Headshrinker

Chapter 6

After the rehearsal session I wasn't sure what to do. Guigsy wanted me there but the others didn't. I was just creating a horrible atmosphere that none of us needed. I thought I should stop trying to be their friends. They were cool, I wasn't.

There wasn't a chance that we were going go get along. They were going places and I was going somewhere completely different. It made complete sense that we couldn't get along.

I decided I should go to the uni library and put my concentration into the books. As soon as I started reading the first textbook I realised why I'd distanced myself from Guigsy in the first place. It was on the same subject as I'd studied at A Level, the English Civil War. Reading up on the topic again made me look back on how little I'd studied the first time because of him.

Sitting the exam I could barely answer any of the questions. None of it was familiar. All I could think was I must've missed that skipping lessons or I didn't revise that all because Guigsy was always there to give me an escape. I didn't know how the school or my parents or even Bonehead didn't figure out I was blowing it off for a boy like him. Somehow I was allowed to resit my A Levels with strictly no distractions. The university wasn't going to allow second chances.

Even now I was spending far too long staring into space thinking about him rather than studying. His band too, even as I read I couldn't help comparing them to the historical figures.

I'd hardly gotten any further in actually doing the assignment when I gave up on the library session and headed home. I couldn't be bothered to take any of the books out either. I could've done with a study group but I didn't want to approach any of my uni mates.

When I got back to the flat there was a note for me by the phone. Someone had called asking me to come over to watch a certain sci fi show. He didn't need to ask, I'd be straight there. If it wasn't for the note I might've forgotten. There was more on my mind than the TV.

University allowed a lot more freedom for having fun than A Levels did, I just needed to be smart about taking it. If I couldn't get along with his mates, then we'd just have to

Guigsy was in a jokey mood when I got to his. "You forgot about this, didn't you?"

Being with him alone couldn't have been further from the intensity of being in the overcrowded rehearsal room.

"It has not been a week since the last episode." I denied, trying to work out how long it had been.

"Actually my mate's got some of em on video."

"How?"

"He works at the BBC, he gave me a copy, let's leave it at that."

"So we can go at our own pace?

"We can go at it at our own pace." he nodded in agreement.

"You naughty nerd." I smirked.

"Let's get some food before we stick the video on." We took off to the kitchen.

"You like letting me eat you out of house and home."

Raiding his food cupboards reminded me that I still had that bag of monster munch laying around, waiting to be a peace offering for Noel that maybe I'd never use. If anything it seemed I needed to find a way to break the ice with Liam. He was the one I had to crack after the whole keyboardist thing.

Guigsy tried to explain why I hadn't been told about the gigs they'd done without me but there was no reason.

"It doesn't matter. I tried to get too involved with the band, too quick. It's not my place and I'll be there to watch you next time." I tried to show him I wasn't bothered. "Just as a fan, nothing else."