Long Away (Queen Fanfiction)

Chapter Twenty-Five

I stop in my tracks. What? Brian actually wants to go out with me? I'm squealing like it's Beatlemania on the inside, whilst keeping it cool on the outside.

"You want to go out?" I nearly whisper.

I can tell I've made him embarrassed and accidentally made it sound like I was rejecting him because I was so shocked.

"Well, yes," he responds.

"Oh... wow."

"I'm sorry, I'm so, so, sorry," he assures me and puts his hand on my shoulder. "I honestly didn't mean anything by that. Go ahead, say no. It was a bad idea anyway."

I love and hate how sensitive he is. It's quite cute, but it makes me feel so upset for him at the same time. I don't know what to say to make him believe that I do want to go out with him.

"Bri, no. That's not what I said and you know that," I tell him. "I actually would really like to go out sometime." He forces a weak smile.

"Really?"

"Yes! Why are you so surprised?"

"I just... I don't know. Just being negative, I guess."

"Well don't be. Come on, let's keep walking."

We walk and talk, both of us feeling very shy. We continue until we catch up with the others.

"There you are!" Roger shouts, running toward us.

"Hi, Rog," the two of us say.

"You two were walking together for a very long time," comments Freddie, who turns to me, laughs a little, and asks, "Are you two a, um, thing yet?"

"Please stop," Brian says and tries his best to stay calm.

"It's okay. He's just joking around," I say. 

"I guess you're right. We should go pick up Rox now."

"She's getting her car today," John informs us. "We don't have to."

We hop in Roger's car and go home to wait for Roxanne. She soon arrives at the house, beaming proudly.

"I got a new car!" she squeals.

"Yay!"

"Come see it!"

I scurry outside and look at her new car. I'm still getting used to the look of seventies cars, but from what I know, it's a pretty okay car.

"Awesome! I'm happy for you." I smile. "I have some news myself."

"Oh my god, what?" she asks excitedly.

"Brian and I are planning on going out sometime."

"YAY!" she shouts and squeals, jumping up and down and hugging me. "I knew you two would hit it off."

We walk inside and go our separate ways. I go to my room while Rox goes to find Roger.

**ROXANNE'S POV**

"Hi, Rog," I say once I find Roger getting situated behind his drum kit in Queen's "music room."

"Hello." He grins, leaning over the bass drum to kiss me.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing. Just wanted to play around on the drums."

"Alright. Can I listen?" I sit on a stool in the corner of the room.

"Certainly."

He does a whole drum solo for me, attacking the drums and symbols with such talent. I love the way he plays, and the faces he makes as he does so. He gets so into it. Just one of the things I admire about him, I guess.

When he's done, I applaud, laughing and kissing him. He pulls away, and looks above my shoulder. I spin around and look too. I see a teary-eyed Jane standing in the doorway.

"Rox? Can we talk in my room?" she asks in a quivering voice.

"Yeah, let's go." I wave goodbye to Roger and she takes me into her room.

"So, the homesickness just hit me."

"Oh?"

"Yep. How long will I be homesick?"

"I don't know. I'm still a little homesick myself." I lower my voice and ask a question I haven't thought about until just now. "Did anyone, um... notice I was gone?"

"Actually, no. Just your cast. I have no idea why nobody noticed. It was weird."

That hits me hard. My heart pounds and my stomach drops. Nobody noticed I was gone? Not even my family? I think I know why, though.

"I think it was because I was so independent and careless. Too much of a party girl. They must expect me to go somewhere at some point," I say to no one in particular.

"Oh, don't think like that," she says, taking my hands. "I'm sure that isn't the reason why."

**JANE'S POV**

Oh, it totally is. But I won't say that. I'm a good friend.

"Really?" asks Rox.

"Sure." I smile at her through my homesickness and hers.

"So, what's bothering you?"

"I don't want it to be the same way for me," I tell her.

"I understand. But you just have to remember, you'll have a great life here. I told my boss about you, you know. He seemed impressed."

"That's great, but Roxanne, don't you think this could be... a dream?"

She pauses and wipes a tear from her eye, taking a deep breath before she answers, "Well, I thought it was a dream for a little while, but I realized it was too long and too real to be a dream. I have emotions, I have feelings. I know you haven't felt much yet, but it's a roller-coaster here, especially if you've had a lot of drama as I've had. And if you fall in love here, that's a roller-coaster too. Something is bound to happen, or get in the way. It's just..." She braces herself to continue. "...Too real to be a dream."

"Too real?" I say in a shaky voice.

"Yes, that's the only way I can describe it. You'll have to find out for yourself."

We hug for a long time, crying silently.

I'm lucky to have her as a best friend. I'm lucky to have my best friend with me to guide me through this strange place that seems like it could only be a dream.