Cloud 9

Chapter 1

His green eyes followed the path of the coin, like in slow motion, as it dropped swiftly into the leather black guitar case. The interior of the case was a thick purple velvet and covering it were the bronze shimmers of tens of pennies. He flicked his eyes back up to meet the gentle eyes of an elderly man and smiled.

'Thank you,' was quickly heard before the boy returned to his song and continued strumming softly, creating warm and soothing notes.

A soft ginger curl of hair slid down his face to cover his left eye, catching his long pale lashes on its way down. The boy swiftly blew it away and mentally groaned. He made a mental note to get it cut, or rather, he refreshed that note which had been there for weeks now. Ivy, a tall, electric blue haired girl, offered to cut it every time she came over, but if the girl's rocker hair was anything to go by, the boy would much rather get a casual cut from a professional.

Another curl fell as Forest's head moved with the pitches of his songs. He carelessly flicked his head to the side to move it aw ay and continued strumming. The boy looked around as he sang, watching the smiling faces of passers-by, watching him with eager eyes, drinking up his every movement.

Forest lived for this. Watching his music plant joy on almost every kind face he saw during his busks. Giving people happiness was his dream. It is what he wanted to do until his life would be taken from him.

As his final song ended, crowds lightly applauded while gradually disappearing into the streets. The boy gracefully removed the strap from his shoulders and carefully placed his ragged guitar back into the case. That guitar had been his uncles since he was a child, so it got fairly beaten up over the years. Forest slowly zipped up the guitar case and picked it up.

Forest sighed. His day of joy and song was over once again, and he headed back to his empty home. For the past few months, Forest had been living alone in a small green terraced house near Ivy. His mother fell ill and passed away a few months ago. Busking every day in London was all Forest could do to keep the house afloat, along with the money that his mother left him.

As he reached the corner of his street, Forest felt a small drop on his cheek. He glanced up to see some light grey clouds forming above and small specks of water droplets had started to fall. Forest picked up his pace before stopping at his front door. Fumbling for the keys in his pocket, he cursed and shoved them into the lock.

Forest sighed and swung the black leather guitar case carefully onto the small oak coffee table in the living room. He took a moment to glance up at a picture of his mother before looking back down and unzipping the case. As he pulled out his guitar, he smiled, noticing that he had done well today. Spread along the velvet was lots of pound coins and a few crinkled notes.

'37... 38... 39... 40.' The numbers increased as he counted the pound coins and his smile grew. He quickly emptied the coins into his ever-filling jar which he had been saving for quick trips and rainy days. Forest put the guitar back into the case and headed upstairs into his room, setting it against the wall next to the door.

Throwing himself onto his bed, Forest pulled out his phone to text Ivy.

Forest – Hey Ives, I've finished up for the day if you'd like to come over?

He dropped his head onto the fluffy pillows and took a grateful sigh, embracing the peace and quiet after the loud noises of a busy city. The only sounds he could hear now were the sounds of his hamster, Steve, running around on his wheel. His phone buzzed against his chest and he unlocked it to reveal a very enthusiastic response from Ivy.

Ivy – FORESTIO! YES! Yes, of course. I will DEFINITELY come over as soon as I have finished thrashing my bro at Mario Kart.

Forest chuckled and stood up to tend to Jeremy. Jeremy was Forest's crested gecko and it was feeding time.

Ten minutes later, Forest heard the front door slam downstairs and the familiar footsteps of a blue haired girl skipping every other step as she climbed the stairs. Her head popped through the small gap between the door and the door frame.

Forest chuckled. 'Ivy.' He gave her a grin and watched as she slowly made her entrance,

'Hello, Brothero.' She said, enhancing the words knowing she had rhymed. 'Good haul?' Ivy raised her perfectly arched eyebrows and wiggled them playfully at the boy.

Forest fought a grin, rolling his eyes and blowing that annoying curl of ginger away from his eye. 'Yes actually, I made a lot today. People were really loving it and the energy was amazing,' he replied. His faint Irish accent peeking through.

Ivy's face shifted into a teasing expression and she smirked slightly. 'Maybe you'd make more money if you started playing real music instead of that trashy brunette dude.' She chuckled and rolled her eyes at his music taste. 'Although, that is excluding your songs. I like your music. Don't stop playing them Forestio.'

Forest scowled. 'Jackson O is fucking amazing Ives.' He said defensively, 'you just don't know good music. That stuff you listen to. It isn't music, its screaming and shouting.' The boy huffed and crossed his arms in annoyance.

Ivy raised her eyebrows once more and smiled. 'Ease up Brothero, I'm just messing with you... kind of... not really.' She, at least, had the sense to smile sheepishly as Forest lifted his head and glared at her. 'Come on, the rain has stopped now, and I think it would be good to get you out.'

Forest rolled his eyes. 'Out? Like how I've been out all day?'

Ivy chuckled. 'No. I don't mean standing in one spot all day, Romeo. I mean actually getting you out. Let's go shopping before all the shops close.'

'Fine.' Forest sighed and stood up, twisting his back and stretching. 'Also, I don't think Romeo was into guys Ivy. That was kind of the whole point of the play, Romeo and Juliet.' He took a quick glance at his huge gay pride flag hanging above his bed.

'Oh, I don't know, Forest,' shrugged Ivy, grinning. 'He seemed pretty obsessed with Tybalt, and honestly, people don't flirt with their friends, half as much as Mercutio flirted with him.'

Forest laughed and put his hands into his pockets, heading towards the door before pausing and turning around, noticing Ivy was still stood by his bed. 'You coming or not?' The girl rolled her eyes and let out a snort of amusement. She reached down and slid her hand under the bed, pulling out a familiar tatty rucksack. The boy flushed. 'Oh, shut up.'

'Where would you be without me, Forestio? And take the damn backpack man, come on.' Ivy grinned at him and threw the bag to Forest, where he caught it against his chest and rolled his eyes again.

'I'd probably be completely sane,' he admitted, and the blue haired girl scowled at him. The boy laughed and turned on his heels, heading down the stairs with a slight bounce in his step.

Behind him, Ivy stood in a slight strut with her hands on her hips. She shook her head and followed Forest down the stairs, taking one step at a time with a slight slouch. She noticed the boy hadn't yet put his shoes on, where they sat in a small wicker box to one side on the stairs. She paused and looked at him. 'Oi, Romeo!' Forest turned to look at her, slightly confused, but also too late. 'Don't you need these?'

She drew her hand and threw the shoes to Forest, laughing when he scrambled to catch them, before eventually just dropping them. He huffed and groaned while bending down to pick them up, before casually sliding them onto his feet. 'I hate you,' the boy grumbled, and Ivy simply grinned innocently with a tilted head.

Forest trailed into the living room and reached towards his rainy day jar. In his defence, it was a rainy day. Saying that, the rain stopped shortly after Ivy arrived. He twisted open the shiny black lid and pulled out a couple of crumpled up ten pound notes, along with five singular pound coins.

Putting the jar back onto the shelf, he turned around, slipping the money into the back pocket of his jet black skinny jeans. As he emerged into the hallway, he glanced over to see Ivy reaching the bottom step. Forest laughed and raised his eyebrows.

'What? My email is slowpoke for a reason,' she sang, before twirling over to him. 'Are we going or what?' Forest chuckled and shook his head, heading out the door.

'Let's go.'