Keep Yourself Alive - Roger Taylor

9

My eyes fluttered open, and my head banged profusely with every thump of my heart. I felt someone touch my arm and immediately jump away in fear. The last thing I remember is that bastard pinning me against the wall.

I flinched back, but as soon as I noticed who it was my eyes filled with tears and I couldn't help but leap into his arms. It was Roger of course, and he rocked me back and forth as he stroked the back of my hair.

"You're okay now, they got him. Don't worry, love" He soothed.

I pulled away and wiped the tears from my eyes and cheeks. There were huge purple bruises on my wrists, and when he saw me staring at them he pulled my hands down gently.

"I rang the hospital, and they told you to rest. It was most likely GHB or Rohypnol, so it should be out of your system soon" he said, but it was going in one ear and out the other as I just stared right through him.

"I also rang your father, and he wants you to go home as soon as possible" He sighed.

"W-What?" I said, my throat hoarse and raspy.

"It's for the best, it's my fault you got in this mess and now I'm getting you out of it" He demanded.

"N-no, I'm better here, I'm happier here with you guys" I cried.

"You're not, I'm sorry. If anything else happens I don't know what I'd do. What if we didn't see you? What if Freddie didn't notice him- we might not have seen you again" he sighed defeated, pushing some hair from my face.

"Well it was your last show, can't I go home with you then?" I asked hopefully.

"We got some more bookings further north" He said, still rubbing circles into my bruised wrists.

"Oh" I breathed disappointedly.

"We're back next week though, we can see you then" He said, a smile forming on our faces.

"Yeah I suppose. Where are the others?" I asked curiously, trying to divert from the main conversation.

"They went to finish the show, I told them to because we had a paying audience. John plays a little bit of drums so I think they were doing their best. I hope you don't mind" He said.

"No of course not, you should have gone too" I nodded.

"And leave you here to wake up alone? No way" He scoffed.

Tears filled my eyes again and he sensed it straight away, sitting up next to me and pulling me into a side hug.

"Why did this have to end this way?" I cried, tears making his shirt change into a darker shade of grey.

"I don't know, love" He sighed, kissing the top of my head.

"I don't know" he repeated.

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I was back in England after saying farewell to the lads. I was very nervous about travelling home alone, mainly because of last night, but also because of my father.

I knocked on the regal white door that lead to my parents home. It was huge, and when I went to college they left me my flat and told me that I had to build up my wealth and work up to something like this. But at the moment I wasn't even earning any money, and the debt was above my eyes.

They opened and my mother pulled me into her arms immediately.

"Hi mother" I greeted, a false smile plastering my face.

Going to university was the best thing ever, as it meant I got to leave this hell hole. My parents weren't the best. I mean they raised me well and everything but they always treated me like a possession that had to be perfect all of the time. This is why I had no friends, they would always tell me who I could and couldn't play with when I was young, and the ones they approved would all be pretentious pricks.

"Oh my darling are you okay? Your father and I were worried sick when that Robert person rang us" She fretted.

"Roger, mum. And yeah I feel better. Where's dad?" I asked.

"He's out... He's angry with you, hun. You haven't been to work for weeks with no warning, and then we find out you have been drugged in Glasgow?" She asked, sliding the door closed.

"Yeah I know, I'm sorry" I said, waving it off.

"He doesn't want you to go back. To work, I mean" She said sadly, and my stomach dropped.

"Oh, I see" I nodded. "That's fine then, I already have a new job anyway so" I lied.

"What? Where?"

"I help manage a band. Queen, have you heard of them?" I asked.

"No" she said with venom laced in her words.

Our family were not a common one, and she always disapproved of everything I did. So when she found out I smoked and went to rock gigs she lost her mind, but I made her calm down when I took my biology degree. But let's not tell her than I'm failing that too.

"They're amazing actually, and oh yeah I'm dropping out of university" I said bluntly, I had been thinking about it for a while and decided it was better to just quit. I was definitely going to fail anyway, so I should quit before the disappointment.

"You will not! We payed good money for that place for you, do you know how difficult it was to get them to let you in!?" She shouted.

"What do you mean?" I asked, shaking my head with lots of confusion.

"You didn't get in with those grades, weren't you wondering why you found university so difficult? We had to pay extra for your place" She seethed.

"Oh, what a waste of money" I shrugged.

Deep down I was heartbroken. I knew I wasn't the smartest girl, but I didn't think I was that bad. Why didn't they tell me? I could have spent my time doing something I could use in the future, not stupid biology lectures with Mr Humphrey.

I went back over to the door and collected my bags, opening the handle quickly.

"What are you doing? You're staying here until you get better" She warmed.

"I'm feeling much better, Roger helped me" I said before storming out.

I suddenly thought of something hilarious that I could say, even though it wasn't true, well not that I knew of.

"Oh yeah" I shouted, walking back in.

"And Roger is an epic shag!" I screamed so the neighbours would definitely hear.

"You disgusting girl, get out of my house!" She shouted.

"Gladly, love you mother" I smirked before rushing from the building and calling for a taxi.