He Called Me Angel. Disaster Engagement Series Book 1 Free

Episode 11

"do you mean that Lydia?" Of course I loved him how, how could he even question it “you know I love you Fran, you’re like a brother to me" his smile faded. "I think I'm just tired from the tour, I think your right, we just need a break” he sat forward and grabbed his drink from the coffee table and drained the glass. He put the glass back down but he still looked upset, how could I have been so stupid, he's clearly upset about Stacey, he left the party and came up to my flat to see her and then she ran to the party to see the Big Man. I know she didn’t realize she was hurting him but I still wanted to slap her. "I better go home" he said but I grabbed his arm “don't go Fran, stay here tonight, we can make plans in the morning for our trip away, I will make you your favorite breakfast in bed and then I will take you down to that music shop and buy you that guitar you have been looking at, how does that sound?" He struggled to give me a smile, "Gorgeous you’re the best do you know that? You've got your own s**t going on and your determined to cheer me up" "you’re my best friend Fran I want you to be happy" he lay back on the sofa and I lay next to him and cuddled his side. He just stroked my arm and stared at the ceiling. "Fran can I ask you something, are you upset about Stacey is that whats wrong?" he stoped stroking my arm for a second and had a confused look on his face. "Who the f**k is Stacey?" He asked with a little laugh. I sat up next to him "Stacey my friend, Stacey the one you and the Big Man both had feelings for, you said you were going to kill him because of her" "oh that Stacey, oh don't worry about that, that's all forgotten about, do you still see her?" I let out the biggest laugh "she was here literally two minutes ago, she came in and spoke to us, she said she was going downstairs. Does any of this ring a bell" "oh god was that Stacey," I thought he said he was in love with her, I thought he was willing to break up the band because of his rivalry with the Big Man and now he doesn't even remember her, it didn’t make sense. "Have you bumped your head Fran? Because that girl was the love of your life a couple of months ago and now you don't know her name" he just smiled "don't worry about it Gorgeous, I think the drink and drugs are messing with my head a bit" "I think they have totally scrambled your brain Franco" he let out a laugh. He was quiet after that. I kept rubbing his chest until his breathing slowed down and after about 20 minutes he was asleep, poor Fran. I thought about how lost he seemed and an idea came into my head. He needed someone to look after him and keep his mind off work and partying. I thought that he might need someone special in his life. Maybe I should set him up with someone? If he had a girlfriend she could make him happy and look after him, and her and I could be best friends and go shopping and we could share clothes, she could come on tour with us and I would have a girl there to hang out with. We could have our own girls nights when the boys went to the strippers, we could go to the male strippers, this all sounds amazing. Ok so maybe getting Fran a girlfriend was more for my own benefit but I was sure he would like it too. He started to stir a little, I sat up and looked at his face, he was so handsome and I was sure any girl would have killed to be with him. I started to really think what it would be like if he had a girlfriend, We couldn't go out as much, he would be too busy. What if she hated me and the boys, it would mean we could never see each other. Who does this b***h think she is? Calm down Lydia she's not even real. But what if he called her Gorgeous, what if he held her hand walking past paps rather than mine. I don't think I could take it. The thought of him replacing me was overwhelming, I would be heartbroken if I wasn’t the center of his world. Was that how Fran felt about Stefan? Come to think of it he had been acting strange since I started seeing him, maybe that was what was wrong with him. Fran and I had always been so close and when I started seeing Stefan he must have felt like someone had taken his place. I would be upset if he replaced me, not in a romantic way just that we were always like a married couple and he must have felt abandoned by me. Now that I think about it I actually hate Stefan he had really got Chris in a bad way, he's slapped me and now he's upset Fran. I hate him! I decided it was about time I got rid of him once and for all, maybe I could get a hit man or just do it myself and save myself a few quid. Yeah I could run him a bath then throw the toaster in beside him, electrocute the little shit....or I could just dump him. Yeah that's probably the best option. I started to laugh at how stupid I was being and Fran opened his eyes and blinked "you ok gorgeous?" I was holding his face in my hands he must have thought I was losing the plot. "You know I was just thinking I actually hate that prick Stefan" he started to smile "what made you think of that?" "Nothing, I was just thinking about all the other people in my life that I love, like you, and you make my life happier and better. And how I couldn’t live without you but I couldn’t care less if I ever seen him again. I can't wait to split up with him" he looked so relieved "good, let's go to bed, this sofa is too small for me and your big ass" I slapped his arm and he stood up and carried me through to my bedroom. He gently put me down on the floor on my side of the bed. We stood at either side of the bed I was taking off my rings and bracelet and putting it on my bedside table and he took off his watch and cuff links and put them at his side. l walked through to the walk in closet and slipped off my dress and put on a nightdress by the time I came back through Fran was already stripped off and in bed. "It's bloody freezing in here" I said as I ran towards the bed he lifted the blanket for me and said "jump in gorgeous, you can be the little spoon" he was like a hot water bottle, I was trying to get every bit of heat from him and he laughed "stop wriggling gorgeous, go to sleep." "Night night Fran" "sweet dreams gorgeous" it was quiet for a minute or two. "Fran" "yes" "can you promise me that when you get a girlfriend that you will make sure she wears the same size shoes as me" he chuckled "why?" "so we can be best friends and share all her shoes" "ok, but I'm not looking for a girlfriend, I would love to know how your mind works" "believe me, you wouldn't Fran, it would scare you." He gently stroked my hair and said “Anyway i wouldn't want you throwing my girlfriends shoes into the neighbours garden" my stomach flipped not just because I was still embarrassed about throwing my shoes into his neighbours garden, especially because Stacey said she met this guy Tommy and she said that he was drop dead gorgeous but it was because Fran said girlfriend! I felt jealous! Why? He shags groupies all the time, although I never seen him even kiss a girl before, but this would be different, a girlfriend. Fran broke my thoughts "gorgeous are you ok? you keep kicking me" "sorry honey I can't stop thinking" "oh right are you thinking about that arsehole Mick?" " no im not thinking about him, I'm thinking about you having a girlfriend and me hating her the way you hate Stefan it would be terrible, I'm sorry about everything that has happened honey" he kissed my cheek "don't be sorry, just promise me the next guy you start seeing you tell me right away so I can make sure he's not a nutcase," "I'm never seeing another guy ever again" "good I don't want you getting another boyfriend I don't think I could take it" "guys are all d**k heads, I might become a lesbian" he let out a sigh "Gorgeous I would give my right arm to see that, that would be amazing" he said with sexy groan" oh that would be amazing Fran then I could share shoes with her, that's a much better plan" I turned to face him “let's make a deal I won't get another boyfriend and just become a lesbian and you don't get a girlfriend in case I hate her" Fran thought for a moment "ok you have a deal gorgeous, I don't want a girlfriend and I really don't want you to get a new boyfriend, now go to sleep. And just in case it doesn't work out with your girlfriend me and you can just grow old together" I was so relieved “ok you have deal ”I said with a yawn. I laid back and closed my eyes, why were we in bed practically naked in each other's arms agreeing to never see other people and just be with each other? That was a can of worms I didn't want to open.

Chapter 17

The next morning I woke up and Fran was already in the bathroom having a shower, I stretched and got up to make some coffee and breakfast. I made him his favourite French toast and crispy bacon and he came through in just a towel, "morning Gorgeous” he said as he kissed the top of my head. "Morning Fran, how are you feeling today? I was thinking maybe we should go to Thailand for our holiday no one really knows us there." He thought about it for a second "Yeah sounds good," “I will organise everything you just need to get your passport and pack your shorts" "amazing Lydia, thanks so much for cheering me up, I feel better already," he came up behind me and put his arms around me and kissed my neck, "your the best" just then the Big Man walked in, "I thought I could smell bacon" he boomed but he looked surprised when he seen Fran. “What are you doing here?” the Big Man snapped, he looked pissed off. "Fran stayed over last night, I'm just making him breakfast, I can make you some too." "No thanks Gorgeous, I thought you left the party to go home last night mate" he looked so pissed off, Fran just sat down and started eating his breakfast and didn't say a word "are you annoyed Big Man?" I asked " a bit Gorgeous, I thought the four of us were going to have a good night and you two are sneaking away up here and Chris, well he's basically mute these days, what's going on with us?" He looked confused and I couldn’t blame him because things weren’t right between us all “I think it's all the drinking and everything else, I think the four of us should go on holiday. We need to get Chris away from whatever it is that he’s taking. It will be good for all of us" Fran didn't say anything, he didn't even look up, he just carried on eating. "I need to get away from this Stefan situation, I hate him" the Big Man let out a huge laugh. "God your cut throat Gorgeous, you've put Stefan in the looney bin and Mick was in bits last night because you told him to f**k off." God I had forgot about Michael. Fran looked at us both "did you tell Mick to f**k off?" I was so glad that Fran hadn’t picked up on the fact that the Big Man had mentioned that Stefan was in a looney bin because I hadn’t told Fran that Stefan was in rehab “Yeah it's all in the past, no point going back there, anyway Big Man I was thinking maybe Thailand for our holiday, how does that sound?" He nodded his head in agreement “Sounds great, a holiday is just what we need" I clapped my hands together with excitement “ok so we will probably leave in a few days time so we better start packing, I will sort out the flight and the accommodation. I'm going to pop in to see Chris and tell him later" "good, because that boy is in deep, I couldn't get a conversation out of him last night" said the Big Man and he looked really concerned, just then Stacey walked into the kitchen "morning guys, oh breakfast smells lush did you make me any Lydia?" "No sorry what do you fancy?" "Just coffee and toast please, I had a really good time last night Jamie” she said batting her eyelashes at the Big Man. So much for his vow of celibacy "that's what they all say babe" he said with a wink to me and Fran. "So I take it the vow of abstinence is over Big Man, what was that a full week and a half?” I said with a giggle "yeah I couldn't take it any more, I was all jumpy, then you were wearing that tight dress last night and then Mick said you make yourself come and he loves it and well I couldn't hold on any longer, so I shagged the first bird that came along, no offense babe" Stacey looked totally gutted. “I had to clean the pipes out, but honestly when we go away I'm on my best behavior" Stacey turned and ran out of the kitchen and into her bedroom and slammed the door. "For goddess sake Big Man that was a bit harsh, you know she likes you" he looked at me and then at Fran with a stupid look on his face “what? Who is she? I only meet her last night and she's in here dishing out breakfast orders like she's in a cafe" I was totally confused "what are you talking about Big Man? That's Stacey my friend that's staying here, you slept with her before the tour, you and Fran nearly fell out over her” he looked puzzled for a second and then said “oh yeah Stacey I though I knew her from somewhere" was he actually being serious “what the f**k is the matter with you two? Honestly you two were ready to fall out over her a couple of months ago and now you can't remember her, you guys are so weird" They just looked at each other and didn't say anything, I shook my head, boys are a bit nuts I thought to myself. "Oh well I'm going to get ready and see Chris" I walked through to my bedroom and I could hear them both arguing as I left the kitchen but they were whispering, I decided to stay out of this one, the last time I was worried sick and apparently after a few weeks they couldn’t even remember her name. Before I got ready I wanted to make sure Stacey was ok. I quietly knocked on Stacey's bedroom door, "can I come in honey?" I asked gently “Yes" she said in her tiny voice, I opened the door and she was on the bed crying into her pillow. "I'm sorry about the Big Man honey, he’s a dickhead" she sniffed and wiped her eyes “don't be sorry, you tried to warn me, I should have listened to you. I just really liked him" I crawled up the bed and stroked her hair. "Please don't cry Stacey, what about that ex of yours? have you seen him lately" "no he's a dickhead too" she sat up and cuddled me "my boyfriend is a junkie that calls me a slut every two minutes, they are all dickheads" "yeah but at least your engaged" we both let out a big laugh. "I'm going to see Chris then I will meet you later we can have lunch and drink champagne and see if there are any hot guys for you," she gave me a little smile "that sounds great Lydia" she gave me a massive cuddle. Then the Big Man walked in, "I just wanted to apologize , wow you two are hot, cuddling in just your tiny nightdress Gorgeous why don't you kiss each other and see if you like it" he was a dirty pervert and clearly the therapy wasn’t working for him “piss off Big Man" I snapped he just looked at Stacey and said "I'm sorry about earlier, I hope I didn't upset you Tracey" Her face turned purple with rage “Are you for real? You can’t even remember my name?” she screeched and picked up her hair brush and threw it at him, I just put my head in my hands, I really needed this holiday. I quickly got ready and went to see Chris. He only lived a few streets away from us but I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I had visited his flat. His place was quirky just like him, there was lots of art on the walls and old books and records he had collected. He had one off pieces of furniture that he had found himself and they all tied together perfectly, it was stylish and homely. I used to love going there for dinner because he was an amazing cook but since I had started seeing Stefan I hadn’t been over as much and as I stood on his doorstep I stared to feel guilty. I never thought I would be the kind of girl to have spent more time with a boyfriend rather than my best friends and it pained me that I hadn’t been there for him. I pressed his buzzer a few times before his neighbour opened the front door "your Lydia Knight aren't you? wow nice to meet you, are you here to see Chris?" she asked. She seemed a nice girl "I have his spare key if you want to let yourself in?” “No it's fine I have a spare key here, I just didn't want to barge in" but after a couple of minutes out in the freezing cold I decided to go in and wait for him, I let myself in and the place wasn't the same as I remembered it. All the art was gone, the place was dull and lifeless. I walked through to the kitchen and it was a mess, there was empty bottles every where. What is going on here, has someone broken in and trashed the place? I started to panic. I ran through to his bedroom and he was passed out on the bed, there was a bottle of whiskey on the bedside table and burnt tinfoil as if he had been smoking something. "Chris” I shouted “Chris are you ok? Chris wake up" he opened his eyes for a second and closed them again. Oh god what is going on? I had no idea it was this bad. I quickly grabbed the phone and called Fran’s number "Fran I'm at Chris's flat, the place is a mess and he's passed out on the bed, I think he's been smoking smack. I didn't know he was this bad" "calm down gorgeous I'm with the Big Man I’m on my way" Five minutes later Fran knocked the front door. I opened the door and he looked pale as he looked around the place in silence "f**k Gorgeous, this place is a mess, how long has he been living like this? I knew he was taking something...but herein? I didn't know it was this bad" Fran had his hands in his pockets and he was shuffling from one foot to the other, which he always did when he was nervous, but as I looked at him he seemed as if he was going to cry. "Fran this is bad, I can't get him to wake up, all his stuff is missing, do you think he's been selling stuff to get money? How could I have been so selfish? This was going on and I haven't been there for him” I felt like I might tear up too but I managed to restrain myself “calm down Gorgeous “come here" he grabbed me into a hug "none of us thought it was this bad, but we know now and we are going to help him.” Fran looked around the flat and I could see the concern in his big brown eyes. “I will pack some stuff for him he can't stay here" “ok I will start cleaning the kitchen" I said “No Gorgeous, you don't know what's in there. I will get a cleaning team in to do it, let's try and wake him up and take him to my place, we will need to dry him out" I felt light headed, I couldn’t believe my lovely Chris had been living like that and I had been no where to be seen when he needed me most. “I will need you and the Big Man to stay at my place too while he's getting this stuff out his system" I nodded my head, he was right we had to pull together. We all loved Chris like a brother and who better to look after him than us. “yeah of course, it will be like the old days back at your place" Fran gave me a small smile “Everything is going to be fine” he said but I wasn’t sure if he was trying to reassure me or convince himself. Then a loud voice from the bedroom door startled us “what the f**k are you two doing here?" It was Chris, he had just woken up and he was grey and shaking. He was still wearing his clothes from the night before but somehow in the light of day I noticed how skinny he looked. I hadn’t noticed at the party but now it looked as if his suit was wearing him. I couldn’t believe how self centered I had been acting. He was clearly in a bad way and I was sitting around feeling sorry for myself about Stefan and obsessed with Michael whilst one of my best friends was falling apart and I hadn’t even noticed “how did you two get in here?” he was angry and Chris was never angry. It was so out of character for him but he was obviously pissed off with us. “we were worried about you mate, then Lydia came to see you to invite you on holiday" his eyes were blood shot and narrowed and he was ringing his hands together, I had never seen him like this in my whole life and I wanted to grab him and hold him and tell him everything was going to be ok and that I loved him but he was seriously pissed off that he had woke up to find us in his flat so I just stood staring at the floor “and you just let yourselves in?" He shouted at the top of his lungs, I was shocked by how angry he was but I was more annoyed that he was shouting at Fran when it was actually me that had let myself in “Yeah we just came in, you are always welcome in our homes" I snapped I didn't like that he sounded pissed off with Fran, Fran put up with a lot from him and he was starting to get on my nerves. "Who are you two kidding? You aren't worried about me, you’re just obsessed with each other. Me and the Big Man are replaceable, but you two are the stars and don't we all know it" where was all this coming from? “Chris none of that is true and you know it, we are family to each other, we love you, we just want the best for you honey" I said trying to be as gentle as possible but he just shook his head and looked away, "I want you guys to go and just leave me alone" but there was no way that was going to happen “No chris we aren't leaving you, you need help and we want to help you, we love you Chris” it was quiet for a few minutes and then Chris started to cry. He was letting out huge sobs as if he was heart broken. Fran went over to him and threw his arms round him "I'm telling you mate I don't want to be in this band without you, none of this is worth doing if we're not doing it together” Fran had hit the nail on the head I couldn't have put it any better myself. “Where is all this coming from mate?” asked Fran as Chris wiped his tears "It was Stefan,he said you guys wanted to replace me" my blood started to boil. Fran held Chris tight and said “Why would you believe one word he has to say? You know he’s dickhead” I couldn’t take anymore I had never been so angry in my life and I let out a scream like I was going to murder someone and Fran started laughing "I'm going to kill him I mean it, he's trying to ruin my life and turn the people I love against each other, why is he doing this? I swear I'm going to kill him, I've already started planning it. I'm going to electrocute him in the bath or hire a hit man I haven't decided" by this point Fran was laughing so much that Chris started to smile a little too. "Chris don't believe a word that prick has to say, he told me that him and Lydia were thinking about starting a family" I looked at Fran in shock because that was literally the last thing I would ever want to do “what the f**k?” I shouted "what's worse is i actually believed him. He said she wanted to get married right away and leave the band and move out to the country and have kids" I let out another huge scream "Fran I can't believe this, he's a nutcase" he gave me a little smile, he was clearly entertained by how pissed off I was with Stefan “I know Gorgeous but it's not worth killing him" I took a deep breath to calm down “okay Fran I will let him live" I turned to look at Chris, he was a mess, his face was so thin and I wanted to skin Stefan alive for making Chris feel so low "Chris let's go to my place you can stay with me until you feel better." I walked over and all three of us hugged "we have each other Chris and that's all we need and I don't care what anyone else has to say. We will always have each other" he dried his eyes on his sleeve "thanks so much guys, I'm in a bad way but it means the world to me that you are both here" we carried on hugging for a couple of seconds before I realized something “hey where's the Big Man? The selfish big bugger" Fran looked around the room like he hadn’t noticed he was missing then said "oh yeah that’s right he’s outside chatting up Chris’s neighbour, I think she invited him in for a coffee" I rolled my eyes god he's a fast worker. “okay so this is an intervention for all four of us the Big Man needs to stop shagging anything with a pulse, Fran needs to stop working so hard, I need to dump my pain in the arse fiancé and Chris needs to stop taking smack....everyone agreed" Chris looked totally confused "I'm not taking smack" "Chris please don't lie I seen it with my own eyes, you had burnt tinfoil next to you in bed" his eyes were wide in astonishment "oh what that, no I just burnt a pizza last night when I came home after the party" "where’s all your art work" i asked “I sold them for a packet" he said with a smile "why is the place such a mess?" Asked Fran. "I shagged the cleaner then I dumped her before the tour, I hadn't really noticed the mess" typical Chris he just loved cleaners, housekeepers and maids I think it was a fetish "why would you guys think I’m taking drugs?" he asked………….