Slamming the door a little hastily, Hayley threw down her bag before stalking over to the sofa, where Louise sat placidly reading a magazine. Huffing to herself, she crossed her legs before resting her head in her hands.

"Ok, what’s up with you?" Louise asked, putting her magazine down on the table and getting in a more comfortable position.

"Oh I’m fine. Flippin’ fan-bloody-tastic." She grinned falsely.

"Oh so the door was threw off it’s hinges because…? What? You didn’t like it?" Louise asked sarcastically.

"Just because I slammed the door doesn’t mean I’m in a bad mood." Hayley muttered.

"Well something’s up cos you’re acting all weird like. Go back into fun, happy, chirpy Hayley mode, as much as I hate it." Louise grimaced, throwing her hands in meaningless directions to try and exaggerate the point.

"Have you ever met anyone and thought ‘ergh’?" Hayley questioned, her arms now resting a little more relaxed, the initial anger fading away.

"Let me think? Yeah all the time… like today for instance…" Louise pondered.

"Oh wow, lucky you cos I did as well. Aren’t are lives just full of those stick your nose in, never leave me and Ben alone moments!" Hayley ranted, her tousled hair once prefect, siting like unturned autumn leaves.

"What was that? What happened when you saw Ben?" Louise fired, wondering what exactly went on.

"Well it was going ok until I got past the lift. I’d been in the building about, what? Five minutes and then bam – sling me with Barbie." Hayley said, full of disgust. "I ask her for help right, politely of course, and then she gets all mouthy to me, saying I couldn’t see Ben. I was like I didn’t traipse down here in the rain to be turned away but luckily Ben appeared. Oh he was looking great…" Hayley dreamt.

"Yeah back to the story…" Louise instructed, not wanting to hear about oh Ben’s so gorgeous and do you know, Ben moments.

"Well I hugged Ben and the woman next to me is like ‘do you know her?’ And at that time I was pretty peeved you know. After all, he told her I was a friend! A friend! Can you believe it, but I thought, I wouldn’t make a scene so we went to his office. And Lou, he was like distant even, and when I thought I was uncovering something, Miss Barbie and her peroxide seem to pop in again with coffee. With sugar!" Hayley shouted, like it was the most ludicrous thing in the world.

"Hay, its just sugar!" Louise laughed, trying to calm Hayley down although the doubts she were having were running along the tracks that Ben was definitely hiding something. Maybe this was why he was being so distant?

"God, I just wish I didn’t even go." Hayley sighed.

Seeing her friend a little upset, made Louise a little concerned. Ben wasn’t her favourite person of the month but then again, neither was Paul with his little venture this afternoon, but she knew that with Hayley this wouldn’t slide.

"Maybe that woman just fancied Ben. I mean he is kinda good looking…"

"What d’ya mean kinda?" Hayley interrupted.

"Ok, good looking and she was most probably jealous that’s all cos you were with him and she wasn’t."

"Yeah I s’pose you’re right…" Hayley agreed.

"Aren’t I always?" Louise smirked.

"Ok, ok, big head. I get what you’re aiming at. Anyhow, enough about my cynical life. How was three mans company after I left?"

"Oh don’t ask!" Louise cried. "Paul has such a big mouth that I could slap him! He’s only arranged a date…"

"A date! Wow we’re moving fast. So when you and Christian going…"

"Not me and Christian!" Louise told. "All of us. To the cinema but no doubt Mr Marazzi has something up that very long sleeve of his."

"Oh this is great…" Hayley beamed. "I’ll have to come along of course, just to make sure everything goes according to plan…"

"Plan?" Louise asked miffed.

"Did I say plan?" Hayley smirked.

As a new day broke, the periling sun banishing the night’s vendettas, Paul walked down the road fearlessly as today’s plans were very much off the cuff just like any others. He decided to go for a stroll, some may say a little deranged at this time in the morning but for Paul, the abnormal often struck him at weird times.

Glancing around, usually the morning him never experiencing, he heard the birds sing and gradually began to wonder why he never was up early. The fast paced action of those that got motivated, including birds, were slowly driving him insane!

Finding his way into the town centre, taking a trip to see Ben was something that answered his desires. His desires of irritation. Grinning wickedly to himself, he strolled though the glass spinning doors, tempted to play but defeating them, as he’d only get thrown out. And that was no fun.

Walking past the receptionist, knowing who she was already by her red nail varnish and nail file, he walked to the lifts debating which floor to try. As the doors pinged open, he walked through, his eyes scanning the buttons. Choosing the floor he wanted, he waited patiently, humming a tune to himself before jumping out, yet not before running his fingers along all the buttons.

Laughing inwardly, a grin suppressing his face, he watched the doors closed before the lights to indicate which floor was next flash violently. God he pitied the poor fool in there next!

Looking along the rows of doors, he decided to pick one randomly and hope it was Ben’s. Pointing to a door, he began counting insignificantly before a door swung open, Ben handing a few papers to the person down the hall.

"Oh way to go and ruin my fun Adams!" Paul shouted before sauntering over.

"Paul. Hey what you doing here?" Ben asked, genuinely pleased to see him.

"Boredom really so I thought I’d come to a big business place and act intelligent," Paul laughed. "Beats the pizza place."

"What? Where you pick most of your female friends up from."

"Hey don’t diss the girlfriends. They are all purdy," he grinned, pushing past Ben and locating himself in the office.

"Oh come in…" Ben said before closing the door behind him.

Running to the swivel chair, Paul jumped on before twirling madly, his small legs dangling unrestrainedly.

"I should get a job in an office if it means I get one of these chairs," he chuckled, still spinning around.

"Well stop it will you," Ben instructed, stopping the motion Paul was feeling inside. "I’ve got work to do."

"God what’s up with you lately? It’s always work, work work. Never anytime for fun." Paul sulked. "I wonder what Hayley has to put up with?"

"Hayley doesn’t have to put up with anything," Ben told, leaning against the desk.

"Yeah I know that! She hardly spends anytime with you!" Paul exclaimed.

"So? What’s wrong with that?" Ben queried easily when deep down inside he knew it was troubling him.

"What’s wrong with that? You’ve been dating for nearly two years and then all of a sudden bam, you stop seeing her as often. In the last couple of months you’ve been out with her what? Six times? That’s pathetic…" Paul thought.

"It isn’t pathetic!" Ben protested.

"So what is it? Oh I’m busy… another time. I’m tired… God Ben you need to sort yourself out before you loose her all together." Paul reminded.

Shivering inside at the memories that were released, he knew he had to tell someone, someone to try and mend what he knew was going to happen. Maybe Paul was the best to tell?

"I’ve tried!" Ben cried. "But what happened is just there, sticking out and it won’t go away, not until she knows…"

"Knows what? You’re pregnant Ben!" Paul joked, laughing loudly, spinning lightly again before Ben stopped him.

Staring at him seriously, Paul’s eyes crossed trying to read his expression.

"Ok… something’s up. Like really up. Tell me…" Paul demanded.

"If I tell you, you cannot say a thing to Hayley. If you do, then no more chair." Ben threatened.

"Ok, ok, just tell."

"Well there's this woman here… Mandy to be precise…"

"You didn’t…"

"Let me finish cos its most probably not as twisted as you’re thinking." Ben notified.

"Go on…" Paul probed.

"Ok, I was working late, just tidying up and finishing paper work, blah, blah, blah and she was still here so she made me a coffee and stuff – just being friendly. Except she was little too friendly…" Ben worried.

"And what do you mean by that? What exactly happened?"

"Well she… kissed me and I kissed her back and then things got a little… heavy but I stopped! I swear I stopped!" Ben proclaimed his hands up in full defence.

"And… does… does Hayley know?" Paul asked.

"No. No she doesn’t know," Ben revealed ashamed. "And that’s why I’ve been staying away cos I know that everytime I look at her, it feels like my body’s repulsing the fact I could have done something that night… and god I wish I hadn’t! I don’t want to ruin what I’ve got with Hayley…"

"So staying away from her is a right move? Smart Adams…" Paul contemplated. "Look you gotta tell her cos otherwise you’re gonna keep staying away and that will ruin one hundred percent what you’ve still got."

"I can’t do that Paul!" Ben announced.

"You’re gonna have to…" Paul advised.