Somebody To Love

𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐧 𝐈𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐐𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞

Freddie invited me and Kathie to come along to their meeting with Mr Reid. We ended up going back to our own houses. I walked through my front door, greeted by my the back of my mother's head.

"Hi Mum!" I say, kicking off my shoes. I walk into the family room and see her sitting reading. Her eyes tear away from the book to face me. She smiles and flips a page.

"Hello Lana, you alright?" I sit down after she kisses my head. I nod and cross my legs. She flips another page and takes a deep breath. "Evelyn, I must ask you something."

"What is it?" I turn to her. It could be anything at this point. Going out every night, drinking, smoking? Then it hit me. Roger. I sighed and glanced at the picture frame behind her.

"Are you and Roger... uhm... going out with each other?" She clears her throat on the second pause and flips her book over to keep her page. I become flustered and I think about it without saying anything. I think about all the times we've spoke. Backstage. Freddie's house. Kath's living room. My words are slurred and spluttered. I can feel my face doing that thing where it goes all hot and red.

"No- uhm. Yeah... wait no. I mean no. We aren't." I scratch the back of my neck and let out an awkward, forced laugh. She tilts her head down, almost in a disapproving way.

"Well, I wouldn't mind. He's a nice man." She pats my head and ruffles my hair. I am now bright pink and don't know what to say. I purse my lips and bite my tongue. I scrunch my eyebrows and constantly glance away from my mum. "Right, get ready for bed, Lana. It's late and I'm guessing you and Kath are sorting your house things out."

"Yeah, we're picking up the keys tomorrow." I smile and then think to myself "We're picking up the the keys tomorrow. Shit! The meeting!"

"Right, I'm going to get ready for bed. Love you mum." I kiss her on the cheek before she can reply. I run up the stairs and along the hallway to my room. I push my door and jump onto my bed. I pick up the phone and punch Kathie's number into it. The crackle and buzz of the pho ne line echoes around in my head. Pick up, pick up, pick upppp!! I tap my fingernail against the phone. All of a sudden, a hear a clatter and then a scratch noise. A burning joy filled my body as I heard someone pick up. It was Kath's dad.

"Hello, this is George Bates speaking." He grumbles down the phone. I sigh of relief.

"Hello, George! Can you put Kathie on the phone?" I am now becoming anxious, wondering if Kath could talk. My eyes are darting around the room.

"Uh, yes of course. KATH!" The muffled shout makes me laugh a bit. I hear another line pick up.

"Hello?" I hear Kath's soft voice on the end of the phone.

"Oh my god! Hello. I need to ask you something." I breath, sounding a bit exasperated.

"Woah. Okay, what is it?"

"Are we picking up the house keys tomorrow?"

"Yeah, why-? Oh... shit! The meeting!" She yells. I hear her dad faintly shout at her "Sorry!"

"What time are we picking them up?" I ask, pacing around my room.

"Four o' clock." She replies, unsettlingly quick "What time's the meeting?"

"I don't know, I'll call Freddie and ask. I'll call you back."

"Okay, see you in a minute." She sings on the phone. I put the phone down and pick it up again. I press each number slowly and gently. I listen to the familiar phone line ring and ring and ring.

"Hello?" His sharp, crisp voice sounded down the phone.

"Hey, Fred! It's Evie."

"Oh! Hello darling!"