Among The Roses

Chapter 27: A Chat

Chiara was just getting ready to answer when she heard the door open again.

Then, shockingly, Drew's voice filled the bathroom, deep and full of authority.

"Excuse me, but did you follow my friend in here to bother her because she was sitting with Ned and me?"

There was gasping and some shrieks as they realized who was in the bathroom with them.

"Ohmygod, Drew, can we have a photograph, please?"

"Are you off your head? Now?" he responded bluntly. "Please leave and let my friend use the facilities in peace, yeah?"

Chiara took this opportunity to press the flush and straighten her clothes, so she didn't feel quite so vulnerable, sitting on the commode with her undies around her ankles.

She could hear someone's cameraphone clicking, in spite of his words.

"Bex, stop, he said no," someone said.

"You'd do best to listen to your friend," Drew said. He raised his voice, and Chiara knew his next words were to her. "Don't come out yet, okay?" She noticed he was careful not to use her name.

"You lot know how generous I usually am with my time, how forgiving I am about stopping for photographs," he continued. "So the few times I say no, I expect my wishes to be respected, otherwise I'm less inclined to stop at all the next time I see you.

"You, Bex, is it? If I see that photograph of me anywhere, my lawyer will be coming after you, understand? I'd suggest you delete it right now." There was a slight pause. "Smart girl, good decision.

"Now, if we can all vacate these premises and leave my friend to wee, I'll take one photo with all of you, outside the toilets, all right? And you'll have a funny story to tell your friends, how's that sound?"

Chiara heard them leaving, and stepped out of the stall when she could tell the room was quite empty.

Wow.

Drew really took his friends' privacy seriously.

She washed her hands and left, wondering if they were still taking photos, but Drew was leaning against the wall waiting for her. She looked over at their table, but everyone was gone, and she and Drew were quite alone.

"Where'd they go?" she asked.

Drew lifted his phone. "Mum said she wanted to do some 'secret shopping,' for you and me, so she took Noah and Ned and left," he told her. "She gave me strict instructions not to let you spend one single penny of your own money on anything," he informed her. "So, even though I know the last thing you want to do is be alone with me, I'm afraid you're stuck with me for the rest of the day."

Chiara bit her lips together and crossed her arms. She looked around the tearoom and considered her options.

"I suppose I could just hand over a large wad of fifty pound notes and turn you loose," Drew suggested, pulling a card out of his wallet. "Would you prefer that? We just need to find a cash machine--"

Chiara sighed and shook her head. "You don't have to buy me anything, for fuck's sake."

They began walking as they were talking, but were spotted by the same group of girls almost immediately.

"Bollocks," Drew said, grasping Chiara by the elbow and steering her towards an escalator. The girls followed them, somehow mysteriously growing in number until, by the time they got to the ground floor, they were being pursued by twenty or more young ladies.

"Oh my god, what do they want?" Chiara asked, no longer bothered by the fact that Drew had his hand on her arm. They were starting to look like a mob.