𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧' 𝐆𝐮𝐲 ➺ 𝐵𝓇𝒾𝒶𝓃 𝑀𝒶𝓎 & 𝒬𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃

12. A Little Crush

Brian

"Mama, I'm gonna be your slave,"

"All day long."

"Mama, I'm gonna try behave."

"All day long"

I strummed the strings with my fingers, tapping my foot in perfect rhythm to Roger's infectious beats and John's steady rhythm, while Fred's captivating vocals carried us forward. But, for some baffling reason, I couldn't keep up. The minimalistic beat and intricate sonics demanded an excessive amount of my attention, and unfortunately, my mind was preoccupied elsewhere.

I furrowed my brow, straining my lips into a thin line, and shook my head in frustration as I produced a discordant sound by strumming the completely wrong chord, abruptly halting Roger's playing.

"That was the wrong bloody chord!" he bellowed, removing the cigarette from his mouth and tapping the ashes into the nearby ashtray on the floor.

"I know," I sighed, shaking my head. I ran my hand over my tousled hair, sweeping the unruly strands away from my forehead.

"Give him a break, darling can't you see he's distressed?" Freddie interjected, placing his microphone on my amp and strolling over to my side. "Come on, dear, don't hold it all in."

I glanced at him, sighing heavily, my eyes shifting restlessly. What was I supposed to say? I didn't even comprehend what was troubling me deep inside.

"Shall we take a short break?" John suggested, carefully setting down his bass.

Freddie nodded in agreement, taking a seat beside me. "What's bothering you?" Both Roger and John directed their gaze towards me, their concern evident.

"I don't know..." I let out a sigh, leaning my head back against the sofa. "I'm torn about something right now."

"If something's gnawing at you, you should confide in us," Mary chimed in, bringing a tray of teas from the kitchen. "Especially the lads, they're your closest mates."

Deep down, I knew she was right. I should be able to open up to them, regardless of the magnitude of my concerns. And truth be told, it was tearing me apart from the inside.

"I reckon it's got something to do with Maria," Roger remarked, twirling a drumstick in his hand. "Didn't she bugger off without telling you last Saturday?"

"Yes, thank you for reminding me, Roger," I glared at him. "Do you want to discuss you taking advantage of Emma, or shall we keep dwelling on the fact that I haven't bothered to talk to Maria since?"

"What's the big fuss?" Roger exclaimed, standing up from behind the drumkit and attempting to navigate through the cluttered front room. "It's not like the two of you shagged or anything. Wait..." He smirked mischievously.

"No! We didn't do anything, don't be so bloody ridiculous!" I shook my head, crossing my arms and averted my gaze.

"I wouldn't say that's entirely true, darling," Freddie chuckled, leaning back against the arm of the sofa where Mary was seated.

I furrowed my eyebrows, my lips parched as I licked them. "What are you on about, Fred?"

"Darling... You ought to know by now that I don't pass out from a tipple," he smirked, earning a chuckle from John in the corner.

"You mean..." I stammered, my hands instinctively covering my face. "Oh my God..."

"That's right, dear, I witnessed you passionately locking lips with her," Freddie revealed.