I'm going slightly mad // Hardzello

Chapter 85

"Are you ready?" Gwil asks. His hands are on the back of Ben's head to remove the blindfold.
"I guess so," Ben says.  It was weird sleeping home without Joe tonight. Gwil came to pick him up and drove him to a party hall. As soon as he stepped out of the car he was blindfolded. The fact that he doesn't know what is happening around him makes him nervous. He hears people shuffling around the room. Gwil carefully unties the knot on the back of the blindfold. When he slips it off Ben blinks a few times to get used to the lighting. He sees friends all around him. In front of him stands a big drum kit. He can't help but stare at the thing. He hasn't drummed in a while but seeing the drum kit he realises how much he has missed it.
"I see you looking at the kit. Go ahead. Play us a song, Ben." Gwil pats on Ben's back before handing him two drum sticks. Ben rolls the sticks between his fingers. He sits down on the little stool before hitting a drum to test it.

"What do you want to hear?" He asks while looking at Gwil.
"Just play us a Queen song mate," Rami says. Ben nods before taking a deep breath. He starts to play doing all right. It's the one he started learning how to play the drums with. He is surprised that it went this well. Yes, he made a few mistakes but if he learned one thing from his drum classes it is that if you make a small mistake and carry on, nobody will know. When he is done he gets applauded by the group. He wants to stand up from the stool but gets pushed back down by Chace.
"So, Ben. We thought a good challenge for you was fun. Ladies and gentleman may I have a big applause for the one and only Queen drummer, Roger Taylor." Rami calls out. He watches Ben's face closely. The latter's eyes slowly get bigger while he looks at the door. They did already get a message back from Brian that he, Roger and Adam were coming to their wedding but Ben had no idea that Roger would be at his bachelor party. Roger walks through the door on his cue. Ben starts twirling the drum sticks between his fingers while he looks at Roger, the latter walks over to Gwil and Rami to shake both of their hands. Ben quickly stands up from his stool to walk over to Roger. They greet each other before Roger walks over to the drum kit.
"Do you mind if I have a test round really quick?" Roger says after sitting down. Ben shakes his head while he stares at the drums. Roger starts playing a song that Ben immediately recognizes as a kind of magic. Ben swallows hard while he looks at the sticks flying over the drums. Chace and Lucy are setting up the camera's so the kit is fully in frame.

"Ben, heads or tails?" Gwil holds a coin between his fingers.
"Heads. Gwil, do I have to do this?" The last part he mumbles barely loud enough for Gwil to hear it
"You'll be fine. Just try okay? If you get really uncomfortable just tell me okay?" Gwil bends down so he can speak to Ben quietly.
"Thanks," Ben says before standing next to the drum again.
"Roger, you're stuck with tails," Gwil says. The room gets quiet when Gwil throws the coin in the air. He catches it and turns it upside down on his hand.
"Tails, you are starting Roger." Roger nods before grabbing the sticks again. He twirls them before starting with a random drum solo. Ben swallows hard while he looks at him. After a few moments, he stops. He hands Ben the drumsticks. Ben sits down, suddenly very aware of all the people around him. He can especially feel the presence of Roger behind him.
"I'm sorry, Roger. You still may want to choose a different person to portray you." Ben says before turning around. He doesn't give Roger a moment to say something. Instead, he starts with a small drum solo he has practised with his drum teacher before. He makes some terrible mistakes but he tries to keep going.
"That was good," Roger says when Ben hands him the sticks again. Ben has his head bowed to the ground but lifts it once he hears Roger's voice. The latter winks before sitting down.

They go a few rounds before Gwil calls it to an end.
"Okay, guests. Now it's your time to vote. We have a cardboard Ben and a cardboard Roger, go stand by the cutout of the person you think wins this drum battle." Roger stands up to stand next to Ben behind the kit. They wait for everyone to shuffle around the room.
"If Rami and Gwilym are choosing you, I'm going to fire them, okay?" Roger says with a playful smile on his face.
"Please, don't," Ben says. He doesn't look at the people making their ways to the cardboard cutouts. Instead, he looks at the ground. He hears Gwil's voice counting but he still doesn't look up. He doesn't want to see how badly he has lost. Of course, he knows that Roger will have more votes. It will, however, still be humiliating to see that no one has actually voted for him.

"Wait, wait, can I vote too?" Roger asks. Ben looks up at Roger before looking at Gwil. He is surprised to see that there are actually people standing next to his cardboard cutout.
"Whatever you want," Gwil says. Roger grins before slowly making his way over to cardboard Ben.
"With that one extra vote, it makes Ben the winner of this drum battle," Gwil calls out. People cheer loudly while Ben's eyes widen in unbelieve.
"All the people who chose me are lying," Ben says. He sees more than one person shake their head. 
"I chose for you because Roger has been doing this every day of his life since he was a teenager. He is used to doing drum solos. You, however, haven't played in months and you were still really good. That shows talent." Lucy says. She walks over to give Ben a hug.
"Thanks, Luc." He mumbles.
"You are the well-deserved winner of this battle," Roger says before patting Ben on his back. They end the night just like Joe's bachelor party. Some music, dancing, karaoke and some drinks. Gwil takes Ben home with him at the end of the evening. When Ben is sitting on the bed in Gwil's guest room he takes the envelope Joe gave him out of his bag. He carefully opens it before taking the letter out.

Dear Benny,
I am not sure why I decided to write this letter but I guess it's because I know it will be hard not having contact with you at all for two days. It's probably silly that I am writing this but I just want you to know that I love you so much. I can't believe that we are going to be married in two days. I definitely can't wait. This is the last time I can tell you this as a non-married couple. I love you, Ben. The next time I am going to say that we are married! Insane, isn't it? I hope you had lots of fun at your bachelor party! I can't wait to see you Saturday.
Sleep well, honey. I'll see you tomorrow!
Xx 
Joe

Ben smiles once he is done reading. The fact that Joe took his time to handwrite a letter makes him so happy. He definitely can't wait either. When he wants to put the letter back in the envelope a picture falls out. He picks it up to see that it's a picture from the day they met. Ben grins when he sees Joe's perm and his own warry hair. He remembers the day so well. As usual, he was pretty nervous to meet the cast. He, however, immediately felt very loved. Because they all had to spent so long to rehearse they became so unbelievably close in the first place. Ben lays back on his bed with the picture still in his hand he falls asleep not that long later, dreaming about his future life with Joe.

************
Hey guys,

The wedding is about to begin! Are y'all ready???

You better be because it's starting very soon.

Take good care of yourselves. I love y'all!

Goodbye,

Xx Itsametaphorjoe