As it Began

Fast Forward: Sunday 27 September 1974. 3:00 PM- Room 103A

What a lazy-ass Sunday afternoon. The curtains of the large window were pulled back showing the endless London rain pouring outside. I was lounging on the sofa with my hair piled on my head, cigarette in one hand and textbook in the other doing what I've been confined to doing the past three weeks: studying my ass off (on my day off). I had a test the next morning, bright and early. I could hear the door open and looked up as Vanessa popped her head in- she had been out for most of the day doing lord knows what. "Well hello birthday girl!" She said way too excitedly for this kind of day.

Yes, it was my birthday. I was finally 25 and as far as I was concerned, it was just another day. I sighed and set my book aside. "Yes. The excitement overrides me." I said with pure sarcasm- my specialty.

"Oh stop it sour puss! Take this!" She fluttered over to the coffee table in her ballet flats to present me with a single yellow balloon tied around a box of my favourite English chocolates. If there was anything I liked about birthdays, this was definitely it.

"Oh my gosh Nessa, you didn't have to get me anything. I told you that!" I set my cigarette in the ashtray on the table and got up to hug her.

"It's nothing! And 25 is a big one!"

"No it's not-"

"Round numbers, my darling!" Wow. Only Vanessa could come up with something like that. "Welp, gotta get ready, afternoon classes come fast!"

With that, she disappeared into the bedroom. I rolled my eyes and resumed puffing my cigarette and filling my brain with utter crap. I hear the elevator ding again- odd since there are only two rooms nearby and both were never home on the weekend. I didn't give it too much thought as I kept reading. I could hear Vanessa humming from the other room...and a knock on the door. My eyes shot in the direction of the door and yelled to Vanessa that I got it. I swore I'd never let her hear the end of it if it was one of those damn sing-a-grams or whatever they're called where people serenade you for money. I got up and walked over slowly. When I opened the door the first thing I saw was a huge bouquet of pink and purple flowers...with legs. Before I had time to question it, a certain blond head and glowing smile appeared from behind the flowers.

"To the birthday girl!" He exclaimed, pushing them toward me. I doubled over in laughter.

"Roger what the hell! That's so sweet, get in here!" I pulled him and his mass of tulips inside and shut the door. I took the flowers and set them gently on the kitchen table. I would find a vase later. I walked up to Roger who was giving me a mischievous smirk. I smacked him on the arm. "I told you I didn't expect any presents, stupid! God, you can hardly afford your own rent!" I laughed a bit and so did he.

"I know, just think of it as something to say...thank you for being a fucking great best friend." I sighed and gave in.

"Oh, alright. Come here." We walked toward each other and he wrapped me in his arms, resting his chin on top of my head. I loved when he did this...

Over the past three weeks Roger and I became inseparable best friends. When we weren't wandering around the Kensington Gardens secretly ranking people's sexual habits or making fun of the ice cream salesman's moustache, we were on small coffee dates just talking about anything and everything. I would have to buy most of the time because he was just so damn broke and I was getting paid biweekly. Oh yeah, I got a job at the local Smoothie Bar! Yes, I said 'Smoothie Bar'...our slogan is 'slurpin' by day, slippin' by night'. When the sun goes down, look out because the chairs move and people dance on a rather slippery light up dance floor and sip those smoothies all night...only in England...

Anyway, the point is Roger and I got closer as the days went on and we were both as happy as we've ever been.

He let go of our embrace. "What are you up to today?" I walked over to put the kettle on.

"Notta. You?" I turned to look at him from the small counter. He scratched his head.

"I'm doin' shit-all today. We gotta do something!" I nodded and smiled as the kettle began to whistle. Suddenly his face lit up. "I'll take you to my flat! You've never been there! It's literally around the corner from the park we're always at but yeah, I've never taken you there!"

I thought for a moment and he was right- of all the times we went out together he never once brought me to his flat. This would be interesting! "Oh yeah! Okay we're definitely doing this." He looked at me peculiarly. "I wanna see your flat!" I clarified.

"Alright! I gotta warn you though, the place is a shithole...but it does the job and the price is right. Wanna just have tea there?" I immediately snapped the off button on the kettle and spun around on my heels.

"It's a date." I couldn't wait! "Just give me ten minutes to freshen up?" I asked as Vanessa slipped out of the bedroom. Roger nodded and I left to get ready.

"Roger, hi- I thought that was you! Did you get these flowers?!" Vanessa gasped as she picked them up. "I have the perfect vase!" She opened a cabinet and pulled out a large glass vase and filled it with tap water. Roger giggled.

"Hey Vanessa, yep they're from me. The least I could do, y'know?" Vanessa looked up at him.

"This is the sweetest thing you could do, honey. Seriously." She looked at him serious, then smiled as I walked out and grabbed my bag by the door.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

"We're heading out, have a great class Nessa, see ya later!" I half-yelled. Roger opened the door for me as I slipped out into the cool hallway.

"Okay, don't have too much fun now!" Roger and I rolled our eyes as this is what she told us every. damn. time we left together. We shut the door, headed to the lift and were on our way.

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4:00 PM, 17.5 minutes from London University.

Roger wasn't kidding when he said his flat was around the corner from the park where we first met...it literally was around the corner! He opened the squeaky front door and we headed up the short staircase to another door. This building had to be over 100 years old and everything was covered in scratched wood paneling. He fumbled with the key, cursing under his breath at it and finally we were inside. It was a spacious studio-type flat with mismatched furniture and there were records, notepads and drumsticks scattered all over. There was a half wall separating the kitchen from the main room and a small hallway that was barely a hallway with a bathroom on the right and his bedroom at the end. There was a small TV and a record player, and an assembled drum kit in the corner. Despite its messy, mismatched nature I adored the place's comfiness and pure novelty. We made some tea, sat on the sofa and talked some more. For dinner we feasted on leftover Chinese food and beer from Roger's fridge whilst being entertained by rock n' roll records. When he got up and told me he had a couple joints left over from a party I just couldn't say no...

Three slightly drunk and hazy hours later we were sitting at opposite ends of the sofa in the foggy, dim light of the flat laughing at absolutely nothing...

And when that one Hendrix song came on our eyes locked. Then by some unexplainable pull we began slowly crawling toward each other and it seemed like the damn sofa went on forever. We stopped with our heads almost touching, our breathing picking up and eyes barely blinking. I could feel his breath on my face that smelled of a mixture of slightly stale beer, drugs, and something sweet. Something my semi-intoxicated mind suddenly clicked as Roger closed his eyes and slowly leaned in...