Skinny Love

December, 1970

Coming at you from my college cafeteria! Also, I forgot to write November, but by the time I noticed, I was already on Christmas. I think we'll do it like that, skipping months every now and again, to keep the story interesting.

And if anyone knows the interview where the band gets weighed and measured, can you let me know? It's beneficial for the plot, but I'll just make the magazine up if I can't find it- and trust me, I've been looking everywhere.

December 24, 1970

John
I was hoping that Freddie and I would get to spend Christmas together, but with Christmas break, extra band practice appeared, taking him away for longer than I wanted. I wanted to open presents with him in the morning, and bake with Julie in the afternoon, but we were dealing with Tim and Roger needing Freddie at all times.

I was proud of him, I guess, because they were starting to record and get noticed within the community. They had several booked gigs at local shops, and local events, and I had never seen Freddie so pleased in the entire six months of dating.

"Ooh, he brought his girlfriend." Roger teased once we got into the recording studio, and I smiled while I sat on the sofa, feeling my skin start to burn under their gazes. "Just jokes, John- hello." He plopped next to me, and he pecked me on the cheek, making Freddie nudge his foot- he was a jealous guy sometimes, but it was cute. "Happy Christmas, and Merry New Year, yeah?" He had been drinking, I could tell- the lads liked a drink every now and again.

"Happy Christmas, Roger." I replied, then Freddie sat down, pulling me onto his lap with a quiet grunt. "Are you coming to Freddie's Christmas Party tomorrow?" I asked and the blond lad shrugged, looking at my boyfriend, then me, then back at my boyfriend.

Freddie's parents temporarily moved back to Zanzibar, to help with an ill relative, so he was given the money to rent his own flat. It was a nice one, for sure, and my parents didn't care if I was home or not, so I got to spend a lot of time with him. I wondered if his parents knew that we were together, but my parents did and they kind of stopped caring after they found out what was going on between us- I had Freddie, and the band, so I didn't need anyone else. Julie still loved me, of course, and I made a point of going over as much as possible so I could spend time with her.

"Yes, you are. You, and Tim, and Brian are coming to my little Christmas shindig tomorrow- I bought a ham and everything." Freddie muttered against my shoulder and I smiled with a nod towards Roger. I kissed Freddie on the lips, then I got up and I went to look at the instruments in the booth. "Want to play something, love?" He asked, quietly, but I shook my head.

"Don't know how." I replied, quietly, then his hand found the small of my back and I hummed when he pulled me closer. "Freddie, what're you doing?" I giggled when he pushed me towards the piano, sitting down and making me sit next to him. "I don't know how to play, darling." I whispered, but he shook his head and he held my hands, gently setting them over the piano.

"Just repeat after me." He smiled, then he kissed me on the cheek and he started playing a simple memory, making my hands shake and my mind race with thoughts about him and our relationship.

I rolled my eyes while Freddie played, then he moved my hands so I was following along with the melody. He was so interested in what he was playing, but I couldn't remember the name of the song for the life of me- did that make me a terrible partner? Perhaps. I wasn't as interested in music as he was, and it was kind of upsetting because I wanted to love the things that he did with my entire soul- he loved his music with every fibre of his being, and I wanted to love something like that. I needed to love something like that.

"What was that, then?" I asked once he stopped, holding my hands over the keys and pressing the pedal that made the note ring out.

"The Bells of St. Mary's, kind of. I-I can never remember the entire song." He replied, quietly, and I smiled, putting my hand on his cheek and humming before pecking him on the lips. "What was that for?" He whispered and I shrugged, doing it once more.