The Fourth Side of the Triangle

Chapter 8.

8.

For a while, it seems that Oliver is indeed getting better. He hasn’t missed a meal in several weeks and as the days go by, he is gradually beginning to look like his old self. A healthy blush returns quickly to his pale face; accenting his high and delicate bone structure, his elegant forehead and he has been seen eating several pieces of fruit a day around the set in between takes when he is filming.

Amy, Becca and James couldn’t be more proud of their friend and as Amy watches him munching on one of his apples, she can’t help but smile.

“You’re doing it again!” Oliver exclaims with exasperated affection, giving her a sideways smile as he tosses the apple core into a nearby bin. It is a warm, Saturday evening and the sun is just setting. Amy and Oliver are sitting, huddled together on a park bench- relaxing in the final hours of the day. It is Amy’s birthday and Oliver has made the day beautiful and special.

“Sorry!” Amy says, as she turns her head and rests it upon his shoulder. They sit in a comfortable silence until she continues,

“You know, we should probably go soon. You have an early start tomorrow morning.”

Oliver simply shrugs.

“I can sleep in the car. It’s a long way to Suffolk.”

Nevertheless, Amy gets to her feet and stretches, turning to look at her partner.

 They have been together a long time now; know each other inside and out and Amy has taken to spending more and more nights with Oliver instead of in her flat with James. She has never made the official move, never told him that she has moved out, but James can put two and two together and reach an answer of four. It does nothing to reassure him when Oliver spends the occasional night in their flat, and James often makes himself scarce, excusing himself to go to a friend’s house. And there is another problem. Filming has robbed him of all of his friends from his school days, the long hours making it impossible to stay in contact to those he was once close to. He had been appalled to find that after the initial hype of, ‘mate! You’re famous!’ had died down he had been rendered virtually friendless. It is only when he sees all of his other friends settling down or having fun that the feeling of loneliness seems to hit him square in the chest. He had met a woman, older than himself but the poor girl had been torn to pieces when she had been introduced to Amy. James hasn’t had a relationship since.

Amy notices several things as she continues to look upon Oliver. Although he has put on the slightest bit of weight, Oliver’s face remains narrow and delicate looking. As she takes in the sight of him, sitting on the park bench at sunset dressed in his faded blue, almost shapeless jeans held up with one of James’s belts and his navy rugby shirt, the white collar turned up and the wind plays with his hair, making it stand slightly on end. His lips protrude very slightly and they stand out; so dark compared to his milky complexion. His dark eyes look up at her from heavy lashes and his mouth curves into a grin so innocent; Amy can’t help but smile back. Her breath catches and suddenly she feels overwhelmed; she has never appreciated his natural beauty until now.

“Are you okay?” Oliver now asks, seeing her rapid change in expression. She can only nod, before extending a hand.

“I think it’s time to go home,” she whispers. Oliver nods and slips his larger, long fingered hand into hers.

“I love you Oliver,” she says suddenly. There is a moment of silence, before she hears,

“Yeah... I love you too.”

-x-

James rings at ten o clock, almost as soon as Amy and Oliver arrive home from dinner. He calls mainly to say happy birthday, but then goes off on a tangent-