The others

Difference of opinion

"Come on pick up... pick up... pick up..." Dianne chanted with crossed fingers as she laid her head down on her pillow. The tireless Sunday morning of pro rehearsals she had endured earlier suddenly seeming to catch up with her now that she was home. And her need for a conversation with the man she loved became more of a necessity than ever.

"Come on Ant, bloody hell." She muttered to herself once again as the continuation of the high pitched ring burst from her phone. The monotony of the pulse, and the image of her own face on the face time call, seeming to become more irritating than ever as her boyfriend failed to pick up his phone.

Until eventually, the bliss of an alternate tone, and the glorious image of a young, rugged man wearing a black cap hung relatively low over his bright blue eyes, took residence upon her screen - allowing the red head to let go of the breath she was unaware she was holding.

"Hey Baby." He spoke cheerfully. His thick Mancunian accent seeming like music to the Australians ears.

"Hiya!" She responded, her own voice a few octaves higher than it was before, as if she needed to shout loud enough so he could hear her in Manchester. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good thanks. How are you?" He returned, as Dianne watched him settle down on the large sofa he had in his apartment. The memory of it's comfort and the films she had watched with him whilst settled on it spreading into her mind.

"Good. I'm alright thank you... Tired, but what else is new?"

"Is it that bloody mattress of yours again?" Ant questioned, his eyes wide in concern. "I keep telling you too change it Di. If it's because of money, I'm more than happy to pay for a new one. I just don't want - "

"Ant, baby, it's fine." Dianne responded somewhat sharply, in the hopes of cutting him off before yet another one of his lectures. "And anyway, there's not a single issue with my mattress apart from the fact that YOU don't find it comfortable. I think it's perfect."

"Hmm... if you say so." He shrugged nonchalantly. His quirked eyebrow and soured features suggesting he felt otherwise. "I just don't want you to lose any sleep okay. You're already swept off your feet enough as it is, and a bad night sleep is not going to help you Di."

Laughing softly, Dianne couldn't help the fuzzy feeling in her stomach at the kindness he was showing her. "Bloody hell Ant, you sound like my mum." She joked, hoping not to give away the blush creeping up onto her cheeks.

"Alright, alright. Leave it out." He responded, thankfully seeing the funnier side to his unwavering concerns for the red head. "I just feel bad y'know."

"Why? It's not your fault. Not that there's anything to be concerned about anyway."

"No I know that, it's just. You're alone down in London, and I... I hate the fact that I can't see you anymore and-.. God I don't know baby, I just feel guilty is all."

Dianne smiled contently. Her heart simultaneously breaking and seeming to be fixed as she savoured the solemn look in his doe eyes. The ever seeming continuation of his concern for the red head being nothing but a testament to how lovely this man truly was. His heart was never in the wrong. He treated her with nothing but the utmost respect. And ever since they had broken up in late May, before getting back together early July, the young man who Dianne was introduced to at the Strictly wrap up party all those months ago, was suddenly far more mature than she had ever given him credit for. All of which, where just a few of his qualities which made the strawberry blonde seem all the more attractive.

"Ant, you don't need to feel this way sweety." The red head began, her voice soft as she looked lovingly through the fogginess of her phone screen. "You know and I know that we would both be happier if we could be together, but it just isn't possible. But that's okay, because I love you and we're going to get through it together. And that starts with you knowing that I am okay, and that you don't need to keep checking up on me."