The Jeweller's Hands

The Jeweller's Hands - Chapter Two

The Jeweller's Hands

Chapter two

July 2018

Miles shifted in his sleep. The part of his brain that kept sort of conscious – like a viewer of his dreams, kept telling him this was wrong. That it didn't happen like that. In 2009 he had been twenty three, the same as Alex, and he certainly wasn't a superstar. But still it carried on.....

2009

It was the next evening after meeting Alex and the rest of Arctic Monkeys, and Miles was pumped before his gig. He always asked venues to provide him with a punchbag to work off his excess energy and frustrations, and he was using it now, while everyone was outside, setting up. He liked to punch the bag hard, and enjoyed the pain resonating down his fingers. There was something cathartic about it.

There was a knock on the door.

"One second!" he called, steadying the bag. "Okay, come in!"

The door opened, and Alex came in, accompanied by a tiny, pretty girl in a floral dress and black Doc Martens. She held onto Alex's hand, but was hanging behind him. Alex was wearing the same clothes as last night – black t-shirt and black jeans, and pair of shiny black winklepickers.

"Hi," he said shyly, looking at the punchbag rather than Miles in his vest and shorts. "I'm sorry to intrude now, but we might not see you after the gig. I just wanted to ask a favour....well, Laura did..."

She held out a copy of Miles' latest CD 'Change the Show'

"My brother loves you," she said. "He asked if you could sign that."

"Course I can."

Miles took the CD and Sharpie Laura was offering him, and as he looked up, he caught Alex looking at his body. Miles fought the temptation to flex his muscles or show off, and instead asked Laura what her brother's name was. She said it was Scott, and so he signed a lovely message, wishing Scott well.

"So are you a musician as well?" Miles asked Laura.

"No, I'm at uni with Alex. It's how we met."

She was beaming proudly, but Alex looked kind of awkward.

"Do you both want a drink?" Miles motioned to the large table covered with bottles and cans of every description.

"I'm here with Abi, Nick's girlfriend," Laura said. "We're gonna take some photos to put on our Facebook pages." She looked at Alex. "You coming babe?"

He hesitated, tucking a lock of his chestnut brown hair behind his ear.

"I'll stay for a bit."

"Okay!" she smiled. She was so short, she had to stand on tip toe to kiss his cheek, and Alex was no more than five eight, as he was an inch or so shorter than Miles.

"See you soon, Babes," she said.

She walked out and Miles set about unwrapping the bandages from his knuckles.

"Take what you want," he said.

"I'll have a Stella, thanks."

Alex opened the bottle and leaned against the table. Every time he looked at him, Miles noticed something new about him. His legs were disproportionately long for his body. His large nose was perfectly shaped. His skin was perfect...

"So what are you studying?" Miles asked, dipping his knuckles into the bucket of ice water that management always provided.

"Zoology, at Sheffield. If the band don't work out. I want to work with animals."