"Dude Looks Like a Lady"

Chapter 14 Black Mail (Red POV)

‘I think one should be about Ray.’ Chris said, ‘It’d be nice to dedicate one to him.’ We all agreed to that.

‘So happy love, angry rap and sad Ray?’ I asked.

Everybody nodded. Now it was just a case of getting the music together.

Five hours later, we managed to do half of one song. Bullet the angry rap. Strings wrote the lyrics and we all just provided basic instrumental. Drummer got a drum solo though. I guess we weren’t just feeling very musical that day.

After Strings sung the chorus and we all just kinda died down from there we heard a clap at the door.

‘Sounds guid.’ It was that Jake guy again.

‘What the hell are you doing here?’ Strings snapped, ‘It’s against the rules isn’t it? You could be listening in, stealing our stuff!’

‘Aye, I jus’ canny help maself.’ He laughed and crossed his arms, ‘Nah- they have a recording mic up in the corner tae ken what’s yers or no.’ He pointed up to that weird red bleeping thing – I was wondering what that was. ‘Besides our practising room is jus’ across the hall.’

‘Oh.’

‘Anyhoo.’ His eyes fell on Chris, ‘It’s lunch time and I wis wondering if ye- and only ye- wanted tae grab somin’ and reminisce about the auld life.’

He looked at us for approval and Sailor nodded, not like the rest of us did. ‘Sure.’ He smiled and placed his guitar in its stand, ‘It’d be nice.’

I stared at them as they went out the door. Jealousy at 18592074628601.54928476579270707366125%

Strings might not be- well not totally gay but this Jake guy I knew nothing about! I mean, he did look cosy with that girl the other day, but he could swing both ways right?

The rest of us went out to get burgers but I too busy worrying to think. At first I imagined them at a fancy restaurant with candles and violins- then I realised that wouldn’t be a bad thing, it would put Chris totally off him! But what if he just took him to subway or something? And Chris had sauce on the side of his lip… and Jake whipped it off with his finger… then licked it… THIS IS DRIVING ME CRAZY! No- no Chris hates subways remember? What am I worrying about? I’m the only one who knows Chris’s favourite lunch is Caesar salad, which I noticed the café around the corner sold, and he’s loved them every since Ray had a birthday lunch with all his guitar stude… Oh no…

‘If you’re not gonna eat it…’ Sailor picked up my burger, ‘It’s mine.’

‘Have it!’ I said and leapt for the bench, ‘I’m going back to the studio!’

I couldn’t be around them, they’d figure out how I feel about Chris. I just needed some time alone to clear my head. I slowly walked up the corridor to our room when I noticed the door to the other room was slightly open. I could hear laughing and the sound of Chris’s voice but I could make out what they were saying until I got closer and peeked through the gap. I could see Jake, his reflection and Chris in the long mirrors on the wall.

‘Like it?’ He asked as Chris leaned back on the wall.

‘Yeah.’ He smiled, ‘Caesar salad is my favourite.’

‘I remembered.’ He smiled back. Jealousy will cause Red to self-destruct in 5…

‘After all this time?’ 4…

‘Course ye dafty!’ He laughed. 3… He held his arms open, ‘Come ‘ere.’ 2…

Chris happily put his arms around him and giggled. 1…