The Drummer's Boy

Chapter 7. You Don't Know What I Look Like When I'm Not In Love With You

Friday rolled around, & the whole band was backstage getting ready to perform. George did manage to finish the songs on time, without any "distractions" from Jon.

George was standing in the mirror, putting the finishing touches on his makeup. A woman with a clipboard in her hand peeked back at the band. "Culture Club, 10 minutes till' stage."

George just got done with his makeup, when the phone on the little stand behind George, started to ring.

The woman with the clipboard rushed to the phone. "Hello?" She looked to Jon. "Yes he's here."

Jon looked up as the woman handed Jon the phone. "It's for you dear."

He nodded & took the phone. "Jon speaking." His face suddenly drained of all color. He gripped the phone tightly. "Okay, I'll be there," was all he said before he hung up.

Jon grabbed his coat from the chair & pulled it on. The band was quick to question Jon. "Where the hell do you think you're going? We're on in 7 minutes," Roy said.

Jon stared anywhere but at the band. He looked troubled by something. "I have to go. There was an accident." He began to walk away.

Roy & Mikey jumped in front of Jon, stopping him from leaving. "We don't have time for you to bail on us now, Jon. What is so important that you have to leave now," Mikey asked.

Jon shoved his hands in his coat pockets & bit his lip. He looked over at the bewildered George. "It's about Barbara. She got into a car accident."

George raised his eyebrows. "And out of all people who they could have called, they called you?"

Jon sighed & looked away from George. The truth is going to hurt him, but Jon can't lie to him about it anymore. "Barbara was at my house, the day we ran into her at the store."

George said nothing. He continued to stare at Jon, clearly stricken by his words.

Jon continued. "She had a few drinks of wine, but not much. She...um...she...," Jon couldn't continue the sentence.

"She what Jon? Finish the sentence," George demanded, face still expressionless.

This was going to kill him. But Jon had to say it, he couldn't keep hiding the truth. "She kissed me & I didn't pull away. I let her."

George took a step back, his hand folded into a fist. His eyes were downcast. "How could you do that to me?"

Jon walked up to George & tried to hug him. Or, at least, comfort him.

But George pushed him away. "George, look, I didn't do this to hurt you. I never wanted to. You have to understand I-"

"No, don't," George interrupted Jon. "I don't want to hear you're lame excuses."

Jon wasn't expecting this from George, at all. He thought George was loving & understanding but he wasn't hearing him out. This made Jon furious.

"Fine. Whatever. I had my reasons but I guess you're so pathetically caught up with yourself, you don't even care about what I have to say."

Jon was startled by what he said. At the rate he was going, he was about to take out two birds with one stone. "George, I-I didn't mean to-"

George held up his hand. "No, don't even apologize. You're right. I was pathetic to even think for one second that you loved me."

This was not how it was supposed to go down. Jon wanted to fix it before it got ugly, but Jon was in no mood for it anymore. He was mad at how selfish George was being. How he is every time Jon was with a girl.

Jon needed to release his anger. He stormed off to find a chair. He picked one up & threw it at George.

Roy & Mikey backed away. Their eyes darting between George & Jon, utterly bewildered.

The chair hit George & it pissed him off. He picked up the chair & threw it back at Jon. He dodged the chair.

George got his revenge when he picked up a glass ash tray from the table, aimed at Jon's head, & threw it. Jon ducked just in time, it collided into the wall & smashed.

Roy took a risk & jumped in front of George & Jon's feud. He raised his hands as if in surrender. "Enough. You two are friends. Friends don't act like this. Please, just stop, okay?"

They did stop. But Jon stepped past Roy & took George's arms & backed him into the wall. His eyes were full of anger.

George gulped & continued to stare into his eyes. "I never saw this side of you before."

Jon knew his words were sure to hurt George this time, but he didn't care. He wanted to hurt him. He needs to know it's not just about him. "You don't know what I look like when I'm not in love with you." He let go of George's arms & walked away.

All of a sudden, George couldn't breathe. He fell to the ground. He hugged his knees & started to cry. He cried until he couldn't see.

The woman stepped back in & called, "Culture Club, you're up."

Jon was already out. Roy & Mikey walked over to George & helped him up. "It's okay George. You just have to get through this concert."

George nodded & wiped his face with his arm. He stepped past Roy & Mikey and made his way out to the stage.

Mikey glanced at Roy. "What the hell just happened?"

Roy shook his head & they both walked out front with the rest of the band.

George gripped his microphone & stared blankly into the crowd. Oh, how happy they all were. It was a repulsive thing to watch.

The whole band was out & ready to begin. George nodded & they started their first song.

Whether the crowd was really paying attention to him at all, he was still crying from Jon's words. The song really didn't help. It was so hard to see the crowd, his vision was blurred from his tears. So he did the only thing he could think of.

He closed his eyes & tried to lose himself in the song.