Fight From the Inside

18 | Ten Feet Tall

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Madeline combed through everything in her closet for the fifth time that evening, the frown on her face carving darker and darker lines as she got more and more frustrated.

"FUCK!", she called to the rest of the apartment, although she was sure passersby on the street could hear as well. It was one of those rare late-autumn days that actually allowed for an open window as the sun cast its magic glow on everything in the small apartment, lining her pulled-back lace curtains with gold.

Stella removed her feet from the windowsill, red nail polish catching the sun and seeming to glow. Humming along to the Hendrix song playing on the radio, she put out her cigarette in the window-side ashtray and padded gently into Madeline's room.

"You good, Mads?"

"I can't fucking find anything to bloody wear", she hissed through frustrated teeth, defeat causing a tightness in her voice. She stepped back and nervously fidgeted with the hem of her t-shirt as Stella tried her hand at pulling something out; Stella always had a knack of picking outfits and creating them by pieces that, in theory, should never go together, which both annoyed and inspired Madeline.

But today, instead of mixing and matching colors and styles and patterns, she pulled out a slinky, short black dress, adorned with black sequins and lace trim. It was easily the most expensive, most sophisticated dress that Madeline owned, which is exactly why she didn't want to wear it.

"Stel... you know my nan gave that dress to me. It's worth more than this flat-"

"Which is exactly why you're wearing it-"

"To a rock show, Stel? I'll stand out like a sore thumb-"

"Which is exactly the point, isn't it? We want him to notice you, don't we?"

Madeline sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers. Frowning, she took the dress off the hanger as Stella nodded sternly and left the room.

--

Madeline nervously pulled the long lace sleeves of the dress into her fists, anxiety taking over as herself and Stella rounded the corner to the venue, only to stop dead in their tracks and stare.

"I don't think I've ever seen this many people at a Queen show, Mads..."

Madeline nodded, wide eyes peering up at the marquee's flashing lights, adorning QUEEN in large black letters. In smaller letters underneath, a 'sold out' sign was stuck to the bottom of the marquee, something she herself wished to see underneath her band's name someday. She imagined Roger's excitement, bubbling at the chance to tell people they'd finally sold out a show, and she smiled softly to herself.

Madeline and Stella sighed and began walking towards the back of the never-ending line, which was wrapped around the back of the venue and through the adjoining alleyway. On their seemingly lengthy journey through the alleyway itself, there were several singing and giggling groups of Queenies huddled together and saying naughty things about Freddie; things that Freddie, Madeline thought, would find positively filthy and hilarious. She made a mental note to tell him later.

After what felt like hours watching more and more people filing to the back of the line, now a good 50 feet behind them, Madeline and Stella shared a series of exasperated sighs and grunts as they each looked at their watches every couple of minutes. The sunset started to turn into twilight, which left most of the crowd shivering; Madeline was no exception, as she drearily eyeballed Stella in her warm winter jacket.