The Melody of a Protagonist

Chapter 11- Cowboys and Porn Mags

                                                       Chapter 11.

                                                       Tuesday.

The low rumble of drums and roar of electric guitar awoke Charlie from his slumber.

"Argh" he winced, squinting with one eye closed as he fumbled for the mobile phone on his bedside table. 6:30am read obnoxiously across the illuminated screen.

Charlie lay on his back for a moment, staring up and the glow in the dark stars and planets which decorated his ceiling; one of the many reminders of his childhood.

He frowned a little, imaging the reaction he would receive if he were to ever have a girl in his bed. The worn cowboy stickers on his headboard certainly wouldn't add to the ambiance, nor would his solar system sheets and small, cramped, creaky single bed.

Charlie's long, lanky teenage body barely fit on the old, worn mattress. His feet hung awkwardly off the end of his bed and he was forever hitting his head on the hard metal frame. Charlie's frown dropped a little more as he considered the fact that he'd probably never even be able to bring a girl back home with him.

Another deep rumbling noise distracted Charlie from his thoughts. "Hbraf" muffled a voice into his pillow. Charlie glanced over at the starfish form sprawled across the other single bed in the small, unkempt room. It was of course his burlier elder brother, Jake.

Jake's sheets were all twisted and askew; olive patches of skin and a brown mop of hair were the only distinguishable features amongst the piles of scattered clothing and stripped bedding which trailing across the floor.

Jake's side of the room was very different to Charlie's. Above Jake's bed hung cluttered posters of topless models and actresses in erotic poses; the floor around his bed was scattered with discarded clothes, dishes and porn magazines left in out plain view.

Charlie's side of the room was much more civilized and organized; above his bed hung a single poster of his idol and favorite professional motorcycle racer, Casey Stoner. It's not that Charlie wasn't interested in girls, he definitely was fascinated but unlike his brother he was far too self-conscious to parade his appreciation of the female form in the public eye.

Charlie had a collection of only two porn magazines. He kept them in a shoebox under his bed beneath last year's SOSE and math textbooks, a brown old t-shirt and three odd socks. Even then Charlie was paranoid that his mother would still find them.

Jake stirred again, beginning to snore loudly in his sleep. Charlie fantasized about what it'd be like if Jake was born a girl; then Jake would be sharing a room with Lily and he'd have his own space all to himself. Charlie pulled back his sheets and ambled off to the shower. He didn't really mind getting up early in the mornings; this was his only real time to himself. 10 minutes of blissful relaxation and personal space before Jake and the rest of the world would snap him back into reality.

As Charlie enter the teal and white en suite bathroom he frowned at the wet green towel scrunched up on the floor; his towel. "Thanks Jake" he muttered to himself kicking the towel aside. Charlie turned on the radio and undressed, climbing into the shower only to be interrupted a few minutes later.

"I love this song!" Lily called as she entered the bathroom.

♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫♫

"Lily!" cried Charlie in surprise.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm not looking! I just need to steal some toothpaste.- You guys really need to clean up your room, there's rubbish everywhere!" Lily called over the noise of the radio as she brushed her teeth.

“Kay, I'll see you later, Dave is picking Jemma and I up for band practice- have a good day at school!"

Lily closed the door behind her and headed back toward her own room. Jake was still lying fast asleep as she passed him by. Lily glanced at one of the magazines on the floor Muffy the Vampire Layer- Super Special Edition read across the top. Lily rolled her eyes; Mum's going to LOVE that she thought to herself.

Lily collected her packed school bag from her bedroom and headed out toward the front door. Dave's car was already waiting for her in the driveway.

"Heya" Lily greeted as she climbed into the passenger seat of dark blue commodore.

"Thanks so much for the lift!"

Dave was the bassist of Lily, Jemma and Zac's band. He was 19, broad shouldered and solidly built. He had a sleeve of tattoos on his right arm which featured a large, colorful dragon as well as several others tattoos across his chest and back.

Dave's hair was dark brown and long, often hiding his eyes from view. He had piercings all the way up his right ear and two on the upper lobe of his left. Dave also exhibited a small, silver lip ring that highlighted his unusually voluptuous lips and killer smile.

Despite his strong, rugged appearance Dave had a very gentle nature and tended to be quite quiet and soft-spoken, often keeping to himself.

"No problem at all" smiled Dave, "It's not that far out of my way anyway."

Lily smiled back, relaxing into the black leather seats as she started up another round of Angry Birds on her phone.