Tell Me How It Feels

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

 "You know Finlay," Timothy pointed his finger at his conversation after swallowing his toast crust. "You ought to sleep once in a while."

Finlay sighed and uncrossed his legs, putting down his sketchbook and pen in the process. Himself and Timothy were sat around Joel's small breakfast table discussing last night's events and their friend's drunkenness. Timothy found Joel amusing when he was drunk, he often personified inanimate objects and created, what he likes to call, dance moves involving whatever he could lay his hands on. Timothy likes to watch as the mass of hair attempts to teach beer glasses how to 'groove and jive'.

"You listening?" He opens his mouth and practically throws his remaining toast in his mouth before chewing.

"Mmm hmm. I always listen to you Timothy," Finlay murmured to the table, not sure himself whether he was joking.

"Sure you do. Anyway, did you sleep at all last night?"

"Nope." Popping the 'p' and taking a sip of his freshly-made tea whilst staring at Timothy's chin.

A slumped body told Finlay that Timothy disapproved of his sleeping habits. "Why?"

"You know I don't sleep when I have the chance," another mumble escaped.

Timothy sighed. He had always been worried for his friend's health. "I don't know how you do it Fin, but you do," Timothy stood, pushed in his chair and placed his plate on the behind bench. "Should I wake up Sleepy Beauty?"

With a chuckle, Finlay replied, "beauty? Have you seen the size he's getting?"

Timothy returned the laugh, standing against the bench now. "He is getting rather chunky, it'll be them peanuts." They both shared the joke for a few moments, laughing then stopping, only to start again.

"You know it's impolite to take the piss out of the person letting you stay, right?" Joel came around the corner, looking unexpectedly fresh and alert. His face wasn't as tired as the other day, Finlay noted, but it was dinner time after all.

"And it rises!" Timothy showed a mock surprised expression and raised both arms in the air in a fake ecstatic gesture

"I'm not even fat," Joel whined, staying on subject whilst he shuffled in to his kitchen. "You guys just don't have any muscle but I, however, do."

Finlay pulled his knees up to his chest now, grinning at Joel as he filled his kettle. "Eh, I play football, you know I do. What do you need muscles for anyway?"

Joel snorted at Finlay behind him and continued to make his cup of tea. "Yeah, once a year Fin. Hey, I'll have you know that running to and forth from all these electrical shops takes stamina y'know!"

"You get the bloody bus you lazy bugger!" Timothy roared and a simultaneous round of laughter broke out, before they allowed the conversation to pass over their heads.

"I'm going to Jay's, see if he's in. I'll ring you all later, okay? Thanks for letting me stay, Joel," Timothy clapped his hands together and pushed himself out of his lean. 

"Yeah, sure. See you later Tim," Joel tipped his chin up to him as he grabbed his jacket from where he slept and received a pat on the back from the leaving man.

"I'm going too," Finlay stood up and cleared his area of his mug. "Home, I'm going home," he added, after seeing Joel's you're-leaving-me-out? eyes.

"Oh okay. How are you dressed anyway? How long were you both up?" Joel pushed his fringe to one side and gazed at Finlay. Joel face was always so childish and almost precious like, it was hard to like him.

"I've been up all night. Timothy's been up around 45 minutes I reckon."

Joel held his mug now then sat down where Timothy had been and shifted his eyes to the floor, most likely recalling their late night conversation in his mind if he could remember. "Of course. Reckon Ryan will be there?"

"Well," he replied as he finished tying his last shoe. "He's either there or at Jay's. We'll see."

"Okay, ring me later yeah?"

"Whatever, yeah. Thanks for letting me stay and stuff," and with a final mutter, he sprang up from his crouch and strolled straight from Joel's flat.

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Arriving back at the flat, Finlay smiled. Ryan's shoes were kicked to the side of the door, meaning he was here too. He grinned even harder, he'd finally get to speak to him properly today. But what would he say? Pausing after closing the door, he held is keys in one hand and bit his lip. What would he talk to Ryan about? He didn't to upset him by talking about Hayley too much, yet it was inconsiderate not too. Oh well, he thought, we'll see how it pans out.

"Ryan?" He called through the silence of the flat. The TV was not on and it didn't seem like he's been sitting around. "Ryan?" Repeating himself, he slowly drifting through the living area. He wasn't there, or in the kitchen it seemed as Finlay looked over.

Sighing, Finlay relaxed his muscles and trodded around towards his couch. He flopped down on it and stared at the ceiling. It was too quiet, way too quiet. Usually Finlay would enjoy the silence, yet there was something awfully wrong with the setting and he decided music could fix the situation. He dragged himself slowly on to the floor, feeling unnaturally depressed that Ryan wasn't back, and crawled towards the large record collection him and Ryan owned.

Nothing jumped out to him. His favourite bands were just names and he couldn't choose what to listen to. The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Nirvana, the list went on and nothing seemed appropriate. No matter, he thought, he'll listen to Ryan's favourite record. He always denied it when Ryan teased him, but he secretly loved the record he just didn't want his friend to know. His fingers brushed down the battered and worn sleeves until the point where the letter J began, but it wasn't there. Finlay pushed his eyebrows together and leaned back on his calfs and feet. Ryan never ever took the record out of the flat. Ever. It was too much of a treasure to him. It certainly wouldn't have been put elsewhere in the pile, alphabetical order was vital to Ryan's organisation techniques, but Finlay checked and double checked regardless. No, it wasn't there. He must be in the flat then.

Finlay pushed himself up from the floor slowly and steadily. "Ryan? Are you in here Ryan?"

"Yeah, Finlay, I'm in here."