Chapter 19

Gary's POV

The room's that silent i can almost hear the rapid pounding of Robbie's heart. "Rob? I know you're in there. Who have you brought back this time? I swear it better not be all over my clean sheets!" Both of our eyes glance down towards the duvet which barely covers our naked bodies. Gulping loudly, Robbie carefully removes his hand from my mouth.
"E...Erm... i... i've just woken up mate..."
"I bet you have! Now open this sodding down. I've got a show in a couple of hours."
Robbie's eyes widen whilst we remain in the same position. "I...I didn't expect you back so soon... i came to bed for a quick lie down... my gut's been playing up... i don't want to give you my bug."
"Robbie, i don't care!" Jonny snaps from behind the door. "Just let me in or i'll be knocking it down!" Taking a deep breath, Robbie mouths the words "Sorry." To me before slipping out of bed.
"Ok ok... let me just get dressed first?"
"Right. I'll be in the kitchen, i'm jet lagged and i can really do with a coffee. Don't be long." As soon as the shadow from behind the door disappears, Robbie begins to get dressed again. He's doesn't speak, but i can sense the anger and disappointment.
"Rob...?" Quietly i speak, with the duvet wrapped around my naked waist. "...Are you ok?"
"Just get dressed Gary. We need to get out of here."
"Y...Yeah...sorry..." I feel a strange emotion in the pit of my stomach over Robbie's new attitude, but i guess it's understandable.
"Where the fuck are they?! Jesus. Can anything else possibly go wrong?" Robbie stands cupping his face partly dressed, only wearing his t shirt and boxers.

Crawling off the bed, i carefully coil an arm around his waist. "Hey... it's ok... honest, everything is going to be ok... he doesn't know that we're in here together, does he? Where are your trousers?"
"I don't know. Fuck sake why can't everything just be normal? Why do we have to sneak around thinking about people's reactions?!"
Sighing softly, i release my arm replacing it with a gentle stroke on his back with the palm of my hand. "Listen... how about once we're dressed, i'll sneak off back to mine... then say in about an hour or so you come round and we can have a talk?"
"A talk?" Robbie's eyes lighten up as panic strikes them.
"Yeah... we need to, right? Now hurry up, don't want you getting a chill." Faintly i smile, whilst neatening my hair up in the bedroom mirror.

Once we're both dress and reasonably presentable, we quietly sneak downstairs. Robbie's in front, who keeps a look out for Jonny. Peering his head around the banister, he stares at the partly closed kitchen door where a few noises sound from. "Come on..." Quietly he whispers, waving his hand into my direction. "I wont be long, i promise."
"Don't worry, just drop me a text? Do you want anything to eat later?"
Pressing his lips against my ear, i feel his warm breath which sends a shiver down my spine and the hairs to stand up on the back of my neck. "Think you know the answer to that..." Trying not to laugh, i quickly give his cheek a peck, before winking to him as i leave through the front door. "Bye."
"Laters..."

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Fiddling around with a few tabs open on my laptop, i come to a decision. It has to be done, for the both of us... we need to talk. A taxi pulls up outside of my house, and within a few seconds there's a knock on the door. "It's open." I call, allowing my voice to echo along the hallway. Sitting comfortably on the sofa, i keep the tabs open, closing the laptop slightly.
"Brrr... it's bloody freezing out there, Gaz." Robbie wipes his shoes onto the doormat. "I nipped to the chippy to save you cooking, if you don't mind?" A rustling sound enters the room, and the strong smell of greasy chips fills my nostrils.
"No thanks... i've had enough of fatty food the past couple of days." Lowering my voice, i feel Robbie's presence behind me.
"Erm... are you... ok?" He asks with worry running through his voice.
"We need to talk Rob." I reply bluntly, whilst sitting up straight on the sofa. "Please sit down." For a few seconds he just stands there, with the white plastic bag resting on his fingers. "Robbie?"
"Er...Yeah... sorry..." Walking over to the sofa, he sits beside me plonking the bag onto the coffee table next to the partly closed laptop. "...I guess i should of expected this..." Sadness fills his face, as he gently pinches the bridge of his nose.
"Oh... really?" Looking surprised, i guess i'm getting too predictable in my old age.
"Come on, Gaz. It's obvious what's going on in that head of yours. One minute you're saying you need time, the next you're saying you love me, and now... now you're breaking up with me. I know i'm not the brightest tool in the box, but Jesus Christ i am bloody blind!"

 "Ugh... what?"
"Oh don't go all sympathetic on me, i've had enough of that in my life time, i didn't expect Jonny back today, so yes i'm sorry. I wasn't annoyed with you i was just disappointed it came to a sudden stop... and now the same has happened completely to the relationship, you know what Gary i-" Cupping the back of his head, i force our lips together almost causing them to stick like glue, as i passionately kiss him, muting his words. The kiss lasts a minute or two before we both slowly pull away, my hand rests against Robbie's chest, as i notice the sparkle reappear in his emerald eyes. "...Well that shut me up." He blushes shyly.
"...Now are you going to let me explain?" Gently i brush his burning cheek with the back of my hand, showing him a friendly smile.
"S...Sorry... please go on..."
Moving my hand more south, i rest it onto his knee cap. "I prefer to show you..." Sliding forwards i lift up the laptop screen. "Here."
Robbie squints his eyes at the writing a photos. "I...I don't get it..?"
Playfully rolling my eyes, i rest the laptop onto my knees. "I'm going to book it..." I point to an apartment which contains 3 different floors beside a pool, in Mauritius. "We need a break... before the album release and so on, right?"
"B...But... the two of us? Wont that be a bit... obvious?"
"Well... that's where i've been thinking... i've texted the lads a couple of days ago about it, and... they agreed to come... it will be sort of like a band holiday... just the five of us... if you get me?" Biting my lip, feeling slightly nervous over my idea, i can sense Robbie's disappointment fill the room.
"Oh...i see... well it's better than nothing... and at least we can relax." He brushes off a smile, a slightly forced smile.
"Y...You're not happy... are you?"

Robbie shakes his head, placing both hands over mine. "It's not that, Gaz. Honest. I can't wait, it looks beautiful and the fact you and my best friends are going to be there makes it even more perfect, it's just... we're not going to spend much time together... are we? That's the only problem... i want to walk on the beach with you holding hands, wearing nothing but our shorts without a care in the world, i want to go out on dates to posh exotic restaurants with you, i want to share a bed and make love to you..."
For a brief moment i stare at the booking information which i'm about to confirm. We're planning to leave in just two days time, it's sudden so it's harder for the press and fans to locate us.
"Wait..." Turning back to the laptop, i scroll down the booking information. Clicking a few buttons here and there i change the details. "...Done."
"Done?"
"Looks like we're going to end up doing those things after all... seeing as we don't have a choice in sharing a room together..."
"Erh?" Robbie scratches his head, feeling confused trying to keep up with it all.
"I've booked four rooms... instead of five... which means we don't have a choice... our first proper holiday together... it will be like it's just the two of us..."
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"Jason, this way mate." Mark calls before walking into the reception.
"Urgh my effing neck. Who's idea was it to invent a place which is eleven sodding hours away?" Howard complains, releasing a painful groan. Me and Robbie walk close behind one another, but not too close. "I need my bed."
"I think we all need our beds, Dougie." Gently i pat him on the shoulder, feeling his tensed muscles. That was one of the most stressful flights i've ever been on... well the parts i remember, seeing as i pretty much slept through the entire eleven hours.
"You only saw the take off, Barlow! Next time we should travel by private jet, that way we avoid the screaming babies. Although what Rob was doing to you whilst you were sleeping kept us entertained, you gotta love drawing the short straw." Howard winks over towards Robbie, who cheekily grins into our direction.
"Erh... what did he do?"

"Evening Gentleman." A blonde haired, slim female, smiles at each of us in a friendly way, interrupting our conversations.
"Erh... hiya. We booked 5 apartments, beside the pool." Mark explains.
"Certainly. I just need the surname of the person who booked it, and i can give you your key cards whilst we take your bags to your rooms." Stepping forward in front of Mark, i rest my hands onto the wooden desk. Mine and Robbie's plan can't fail now.
"Barlow. B-A-R-L-O-W." She types the letters immediately into the the computer, where an error pops up.
"Hmmm..." She tries typing in the name again, but the message pops back up. "For some reason it's telling me that you've only booked four apartments. Are you sure you didn't just type four in?"
"I think he knows how to count." Howard laughs over to us. "But then again... this is Gary..."
"Oi. Soft lad. I'm sure i typed four." Putting on an act i try and make it believable, at least my previous acting career is starting to pay off. "...But if i didn't it's understandable, i mean... we've been a four piece for the past four years... well there's no problem really... it just means one of us are going to have to bunk up together."
"Yeah... well not me." Jason winks, sliding a key card from the reception desk. "Good luck with that, lads. I'm off for a kip." The remaining four of us, look at one another.
"Sorry, boys. But i'm agreeing with Jay on this. I need my rest, and with this neck pain it wouldn't do me any good being crammed on the edge, especially not with one of you three. Little Markie is like a koala clinging onto you, and you two can be heard snoring in China. See you tommoz." Repeating Jason's actions, Howard also disappears in search of his apartment.

"And then there were three." Robbie looks from me to Mark, before his eyes set back onto mine.
"So... what shall we do? Who's going to share?" I ask, already knowing the answer to my question in the back of my mind.
Robbie bites his lip, drumming his fingers onto the desk. "I know... how about me and-"
"I'll share with Rob." Mark interrupts Robbie's sentence. My eyes widen, looking surprised at the pair of them. "We haven't really spent much time together lately, so i guess it'll be nice to catch up. Besides we use to share a room or bed back the first time around, so it's not really anything new to us, right? And that way Gary can get a good night's sleep in his own bed. I know how much you dislike sharing with one of us." Mark nudges me slightly, whilst shining his boyish grin at me.
"B...But... i don't mind... sharing with Rob... it will be a change...? We haven't...er...shared a room before... and this way you can enjoy your own freedom, Markie."
"Honest Gaz, i'd rather enjoy having my old best mate back, reliving a few old memories. Oh we can even talk about the old times before bed, just how we use to." A look of excitement washes over Mark. Watching Mark's face causes my heart to sink, as i loose all hope of spending this holiday with Robbie.