Young, Poor, and Crazy

chapter 2

You enter your flat, still full to the brim with excitement over the fact you have a date, that you live in London, that you have reconnected with one of your best friends, that you may finally be getting over your father's death. Although you know you will never fully recover, having something to finally look forward to makes everything feel okay.

You sit down on your couch and look up at the ceiling in a state of euphoria. You can't stop thinking about him. His bright blue eyes, his long blonde hair. You think he's perfect. The clock seems to tick slower and slower as you wait for your date with Roger, but eventually, tomorrow arrives. You wake up, get ready for the morning and go for a walk around the city. You walk into various shops, looking for the perfect outfit to wear, wondering what Roger would want to see you in. You roam through the aisles of floral print, wishing your father was still around. The floodgates of good memories open and submerge your head. Memories of you and your father strolling through the meadows and open fields near your home.  Memories of you caring for the farm animals you had while growing up. Memories of your father being healthy. "She Loves You" by The Beatles plays gently, his favorite song, in the store. You can't help but feel a lump in your throat start to grow, and you see tears start welling up. You sit down in a corner of the shop and start to quietly weep. The tears burn your eyes as they start to run down your face.

Suddenly, there is a hand on your shoulder. You look up and see a man with curly hair, definitely in the midst of growing it, as it is super shaggy, yet short. You are instantly startled. You try to gain your composure, tears still streaming, with your face beet red. "Sorry! I hope I didn't startle you. I heard someone crying to The Beatles, so I figured I should probably see what's going on. I'm Brian." He says as he reaches his hand out to help you up. "Helena. I just didn't expect you to put your hand down, honestly. Thank you for your concern, though." You respond. "Helena, Helena, Helena," Brian says while keeping a very visible internal beat. "Why does that name seem so familiar?"

"Brian, Brian, Brian, weird question. Do you know Freddie Mercury?"

"You're the girl Roger's taking out tonight, aren't you?"

"Wow, I must say, I am impressed."

"What's the matter, anyway? Why were you crying?"

You proceed to tell Brian your entire life story, how you met Freddie, etc. You realize Freddie told him the same story, but your version of the story is a wee bit more accurate. Brian looks at you, his eyes soften, and he loosens the tight grip on his jaw. "I can't believe you had to go through all of that, I'm sorry. If you ever need something, give me a ring, alright? I'll let you finish shopping, talk to you soon!" Brian walks out the door, and you go back to shopping. 

You return home and set out your outfit on your bed. "Will Roger like this? What if he thinks it looks dumb? Did I even pick the right outfit?" These thoughts run rampant through your head as you get ready. You found a nice high neck sweater and a colorful pair of jeans, perfect for the cool and rainy day, that will only get even cooler in the evening. You lace up your trainers and turn on the radio as you wait for the bell to ring. After what seemed like hours, you hear the ding  you have been looking forward to. 

You open the door, and see his blue eyes and a smile on his face. "Hi, Helena. You look beautiful tonight. Are you ready to go?" Your face lights up and your heart starts racing. You nod your head as you walk outside and shut the door behind you. You walk down the sidewalk and start chatting, the usual small talk, you could listen to talk to him all day. He reaches out for your hand and you gladly hold his, your fingers intertwine as you continue towards the restaurant. The cool breeze left your long, brown hair flowing in the wind. Roger looks at you and sighs. You can tell he is in a state of infatuation. "What?" You say in a soft chuckle. "You're gorgeous." He says softly. You blush as you smile. You continue walking and talking, as if you had known each other forever, before finally reaching the restaurant. 

The restaurant was quaint and casual,but brimming with people ready to spend the night on the town. You sit down and order some beers, and begin chatting even more. 

"So, how did you even meet Freddie, anyway?"

"Well, we went to Ealing together, he was a little bit older than me, but I still saw him around. He seemed pretty cool, I liked his fashion sense, and I thought he was a very talented artist. We started talking and became really fast friends. Once my father got sick, I had to go back home to care for him, and we kind of lost touch for a while. My father passed a while back, but I have been so busy still getting his affairs in order, that I haven't had some time for myself, you know?"

Roger looks at you with a loving gaze as your food arrives. You have no idea if he's spacing out or if he's actually listening to what you are saying. After a few seconds, he responds. "Holy shit, that's rough. I'm sorry about your father." As much as you appreciate the condolences, you try and gloss over it. You are so sick and tired of people feeling sorry for you. "Thank you. But enough about me. What did you go to school for? Freddie told me you did biology." "I originally went to school to be a dentist, actually. But I didn't really like it, so I ended up getting my degree in biology, instead." The roles reverse as you look deep into his eyes, listening to him go on and on about biology, the both of you knowing you had chemistry. 

After a lovely dinner, Roger walks you back to your flat, hand in hand, laughing the entire way home. Before you walk up the steps, Roger pulls you close to him. You feel your heart start racing as your lips touch. As he gently pulls away, you grab his hand and lead him into your flat.