Remembering Autumn

Chapter Eight

The studio was bathed in darkness when they arrived. The sound of their breathing mingled with the creaking of the building and humming of the machines. The girls sat themselves on the old sofa while Cricket and Trevor prepared the speakers, microphones and monitors for the show.

"I'm scared," Trevor whispered to Cricket. "What if she doesn't like it? She's weird like that." He was holding the CD he'd put together for Bell. The same one he hadn't let Cricket listen to.

"She will like it."

"You don't know that, mate."

"No. I don't. But if you keep worrying so much you'll piss yourself."

Trevor turned to him. "That only happened once. And we both agreed to forget it."

Five years ago, Trevor had tried surprising Bell on her thirteenth birthday. Bell never got her surprise because amid the preparation his friend had suffered a bladder difficulty. The afternoon had finished with wet pants, a half wrapped up present and an awkward phone call.

"Some things you can't forget Trevor. No matter how hard you try."  

The girl's laughter caught them by surprise. They turned and watched as they talked quietly to one another. They spoke in that way that only girls could speak in, softly enough to get you interested. As his eyes trailed over Autumn, he felt Trevor watching him. "Mate, instead of breathing air, you're breathing love songs." Then he laughed, as if he'd cracked the world's best joke.

Cricket stacked the CD's together, "With all the meaningful things you're saying I'm starting to doubt the existence of your manhood."

"Never doubt The Manhood. Did I ever tell you the secret about it?"

Cricket shook his head, playing along with his joke.

"The day you go buy condoms you'll find the extra large size named after me."

Cricket groaned.

"For real. Nothing beats The Manhood."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

"Something's got to be bigger."

Trevor crossed his arms. "Nothing."

"What about the distance from my house to here?"

Trevor laughed, "Too small."

"Is it as large as a blue whale?"

"Larger."

"The earth?"

Trevor scoffed and turned to the girls who were staring at them weirdly. "Bell name the biggest thing you can think of."

Off course she ignored him.

"Bell?" asked Cricket.

She smiled at him, "The New South China Mall."

Trevor waved her away. "It's larger than that."

To Cricket, "That's the biggest mall in the world."

Autumn had stood up and was resting beside Cricket on the table. "What's he talking about?"

"The Manhood."

"Oh." She laughed. "Is it bigger than Rigel?"

"I don't know who Rigel is," said Trevor. "But I bet it is."

"Rigel is the fifth largest star after the Sun."

 "Rigel has nothing on The Man."

"What about Pi?" asked Bell.