PART SEVENTY THREE

JOHN PAUL

The conversation carried on without me, the words of the others still reverberating through my head. I was sure, absolutely certain they were wrong but i'd promised i would keep an open mind so...that was what i was prepared to do.

I was gagging for a drink but he was still chatting with Kelly at the bar. She was all over him like a rash and i was itching to go over there and ask what the hold up was but something inside me was telling me to hold back.

My fists clenched involuntarily as i saw her reach up and caress his face, looking at him intently as they talked. I let out a shaky breath which caught the attention of the others. They saw where my eyes were directed and Laura got up and said she'd help them fetch the drinks.

Poor girl probably felt like crap watching her lover throwing herself at a bloke like that, i mean...it was blatant.

They looked up as she approached and Kelly put an arm around Laura and kissed her....guilty much? Craig looked over and our eyes locked. I waited for him to look away but to my surprise...he didn't. Dean leaned in a bit closer.

"Don't take your eyes off him" he whispered discreetly. It was difficult, unnerving but i listened to his advice, determined not to break the contact. Craig continued to smile back shyly and lifted his hand a little in a semi wave. Christ he made my heart ache. He eventually blinked, it probably hadn't been more than a few seconds but it was one of the most intense feelings i had ever experienced.

"See". That's all Dean said. I was about to counteract what he was saying, explain that he only smiled but....i couldn't, not really, so i waited....and waited for them to return with the drinks.

They were all smiles as they came over and i had to restrain myself from asking what they were talking about. Craig handed out the drinks to everyone before passing me the bottle of lager he'd bought for me. I could feel everyone watching us and i almost knocked it over because of how nervous i felt. Craig went to grab it, preventing it from spilling at the same time i reached out.

Our fingers touched for the briefest of seconds and his eyes flew up to mine, meeting and holding until i had to look away from the molten hotness that spilled from their depths.

I blushed and apologised but he waved it off, pulling out his chair and sitting down.

"So...what've we missed?" he asked. God! Had his voice always sounded that rich and velvety? I couldn't think but he was looking around us waiting for a reply.

"John Paul was just telling us how you came to his rescue last night" said Laura, who received a stern, warning look from Ollie as soon as the words were out of her mouth. Craig shifted next to me in his seat, his arm brushing against mine as he moved. He cleared his throat and i looked everywhere but at him.

"Us too" said Kelly. I turned to him then as he fiddled about with the label on his bottle. His eyes were cast down but i noticed him start to blush, the crimson redness creeping up from the collar of his shirt until it covered his face. He must have felt me staring because he turned his head towards me then. His eyes softened and i could see his face relax when he realised i wasn't angry that he'd discussed it. Hell, he'd saved me from getting punched, i couldn't exactly get cross at him for talking about it, it's not like i hadn't been doing the exact same thing.

Luckily the lights dimmed a little and i had the excuse not to drown in his eyes. Music started beating out of the speakers so i had a hard time hearing Craig as he leaned over to speak to me.

"What?" i bent closer to him and i swear i could feel his lips touch just below my ear as he asked me what was wrong. My eyebrows furrowed as i decided what to reply. He looked at me intently, his eyes beseeching me to open up to him, tell him what my problem was.

I sat back in the chair weighing up my options but he didn't give me chance to reply before he cupped the back of my neck in his hand and drew me towards him.

"Is it something i've done?" he asked in earnest, his breath caressing the skin beneath my ear. I shook my head, willing myself not to look at him. If i did, i'd be lost, helpless to resist taking him in my arms and kissing him senseless. I wasn't convinced yet that what the others had said was true. I could see how they might interpret his gestures as intimate but i couldn't see it....not yet.

We shifted positions so that i could speak directly into his ear.

"I'm fine" he pulled back and shook his head, not believing me. "Honestly, i'm just....in a bit of a cack mood but i'll sort my self out....promise". Bloody hell, my lips touched the sensitive skin above his jaw and he shivered. Had i done that to him? It was kind of cool in the room but....not enough to make someone feel cold.

I thought about what Dean had said earlier. Look for the signs.... don't dismiss everything he does.

Was this what they were talking about? Was his reaction because of me?

He pulled back and nodded, accepting my explanation.

"Make sure you do" he teased. "I can't put up with you sulking all night" he grinned and patted my knee. I jumped involuntarily as i felt a sharp kick to my ankle, looking around to see which of the grinning idiots had done it. From the wide smile on Deans face, i figured it was him. Craig saw the silent interaction and sat there puzzled, trying to work out what he'd missed.

CRAIG

Conversations halted as a bloke in a suit and tie made his way onto the stage to the sound of rapt applause and catcalls from some of the audience. Apparently this guy had been one of the top acts at Blackpool for years and was considered a must act to watch.

He introduced himself and went into his spiel about hypnotism and how it works. I wasn't paying too much attention, i was too focused on John Paul leaning forward on his elbows behind me, his warm breath tickling at the hairs on the back of my neck. I'd already berated myself for choosing the seat that i had. I thought it would be good sitting next to John Paul and being able to stretch my legs out, i just hadn't considered that when the act was on stage i'd be turned completely away from him making it impossible to look at him without him noticing.

I preferred being in a position where i could look at him without him or anyone else noticing. There was something about being able to leisurely take in everything about someone when they are unaware you are doing it. You can let your eyes linger and your thoughts wander without looking like a complete and utter perv.

Saying that....there was something kind of sexy knowing he was directly behind me with the same unadulterated sight in front of him that i was wishing i had. I could smell the musky scent of his aftershave mingled with the citrus fruity smell of his shower gel and all this was mixed with the heady, masculine scent that was all John Paul.

He had to be mere inches behind me as every couple of seconds i could still feel the air from his lungs as it teased my neck and the back of my ears. I settled back further into the seat, leaning back and crossing my arms, hoping to touch him, even just a little but the contact never came. A movement from the other side of the table caught my attention though. Dean was looking across the table with a knowing look and raised eyebrows so i turned in my seat to see what he was looking at. John Paul immediately turned back to face the front but not before i saw him barely visibly shake his head.

What the hell was going on with these two? I knew that Dean had kind of taken JP under his wing but they seemed to keep exchanging sneaky little looks every now and then. I turned further in my seat and saw Kelly lean outwards in her chair giving me a jaunty little thumbs up from behind John Paul. Laughing and giving her a sly wink i started turning back to the front. I noticed the disturbed look that had appeared on John Paul's face again and i leaned in.

"Are you sure you're alright? You don't look so good" he didn't. The colour had drained from his face and he looked like he might be sick.

"I'm fine really" he mumbled. I couldn't hear everything he was saying but i definitely heard the word girlfriend in there somewhere. What was his problem? There was nothing else i could do but leave him alone and turn back to the stage.

Some illusion act had come on whilst i was distracted and i watched impressed as three of the black and gold clad figures climbed into a box and disappeared. No, seriously, there was no where for them to go and they just vanished. You could see under the box and everything. It was bloody amazing. I sat there all the way through it though wanting to turn to John Paul and point things out but i wanted to give him space as well to get his head sorted out. I couldn't understand his problem, i mean, i'm the one that's got all this stuff whizzing about. He's alright, nothings changed for him.

It suddenly occurred to me that maybe he was in a bad mood because he'd picked up on me dropping hints to him and he was pissed off about it. I thought about it, it seemed logical and yet...he was kind of being alright with me, it was everyone else that was getting the brunt of his strop.

I watched the rest of the act but before the lights had even come up for the break, i was out of my seat and dragging Kelly off to a quiet corner to ask her what she thought. After explaining my theory i waited for her response.

"So what do you think? Is that why he's acting so weird tonight?". I was gnawing on my lip waiting for her reply, hoping she'd be honest but at the same time, absolutely dreading her answer.

"Nope, it's not that. Look Craig, i don't know what his problem is tonight but it isn't you" i nodded, taking in what she said and hoping she was right.

"If it makes you feel any better he kept leaning forward and smelling your hair while you were watching the illusions" she beamed at me as she said it.

"Really?" God i couldn't get the soppy grin off my face if i tried.

"Really, now come on, lets get back in there before we miss anything".

We set off back to the table and i still had an almighty smile on my face.

I was just approaching the table, seeing the look of thunder on John Paul's face as a bright light was shone in my eyes.

"It looks like we have our fourth and final candidate here Ladies and Gentleman" and before i had time to react, Ken Websters sequin clad assistant led me onto the stage.

PART SEVENTY FOUR

Craig's expression was that of complete surprise as he followed the beautiful assistant onto the stage area. He noticed that three of the chairs that faced the audience were already occupied by one other man and two girls. His first thought was Shit! How have i ended up here again and his second was....Why the hell did John Paul look so pissed off.

He didn't look so upset now though. In fact he was sat with a massive grin plastered on his face as he watched his best friend involuntarily sign up for what could possibly be one of the strangest experiences of his life. John Paul sat back with his arms crossed and waited for the whole scene to unfold.

Ken went down the row of volunteers, who in turn said who they were, where they were from and pointed out who they had come with. When he got to Craig he introduced himself, said that he was from Chester, which received a whoop from a crowd at the back of the room, and that he was here with his best mate John Paul and some other friends, gesturing at the table near the front of the stage. Anyone could see he was nervous. He sat there fidgeting with the corner of his shirt, systematically rubbing at his neck and sweeping his fingers through his hair.

As Ken explained the ins and outs of putting each of the volunteers 'under' Craig found himself listening but not really paying attention. He was thinking how on earth he could open up to John Paul about his feelings towards him without making it into a big issue. Of course it was a big issue, huge in fact, life changing even but he didn't want to raise the subject in a matter of fact way, like he was giving a lecture or something.

He'd already decided that Kelly was right and he needed to just come right out and say it but, he reasoned with himself, he had to be direct, so John Paul knew he was serious but, subtle too, if that was possible.

It was nerve wracking thinking about it. He'd been nervous when he asked Sarah out for the first time but this was like, a million times more daunting a task.

He still wasn't sure that it was what John Paul wanted, he really could just want to remain friends but Craig figured if that was the case, he would deal with it after spilling everything. He had to know. It was killing him wondering all the time. Surely it would be better to put it out there and get rejected than to do nothing and be wasting days not knowing. So he convinced himself that was what he would do...and soon.

That was Craig's last coherent thought before Ken walked up behind him, put his hand on his shoulder and said the word...'sleep'.

Oh this should be good. John Paul had been watching Craig sitting there with the others, playing with his shirt and getting more fidgety by the second. He really didn't think the whole hypnotism thing would work on Craig as he wasn't exactly paying attention and was staring off into space thinking about God knows what. Then Ken stepped behind him after talking to them all for ages in a deep, clear soothing voice and placed his hand on Craig's shoulder and told him to sleep and....Oh fuck!, Craig's chin was resting on his chest in seconds.

John Paul looked from him, to the other partcipants, to Ken, watching what was happening and wondering what he was going to do next.

The hypnotist surveyed the men and women on the stage before flicking his glance around the room. He made his way off the stage and stood behind a girl on the table next to theirs, once again touching her on the shoulder as he had with the others and told her to "sleep" as well. Her head dropped, much to the amusement of her friends. He came back on the stage and explained that some people were more susceptible to hypnosis than others. As if to prove his point, he walked in front of Craig and the rest of the people on stage, touching each of them lightly on the arm as he passed. The girl on the end looked up at him and he nicely requested she return to her seat.

He spoke into his microphone so that we could all hear but kept tapping his guinea pigs on their shoulders as he spoke, so they knew it was directed at them.

"In a moment, i'm going to play some music and you're going to take out your air guitars and show everyone why you should be named the next Jimmy Hendrix" he said directly to Craig and the girl sat next to him "and YOU" he touched the other guy, "are going to show us why you deserve to take the crown from Ringo Starr as one of the best drummers that ever lived". He went off the stage back to the girl in the audience. "When the music starts, YOU are going to go onto the stage and show us your best moves, lets see you dance".

John Paul looked at the others around the table but avoided eye contact with Kelly. They all seemed pretty eager to watch Craig make a total arse of himself. He took out his mobile phone ready, wanting to capture every little detail.

The music started, it was a classic from Status Quo and Craig and the girl next to him jumped up and started strumming at their invisible guitars. He really let rip, throwing his head back and sliding across the floor on his knees. The other bloke was sat down on his chair, pounding away on his drums as the girl from the audience ran onto the stage and started gyrating, throwing her arms about and shaking her head from side to side.

Suddenly the music stopped and the four people on stage stopped what they were doing looking around bewildered. They didn't have a clue what they had just done, so they stood there, waiting for further instruction.

Ken told them to go back to their seats, once again tapping each of them...."sleep".

Craig's head lolled back onto his chest as Ken stopped behind the man furthest away. His assistant brought over a mop and waited at the side as he spoke, again touching the man lightly.

"I'm going to give you this mop....but it's not actually a mop...it's your girlfriend, and she's just come back from a week away". Oh God, poor bloke, they could see where this was going. "When you wake up, your going to see her and show her EXACTLY how much you missed her".

His assistant stood over to the side of the stage, waiting for Ken to waken the man. He tapped Craig and the other girl, who both woke up, before standing behind the man and tapping him lightly, telling him to wake up.

The bloke lifted his head and looked around for a second. He seemed to make eye contact with Craig, who just shrugged, before his gaze fell on the 'object' of his affection.

As soon as he saw the mop he got out of his chair and strode over, taking it from the woman and gathering it up into his arms, smothering kisses all over the woolen head of it. He was saying how much he'd missed it and then lay it down on the stage gently, like it was made of china. Ken moved behind him, touching his shoulder as he said for him to tell 'her' how he really felt.

He started talking dirty to 'her' telling her what he was going to do. The poor guy was oblivious to everything else around him except the mop that he was about to start making love to. Dean and kelly were laughing there heads off along with nearly everyone else. John Paul was watching from between his fingers as he had covered his face with his hands and Ollie and Laura were staring, open mouthed, as the bloke started rubbing himself against it.

Craig and the girl on stage were watching with rapt attention, their eyes wide, no doubt hoping that this was the worst either of them could be made to do.

Barry White's song....'let's get it on' started playing through the speakers as the man continued to get hot and heavy with the mop.

Ken left the guy to it for a bit going off the stage to join the girl who still sat with her friends. She was missing everything as she was still in sleep mode. He lay his hand on her and said that she was about to find her 'lover, the mop,' in bed with someone else. She wasn't to physically hurt them but she had to get her lover back.

He woke her up and all hell broke loose. She stormed onto the stage, much to the amusement of Craig, and let rip at the bloke and the mop, calling it a cheat but pleading for it to come home with her. The desperation in the girls voice was evident as she begged, saying she would do anything to make it right.

What was funniest was that the man started straightening his clothing as if he really had just been caught in the act.

Tears were streaming down Kelly's face as she watched the drama unfold and John paul couldn't help be drawn in by her infectious laughter.

Ken went up to the girl mid rant and asked her what she was doing. She looked around, unsure of herself, looking towards her friends for reassurance. They were all in hysterics, no doubt wetting themselves at her expense. He advised her to sit down as he watched the man cling to the mop for dear life, muttering to it that he didn't want it to leave him.

When Ken asked HIM what he was doing, he looked at the mop as though it was a foreign object, dropping it to the floor and going back to his seat. The hypnotist hovered behind Craig and the girl he was sitting next to and John Paul had the dreaded feeling he wasn't going to like the next part. He hoped it didn't involve them getting off with each other or anything.

Ken touched the girl first, explaining that she was a monkey and had escaped from the zoo but that the man in the white shirt and black jeans had stolen her bananas and was hiding them from her. Then he put his hand on Craig and told him that he was a world famous actor and that the girl in the strappy blue dress was an obsessed fan and wanted to get her hands on his 'crown jewels'. Then he woke them both up.

The girl recognised Craig first as the person who had taken her bananas and launched herself at him. HE just managed to get himself out of the chair quick enough to escape her grasp. As she tried to capture him, he kept fending her off and at one point she almost had him. He was bent over and she was feeling all over him, trying to get her hand in his pockets and looking up his shirt, all the while prancing around like a monkey and making daft noises. Ken managed to get close enough to the pair of them to get them to stop. They looked at each other, blushing at their close proximity, the girl growing even redder as she removed her hand from the back of his pants. Craig turned away, his eyes wide as he looked to John Paul for support but he was doubled over laughing, tears streaming down his face as he clutched his side.

John Paul knew he should probably be jealous, after all, it was his dream to be in that kind of position but seeing Craig fending off the girl had been too funny to miss. He even managed to get a minute of it recorded before his hand started shaking too much from the laughter.

The two on the stage sat back down, avoiding looking at each other as they didn't know what it was they had just been doing.

The laughter from the audience died down as ken said he was ready for the 'main event'.

He put them all in sleep mode again, touching the girl in the audience before doing the same with those on stage.

He spoke directly to them but so the audience could hear also.

"I want you to go into the audience and find someone you feel a connection with. Anyone". He stood directly behind Craig and whispered to him. "But not the girl wearing a red top at the front because her boyfriend looks like he could do damage". He tapped each of them again, including the girl in the crowd, reiterating what he had just said. "Then you have to bring them here".