Obstruction

Bohemian Rhapsody

- Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody -

https://open.spotify.com/track/1AhDOtG9vPSOmsWgNW0BEY

- June 11th -

We were sat in plush chairs around a conference table in a very minimalist office. We all had a preliminary contract in our hands and had been given an hour to read through. I was sat with a pen marking things I was uncertain of, Oddball was sat with his legs up on the table humming our most recent tune while making little drumming flourishes in the air with a pencil.

I looked at the boys in the room with me.
This was it.
The contract in my hand could tie me to them for the next five years if everything went our way.
I thought about it.
Five years.
A possible three albums, or two depending on touring and other options. We'd be bound to single releases, TV appearances and full promotional package.
From what I could read in the contract, we were to be profiled as the next big thing.
There was some extreme amounts of money potentially being thrown our way.
There was even a mention of the possibility of using our music in an upcoming movie.
My eyes lingered on Ethan. He was sat there with his fingers deeply wound into his hair reading every paragraph with intense focus.
This was his goal.
To live in a world of music.
I wondered if I could be in that world without being in his world.
I shifted to look at Simon. He raised his eyes to mine with a big grin.

"We're doing it! This is really happening," he said.

The look on his face was pure joy. I was so happy for him, with him.

"It's what you've always wanted," I replied with a smile.

He looked at me a bit more seriously.

"Is it what you want, Izzy?" He asked, cautiously.

As if I had the power to burst everybody's dream.

Odd and Simon were looking straight at me. Ethan had stopped reading but was still facing the contract with a tense set to his shoulders.

"I'm not backing out, if that's what you're asking. This is a once in a lifetime oportunity and I'm not going to let that go!" I promised, looking directly at Simon.

He nodded with a careful smile and returned to the contract.
I continued reading mine and marking off stipulations and conditions.

Things between Simon and I had been really weird. We had hardly spoken and the few times we had I found myself searching his face for double meanings. There was a wounded look to him that he carefully hid behind a smile, but I couldn't make myself acknowledge that I could be the reason for it.
I wanted Simon to be okay. I wanted him to be happy.
The irony of me putting Simon in the same position as I was in with Ethan made me feel like such an evil bitch.
I hated doing that to him.
He was still my Simon. But the part of him that was mine was just larger than I wanted.

Ethan hadn't even looked at Simon or spoken directly to him unless he had to in about a month. The two of them were still locked in a war of wills.
Ellen had come to her senses as well and so effectively, Simon was on his own.

I wanted to give him a hug and tell him we'd be all right, but we weren't. Not yet.
I made a mental note to grow some guts and sit Simon down for a proper chat soon.
The mood between us, between the three of us, had to be lightened if we were to give this contract a go.
I had made a start by explaining myself to Ethan. And as Josh had predicted, it had made him less sulky.
He still didn't look directly at me, or start conversations, but at least he didn't look like I smelled bad anymore.

And we had been able to get through the gigs with our dignity intact. We had cancelled one gig the weekend after Elsie died. Thanks to the manager at Rock Central we had been able to send a replacement band. The gigs we had done ourselves, had been frought with tension. I found the best solution was to focus my stage flirting on the audience. Who knew ten year olds could flirt back?
But it worked somehow and the floor of Ethan's car was littered in bridesmaids and groomsmen's phone numbers that we'd never dial.