Flicker

Come Along

Mikey

I'm cursing and tripping over my laces when I finally stumble into my office. I've woken up late, seeing as I'd gone to bed late last night - or was it this morning? - and I don't really remember much. But I know I woke up late, and I'm annoyed.

Not a great day to start my first day back at work, seeing as I've had the last three or four days off.

"You're late Mike!" I hear Mel yell from down the hallway.

"I know! I overslept!" I shout back.

I hear a laugh, and suddenly Mel's in the doorway. "It's fine Mikey. I wasn't expecting you back until next week. But anyway," she enters my office with a stack of papers in her hand, "if you're here you can make a start on these." She hands them off to me, and I exaggerate a sigh. But I'm smiling.

"Yeah, yeah it's fine. I'll just finish what I was doing when I was last here, and I'll get right on it," I say.

"Thanks!" She waves as she leaves, and shuts my door behind me.

The second it does so, my shoulders slump. I'm just tired of the office, so so tired of doing paperwork. I don't hate it, not in the slightest. And I don't hate the people working here; I could never hate Mel or the others. But it's the confinement. It's knowing I'm stuck inside, and Andy's a few corners away singing. In the fresh air. I'm a little jealous of his way of life, but I know he's worked his arse off to get where he is. To be in the situation he's in.

It's hours of restlessness and boredom and headaches until my door opens again. I jump when it slams open.

"Brooklyn!" I gasp when I realise who it is, and hold my hand over my heart, "What the hell!"

"Jesus Mike! You scared me!" He yells back, looking just as shocked as I am.

"You know, there's such thing as knocking on a closed door?" I say, take some breaths.

"Well, Mel told me you weren't gonna be back until next week... that's why I didnt." Brooklyn shuts the door as he says this, and sits in the chair on the other side of my desk. Folds his arms with a sly grin. His eyes shine with amusement.

I stare at him. "Are you... okay?" I ask, my fingers paused over my keyboard.

"Amazing," he smiles, voice upbeat, and his smile gets wider. I didn't think it were possible.

"Positive?" I stare at him some more. He looks far too happy, and I cannot for the life of me think of what it could possibly be.

"Positive," he says.

"Right," I shake my head, "what did you need?" I rub my temples, feeling another familiar ache come along. Oh how I loathe the office.

"I just wanted to ask how your boyfriend is, is all," he says softly.

At the mention of Andy, my heart swells, and the headache fades away. I smile widely, thinking of how Andy's singing his heart out on the street, playing music and doing what he loves. Strong. Independent. A cute little smile on his face, despite all the misery he's had in his life. I think of how proud of him I am, and how I know he's excited, but nervous, about his show tomorrow.

I feel myself blush.

"He's feeling loads better since the other day! He moved house too, which I helped him with, and..." I stare at Brooklyn in horror. My heart pounds, and my hands go clammy, "oh crap."

Brooklyn's still amused, I can see, but there's something that resembles hurt in his eyes. I can't believe I didn't notice it before. I push my keyboard away, fold my arms on my desk, and drop my head onto them.

"Yeah, pretty much Mike," Brook laughs, but I hear the hurt. Always the hurt. No matter what I do, someone always gets hurt.

I breathe heavily, and take a breath. "How did you find out?" I ask quietly.

"Well, when you didn't turn back up for work, I asked Mel where you were. She said you were looking after your boyfriend, because he was sick," he explains, and he's staring right at me. I can feel it.

"Oh," is all I can manage. I mean, what do I say to my best friend? I should have told him right from the off, but I didn't. I feel guilty now, and it's enough to make me lift my head.

It's worse because Brook doesn't even seem angry. He's just as amused as he was before.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asks, a seriousness in his voice, and his smile falters a little, but I know deep down he's not actually really bothered; he's just a bit upset that I didn't tell him right away.

He likes making me suffer, and it's all I can think about as I'm trying to come up with a response.

"I really don't know. We only got together over Christmas... there wasn't really a chance, I guess. And anyways, you know now Brooklyn."

And Brooklyn grins so massively I want to shrink back. No-one, in no circumstances, can be that happy. About anything. It isn't possible.

"I knew something happened over Christmas!" He exclaims, and throws his fist in the air.

I chuckle a little, and release the breath I don't realise I'm holding. I'm' still bemused by his behaviour, and then I remember that it's Brooklyn.

"So, when can I meet him?"

His question catches me off guard, but before long I'm smiling, if not blushing redder than I've ever blushed. A fact that makes Brooklyn grin in triumph, even though I don't know why hes feeling triumphant. Maybe it's because he finally got me cornered and made me spill.

"He has a show tomorrow tonight... come along. I can get you in backstage for free," I say, and the pride I feel for Andy rears its face inside me.

I watch Brooklyn's eyes widen. "A magic show?" He asks, green eyes sparkling with excitement.

I laugh. "Yeah. Yeah its something like that," I say, a fond smile. For Brooklyn, but more so for Andy.

"I'm gonna let you do work now Mike," he announces loudly, and gets up from his seat far too fast. I laugh again. He pauses at the door, a calmer smile on his face. "Thanks for telling," he says, winks, and slips out the door. It closes behind him, and I collapse back on my desk again.

I'm elated that Brooklyn knows, and it makes me wonder...

Why on Earth was I so worried about telling him?

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Yo yo yo and we're back!

We're sorry for the long wait (woops it's nearly been a month 🤦😂 didn't realise it had been so long!), but chapters should be coming back every Sunday as normal... not many chapters left now😉

So I've finished school officially now, which means I can work on my writing more :)

MissTaken17's snowed under with school work, much to my displeasure, so show her some love.

We love you, nice to be back!

-MissTaken17 and WolfGirl2215