"OK, one more time!".
A couple of weeks later, a1 were filming the video for their duet with Westlife and BSB. They were doing a cover version of 'Dancing Queen' which was going to be a charity single to raise money for good causes.
Ben followed the director's instructions and posed in position for the shot retake. In the video, all fourteen of the guys were at a party and all of them had their eye on one certain girl and were all out to impress her. The set was a large ballroom and was filled with extras who were playing the parts of the party-goers, including Heather, Linda, Lucy, Tasha, Naomi, Sarah, Carly and Jenny.
The director took some close up shots of Ben giving the girl a flirty smile, then filmed a scene of Paul, the two Marks, Bryan and Brian singing together.
"OK, let's take a break," the director announced. "Be back on set in half an hour,".
Lucy walked over to Nick with a smile. "Come on, let's go and get a drink,".
"Hang on, I'll be with you in a moment," Nick said, looking over in the other direction.
Lucy followed his gaze to see he was eying up actress who was playing the girl.
The actress noticed Lucy was looking and gave her a cold stare. "Nick," the actress said as she walked over to him and smiled in a flirty way.
"Come on Nick," Lucy said, taking his hand to lead him away.
"I'll join you soon," Nick told her, turning back to the actress.
Lucy swore under her breath and walked away, annoyed. She went to the backstage area and passed one of the dressing rooms where Heather was sitting, all alone.
"Come in," Heather invited.
"Thanks," Lucy said, sitting herself on a chair. "Nick and that tarty actress keep eying each other up," she moaned. "She's giving me nasty looks too,".
"Ignore her," Heather advised.
Lucy looked at Heather with concern. "Are you OK? You seem like you're in another world,".
Heather had Paul and Ben on her mind and was desperate to share her problem with someone. "I'm having an affair!" she blurted out.
"What?!" Lucy said in shock.
"I've been seeing Paul behind Ben's back," Heather continued. "But you mustn't tell anyone, not even Nick,".
"OK, I won't," Lucy promised. "How long has this been going on?".
"For about three weeks now," Heather replied. "Since the night of Helen's accident,".
Lucy listened patiently as Heather explained the whole situation.
"So what are you going to do now?" Lucy asked. "Are you going to put an end to it?".
"We keep trying to end it," Heather said sadly. "But it's too late, we're too involved. Every time we say we'll put a stop to it, we end up seeing each other again. I hate doing this to Ben and Helen, I'm not proud of what I'm doing. But... I can't stop myself,".
"I don't know what to say," Lucy said. "But I hope you work something out, I don't want to see anybody hurt,".
"Nor do I," Heather nodded.
It was then time to go back on set. Lucy kept a close eye on Nick and noticed how he and the actress were constantly smiling at each other.
"Time to go home," Lucy said as the shoot finished that evening. "Come on Nick,".
"I'm going out to a club with the others," he told her. "You could come too I suppose,".
"What 'others' are you going with?" Lucy quizzed.
Before Nick could answer, the actress came and took Nick's hand. "Nick, hurry up or they'll go without us,".
Lucy watched in a stunned silence as Nick and the actress walked out of the doors and got into a car with a group of other extras, including a number of tarty looking girls. Her eyes were filling up with tears.
"Don't worry, nothing will happen between them,".
Lucy turned around to see... Mark.
"Hi," she smiled, feeling a little shy. She'd always secretly fancied him and tended to get tongue-tied whenever she saw him.
"Don't cry," Mark said, handing her a tissue. "Hey, come with me and have a drink,".
Mark and Lucy went into the backstage area where a few people were sitting around having a drink. "Where's Linda?" Lucy asked.
"She went to see Helen in hospital," Mark said nervously as he looked into Lucy's eyes. He'd secretly had his eye on her for some time now.
"Bye!" Naomi called out to them as she and Christian left, followed by Sarah and the other Mark.
"Bye," Lucy replied as she waved. Also in the room were Ben, Heather and Paul.
"Is it still on?" Paul whispered to Heather. They had planned to go back to his house that night; Heather was going to tell Ben she was out at a friend's house.
"Yes," Heather told him quietly. "I'll go and tell Ben my excuse now, wait for me in the car,".
Paul left and Heather walked over to Ben. "Where's Paul going?" Ben asked her.
"He's going home I think," Heather said, feeling nervous.
"I feel sorry for him, being all alone all the time," Ben said. "I'm going over to see him,".
"What? But I don't think there's any need," Heather said, trying to make him change his mind.
"Oh, I don't mind," Ben assured her.
Heather put on her coat with a frown, her plans for the night were ruined now. She slipped outside and told Paul the bad news.
"Oh, but I really wanted to see you tonight," he said, annoyed. "Why don't you come with Ben? At least then we'll still see each other,".
"OK," Heather agreed. "But it won't be as good,".
"There's always tomorrow," Paul suggested.
Ben appeared and called Heather other to his car. "See you later," Heather told him, blowing him a kiss before walking over to her husband.
Later that evening, Lucy found herself eating dinner in a cosy little restaurant with Mark.
"Does Linda mind you going out dining with other girls?" Lucy joked.
Mark laughed. "She won't mind. Anyway, we aren't all that serious,".
"Oh, so no wedding plans or anything then,".
"No," Mark shook his head. "She's really nice and I love being with her, but I can't see us ever settling down,".
The waiter put the bill on the table and Mark got out his wallet to pay. "I suppose I'd better go home now," Lucy sighed. "I doubt Nick will be home, he'll be all over that tart right now as I speak,".
"If you don't want to be alone you can come back to my house," Mark offered with a smile which made Lucy melt.
"OK," she grinned, starting to forget about Nick. She took Mark's hand and they walked out and got into his car.
Meanwhile, Ben, Paul and Heather were sitting in Paul's living room together.
"Why don't we watch a film?" Ben suggested.
"OK then," Paul agreed, at least that would mean they wouldn't have to speak to each other for a couple of hours. He felt really awkward and knew Heather did too.
"We'll watch Star Wars then," Ben decided, taking the video out of its case and putting it in the VCR.
Heather sat on the sofa in the middle of Ben and Paul. Ben was concentrating on the film, not taking his eyes off the screen. But Paul and Heather couldn't concentrate at all.
Paul gave her a glance. 'Tomorrow night,' he mouthed to her.
Heather nodded and gave him a thumbs up.
.