Tell Me - A Stones Story

1

August 30th, 2023

"Christ." Keith murmured, loosening his tie for the sixth time today. It was only 8:30 (the earliest he'd been awake all summer) and he wanted to go back to bed. He was sat in the noisy school hall, slumped in a hard plastic chair, waiting on the headmaster's address. His brown eyes scanned the sea of rowdy students, trying to see any new faces. To his disappointment, he could only see the same people he's been with his whole life. From nursery school, through primary school, and now doing their GCSEs together. So many people that Keith knows inside out - and yet, here he is, sitting alone.

It's no secret Keith isn't the most sociable; he's quiet and awkward. Not tall or good-looking enough to have a girlfriend. Well, a girl did ask him out before summer. Amy, was it? Maybe Alex? Doesn't matter anyway, he wasn't interested. He assumed it was a particularly cruel joke carefully planned by the girls in his class. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction of the hurt look on his face, no way.

Still - that doesn't matter. All he cared about right now was going home and having a fag. The clamouring crowd began to quiet as their Year Head strutted onto the stage and Keith let out a sigh of relief. Quiet, at last.

***

The screech of the bell rang throughout the school, pulling Keith out of a daydream. His science class began to rush out of the door, and Keith rather regrettably began to pack up. He promised his mum he was going to try hard this year and the first day had already finished with a disciplinary for forgetting his homework diary and telling-off for drifting off during religion. "Oh I'm sorry," his teacher snarled. "it looks like we're boring someone. Out last night partying, were we Mr Richards?" she asked sarcastically. "Yeah, with what friends?", quipped Mick Jagger, sending an eruption of giggles throughout the classroom. Keith slung his schoolbag on his shoulder, feeling his face heat up at the memory.

Mick Jagger was one of the most disgustingly vile boys in his whole year, probably the whole school (if not the entire universe). Not physically, of course. He had thick brown hair, always impeccably styled and resting on his shoulders. He had big lips, so soft looking in comparison to Keith's own chapped lips. "He probably uses lip balm, what a queer" Keith thought, scoffing to himself. He'd known Mick since they were 5 years old. He's always been a first class twat in Keith's opinion. His family were absolutely loaded, fancy cars dropping Mick off every day and expensive trainers in every PE class. It didn't impress Keith. It's a shame he can't buy some personality. Keith shook his head as he walked through the school gates, shoving through the swarm of students all eager to get home and make the most of the rest of summer. What did he care about Mick? After 6 hours with the obnoxious wanker he'd rather not think about him, thank you very much. He pulled his wired earplugs out of his blazer pocket and quickly stuck on some Chuck Berry, reminding him of his guitar and having a well-deserved fag, all thoughts of big-lipped pricks thrown aside.

***

August 31st

The bell rang for lunch, and Keith emerged from the toilet cubicle he'd been hiding in. He was skiving off of PE and he'd probably get in trouble for it later, but he didn't give two fucks. He let out a groan thinking about lunch. He'd spent the day before sitting alone, much to the delight of some of the popular kids in his class. Mick's gang, naturally. Don't get the wrong idea, it's not that he didn't have any friends. His best friend, Ronnie, was still on holiday (in Spain, lucky bastard) and wouldn't be back until Monday. Their other friend, Brian, was a year older, and was told very nicely that he was forbidden from returning to school. Keith sighed. He made his way into the canteen, sitting at the small table in the corner, the table he sat at last year with Ron and Brian. He pulled a bottle of Pepsi out of his bag along with his sketchbook and got ready to do a few doodles when he was suddenly interrupted. "Hey! Richards!" someone shouted.