She Makes Me - A Brian May Fan Fiction

Chapter 20: All That Matters

[Simone]

As Brian made his approach towards us, a whirlwind of conflicting emotions churned within me. His proximity sparked a surge of apprehension, mingled with a pang of jealousy that gnawed at my insides. It didn't help that the alcohol was starting to take effect on me. I slipped away to hide myself in the loo before he could get any nearer. But before I could find refuge behind the closed door, Roger's hand encircled my wrist, halting my escape.

"Simone," his voice carried a note of concern.

"Rog, could you not?" I pleaded, torn between the desire to confide in him and the urge to retreat into my own thoughts.

"I'm not here to pass judgment, Simone," he reassured me, his eyes reflecting a depth of empathy that touched my soul. "If you want to talk about it, perhaps we could step outside for a breath of fresh air?"

I simply looked at him, feeling my own gaze soften with his kind offer. A fleeting glance at Brian, whose gaze lingered on me with a mixture of curiosity and concern, only intensified the tumult of emotions swirling within me.

"Well, I might have a smoke," Roger added with a rueful chuckle. He seemed a little tipsy. "But the offer still stands."

With a resigned sigh, I acquiesced, allowing Roger to lead me towards the front door. We sat in the microbus, him in the driver's seat and me beside him. We left the doors open to let some fresh air in, well... while he smoked.

"Was it Brian and the girl?" he asked, his face outside his own door to exhale some smoke.

"Yeah."

"Jealous?"

"Did you see the way they interacted? I'm not being dramatic, am I?" I bit my lip, feeling a knot of uncertainty tighten in my chest.

"You're not, Simone. You can get mad if you want. You're dating, aren't you?" he placed a hand heavily on the steering wheel.

"I don't know," I shrugged weakly, feeling a pang of frustration at my own indecision.

"What do you mean you don't know?" he looked at me with furrowed brows. "You've been becoming a little more obvious each day."

"Well, I know he likes me, and he knows that I like him, but if someone asks what we are, I don't really know how to respond."

"Brian can be odd. I understand."

"He's not odd."

"Well, he can be pretty insecure about himself, yeah? You know what they say about insecure lads," Roger continued, his voice tinged with concern as he shrugged casually.

"What?"

"They're easily taken by a little attention from the ladies and are more likely to cheat," Roger explained before taking another drag from his cigarette.

"What are you trying to say, then?" I asked, feeling a knot of unease form in the pit of my stomach. Despite my growing sense of jealousy, I couldn't bring myself to entertain the notion that Brian would betray my trust.

"I'm saying whatever happened that you just saw earlier doesn't surprise me," Roger responded bluntly, his tone unapologetic.

"You're being mean to Bri."

"How so? Do you want my honest opinion or not?" Roger's voice carried a hint of exasperation as he shifted in his seat, adjusting his posture to face me directly. "I've known Brian for years, love," he continued, his wrist casually draped over the window sill of the open car door. His face, slightly flushed from alcohol, betrayed the seriousness of his words. "I think he doesn't fully understand what he's missing doing that."