𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧' 𝐆𝐮𝐲 ➺ 𝐵𝓇𝒾𝒶𝓃 𝑀𝒶𝓎 & 𝒬𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃

(16) 𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵?

"Being indie isn't a personality trait, it's a lifestyle."

"Actually shut the fuck up, you were born singing The Seeds."

"Not the only seeds."

"You disgusting cunt!"

I burst out laughing, whacking Sam on the arm. It earned an amused laugh from Emma, who was sipping on her wine.

Sam was our friend from up North. He'd been there for both of us through thick and thin throughout college, and he never failed to add energy to the room he entered. Whilst Emma and I had moved down to London for university, Sam had stayed in Yorkshire and decided to attend Hull University. It was very rare that we ever saw each other, but when he announced that he was now living down South permanently, Emma and I were more than thrilled. See, Sam's sexual preference made him an outcast in society, unfortunately, and we had witnessed the most malicious forms of hate crime you could imagine. But then again, the words 'fag' and 'fairy' were just common back then. The only thing Emma and I could do was to support him and make sure he felt loved 100%.

"Listen, London may be an absolute shithole." Sam started, taking a seat next to me on the sofa. "But it's the most versatile place you can be at the moment. And I'm hitting up every gay bar I can find."

"You know what? Go for it, Sam, you only live once, babes." Emma encouraged him, taking a seat at her piano and absently pressing down on a few keys.

"I'm just fucking... shocked that you're gonna be staying down here now, that means we can see a lot more of you!" I grinned, squealing a little in excitement.

"Precisely." He nodded. "So, enough about me, what have you two slags been up to? Please tell me you've actually been having a life and not just studying, because that's fucking abhorrent and I will literally make a b-line for King's Cross."

"Actually, Samuel." Emma smirked. "We've managed to get ourselves some lads."

Before Sam could answer, I quickly interjected. "She has a lad." I looked over at Emma distastefully, raising an eyebrow. "My lad is not my lad."

"He's basically your lad." Emma rolled her eyes, looking over at Sam. "She's so stubborn."

"You don't have to tell me that, Emma, I am well aware that our Maria is a bit special." He gave himself a sympathetic smile.

"Um, I am here, you know." I leaned forward, disturbing the space between Emma and Sam.

"Yes, you are here. And I am telling you that Brian is basically your lad at this point."

It's fucking futile. Why did Emma always have to be so blunt about everything?

I grimaced at myself, the phone in the hallway ringing. I got up and left my two friends to bitch about me on their own. As I picked up the phone, I heard Emma mentioning Roger and I faltered slightly, the discomfort of remembering the situation. I closed my eyes, shaking my head as I pressed the phone against my ear. "Hello?"

"Maria, darling, is that you?"

"Hi, Fred." I smiled into the phone. "You alright, aren't you supposed to be in a lecture or something?"

"I don't need to go to a silly lecture, dear, I'm the perfect fashionista." I could feel the sass and the confidence radiating off the receiver.

"I can't argue with that." I giggled, receiving one back from the singer.

When our giggles died down, I could here a sigh on Freddie's end. "Brian was going to call, but he overslept. We were rehearsing until the early hours of the morning and... Ugh, I don't know, Maria, he had a lecture at 9 and woke up at half past 10."