Drews P.O.V:
“I think – I’m done!” Kier sighs dramatically placing his shopping bags on the living room floor. “ooh lets look!” Laurence grins narrowly avoiding the Christmas tree in his mad dash “Laurence watch it!” Shane shouts running towards the tree just in case. Kier quickly grabs the bags wrapping his arms around them defensively “not until Christmas!” he screeches running out of the room. “I’m guessing our presents are in there” Shane pouts collapsing on the sofa. Shane loves Christmas and presents he does not however love waiting. “awh chin up how about I get you a mice pie?” I smile trying to cheer him up “mhmm” Shane grins enthusiastically and I go and grab him one from the kitchen.
I bump into Kier wrapping up in there “HEY, HEY, HEY! NO LOOKING!” he shouts as I walk past “wrapping ‘secret’ presents in the kitchen, really?!” I sigh riffling through the cupboards until I find a box of mince pies in one of them “oooh pass me one!” Kier moans “dude calm down it’s a mince pie” I laugh “anyway I’m not supposed to see the presents” I tease hitting him on the head with the box as I pass “I’m done now anyway!” he shouts running after me and sliding on the linoleum causing him to fall. “aha oh God – okay you earned one just – for – that” I burst out between laughs chucking a mince pie in his general direction “HEY WHY’S KIER GETTING THEM BEFORE ME!” Drew whines. Luke grabs one out of the tray as he passes nearly tripping on the discarded box en route to the kitchen. “LUKE TOO?!” Drew groans impatiently “hey maybe we should invite the neighbours around” Kier grins sarcastically “I DON’T THINK MEXICANS LIKE MINCE PIES!” Luke shouts from the kitchen “the Mexican doesn’t count you nonce!” I shout finally giving Drew a mince pie “wow and before Christmas too thanks Drew” Shane giggles eating the pie delicately. “pssst Drew” Kier motions from the door obnoxiously loudly. “one second” I smile at Drew rolling my eyes.
“what?” I ask once we’re in the hallway door closed behind me “not to imply you’re a bad friend and assume that you haven’t or anything but have you got Shanes Christmas present yet?” Kier whispers “shit!” I exclaim wide eyed “I thought as much” Kier sighs “I was waiting to find something special and I-” “forgot?” Kier offers “no” he raises his eyebrows “maybe” I admit guiltily “it’s okay I’m here to save the day and take you shopping!” Kier whispers excitedly “you just got back!” “I really really love shopping okay!” Kier grins grabbing me by the wrist and dragging me out of the apartment past a confused Shane “Drew where are you going?!” he shouts “I don’t know!” I shout back as Kier slams the apartment door between us. Well then. That was rude. “If you have a conversation with him he’ll get it out of you where you’re going and find out what you’re getting him!” Kier explains running down the stairs two at a time. He really has too much energy for someone who’s been out shopping for hours already today. I notice his hand shaking and piece it together, right caffeine. Him and his bloody coffee habit, it costs us more than smoking would I swear! “how am I supposed to tell him what I’m getting him when I don’t even know?!” I reason as we leave the apartment “oh he’d figure it out” Kier says with certainty “where are we going anyway?” “Covent Garden’s!” of course. There are a few stalls there that stand out when it comes to buying a present for Shane. “you’ve figured it out” Kier smiles knowingly.
***
“Drew I know you love Nelsons column but come on!” Kier groans “fine” I frown running after him “it’s just soo tall!” I exclaim “it’s normal sized to people who aren’t midgets” Kier winks. Short jokes. How original. “it’s weird just walking past the national portrait gallery” I think aloud “yeah Shane somehow drags us in there every time” Kier smiles. The paintings rarely change I’ll never really understand how he enjoys them so much time after time “little Shane making us pretend to be all cultured and middle class like him” Kier scoffs.
Soon enough we’re at Covent garden’s trying to dodge strangers in the bustling crowd. “hey Drew!” Kier shouts from amongst rails of shirts hanging at various heights “one second” I sigh making my way over, he’s probably found something most people would describe as ‘swaggy’ for a ‘goth’ Kier sure has some unique fashion taste, Luckily he has me and Laurence to prevent it escaping. Surprisingly Kier stands holding a David Bowie shirt “I thought you might like-” “GIVE IT!” I shout jumping up trying to reach it “I’m buying it you, my treat” Kier winks walking off. I go to protest but he reminds me I’m buying a present for Shane. I suppose he’s right I should save my money. Kier saunters back over with a bag of shirts “I thought you were just getting the one” I say cautiously “it’s okay I got me the same one and an obey crew neck” he smiles. Obey, that sounds scarily ‘swag’ “it’s nice actually” Kier frowns “okay” I agree half heartedly wandering off towards the stalls which sell Shanes kind of thing.
“this is cool” Kier shouts over holding a steampunk inspired compass up causing the stall owner to frown at him. He immediately puts it down, very gently. “what are you so interested in?” he asks walking over rather quickly “these” I smile pointing to the notebooks of various sizes. “woah” Kier breathes taking in the notebooks of various browns with dragons, cats, musical notes and various other bronze objects decoupaged onto them. They all have little locks which you can pop open and closed, also bronze. They are so Shane. “he loves these” Kier notes, I can see why. At £26 each I can also see why he doesn’t own one. Admittedly it’s a lot for a notebook but it’s for Shane and it’s a beautiful thing to write his journal or guitar tabs in. “which one are you getting?” Kier asks looking at the shelves of larger notebooks. “I don’t know” I frown “how about this one?” he asks grabbing one with cogs on the front “it’s perfect” I smile taking it out of his hands. The first and last page is a sepia world map and all the pages between are a golden aged colour. I pick up a second book, one with music notes on the front and pay the stall owner. I wouldn’t mind a new book for my bass tabs and it is nearly Christmas. Kier ends up buying a small looking glass from the stall that sells the compasses he showed me earlier for Laurence. It looks like it belongs in Grandomina. “I think that’s us” Kier smiles as he places the boxed looking glass into his pocket. I nod in agreement turning to leave. The sound of violins and a cello on the way out distracts me though and I go to check it out. A group of musicians are playing some classical music by a cafe which isn’t that odd here however one of the violinists grabs my attention “isn’t that?” Kier asks “yeah!” I grin excitedly running down the stairs two at a time as the song comes to a close.
“Drew!” the violinist in question shouts thrusting her violin at one of her fellow buskers before running over and enveloping me in a hug “Anna!” I grin pulling away “it’s been soo long how are you?” she grins. I smile at her very confused looking fellow musicians “oh right” she laughs “guys this is Drew and –” she takes a deep breath taking Kier in. One day we’ll find a girl who isn’t at least mildly attracted to him. “Kier” he offers his voice confident and smooth “Kier” she repeats dezed “I went to music college with Anna” I offer a chorus of ‘ahhs’ and ‘ohs’ greet me “anyway how are you? What have you been doing?!” she asks excited “ah I’m in a band” I say nonchalantly “really Drew?! You live and breathe Fearless Vampire Killers where’s your fire, you’re passion?!” Kier asks shocked “apparently you got it” one of the guys at the back laughs, the guy with the cello I think. “Fearless Vampire Killers?” Anna asks shocked “it’s a Roman Polanski fi-” “no YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN IN KERRANG MY COUSIN LOVES YOU GUYS SHE’S ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT SHANE AND DRE-” her eyes widen in recognition. “my cousin is obsessed with Drew Woolnough, my ex boyfriend” she laughs “who’s have thought it?” I laugh “wait wait wait. Ex boyfriend?” Kier asks confused “we thought there was a thing at college, there wasn’t a thing at college” I smile. Kier shoots a glance at me that screams ‘that doesn’t explain anything’ “Anna we kind of need to start playing again” one of her friends says reluctantly “oh right sure” she says kind of sadly “hey we should have coffee sometime, want my number?” I smile “sure!” she enthuses putting it in her phone “maybe I’ll bring me cousin” she winks “Anna Hart playing Violin who’d have thought it” I laugh “wait she wasn’t playing violin at music school?” the guy with the cello asks “no, she played drums in my band, right little emo you have there” I laugh “text me later!” I shout over my shoulder. “well that was odd” Kier mutters as we walk out of the market “yeah you hardly said a word!” I tease.
A/N So I visited London on the college History and Politics trip on Thursday and despite the 4:30am start and the 12 hour round trip it was worth the six hours I spent there. I loved the museums galleries and markets I can’t wait to go back!
Becki
