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Time Will Tell Chapter 25 - As Luck Would Have It
"Again?"
"What do you mean 'again'?"
"I mean that this is becoming a regular thing."
"What is."
"You and Ryan running off with Danny and that lot."
"So?"
"So I'm going to be left at home again, on my own, bored out of my fucking mind."
"Then come out with us, you were invited too Toby."
"I was only invited out of politeness, they don't like me. I can tell that much. Especially Race."
"Trix doesn't dislike you, where did you get that idea from?"
"It's the way he talks to me, like he does it because he has to."
"That's only because he doesn't know you that well yet, not because he doesn't like you."
"It didn't seem that way."
"Look don't sulk, they don't dislike you, they wouldn't have invited you if they did."
"I'm not too sure myself."
"Well you should be. Just come along OK?"
"OK, but you better be right about this James."
"I am. I know I am."
"He fucking said no!"
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Ben Stevenson doesn't want to be in our band."
"What? Why not?"
"He has too much going on already and isn't going to leave his friends in his band to be with us."
"Oh. Shit! OK who else can we have then?"
"I have no idea, we've been through this a hundred times."
"I think we might have to think about doing this concert some time next term instead."
"No way! People know it's happening, I've had people asking about tickets already, we'll look like a right bunch of wankers if we don't do it now."
"I don't think so."
"Well can we at least try and find someone to replace him in view of getting a concert done this term?
"Two weeks isn't a lot Trix, we've only got four songs ready and out of the way, we now have to train another guitarist to those songs and then all of us have to go through the others yet."
"Danny, come on though we can try at least. Two weeks was all we had for the ball remember?"
"Those were covers. You all knew how those songs went on the first place, these ones are original, never played before and it's going to be more difficult to learn them as quick."
"Well at least promise that we'll try."
"OK, I promise then."
"Thank you. We should still rehearse tonight though yeah?"
"OK. Oh yeah, I invited James, Ryan and Toby to come round."
"OK."
"Where are the others?"
"Buying lunch."
"Aren't you eating?"
"They're bringing my food out to me, Conner's getting it for me."
"You should have asked them to get me something whilst they were in the line."
"You like cheese burgers right?"
"Yeah."
"That's what I told Conner to get you."
"Thanks, how much do I owe you?"
"Nothing, you can get me a drink this weekend instead."
"OK. Thanks man."
"What I'm saying though is this Danish guy that Man U have bought is just making a mockery of professional football."
"How?"
"Nineteen million fucking pounds? You don't think that that's stupid?"
"He's a good footballer."
"For nineteen million pounds I'd expect the bastard to shit diamond footballs! It's fucking ludicrous! When they spend that much on somebody so that they can win matches it is stupid, they shouldn't spend so much on somebody to kick a ball around a bit."
"He's good at kicking a ball around though."
"It's stupid, there's so much poverty in the world and you get football teams forking out that much money so that they can win some football matches? It just goes to show how fucked up this world is."
"I've never seen you putting money in a collection box in town before."
"I don't have nineteen million pounds to put to use!"
"OK, I'm sorry don't get pissed off with me! Jesus, you really do take this serious don't you?"
"When people show that much interest in a profession that doesn't benefit the people or world as a large then yes."
"Well, well, well! Trouble in the Luke and Kate love boat! What were you two arguing about?"
"Doesn't matter. Here's your lunch Danny, Trix your cheese burger?"
"Uh huh, thanks."
"Where's Conner gone?"
"He's following in a second, he remembered he had to go and see his Maths teacher for something."
"OK." I took a large mouthful of cheeseburger, I was starved.
"So, have you got yourselves a new guitarist yet?"
"No, Ben wasn't interested."
"Thanks Danny!"
"What?"
"I don't want to see your half chewed food."
"You asked me a question."
"Yeah but I could have waited until you swallowed what you were chewing for the answer."
"What's with your bird today Luke?" I called her his bird especially to annoy her, she got all feminist when women were referred to as birds. What made it more fun is that she knew that I only ever did it to annoy her and it took all her effort not to give me the satisfaction by showing her anger. Mean I know, but funny nevertheless.
"I think the painters are in." Kate slapped him on the back of the head.
"Don't be so crude!"
"She's violent at the moment so I think you're right too. She's on the blob."
"Danny, I'm not going out with you and so have no reason to stop myself kicking you where it counts. I am not on my period either I'll have you know." Luke and I sat laughing to ourselves for a while. Kate wasn't too impressed mind you.
"There you are."
"Sorry about that, I needed to get some photocopied sheets from my maths teacher because he didn't have enough in class this morning."
"That's OK, I was just wondering where you were that's all. Where's your lunch?"
"I didn't have time to get any in the end."
"Here, finish this then."
"No, that's yours."
"What's mine is yours, eat."
"I'm fine Danny, I'll wait till after school."
"I'm not hungry, take it. I don't want you going hungry."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course take it."
"How come you never force anything nice on me Luke?" Kate asked wearily.
"I try to, every weekend. Especially when I have a few beers down me."
"You think that things nice? Men really are big headed aren't they?" Kate was grinning to herself this time. Conner and I laughed a little, Luke was the one left unimpressed this time. "You know I don't mean it Luke."
"Danny?"
"Yes sir?"
"Can I see you for a minute?"
"Yes sir." Shit! Was I in trouble? What for? I hadn't been doing anything I shouldn't have in lesson today, I wasn't even talking as much as I usually did. Everybody else left the room and I was left on my own with Mr. Bennett, my English teacher.
"Are you interested being in the school play?"
"Err, I hadn't really thought about it sir. I suppose so, more than likely. Why?"
"Well I'm directing it and I'm still trying to decide between two plays."
"Oh?" I was clearly not in trouble but was trying to work out what he was getting at anyway.
"Now, basically the reason why I'm asking you this is because there is a part that I have in mind for you for one of the plays, if you don't want to do it then I'll understand and I'll choose the other play."
"What's the part sir?"
"Hamlet." Ouch!
"Wow! Hamlet? That's a lot of lines to learn sir."
"It's a hell of a lot of lines Danny, that's why I need to know soon. We can start rehearsals soon that way. You've played more minor roles in other productions throughout your time at this school and I think that you a really promising actor. I think that you could play this main role really well."
"Err, well, OK. I'll do it."
"Fantastic. You'll be a great Hamlet, I'm glad you agreed."
I finished a little discussion with him and left the class beaming inside. I couldn't believe that he wanted me to play Hamlet in the school play. Sure I had my work cut out for it, shit loads of lines to learn, but I was going to be Hamlet! Prince of Denmark!
"What are you so happy about? What took you so long?" Sean was waiting with Conner by my car for their lift home.
"I was just asked to play Hamlet in the school play."
"Really? Cool."
"Is that the one where his father is trying to kill him?"
"No, he's trying to kill his uncle, his uncle's trying to kill him and has already killed his dad and taken his place as king." My brother wasn't a fan of Shakespeare. I wasn't really either, but I was going to be Hamlet.
"Oh, OK."
"When is the play?"
"Middle of next term."
"Cool. As soon as you can get tickets, let me know." Conner was so sweet. He always took interest in my activities.
"Sure. Come on then Sean, in the back."
"Why am I always in the back?"
"Because you're not my boyfriend."
"Obviously, but does Conner always have to be in the front though?"
"For as long as he wants to be, he is."
"I'll let you in the front one of these days Sean, don't worry."
"Cheers."
"Aww! Don't sound so hard done by! Poor little Sean."
"Fuck off!"
"Woah! What put you in such a bad mood?"
"I got DT."
"What for?"
"Forgot to do a homework."
"What? Really forgot or tried to blag forgetting?"
"Really forgot."
"Oh well. It's only an hour and you don't do anything after school on Wednesday's anyhow."
"That's not the point, mum's going to kill me."
"She doesn't have to know. She leaves on Wednesday remember?"
"I need the letter signed."
"I'll sign it."
"What if they check the signature?"
"They wouldn't. It'd be too much hassle for them, don't worry about it."
"Suppose."
"Trust me. Oh I fucking hate this stupid song!" That damn witch Britney Spears started singing that Born To Make You Happy teeny bopper crap on my radio! Bitch!
"Can I put in my CD?"
"Sure thing babes. Oh, did you see James, Ryan or Toby after school? They were going to come and listen to our rehearsal."
"Ryan said in Geography that he had to go into town first so the others probably followed. He said that they were coming though so they should turn up."
"OK."
"Will your mum let us do this place up then?"
"She seemed less than enthusiastic. Her actual words were 'you're a little too old for a club house aren't you?' cheeky cow. I tried to tell her it wasn't a club house but somewhere for us to rehearse in a nicer atmosphere but she didn't like the idea anyway."
"Oh well, we have some chairs and stuff anyway I suppose."
"Yeah but she never uses the damn garage anyway so it's being wasted."
"It's pretty cool like this anyway."
"Yeah but it could be much better. You learnt those chords yet?"
"I can't, I just can't read music Danny."
"Trix, it's the names of the chords you need to know. All you have to do is look at the picture and think about what you play for different sounds and then you learn the names of the chords."
"I tried but I keep on forgetting them."
"It's really difficult for me to try and get you to understand what sound I want to hear when you don't know the names of the chords and I don't play so I can't show you them."
"I know, I know, I'll keep trying."
"Thank you." There was a knock at the door. "Yeah?"
"Danny? Your friends are here."
"OK." I opened the door to my mum with James, Ryan and Toby waiting behind her. "Hi guy's."
"I'm going to put a red cross on the front door soon Danny. Keep it down today OK. I don't want the plaster falling off the walls in the house."
"We never play too loudly mum."
"No, well don't start either."
"OK. Come on in guy's."
"So this is where the famous Sunrise practices."
"Famous? Not yet, soon hopefully."
"Well you've got the whole school talking about you anyway."
"Really?"
"Yeah, people have been asking me if I can get them tickets for your concert."
"Yeah? Cool. Well, we might have to give this concert idea up until next term."
"No we won't."
"Trix, we're short a player."
"We can find one. You see James, Danny here is a pessimistic bastard at times, we need a new rhythm guitarist and he doesn't believe that we can get one in time."
"However though, James, there is nobody left to ask, that does play or that we would want in our band."
"I can play." Everybody in the room suddenly turned their heads to Toby who had a sheepish grin on his face.
"You can?"
"Uh huh, I don't bring my guitar into school though because I don't have time at lunch to play."
"You want in?" Trix was grinning from ear to ear, his mission in life seemed to have been completed.
"Yeah OK. If you guys don't mind."
"We'd love you in dude, you're perfect, we already know you and everything. Danny take him to get his guitar."
"That OK by you Toby?"
"Sure, no time like the present huh?"
Within half an hour I had driven Toby to his house and back to mine and he was tuned and ready to play. It's funny how things always seem to fall into place isn't it? We had a full band once again. Toby was our third rhythm player, first Trace, then John now him, third time lucky.
"Trace show him the business, we'll try to go through Knowing That You Love Me with him first. He heard that played at the ball so it'll probably be easiest to start with one that he's heard."
He got himself used to the chord sequence and the way that we had been playing it since the ball, we had the guitars plugged in now so it sounded a little heavier. As we played through it with him we could see the potential. He kept on mucking up but it was his first time playing it. He played it more precisely than Trace had, he was good, maybe not as good as John had been but close behind him. Trix and I looked at each other when we had finished the song. We smiled and turned to Toby still smiling.
"Was that OK then?"
"Welcome aboard man."
"I'll have to get used to playing it but I can handle it at least."
"That you can. Let's try it again then, we can get this one under our belt today and teach you another one too hopefully."
"OK. When is this concert going to be?"
"Well term ends in two weeks so about that."
"Really? You practising every night after school then?"
"Except Tuesday. Conner and I have orchestra and so can't do it then."
"That works out fine then, I have swimming club on Tuesdays and couldn't make it myself."
"Perfect, looks as if we may get this concert yet then Trix."
"Sure does Danny boy, sure does."
It's difficult to explain how I feel when I have Conner lying in my arms, the only definition that I can offer is complete. We weren't doing anything, we hadn't either, we had just lain down with each other cuddling and he had fallen asleep, he had been tired obviously. I just lay there with his warm body pressed to mine, listening to the air flowing in and out of him as he breathed in his sleep. I felt invincible when I had my Conner with me like this, I felt safe and, well, complete. His familiar scent coming in through my own nose comforted me no end. I loved him, more importantly though, he loved me back.
It was moments like this that I could put aside my fears and problems and just be peaceful. At times like this I realised that I had everything that was important in life, I had somebody who I loved and who loved me back, I had a loving family, loving friends who I could rely on always and I wouldn't change it for the world. I knew that eventually all of these things would change, apart from one, Conner's and my love. My friends and I would leave our homes in a year and a half for university and then jobs, our circuit of friends would change somewhat, some of us would leave Parkway, some might stay, we would all go into the professional world and make new friends. We may lose touch, we may not. Either way I vowed to myself that I would never forget the good friends that I had in my life now and that I would do my best to stay in touch with them for the rest of our lives. I knew that whatever happened I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Conner, if he wanted me to which I didn't doubt. It should have upset me, that I was going to lose my friends, which I was to some degree, but it didn't. I knew that I would be with Conner, which selfishly was the only friend that I would ever need. I loved my other friends and cherish them dearly. They did me. Life promises a lot when you're young. I just hoped that my life's promises could be kept.
"What are you thinking?"
"Jesus! You scared the fucking crap out of me Conner! I thought you were asleep."
"I woke up." He giggled a little at my reaction.
"You didn't move that's all, you just suddenly spoke."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. What were you thinking about?"
"Life."
"Big thoughts huh?"
"Uh huh."
"Danny?"
"Yeah?"
"I love you. I hope you realise that."
"I do, and I love you too, so much babes."
"I'll love you no matter what."
"And me you."
"I know."
"I better get you home babes, it's a school night."
"I know. I was going to ask my mum and dad if I could stay here with you when your mum's away."
"Cool. You think they'll let you?"
"I hope so."
"That would be great wouldn't it? We'd be living together for a while."
"Exactly what I was thinking gorgeous."
"I can't wait, but, alas, for now, you must be under your own roof."
"I know. Let's go then."
"You have to get up first, you're on the end of the bed."
"I don't want to."
"We have to."
"I know."
"Let's get up then."
"OK."
"You want to move yet?"
"Not ever."
"You'll have to some time or we'll starve to death."
"I'd be with you though."
"Let's go."
"OK."
"Up you get."
"OK."
"Move then."
"Uh huh."
"Now?"
"OK."
"Go on then."
"OK."
"You wanna tell your parents that we fell asleep and just stay over?"
"Yeah."
"We'll have to swing by yours on the way to school for your school stuff then."
"OK."
"Danny! Time to take Conner home."
"Damn parents! Sorry babes."
"Nevermind, she leaves tomorrow, I'll be here tomorrow night hopefully."
"I'll wait by the car babes. We're leaving now mum!"
That's all folks! Stay tuned and expect another chapter soon. Keep your eyes peeled on the index to my site though, something interesting might pop up soon! http://luckys_place.homestead.com/index.html And you can of course still mail me, either on the mail link on the site or till at wanna_get_lucky@hotmail.com