Dreams Can Come True

34. Boys night out

POV Bill

After the phone call with Elise, I let out a sigh of frustration and slipped my phone back into my pocket. Georg and I were standing outside in the courtyard, smoking cigarettes, our minds shrouded in a haze of discomfort and concern. The cool evening air caressed our faces as we stood silently side by side, the silence only broken by the sound of our breathing and the soft crackling of our burning cigarettes.
"Didn't you sound a bit disappointed, Bill?" Georg finally asked, his voice softly penetrating the space. "Doesn't Elise mind that we have to work overtime?"
I sighed deeply and casually lit another cigarette, pondering over Georg's remark. It was true that my voice probably betrayed a hint of disappointment. I took a long drag of my cigarette and stared at the smoke curling upwards, my thoughts entangled in a web of confusion and frustration.
"She mentioned something about our apartment," I finally muttered, my voice muffled by the smoke escaping from my mouth. "It was as if she didn't even consider the word 'home.'"
I placed my hands in my lap and let my cigarette rest between my fingers as I tried to explain what was going through my mind. "She wants to have her own place," I began, my voice a mixture of frustration and sadness. "She doesn't want to live together, Georg. She sent me an email saying that we're going to view a few apartments with a realtor tomorrow." A deep sigh escaped my chest, a feeling of uncertainty weighing heavily on my shoulders.
Georg came closer and placed his hand on my shoulder, an encouraging gesture that made me look up for a moment. His presence brought a certain calmness over me, knowing that he was there to listen. "I understand, Bill," he said calmly, his voice infused with understanding. "Tom already told me there were some issues regarding living together with Elise."
A sigh escaped my lips, mixed with a mutter of frustration: "Damn, Tom can be such a gossip." My words were tinged with a mixture of irritation and bewilderment, an expression of my inner turmoil and uncertainty about the situation. Georg smiled slightly at my remark, his eyes sparkling with understanding and a hint of amusement, as he calmly responded, "You would have told me eventually, Bill," his voice a reassuring echo of trust and friendship, to which I nodded.
"I feel like everyone is on Elise's side," I confessed finally, my voice tinged with a hint of despair. "Nobody seems to understand me." My words were a whisper of my inner doubts and frustrations, an expression of my loneliness amidst the division.
Georg looked me straight in the eyes, his gaze full of understanding and solidarity. "But I understand your side, Bill," he said firmly, his voice filled with confidence and support. "I would also like to have my girlfriend closer to me."
I raised my eyebrows in surprise. "Girlfriend?" I repeated, a smile on my lips. Georg started to blush slightly and looked down at his hands, as if suddenly very interested in his nails.
"You're changing the subject, Bill."
I smiled in response to Georg's remark and let him continue. "Yeah, I have a girlfriend," he confessed with a slight blush on his cheeks. I couldn't help but genuinely feel happy for him. "Congratulations, man," I said sincerely, patting him on the shoulder.
At that moment, the courtyard door swung open with a powerful sway, and Stef stood there, his impatience evident on his face. "Are you guys almost ready?" he asked, his voice slightly irritated. "Otherwise, we'll still be here in the middle of the night."
We extinguished our cigarettes and stood up, ready to go back inside. Georg and I exchanged a look of understanding before following Stef inside.

Stef nodded satisfactorily, his eyes sparkling with pride. "Perfect, that's exactly how I want 'Forever now' to sound," he declared, a smile of satisfaction on his face. It was as if a weight had been lifted off our shoulders. After hours of rehearsing, it was great to hear that we were on the right track. A feeling of fulfillment filled the room as we briefly looked at each other, sharing a glance of understanding.
As the last notes of our song slowly faded away, I suddenly realized how tired I was. The long day of intensive rehearsals had taken its toll, and my weary body longed for rest. Yet there was also a spark of excitement; the thought of the upcoming day off brought a smile to my face. Finally, time to relax, to be away from the hustle and bustle of the studio, and to enjoy some well-deserved rest.
Tom interrupted my thoughts with his suggestion. "What do you guys think, have we earned a beer?" He looked at us hopefully, his eyes sparkling at the idea of a cozy gathering after a long day of hard work.
As Tom suggested grabbing a beer, my thoughts involuntarily drifted to Elise. I longed for her warmth and the comfort of home. I could vividly imagine her soft smile and warm embrace, as if she were just a step away. My heart pounded at the thought of seeing her again, of wrapping my arms around her and feeling her presence.
"I thought you'd never ask," Gustav added with a grin, while Georg nodded in agreement. Their words only partially registered with me, overshadowed by my longing for Elise and home.
Tom gave me a meaningful look, as if he understood my internal struggle. "Come on, Bill, Elise can wait for half an hour," he said reassuringly, putting his arm around me, like an older brother trying to convince his younger brother to stay a bit longer.
I felt torn between my desire to go home and the sense of camaraderie I shared with my bandmates. "Okay, one beer and then I'll head home," I finally agreed, knowing it was a compromise between my longing for rest and my loyalty to the band. The thought of Elise waiting at home made me impatient to leave, but I knew that a short break with my bandmates was also important for our band dynamic.