark loved him so much, Gaz, Howard and Jason could all be so intense. Which wasn’t a bad thing but talking to Robbie was always so light and enjoyable.

“Jesus Christ.” Mark said. “I suppose your right, what else would he want to talk about?”

Robbie drummed his fingers on the table. “Um... new album? New lyrics? Perhaps he’s invested in some new mugs.”

A laugh forced its way out of Mark’s lips. He’d never forget the day they had all received a very formal email from Gaz, ordering them all around to his house. They had all fretted about it on the journey there, thinking Gary was seriously ill… or leaving the band. However when they’d all crashed through the door, panic in their eyes it was to find that Gaz had spent the day painting their names on mugs and he wanted to know what they thought. After hitting him a few times over the head for making them all so worried, they had indeed admitted that the mugs were very well done.

“Lets hope so.” Mark said. “Sorry I have to cut our coffee date short.”

Robbie held up a hand. “No worries Markie, I’ve got things to do and people to see… apparently I’m some kind of star now.”

Pocketing his phone Mark made to leave. Robbie stopped him.

“Mark… he does care about you, you know.” Robbie said, sincerity shining in his eyes.

It was rare that Robbie would talk so seriously but when he did it was always at the right time. Mark patted his arm.

“Thanks man.”

“You never know.” Robbie called after him. “Perhaps he’s waiting for you wearing nothing but a mug right now!”

A few heads turned in surprise and Mark flipped him the finger. Robbie grinned. He loved it really. He held up his hand to the surprised customers.

“Sorry guys and gals.”

The heads turned back, a few people muttering under their breath. Kate was behind the counter laughing, Robbie winked at her again. He loved a girl with a sense of humour. Turning the card with her number over in his hands he decided he definitely would ring her. Perhaps even later this evening. Which reminded him, he needed to call Howard and Jason, perhaps they would like to go out that night if they weren’t too busy.

***

Mark was already half the way to Gaz’s when it started to snow; thousands of tiny flakes began to fall on his windscreen. Already trees were starting to whiten and the grass was coated in a soft blanket. Mark slowed down his car, the last thing he needed was to go flying off the road. Mark hit his i-Pod play button and turned up the stereo. The first chords of ‘The Scientist’ filled the car. Mark smiled, how fitting.

Come up to meet you…
Tell you I need you,
You don’t know how lovely you are…

Mark wasn’t soppy by nature, he left that to Gaz, but something about this song made a hollow ache set in the top of his stomach. He drove past sign after sign advertising Valentines Day. He knew exactly what he’d get Gaz if they were together; he’d seen them in Waitrose. Big heart shaped mugs filled with chocolate, well that would be his silly present… for his serious present Mark would get him some pedals, if he could find any Gaz didn’t already have.


Nobody said it was easy…
No one ever said it would be this hard…
Oh, take me back to the start…

The road was strangely quiet, perhaps due to the snow. Mark enjoyed some peace sometimes. Being famous was such a whirlwind; sometimes he barely had time to eat. Jason was always on his case about eating more, Mark smiled again, he was only little after all. Food didn’t appeal so much to him like it did to Gaz. Gaz remembered places he’d been simply because of the food. The village in Germany that did the best doughnuts, the bakery in Spain that made baguettes to die for, the Chinese in London that Gaz had once said he’d happily trade in his own leg for some of their duck pancakes.

Questions of science,
Do not speak as loud as my heart…

Cutting through the dulcet tones of Chris Martin, Mark’s phone began to ring, hitting the loud speaker he said –

“Hello?”

“Markie!” Chloe’s voice chirped in his ear.

“Chlo.” Mark said smiling despite himself. “Whats up?”

Chloe was a good friend of Jason’s and now of Howard, she was often at their house helping with routines or having a glass of wine with them.

“Jay and I were wondering if you wanted to come over, Howard’s gone to see his daughters for a while.”

“I’d love to, but I’m just off to see Gary.”

Chloe paused on the other end of the phone. “Oh yeah.” She said, innuendo lining her words. “Business or pleasure?”

Marks fingers tingled and he was shocked to find that he blushed. Bloody hell, what on earth was wrong with him?

“I have no idea, I can only dream it’s the latter.”

“Yeah you bloody do as well, have I ever mentioned you talk in your sleep? Or do you always compare Gary’s eyes to freshly cut grass whilst you’re awake?” Chloe loved to tease Mark about his infatuation, she found it quite adorable.

“Very funny.” Mark said. “Look I’ll drop by later okay?”

“Sounds good, you’ll have to tell us all about your date with the Sex God then.”

“I have never called him that.” Mark laughed.
“Yeah not whilst your awake.” Chloe said. “Over and out Markie boy, see you later.”

The phone clicked. Mark shook his head, if there was one thing Chloe was not, it was reserved. Chris Martin filled the car once again.

Nobody said it was easy,
Oh, it’s such a shame for us to part…

By the time Mark pulled into Gary’s driveway the house and its gardens had been turned into a winter wonderland, Mark squinted his eyes to park his car and wrapping his coat around him he swung his door open. Dashing as fast as the slippery snow would allow him he knocked upon the heavy wooden door at the front.

Gary opened the door with a huge lopsided grin on his face and Mark’s shoulders sagged with relief, it couldn’t be bad news if he was smiling so much. That means Mark had definitely not sent the email he had started last night.

“Markie.” Gary drawled in his low voice.

Mark took in his appearance, he was wearing a suit but he’d discarded the jacket. His tie hung loose around his throat and his shirt was untucked in some places around his waist. Bloody hell, thought Mark, did he do this to him on purpose?

“Come in.” Gary said, stepping aside. “You’re getting snowed on.”

Mark stepped onto Gary’s front door mat and made his way into the hall, shaking off his coat as he did. It struck him that he hadn’t actually said anything to Gary yet.

“So whats up?” Mark said settling down at Gary’s kitchen table, two steaming mugs of tea sat in front of him.

Gary sat down opposite him. “Oh nothing major, I’ve written some lyrics and I wanted to see what you thought, it’s just a chorus really but have a look.” Gary handed Mark a piece of paper, it was heavily scribbled on but Mark could still work out the words.

Show me the way,
Help me to say, all that I want to,
All that I needed you gave me,
All that I wanted you made me,
When I stumbled, you saved me…

Mark fingered the paper lightly. It was beautiful. No surprises there then.

“Its good Gaz, really good.” He nodded his head appreciatively.

“Thank you.” Mark was rewarded with a smile as Gary took the paper back off him. “Its not finished yet, I need to work on the verses.”

Mark took a gulp of tea.

“Perhaps we should go out with Jay and Howard tonight, see what they think.” Gary pondered, taking a mouthful of tea as well.

“Chloe mentioned us all getting together, I think Rob wanted to tag along as well.”

“Oh yeah?” Gary grinned. “His bed empty for tonight was it?”

“I doubt it, I saw him eyeing up an attractive waitress just as I joined him for coffee.”

Gary shook his head laughing. “He is relentless.” Robbie had always had a way with women, it had astounded Gary that every time he saw him a different woman hung off the crook of his elbow. Taking another sip of his tea Gary eyed Mark from above the brim of his cup. Mark’s eyes met his but he looked away hastily. Gary sighed inwardly; perhaps Mark didn’t know what the sight of him in his short-sleeved t-shirt, despite the weather, did to Gary. He can’t know or surely he wouldn’t wear them all the time. Gary took another hasty gulp of tea, his mouth suddenly dry.

“You’ve got some snow on you.” Gary said reaching forward and brushing it off Mark’s shoulder. Mark cleared his throat, his heart hammering.

“Um thank you… yeah the um… weather is a nightmare out there.” He said nervously.

Gary took back his hand, the tips of his fingers tingling.

“I dunno, I like the snow.” Gary said smiling.

Mark placed his empty cup on the table; Gary’s eyes were still smiling at him. Mark figured they wouldn’t have long before they would have to go and meet the others… perhaps he should just tell him. Just right now, tell Gary how he felt… perhaps he would feel the same… or perhaps he would break Mark’s heart, but anything had to be better than not knowing right? You only live once. You can spend all your time in love with someone and never tell them, but you’ll never know how they feel about you, even if they break you atleast then you can move on. Mark cleared his throat again… this was it. He took a deep breath, here goes…

“Gary…” He started.

Then the doorbell rang.