Bleed To Love Her (B.N)

June 1968

“Thank you everybody! Goodnight!” Lindsey yelled at the crowd, who cheered. “God bless you!” Stevie yelled, waving at the front row. The band ran off stage. “After you.” Lindsey said, gesturing for Stevie to go forward. “Thanks Lindsey.” She said, smiling up at him. “No problem, Stevie.” As they followed their bandmates into the dressing room that they all shared, Stevie thought about how much she liked the fact that Lindsey switched between calling her Stevie and Stephanie. In the dressing, waiting for them was Lindsey current girlfriend, Sally. She jumped up at the first sight of Lindsey and rushed over to him. Throwing her arms around his neck, she planted a huge kiss on his lips. Stevie rolled her eyes, moving around them. She took a gulp out of a beer bottle, watching Lindsey and Sally through narrow eyes. “That was fantastic! You were the best, Lindsey!” Sally exclaimed, making the rest of the band groan. They were used to Sally making them feel like crap compared to Lindsey but lately it had started to get under their skin again. Stevie, having had enough, finished the bottle in one go. She grabbed her bag and started walking towards the door. “Where’re you going, Stevie?” Lindsey called after her, trying to escape the grasp of Sally. “Home.” Stevie replied, refusing to look back. “How? We haven’t loaded the car yet! You can’t take it!” “I’ll get the bus!” Stevie slammed the door behind her, knowing all to well that she’d left a confused aura around Lindsey.

The Next Day

Someone knocked on Stevie’s bedroom door. She jumped, rolling over onto her stomach. “Come in!” She called to them. Lindsey opened the door a crack. “Are you decent? Can I come in?” Stevie looked down at herself; all she was wearing was an oversized t-shirt and her panties. Shrugging to herself, she said, “Yea. C’mon in.” Lindsey opened the door fully; he wore a dressing gown that his mother had given him for his last birthday. Stevie loved that dressing gown; she thought it made Lindsey look like a father. “Oh. You’re still in bed. I thought you were awake. I didn’t wake you, did I?” Stevie shook her head, sitting up and wrapping her thin sheet around her shoulders. Lindsey sat beside her on her bed, which was actually just a double mattress on the floor. “I’ve been writing these lyrics but I can’t get them quite right. You’re more of a writer than I am. Can you help me?” Stevie smiled at Lindsey. “Sure Linds.” She replied, taking the sheets of paper from him. She read the title: ‘Frozen Love’. Reading through them, she smiled and nodded as she imagined Lindsey singing the words. “These are really good, Lindsey. Really, they are.” Lindsey blushed and looked away, just like he had when he and Stevie had first met. “Are you blushing again?” Stevie asked, laughing at him. “No!” Lindsey objected, looking on in mock horror as Stevie doubled over from her laughter. “Right, that’s it! You’re for it now.” Lindsey threw himself onto Stevie, tickling her mercilessly. “No! Lindsey! Stop it! No!” Stevie squealed, laughing loudly. Lindsey started to laugh along with her. Eventually, Lindsey restrained Stevie, pinning her down by her wrist. The atmosphere changed suddenly as they stared into each other’s eyes. “Got you.” Lindsey whispered. Stevie nodded. “Got me? You always had me.” She whispered back. Before Lindsey could ask what she meant, someone cleared his or her throat. Stevie and Lindsey look at the door. Sally stood with her arms crossed, dressed to the nines in a pretty pink shift dress, white tights and pink t-bar punts. Her hair was in its usual style: flicked out at the ends, her bangs straight and covering her forehead all held together with the help of a white Alice band. Stevie had always had the opinion that Sally thought she was America’s undiscovered answer to Pattie Boyd; she knew Sally was nowhere near pretty enough to even be in the same league as Pattie Boyd. “Can I ask what’s going on here?” Sally asked, tapping her foot impatiently. Stevie and Lindsey stayed silent and kept still. “Stevie, would you mind getting out from under my boyfriend?” Stevie glanced down at her current position. Looking at Sally, she smirked. “Nah, I’m good.” Sally’s face flushed red with anger. “Get away from him.” She snarled. Stevie tutted. “You didn’t say please.” Lindsey sniggered. Sally looked at him, anger seeping from her eyes. “Right.” She began to walk away. “Sally, wait.” Lindsey called after her, letting Stevie go and running through into the other room. Stevie sighed, covering her face with her hands. “What’re you doing, Stevie? What’re you doing?” She asked herself.