Chapter Ten

Kevin’s home was surprisingly far away, in a quiet suburb on the edge of town. The house sat, a modern twist on the contemporary style, bordered by tall evergreens, with white bricks and large clear windows on every floor. An architect’s wet dream.

The grey gravel drive lead up to a wall of white brick and tinted glass, but a strangely out of place brown wooden door with silver plating curving into a delicate forty-six, a heavy steal knocker the only obvious way to announce his presence, he banged a few short knocks before trying to peak through some of the side windows, attempting to see if anyone was coming.

The door wrenched open next to him, Kevin’s head poking round the corner. “Hey-ho Peter. Come on in.” Kevin disappeared back inside and Peter followed after him deep into the house, passing door after door along the long hall, stopping before the second to last door, gesturing for Peter to precede him down yet another corridor. “Sorry, this place is a complete maze, my parents designed the place, apparently it made perfect sense on paper, but the reality is a complete nightmare. The guys are right at the back of the house, I waited in the front sitting room so I could hear the door go. The ‘rents still haven’t figured out how to wire the ringer system.” The hallway bending to a short stretch before yet another door. “Here we are.”

Peter opened up the door to reveal the others lounging around on various items of furniture, a drum kit sat alone in a corner, whilst guitars lay resting against glass tables, a keyboard perched atop one, while Michael sat on another. Lisa however, was nowhere to be found, and Kevin quickly filled in the blanks.

“Lisa rarely shows up to these get-togethers, she doesn’t play anything or sing y’see.” Stepping over Nikki’s outstretched legs, he settled on one of the pristine white couches. “She’ll drop by occasionally, talk shop about promotional junk and image.”

Nikki snorted. “Not that its really a concern for us.” Her hand waving in a general gesture. “We’re not exactly part of the ‘scene’.”

“Oh, and don’t expect much to happen, ‘sides the occasional jam session, we mostly just chat about this and that.” Kevin produced a magazine from seemingly nowhere, flipping through it with a speed that suggested he was after a particular bit, saying little about just where Peter should settle.

Michael just grinned as the shorter boy stiffened with discomfort, unsure of his place. “Hey sugar.” Peter threw him a startled look, body twisting jerkily towards him as he patted his lap, “Feel free to perch right here with me.”

“No Michael, Peter can sit on the chairs or the floor,” shooting the blond a glower from above the glossy pages, “and you can get off the damn table.”

“Fine, fine, Einstein. You just worry about finding that article.” Slipping over to Peter, Michael hooked his arm round him and lead him over to one of the vacant loveseats. Cooing at the shy boy through glittering lips, “And you can relax over here with me.” Settling down, pressed together from hip to knee, Michael rested his chest against Peter’s shoulder, and whispered softly into his ear, “I’m glad you came Onyx.”

A shift seemed to flow seamlessly over the dark haired boy, legs slipping ever so slightly more spread, unwinding and relaxing against the body next to his, Peter spared Michael a half smile, “Where else would I be?”

Meanwhile Nikki glanced back and forth, watching the play between the two boys, while silently urging Kevin to find the damn article and break the building tension in the room. Thankfully, Kevin folded and threw the magazine onto the table in front of him punctuating it with a loud short ‘ha!’ of triumph.

“Say hello to the latest in recording for the in-house studio.” Kevin settled back, relaxing into in soft cushiony settee, a sure smile sitting across his face.

Huey swiped up the magazine and let out a long low whistle, eyebrow raised he examined the other boy. “I’m guessing from the lack of a price tag next to it, it’s expensive.”

“Not the most expensive, but the best option.” A slight incline of his head, sparing a glance at Michael and Peter. “But sometimes it’s the cheaper one that suits.”

Michael drew back from the near purring brunet, slipping fingers out from under his top. “Now I’m not sure. But did he just insult me?”

Huey shrugged. “More a back handed compliment.”

“Oh, okay.”

“So, Kevin. Just how good is this stuff? I mean are we taking professional quality, or sounds alright next to any old tat?”

“With the soundproofing my ‘rents filled this place with, it’ll work for a demo if we ever get round to doing one.” Peter’s attention drifted away towards the conversation happening around him. “Which will depend entirely on whether or not Jeffery’s ready to do vocals?”

“Where is Jeffery?” Peter leaned forward, only noticing now the absence of the stormy boy, Michael’s last ditch attempt to regain his attention going unnoticed.

“He’s running late as usual, probably make it here around two.”

“If he makes it at all.”

“Terribly unprofessional that boy.”

Peter just stared back and forth between Huey and Kevin, surprised at the dry wit coming from the smaller boy, and how relaxed the others were with the banter. Also curious as to why no one was surprised or annoyed at Jeffery’s lateness, but instead amused, as if it was perfectly normal.

“You see Peter, Jeff and Lisa used to date.” Peter twitched with Nikki’s words, surprised that the she had noticed his confusion. “They didn’t exactly have a neat break up.”

“Understatement much.” Apparently this wasn’t Michael’s favourite topic of conversation.

Nikki shot the blond a glare, and went on to expand on exactly what had occurred between the pair, “Neither Jeff or Lisa shared the same opinion on where they were going. Jeff presumed that as they’d been going steady for a couple of years that they were obviously going to you know…” Nikki’s faced screwed up with discomfort, willing Peter with her eyes to get what she meant. “And Lisa…didn’t.”

“Ahh, wanting for the love of a good woman.” Huey grinned at Michael, the other boy snorting in return.

“For want of the lust of a bad girl more like.” Pushing himself upright from his sprawl, then slapping his hands on his knees. “Look Jeffery wanted to get laid. Lisa wasn’t ready, so Jeff decided to get the action with someone more obliging. As such Lisa and him are forever at each others throats, although Lisa is the only one with any rights to be pissy.” Huey swallowed a chuckle, looking enquiringly over at the frustrated Michael. “Hey, we may not get along at times, but me and Lisa have an understanding, that and we’ve known each other longer than any of you other groupies.”

“Groupies!” A well aimed pillow went hurling across the tables to smack Michael square in the chest. “I’ll show you groupies.” Huey exclaimed in mock outrage.

“Oh please do.”

“Alright that’s enough!” Nikki stood up and grabbed the pillow off Michael, “You two are incorrigible.” Smacking the pillow down on Huey, even in her anger she couldn’t hide her smile. “Now go and get started on setting up the equipment.”

“And what are you lot going to be doing?”

“We’re going to get snacks and drinks.” Grabbing Peter’s hand she led him and Kevin out.

Lifting the base drum from the set, Huey chuckled at Michael’s outraged expression. “I think Peter’s just got himself a protector.”

Throwing his arms up and flopping on his back across the loveseat, huffing theatrically Michael wined, “This is so not fair. I totally saw him first!”

“Give it up Romeo, you’re going to have to share your star-crossed lover.” Shifting the drum in his grip, he gestured at the door with his head, “Now get off your rapidly expanding arse and open the door so we can get this stuff set up as her majesty requested.”

“I do not have a fat arse!”

“Sure Michael, sure.”

Shoving himself up, he stomped over to the door and wrenched it open, “Well hurry up then.”

“Are you going to actually carry anything?”

“No.”

“You lazy git.”

“Why thank you, I try.”

Meanwhile, Peter was trailing along with Kevin and Nikki, swallowing back the lump of nerves in his throat as Nikki’s eyes told him to expect more than a few questions. Wishing he was back with the other two boys as the laughter trickled away behind them.