One

Chapter 28

The final show was smooth sailing. If you ignore the little technical difficulties, then yeah, the show was a success.

After the show, the celebrity guests and the crew were all invited to a private party at the hotel they were all staying at before their flights the next day. But first, everyone had to leave their rooms on the ship before going to the hotel.

Changed in more casual clothes, Dec shouldered his bag and headed to the port, where a people carrier was waiting for him, Ant, and the others. Dec got there first - surprisingly - so he ended up waiting. He waited inside the vehicle and passed the time looking through tweets. He drops what he's doing when Ant and Lisa joined him.

Ant sat across from Dec. "Let's hit the road! I am ready to get drunk!"

"Aren't we waiting for Ali and Stephen?" Dec asked.

"Didn't they say goodbye to you?"

Dec frowned. "Eh?"

"They left as soon as they could after the show," Lisa answered. "They had a flight to catch apparently. They're going off on a holiday."

"Oh...how long will they be gone?"

"Don't know. Ali didn't say."

Dec fell back against his seat and pressed his forehead against the car window. He watched as the vehicle moved forward, driving them to the hotel and to the party. 

----

He was several drinks in - he says several only because he's lost count. He brought a fresh new pint of beer up to his lips when someone next to him.

"You know, whatever your problem is, it'll never get solved by getting wasted."

"What are you on about?! I'm celebrating, Ash!" Dec slurred. He notices Ashley's almost empty glass. "Look's like your glass needs topping off. Drink, please!" Dec waved at the bartender.

"No, I've had enough for the night," Ashley said as she waved off the bartender. 

"Aw, the night is young! Let loose and drink more!"

Ashley shook her head. "I really shouldn't and neither should you. You're gonna regret this tomorrow if you keep drinking at this rate."

Dec gets close to Ashley's face. "Then I'll regret it in the morning," he drunkenly says with a smile on his face.

He was about to return to his drink when Ashley suddenly grabbed his face and kissed him hard on the mouth. 

"Will that get you to stop drinking?" Ashley asks breathlessly after she broke the kiss.

Dazed, Dec simply nodded.

"Come on, then." Ashley hopped off her stool and grabbed Dec's arm. "I've got a room upstairs. Let's have a repeat of last night."

------

With Ali away for god knows how long, Dec and Ashley's one night stand evolved into a daily affair. They have also been hanging out a lot lately. Going out to eat, watching a film, going to the park, hanging at each other's home, but it doesn't mean they're dating. Dec swears that they're not. He and Ashley were just friends. Friends that have meaningless sex every night. You know, like how normal friends do.

There was no cozying up to each other after sex. There were no "I love you's" being exchanged. There were no emotions involved. It was all purely sex. Merely a distraction for their unrequited loves.

One night, after one of their meet-ups, Dec couldn't help but voice out the question that has baffled him for some time. "What's so great about Stephen that you and Ali are so in love with him?"

Eyes on the ceiling, Ashley answered. "He's just lovable."

"Yeah, but what exactly about him is lovable?" Frankly, Dec just doesn't see what both women were attracted to. And he's not just saying that because he hates Stephen with a burning passion. No, that would be petty of him. And sad. Mostly, sad.

"He's hilarious, which I find really attractive in a man. He makes me feel so relaxed; I feel like I can talk to him for hours."

"I can be hilarious," Dec muttered under his breath.

Ashley ignored Dec. "He's a gentleman, he has those gorgeous blue eyes, and he's tall. That's what really does it for me."

"I hate him," Dec mutters.

"You're just jealous."

"Well, aren't you jealous of Ali?" Dec retorted.

"Of course, I am. I'd kill to be Ali."

"As long as it's not Ali you kill, go on ahead. I won't stop you." A light bulb suddenly switch on over his head. He sat up in bed and sat against the headboard. "That gives me an idea."

"Dec, we're not killing anybody," she said as she sat up, a smirk playing on her lips.

"No, not that," Dec frowned. "We should try to break up Ali and Stephen, so that I can be with Ali and you can be with Stephen. What do you think?"

"How about no, Dec."

"Why not? Don't you want to be with Stephen?"

"I do, but Stephen is really happy with Ali. I don't want to get in between him and his happiness. And I think you should, too. If you really love Ali, don't fuck with their relationship. Just let it run its course. You never know, they may not last long."

"And if they do?"

"Then they do. Nothing we can do about it," Ashley let out a resigned sigh. "And you're certainly not doing anything to end it."

"Geez, I was just kidding about that," Dec says defensively cos he was serious about his suggestion.

"Sure, you were," Ashley rolled her eyes. "Remember what I said: get that silly idea out of your head and leave them be. Or else, you'll have me to face."