Finding the Way | 𝗥𝗼𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗼𝗿

Chapter 35

The sound control room was comfortable for her as she avoided going out, even though she really wanted to see the boys. She saw them having fun on stage and even bickering a bit as the soundcheck had some trouble when the sound wasn't as pleasant as they wanted it to be. She didn't want to distract them.

Audrey was biting her nails off as George and Irene were running in and out of the control room, and she tried not to get in their way. George showed her some of the controls, and it was pretty similar to what the studio had, so sometimes she would move something on the panel, and they would be surprised because it sounded slightly better. He said something about having a magic touch.

Freddie took control of the mic once the soundcheck ended and said to all staff: "Alright people, one last show and then we rest for a month until we kick some ass in America", he said, making everyone clap and whistle at him.

They now headed to the dressing room, and Audrey asked George for his hoodie that he left over the chair so she could sneak her way out. "Take it", he gladly passed her his black hoodie, and when she wore it, it was big on her. He chuckled at her, but before she could leave, he held a grip on her arm. "I don't know if the rumors are true, but if you ever need someone - I can be a good friend", she smiled at him and nodded.

"Thank you, George,"

She hid her hair inside the hoodie as she walked fast to the dressing room. Paul and Miami were talking outside of the dressing room, and as soon as Miami saw her, he smiled and waved at her. "Hey Audrey, met your brother the other day,"

"Yeah, he told me", she greeted him back. Paul looked at her curiously but with a smile on his face, but he quickly left as she glared at him. "You promised him a job", she joked.

"He's the best of his class, once in a while they talk to the alumni to lend a hand", Miami complimented and then Deaky's stylist came out of the dressing room and greeted her with a mocking smile and quickly left.

"What's going on with these people?", she asked with furrowed brows, and Miami shrugged.

"No idea... you should get in and greet the boys", he quickly said while opening the door for her.

Roger was nowhere in sight as she made her way in, Deaky was the first one to jump in her arms, and she was laughing at him. "I missed you", he sang while hugging her tightly.

"I missed you too, dummy", she said and kissed his cheek. "Oi! My favorite boy", she went to hug Brian, who had a big smile on his face.

"It's nice to see you", he simply said and hugged her tighter. She felt something was off as he let her go and did the weird smile that almost everyone was giving her that day.

Mary and Freddie came in holding hands, and even though Audrey wasn't comfortable at it, she only smiled and hugged the both of them. 

"You should've seen us in Scotland, I've never seen a crazier crowd than that, darling!", he said while offering her a cigarette.

"Maybe in America it'll be like that", she said politely, and her eyes went on to search the room for her boyfriend.

"Oh, he's coming back in a second - he destroyed his drum set last night and got us in big trouble!", Freddie said, trying to soothe her nerves, but it only frustrated her more.

"Why do I have a feeling that something's wrong?", she finally asked Freddie. "Everyone gives me that weird smile and pity eyes, and I don't understand why!"

However, Roger finally made his way in, and when their eyes met, he had a sad smile on his face. He went to hug her, and she let him hug her, but she couldn't help but feel despair as she now knew that something was wrong for sure.

"We'll leave you two alone", said Brian while pulling Deaky out of the dressing room. Deaky tried to avoid her gaze as he left.

Audrey felt her heart beating like a drum against her chest as Roger held her hand.

"Something's wrong", she said, and he sighed but nodded.

"Look, I'm not expecting you to react well to this, but I wanted to be the one telling you this more than anyone else", he started as she tilted her head. She hoped he would not break her heart, at least not on Christmas Eve. She had already lost her father that year. Losing someone else would make her miserable. "I know I've been out of myself lately these days, but I...", but then he kept quiet.

She then got out of his grip and snarkily laughed. "Let me guess where this is going-", she said while shaking her head and staring at him with disbelief. Now she understood why everyone was like that. "You cheated", she said in a low voice, and then tilted her head again, expecting him to deny it. But he only stared at her, with his eyes wide open, starting to shake his head negatively. What else was there to be said? "You cheated, right?"

His ocean eyes were looking at her hazel ones, and she refused to cry. She knew it. She knew that it would eventually happen, and still, she was the idiot that wanted to be with him. She thought of her mother's words, and now Love of my Life made more sense than anything. 

"I swear that I didn't", she stood there, waiting for a solid answer. "I was drunk, and she took me back to the hotel, but still everyone thinks I did because someone spread a rumor that I cheated on you... but it's bullshit!"

The anger rushed through her veins as she kicked the table that was close to her, making some magazines and beer cans fall over. "I'm sorry...", she breathed out. She had a rough time while trying to recover her breathing back to normal. "It's just that I... I just...", not knowing how to express her feelings, Roger held her in his arms as she cried.

"It's okay... don't worry", he said in a low, soothing voice. "I promise to you that nothing will ever come above you, alright? I love you, I really feel we have a connection, and being away from you made me sad... but I never met any other girl... I just missed you way too much", he admitted. He wasn't ready or sure if it was the right time to declare his feelings for her, but when her hazel eyes looked at his ocean ones, he knew it was the right choice.

"I'm sorry, Rog, I should've not listened to those stupid rumors anyway...", she said while hugging him tightly. Closing her eyes and smelling his scent, feeling his warmth. She had missed him too much. Being this close to him made her feel at home.

"Are you ready for tonight?", he asked, trying to lighten the mood in the room.

"As ready as I'll ever be... how about you? Did you guys miss me that much?", she asked with a huge smile. He kissed the tip of her nose.

"You have no idea how much we've missed you, Aud,"

After a successful show at the Odeon, the whole band and some roadies were invited to Oadby to celebrate Christmas dinner. Audrey and Roger were all lovey-dovey, making people laugh at them as they seemed to be inseparable. Crystal Taylor (or CT, how Roger liked to call him), was taking all kinds of pictures of them all night.

It was the first Christmas Audrey got to celebrate with her biological family after she left home, even Ben and Lena. She was delighted with the fact that everyone got along.

"You must come with us next time!", Freddie told her, across the dinner table, as they were talking about the tour that had just ended. "It's no fun when you're not around... at least for some people here", he smirked mischievously as he pointed at Roger, who rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure he was lonely without me", Audrey said and gave Roger a small kiss on the lips while smiling. She loved the scent surrounding him, his unique smell with the smell of whiskey and cigarettes.

"Don't worry sweetie, I'm sure he wanked while thinking of you"

"Freddie!", she laughed out loud as her parents were all laughing even louder.