Since I Saw Him Last: A Gary Barlow Fanfic

Chapter Fifteen

I didn't know when I'd see Gary next. All I knew was that I couldn't wait to see him again, I could tell my feelings for him were transforming into something more real and reciprocated. My admiration for him as a fan was making way for admiration for him as a girlfriend. Gary Barlow's girlfriend, imagine that! It doesn't sound so farfetched anymore. We hadn't had the awkward exclusive talk yet but Gary didn't have to say much, I could tell through his actions how he felt about me and through our interactions I could tell we had the potential to be a real couple. The talk we had on Saturday morning was evidence of this, I felt like I could be myself around him just like he could be with me and above all, we were honest with each other.

It was Thursday lunchtime; I was sitting at my desk at work bored to tears. I started daydreaming about the charity event and how sophisticated the whole night was. I now had the taste for the high life and didn't want to be a part of my regular little life anymore. Maybe I could give up work and become Gary's sex slave? I chuckled to myself as my manager walked passed and gave me a dismissive look. Sod you, you miserable bastard! My phone started vibrating, Charlotte was calling me, I left the office to talk to her but I didn't answer in time. I tried texting her after Friday night to find out what happened with Mark after she left Gary's place but she was being shady. It would be a losing battle trying to draw information from her on the phone so decided that she could have her privacy for now. I dialled Charlotte's number, "Hey hun, why'd you miss the call?" "You know what my manager is like, I couldn't answer in the office and you'd hung up." I retorted. "Calm down. Calm down. Everything okay?" she asked warmly. "Yeah, everything's good. I'm just frustrated at work; I can't be working a 9-5 and then swanning about with celebrities by night. It's just not right." "I hear you Tash." "How are you Charlie, what's up?" I asked her, I suspected she wanted something. "Yeah, I'm good. Listen, I just got a call from Sophia saying that she and the rest of the girls want to meet up with us. Is The Butterfly Bar at 5.30pm okay with you?" "Uh, yeah sure. I have nothing on this evening. It's a bit last minute though, are the girls okay?" "I don't know Tash, maybe they've just missed hanging out with us?" There was something a bit odd about the way this meeting was being set up. I could tell Charlotte was just as much in the dark as me. "Okay Charlie, only three more hours to go till I leave this hell hole. See you in a bit my lovely." "Laters Tash."

The Butterfly Bar was about a 10 minute walk from my office. I was an ex smoker but felt like I needed a cigarette, my instincts were telling me that a storm was brewing; a cigarette would help calm my nerves a little. There was a grungy looking chap smoking at the bus stop a little way from the office. If my former self could see me now trying to pinch a cigarette from someone... "Sorry, could I have a smoke? I'll pay you for it." The guy didn't say a word; he shook his shaggy hair and opened his cigarette packet for me to take one. "Thanks" I said with surprise. He nodded at me and waved for the bus that was approaching. "Sorry, you have a light?" he looked at me with contempt as he lit my cigarette and then walked past me towards the bus. Such friendly folk...

I finished the cigarette standing outside of The Butterfly Bar. I looked at the time on my phone, 5.30pm. I walked in and saw the girls, they'd already ordered a few bottles of wine and had a glass waiting for me. Charlotte stood up to hug me, Sophia waved at me and I walked over to hug her. Zoe looked a bit sheepish and smiled half-heartedly at me. Victoria couldn't even look up at me, had I done something wrong? I sat down on the edge of the booth next to Charlotte, "How's everyone?" I smiled. No one said anything. "Guys, can you tell us what's up? Why's everyone acting so weird?" I could always rely on Charlotte to get to the point. Victoria pulled out a magazine from her bag and dropped it on the table. I looked at Victoria with a confused face as she stared back at me. I picked up the magazine and looked at the front cover, Charlotte peered over my shoulder. Charlotte and I searched the front cover and saw a headline that read "Take That At Charity Bash." Oh God. "Go on, go to the page." Victoria insisted. Page 11. I flicked through the magazine to page 11 and there on a double spread were photos of the boys from Friday night. I searched the article for more clues, on the bottom right hand of the second page was a picture of Gary and I getting close on the dance floor with a caption that read "Mystery brunette?", Charlotte and Mark were a blurry mess in the background yet recognisable. I looked up at Sophia looking into her lap, Zoe looked a little upset and Victoria looked angry. "Girls, I'm sorry." I said sincerely. "Save it, Tasha. I can't believe you wouldn't tell us about this. We've known each other since secondary school. Did you think it would be your little secret? You wouldn't think we'd find out that you're dating a member of Take That? Honestly, we're mugs!" Victoria wasn't taking it lightly. "Are we not that important to you?" Zoe said as she sided with Victoria. "I'm so sorry you had to find out this way. It's only been two weeks and I didn't want the whole world to know about it just yet." "You know we wouldn't blab." Sophia said. I nodded, "I know, I know. I just didn't want to get my hopes up and tell you guys if it amounted to nothing. I didn't think it was worth telling you until things got more serious. I know how it looks from this article. It looks like we've not cared about excluding you and I didn't intend to piss you off. I'm not trying to defend myself here but it's not exactly a normal situation. It's not everyday you start dating your idol and I just didn't know how to handle it. I only told Charlotte last week, believe me I was going to tell you sooner rather than later." Zoe and Sophia looked like they were trying to empathise with me. Victoria was still angry and shot a look at Charlotte, "Charlie, you're not in the clear either." "I know Vicky, but it wasn't my news to tell. It was Tasha's. She would've told you sooner, she was just unsure of what to make of it at first. Please don't be like this, be happy for her. She deserves to be happy." Victoria gulped her wine and stared ahead without looking at any of us. "Zoe, Sophia, what do you think?" Charlie asked. Sophia nodded, "I was a bit upset to be left out but I do see where you're both coming from." Zoe nodded in agreement, "I was really annoyed and upset that you didn't tell us. But I've never been in that situation so I wouldn't know how I would act if I were in your shoes." Sophia chipped in, "And I guess you're both best friends so you would share that with each other before telling the rest of us, it's only natural." I smiled warmly at Sophia and Zoe; they had hearts of gold. Victoria, on the other hand was feisty like Charlotte and I knew that behind that anger, she was just really upset with me. "Vicky, I know you hate us right now, well me mostly, but I hope you can see past this and be happy for me. I did want to tell you and I would have. This is the worst possible way to hear it. Listen; let's have a karaoke night on Saturday at my place. You girls can come round in the afternoon; we'll cook some food, get the drinks going and sing until the early hours. How about it?" Victoria shrugged and the other girls nodded. Thankfully, Charlotte wanted to wrap this up quickly, "Well, that's settled then. No more talking about this here. You can ask Tash for the juicy details on Saturday. It's not a conversation to have in public..."