"See you tonight. I'll make us a chicken salad" Evan said. "No, not tonight," Chloe said.

"I'm sorry." Her boyfriend said confused.

"Urm I'm going home tonight to see my friends." Chloe explained.

"Your friends?" Evan repeated "they're just the girls you happen to live with, if they were your real friends then you wouldn't stay at mine so much."

"We're having a girls night"

"A girls night? If you're sure, I'll see you tomorrow, have fun." He said blankly.

Chloe had been suffocating. Evan was just so intense. She'd had the odd text from the girls she lived with but she just needed to be away from Evan. She loved him of course and he treated her like a princess but she needed some independence. She wasn't that happy when he first got a job at holby, he crowded her she needed a night to herself. At least in her house share she had her own room. It wasn't much but it was her own space.

Professionally Chloe was doing well. She knew where she was at work. It was stressful of course but Miss Goddard was a capable, good doctor. But Chloe, personally struggled a little more.

"Oh hello stranger." Emma said as Chloe let herself into the house that evening. "It's been like two weeks, trouble in paradise?" Emma asked.

"No, not really just fancied some girl time, some Chloe time." Chloe smiled

"Girl time hey?" Emma asked. "Hattie should be home soon, how does girlie Netflix, a box of choccy and some girl talk catch you?"

"Sounds perfect." Chloe said flopping down on the opposite sofa. She felt calm, a kind of calm she didn't feel at Evan's, she shook her head. What was she thinking, of course she's felt calm at her boyfriends. She loved him!

Hattie picked up a Chinese takeaway on the way home and they were all chilling having a wonderful time and Chloe was super happy and although she was only picking at her food. Feeling guilty. She was ment to be eating healthier "It's great to have you back Chlo." Hattie said, "we thought we would have to get a new housemate. Hope everything is ok with your boyfriend is it Ewan?"

"Evan," Chloe answered "it's just nice to have some girl time, I think I'll be here more often, I feel like Evan's trying to take things too fast."

"Has he tried to do something you didn't want, sweetie?" Emma asked concerned.

"No, no, nothing like that. He is the sweetest man I've ever met. He'd never pressure me into anything." Chloe assured them. "It's just seeing him at work and home is a lot, and an old friend visited me the other day and I realised how much I missed my friends."

"Yeah Riley said some Scottish girl had been over looking for you." Hattie added.

"Yeah, that would've been my friend Fiona." Chloe bit her lip but then smiled "she's great, I've known her since I was a kid."

"Back to your boyfriend though." Emma said "when do we get to meet him?"

"Soon, I'm sure." Chloe smiled "anyway I thought we were putting some chick flicks on."

They were half way through mean girls after watching clueless when they heard a knock on the door. "Bet ya Riley's forgot her keys again." Emma rolled her eyes and went to get the door. Chloe froze as she heard the voice at the door. "Is Chloe here."

It was Evan.

"Evan?" She asked

"Oh Chloe." He said hugging her "I've been so worried about you, when you weren't home I didn't know what had happened. You finished hours before me."

"I am home, this is my home Evan. And plus I told you I was having a girls night."

"No you didn't Chloe."

"Are you sure. At the nurses station, I came down to consult on Sacha's patient Mr Hines and we spoke and I told you we were having a girls night."

"No Chloe, that wasn't me, it must have been Essie or maybe Dom." Evan told her "let's go home, I've made you dinner"

"I've already had some."

"Come on Chloe" he said getting up in her face and whispering so her friends couldn't hear but still with a kind tone of voice "you've not been well recently have you, especially around your friends, come home with me, I can keep you safe." Evan looked at her for an answer.

"Are you okay Chloe, you don't have to go if you don't want?" Hattie said tenderly touching Chloe's arm.

"Don't be silly Hattie, I'm fine." Chloe said fixing on her smile "Evan's made me dinner so I'll go to his. I'll see you guys soon though. Okay. I'm just going to run up to my room and get changed and a few spare clothes."

As Chloe was in her room he did as normal and tried to charm the girls asking Emma about which year she taught and to Hattie about the Church. They answered curtly but politely. Chloe came downstairs and Evan took her bag. "See you soon girls, thanks for a great evening, give Riley my love." Chloe smiled. After they heard the front door shut they looked at each other "I get bad vibes off him." Hattie said a concerned look on her face. "He seems controlling"

"I don't like him either," said Emma "but you know Chloe. She's her own person, I can't see her being controlled by anyone."

"She didn't seem herself though." Hattie said "she's lost weight I'm sure, and when he came in she seemed...I'm not sure...scared almost. And she's barely been home, like at all." Hattie continued looking at Emma "should we do something, call her mum maybe. She seemed sure she'd told him, and Chloe's got an amazing memory."

"Look, Hattie. We spoke to her and she said how sweet he was, I feel like we could do more harm than good if we go in all guns blazing. Maybe if we just keep in contact, WhatsApp and stuff, just be there for her and invite her over," Emma giggled and looked at Hattie "for girls nights, not to Church." Both girls giggled a bit.

"Chloe are you okay?" Evan asked as she pushed her portion of chicken salad around the bowl, barely eating. "Like I said," Chloe answered "I've already eaten."

"How are you feeling though Chloe. You seem upset?" Evan asked touching her arm.

"I'm fine." Chloe muttered.

"No Chloe, your not. You know what people say when you're fine, feelings inside not expressed!"

"Look Evan, I'm fine, okay, alright and any other adjective you want to use. Just plain, old, normal fine. Please just leave it."

"Ok, I'm sorry, I just want to check that you're alright. It's not good for you to bottle all your feelings up."

"I know but I'm good. How did that op go today, that vicar what was it Reverend Wallis?"

Chloe asked changing the subject. She really wasn't interested in the particular op she knew Evan had done today but she was fed up of him constantly asking. She kept it up all night as soon as he mentioned something about her she changed the subject, wishing she was back with the girls.