the drummer boy ❦ Roger Taylor

33

* please read authors note at end *

The boys left half an hour after the call.

The flat felt strangely silent when it was just Mary and I, sat at the kitchen table with a roll up in hand. I sipped on my tea, not really knowing what to say. We were both incredibly excited for them all; being discovered is a huge deal and we were over the moon. However, the other part of us knew that this could lead to something huge. My new relationship was, as described, new, and if something bigger and better came up, it may end before it had even started. Mary was the first to break the silence.

"How long do you think they'll be?" She said, tapping the ash into the tray. I shrugged,

"All day, I reckon. Takes awhile to get there, and God knows how long it'll take for them to show all of their music."

Mary hummed in response. The room was silent once more. We both felt the same, but clearly didn't want to say anything in fear to sound selfish.

"How about we do something to take our minds off of it? Go out for some lunch maybe?" She suggested.

"Yeah, ok."

As we were both getting ready, I couldn't stop thinking about Roger. I really loved him. The way he looked at me, spoke to me. I had never felt this way about anybody.

I'd been in love before. Once. If you can call a 14 year old dating an 18 year old love. I mainly went out with him to get back at my dad, to rebel against him. It was just after I found out that he cheated. I knew him through friends in school. I was a slightly chubby spotty teen who craved some attention. I gave him everything. The short 'relationship', if you can even call it that, ended soon after I slept with him. A sudden wave of upset came over me. I sensed that tears were threatening to fall, so I faced away from Mary whilst I brushed my hair. However, I struggled to keep the sniffles hidden.

"Julia? What's wrong?" Mary asked, clearly showing how blatant my upset was. I quickly covered my expression with a smile, and turned to face her.

"Nothing! My hay fever is playing up." I fake laughed. Mary knew this, xobvious from her expression of doubt.

"You know you can talk to me, about anything. No judgement." She stated. Part of me wanted to open up and explain everything to her. I'd kept it in for so long, barely even thinking about the hidden relationship I had. It always sat at the back of my mind. Especially when the incidents occurred at the pub, the first time I met Roger. Roger. He's my future now. Any boys in my past should stay exactly there; the past.

"I know, of course. I'd tell you anything that was bothering me." I smiled, reaching out to hug her.

We continued to get ready in silence, other than the odd comment from Mary about the weather and other small talk like that. We both were close friends, I'd say. It was strange for it to seem so awkward between us. I locked up Rogers flat when we left, clutching the key in my palm. I couldn't wait to be back here later with him.

"What do you fancy?" Mary asked, wrapping her light jacket around her body tightly.

"Honestly? A drink." I chuckled, half joking.

"Fuck it, I could murder a vodka." Mary replied.

-

"It's like, really hard to be so in love with a man who loves himself more." Mary cried, slamming down her fourth drink.

"What?! Noooo! Freddie adores you, babe!" I replied, swigging down the remainder of mine, and rubbing Mary's shoulder comfortingly. "He cares for you so much, it's obvious to everyone!"