Chapter 21

Gary's POV

"Mr Baaaarlow..." A loud thumping sounds on the front door of my apartment. Choosing to ignore it, i roll over onto my left hand side, wrapping my arms around the figure beside me. "Come on Gaz... it's 11am. You don't want to sleep the day away do you? We need to meet Howard and Jay."
"You better get that..." A voice whispers into my ear, as a faint smile presses against my cheek. Inhaling a deep breath, i bury my face into the crook of his neck, breathing in the familiar scent, which helps me to instantly relax.
"Ughhh...Mark just go away." Releasing a throaty groan, my eyes remain closed. I don't think i've slept for so long in my entire career.
"You do know the door's open..." Mark laughs. As much as i love Mark, he sure can get annoying at times. Immediately i sit bolt up right. Robbie jumps from the bed, dragging the duvet around his naked waist.
"Go... i'll stay in here until he's gone, ok?"
Shaking my head, feeling slightly annoyed, quietly i exhale a deep sigh. I wish we didn't have to sneak around like we're some sort of teenagers and i wish we didn't have to hide our relationship from our closest friends and family. Not saying a word to Robbie, i nod my head in response to his suggestion. Slipping on my creased briefs, closing the bedroom door behind me i make my way to the front door. Tugging down the handle, the door swings open. Now standing opposite me is a very smiley Mark Owen, who's dressed in a white vest top and matching knee length shorts.

"You're alive!" Playfully he jokes, whilst lifting his sunglasses from his eyes.
"What do you want?" I snap. "What's so important that you felt the need to bash on my door and shouting out my name over and over again?!" Mark looks at me shocked over my reaction, as his feet take a couple steps backwards from the door frame.
"S...s...sorry Gaz... i was only messing around... is everything ok?" Looking at my concerned friend's face, it instantly makes me feel guilty.
Quickly i think of an excuse. "Just... Just the lack of sleep, mate... sorry for snapping at you Marko." I shouldn't let the slightest things get to me, otherwise i'll just end up blowing mine and Robbie's cover...and i don't think we're ready yet to let that happen...for now we just want to enjoy a secret relationship with one another without being judged.
A smile reappears onto Mark's face by my change of attitude and without hesitation he invites his self into my apartment. "Don't worry, Gaz. I'm use to your grumpy moods."
"Cheeky git! What do you mean by that?" Pretending to feel offended, my hand rests against my hip whilst Mark makes himself comfortable on the sofa's arm.
"Aaah...no reason Gaz... nice place is this, isn't it? Much bigger than mine and Rob's."
"Yours and Rob's...what?" For a split second my mind goes blank by the words 'mine and Rob's.'
"Erh...room? We're sharing an apartment, remember?"

"O...oh yeah...of course...sorry, head's all over the place it seems this morning." My fingers brush away the band of sweat from my eyebrows.
"Yeah, i know...i heard." Suddenly Mark's face turns into a blank expression, which causes my heart rate to increase.
"W...What?"
Rising his eyebrows, i feel him study my nervous looking face as i try my best to avoid his widened eyes. "Walls have ears, Gaz... i'm not surprised you're tired...and erh... you can't even dress yourself..." Shyly he smiles, pointing a finger into the direction of my crotch. Swallowing hard, my eyes trace down my own body until i come to what Mark's talking about. The tip of my length is hanging out the side of my briefs, quickly i reposition my briefs as i feel my cheeks begins to burn from embarrassment.
"Shit... erh...well... that was...erm...embarrassing...sorry...i guess i've put you off your breakfast now, eh?" Opening the apartment doors, the fresh cool air calms my nerves.
"Its fine, i've seen worse things...no offence." Mark walks outside to stand beside me. For some reason he's acting strange... almost like he's trying to work out a way to get answers from me. "So... who was it?"
"I...I don't know what you're talking about, Mark." My eyes continue to stare at the view ahead of me.
"Come off it, Gaz. You picked some bird up last night and don't say you didn't, because i heard you and i'm pretty sure most of the neighbors did too." Using his elbow, he jabs me in the ribs as a cheeky looking smile spreads across my face.
"You're getting rather nosy in your old age, Owen." Breathing a quiet sigh of relief from the 'picking up some bird' comment, i notice that the curtains are open in the bedroom, swiftly my eyes break contact from the widow which is literally behind Mark's shoulder. If he turns around there's a possibly he could spot a half naked Robbie in my bedroom.

"Where did she go? Jump over the wall, like the old times?"
"Something like that..."
"Well...just be careful, Gaz. You never know how things could turn out... you used protection didn't you? God knows what these women get up to on these holidays."
Rising my eyebrows at the smaller male, i frown my lips. "Jeez, you're as bad as me mother. Now off with ya. I need to get dressed."
"Ok ok... just looking out for you." Gently he pats me on the bare shoulder, before turning on his heels, making his way back towards the front door. "Oh...and before i go...have you seen Rob?" It feels as if my heart's stopped again, just by the use of his name...and not in a good way.
"R...R..Rob?"
"Yeah, tall fella, dark hair, tattoos, usually effing and blinding it, you know." He laugh a little louder, whilst opening the front door. Forcing out a smile, i allow the front door to rest against my back.
"No...no mate...i haven't since yesterday...?"
"Hmm...strange... one minute he was in bed and then by the time you woke me up in the early hours he had gone...thought i'd find him round here whilst you were...you know." He winks, teasing me slightly.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I'm joking mate. You know what Rob's sex drive is like and especially now there's half naked woman all over this island. I'm just thinking how long i have sharing a bed with him until i'm surrounded by women. Anyway, i best be off...the lads will be waiting. Drop us a text once you're dressed and we can organise where we're going out for dinner."

Still feeling slightly dazed by our conversation, it's like i'm stood catching flies. "Y...Yeah...sure...see you later mate..." We exchange a friendly hug, before Mark leaves my apartment. As soon as Mark is out of sight, i slam my apartment door shut, locking it immediately. "Oh gosh..." I mutter against the palms of my hands.
"Gaz...?" Within a few seconds of the front door closing, a voice whispers from the bedroom. I don't like lying to Mark and if things are going to go like that everytime me and Robbie spend a night together i don't think i'd be able to cover it up as well as i did...i mean... that was a pretty poor cover up. "Gary? Are you ok?" Refusing to open my eyes, the back of my head rests against the front door, whilst i continue to breathe steadily. "It seems like he didn't suspect anything..." A hand coils around my bare waist, as his palm presses against my stomach.
"Yeah...this time..."
"And the future times too...come on Gaz...you did great..." His fingertips stroke against my stomach trying to relax me.
"He's not dumb, Rob. I...I don't like lying to him...or anyone..."
Robbie caresses my cheek with his thumb. "I know you don't...neither do i...but it wont be for long, will it? We just need to enjoy our own time together whilst we can, before all this unfolds and people start to interfere. We need to enjoy as much of this as we possibly can." Taking a deep breath, my head rests against Robbie's collarbone.
"But it can get scary being put on the spot like that... the lads are going to be so pissed off when they find out we've been sneaking around. We shouldn't have to hide it."
"On the other hand...this is our future, not theirs. All we are to them are friends and band mates. We need to think about ourselves in this relationship, in order for it to survive...if you still want to be together that is...?"

"Of course!" Lifting my head, my eyes light up. "Of course i do... i just-" Robbie places a finger against my lips, preventing anymore words to leave them. Very softly, he places his lips over mine, automatically closing my eyes i wrap an arm around his back, as we embrace one another. Trailing his fingers through my neck hair, silently a moan vibrates against Robbie's parted lips.
"I've got a surprise for you tonight..." The warmth of his breath hits against my ear, causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on ends.
"Y...You do?" Feeling partly surprised, yet excited, i glance out the corner of my eye at him.
"Mhmm...uh... but you can't have it until tonight." Stroking the palms of his hands down my biceps until they reach my hands, he places a kiss onto the top of each one of them. "You're gonna have to meet me on the beach...alone." For some reason, his words start to get quieter, turning into a whisper. Gently moving me aside from the front door, Robbie reopens it, stepping a foot out ready to leave.
"O...Oh?" Looking confused as he starts to make his way out of the apartment, i begin to follow him.
"I'll text you... now... go and get dressed...and enjoy your meal with the lads...see you later." A kiss says the goodbye, as Robbie leaves without saying another word, leaving me stunned and confused on my doorstep. What is he up to?