Below the Radar - Cyprus Summer of '74

Chapter 37 : When push comes to ...... (Ballroom Blitz)

Alex strode confidently towards the Youth Club and he could see several couples leaning on the side of the building snogging in the near dark. He smiled and caught sight of someone else, a lone thick set lad in a deep red shirt hidden in the shadows of a tree, glugging from a bottle of some sort, but it definitely wasn't Sprite or Coca Cola. Alex continued on and stopped at the open double doors into the main room of the Youth Club. The club was already heaving. Hundreds of teens, ages ranging from 13-18 crowded on and around the edge of the dance floor. More had spilled over into the smaller rooms and patio beyond, where soft drinks and snacks were sold.

There were loads of boys and girls he knew and he greeted many as he moved further in, seeing Graham with a bunch of other lads. Before he reached them he was grabbed round the waist and swung off the floor from behind. Unsure if he was about to get clouted Alex ducked, before relaxing on hearing a familiar laugh, looking up directly into Ryan's beaming face.

Ryan launched straight in. "Alex mate, how's things and where's Si, I can't believe we've all ended up here. Just wait until I tell him all the shit I've been through. Some scary stuff down in Limo, especially since them Turks invaded."

Alex knew Ryan would be devastated, but there was no point delaying. "Sorry Ryan, Simon's gone, he's already back in England. He flew late last night, ready to start work in a few weeks. They brought his flight forward. He had no way to let anyone know."

"What, no!" In an instant Ryan's energy and upbeat mood had been deflated. "Fuck!" In the semi-dark of the disco, as the room bounced to the sound of 'In The Summertime', Ryan sat down hard on an old bench along the wall.

As Ryan sat slumped onto the bench, head in hands, Alex went to join him. Before he could say anymore, though he had no idea what he might say next, Ned appeared. Looming large over them both in a red shirt, he slapped Alex hard on the back, helping him on his way down next to Ryan.

"Alex, Ryan, hey this is crazy. We're back together again, me and two of my best mates. After Simon, of course. Where is he anyway, we're gonna have a blast here, us two, me and Si. I'm up for anything".

Ryan looked up confused, distraught. He was still trying to take in the news that Simon had gone and here was Ned acting as if he and Simon were best bloody mates, total twat! Frowning he thought, you're not even mates at all and started to get up, fed-up, irritated and deciding he needed to put Ned in his place. Ned was totally unaware, buzzin' in a little world all on his own. He couldn't stop talking, fidgeting, eyes red and blinking as he looked erratically around the room. Perhaps still looking for Simon, he moved continuously from foot to foot, ignoring the fact he hadn't seen his 'best mate', let alone Alex or Ryan for more than a month. Looking at Ned closer now, Ryan saw the wild look in his eyes, he was totally out of it. He quickly though better of saying anything, deciding it just wasn't worth it. Alex was looking at Ned at the same time, realising it was him he'd seen outside chugging from a bottle a short while ago, reminded again how scary he could be.

"Hey Ned, settle down a bit. Like I was just telling Ryan, Simon's not here, he's gone back to England".

Ned glared at Alex. "What, how come he never told me he was going?"

Alex couldn't work out Ned, so simply shrugged and waved off the stupid, self-important question.

A second later Ned was gone, shouldering a couple of young lads out of his way and shouting at them in his wake as he raced off towards the patio.

***

Alex sat and shook his head as he watched Ned force a path across the floor towards the patio. He felt really bad for Ryan. He and Simon had been inseparable most of the last year and he was thinking of what to say when he was startled for the third time inside ten minutes. This time by a soft hand that simply tapped him on his left shoulder. Kate sat down, wearing a pale blue Fred Perry polo shirt hung loosely over her ragged but cool faded cut-off blue jean shorts. She moved, deliberately Alex sensed, closer to him, her tanned right leg brushing lightly against his left.