Brothers

When quiet Lewis meets the beautiful Roxy his life is turned upside down but when circumstances change love, loyalty and relationships are tested.

It is a hot sunny day and Lewis is putting his school books in his locker ready to go home for the weekend when he hears Rick, one of the schools many a******s make a remark as he walks past.

 

‘’Nice ponytail’’. He says but Lewis does not react, Lewis had always been good at not reacting, his father always told him it took a bigger man to walk away then stand and fight.

 

‘’Hey I heard that’’. Lewis then hears and looks down the hall to see his brother approaching.

 

‘’Hey I heard that Rick!’’. Lewis brother Tyler shouts again and Rick stops turning around to face Lewis brother.

 

‘’Did you now’’.

 

‘’Yeah I did’’. And as Tyler and Rick begin walking towards one anther Lewis stands in the way of his brother holding his hand on his chest as a signal to stop.

 

‘’Hey bro, come on lets go home’’. Says Lewis trying to diffuse the situation

 

‘’No’’.

 

‘’Yeah go home Tyler’’. Adds Rick.

 

‘’Not until I’ve done this’’. And Tyler punches Rick across the face sending him to the floor……

 

 

 

                                      TITLE.

 

 

Lewis and Tyler are sat in detention while Rick is sat in the matrons office with a bag of ice n his chin.

 

‘’I cant believe you punched Rick Waltz in the face, he’s huge and he play’s football’’.

 

‘’It aint about the size’’.

 

‘’But he’s massive’’.

 

‘’I don’t care if he kicks the s**t out of me as long as I get a few good shots in’’.

 

‘’You cant keep doing that’’. Adds Lewis before the teacher at the front of the class orders them to be quiet before going back to marking his books.

 

After detention the two are walking home and the choice of conversation is still about Rick.

 

‘’Just next time remember to keep cool and count to ten’’

 

‘’I cant, I’m not like you, anyway he was taking the piss out of your hair’’.

 

‘’I know but look at it, a ponytail’’.

 

‘’I think it looks good’’.

 

‘’Yeah I saw David Beckham wearing his hair like this and got a little carried away’’.

 

‘’It looks good!’’.

 

‘’Well Thanks’’. And the two then head on home.

 

‘’Dinner will be ready in ten minutes’’. Shouts mom from the kitchen. She coked a meal for the three of them most night, especially since dad died, she liked to eat dinner together and each of them talk about there day and what they had planned for the weekend, both Lewis and Tyler knew she must get lonely sometimes so never missed, after all there mom had there grandmother for company and friends from work but its different than having a relationship like you do with a husband and they knew she still missed dad.

Lewis and Tyler’s dad died three years ago driving home form work in snow, the car skidded and crashed into a lamppost, at first there mm was a wreck, a shell of a person but over time she began accepting it, there grandmother always said that the saying ‘time is a great healer is a lie because you never heal but over time you begin to accept and both brothers thought that was about right. The death of there father hit Tyler, everyone always said that Tyler took after his father and Lewis his mother and to this day whenever Tyler met family members from his fathers side they would all look at him and tell him how much he looked like there father and how much he sounded like him as if there father had never gone but the problem was Tyler was so young when his father died he struggled for memories, memories that stick so all the time people were comparing him to a man he was struggling to remember and it was tough, many of times Lewis would find his brother sat by his fathers grave simply talking to the dirt beneath his feet and he would have to go and bring him home, Lewis was always there emotionally for Tyler, he may not be great with his fists but he made up for it with his heart.

 

‘’So there was a message on the answering machine when I got home from work today’’. Says there other around the dinner table.

 

‘’Really who from?’’.

‘’Tom’’. And the two brothers immediately look at one another. ‘’Tom!’’.

 

Tom was a long time friend of the brothers, he lived across the street from then when they were very young and Tom, well he would never be call mature, he loved to have fun and loved to laugh and he brought the best (or some might say the worst) in Lewis and Tyler.

 

‘’So what did he say?’’. Asks Tyler.

 

‘’He’s coming down to stop for the summer’’.

 

‘’Really!’’. Tom moved away a while back when his father was offered a good paid job in steel works.

 

‘’Yeah he’s going to stay with his grandmother’’. Who just lived a few miles away.

 

‘’Great!’’.

 

‘’But I don’t want any messing around form the three of you, your all older now, your not little kids anymore’’.

 

‘’We know’’.  There mom wasn’t Tom’s biggest fan, after all when the three of them especially Tom and Tyler got together it could get a little crazy.

 

‘’So when’s he arrive?’’. Asks Lewis.

 

‘’Tomorrow, his train gets in about noon’’.

 

‘’Ok good’’. and the three then g back to eating there dinner.

 

The next morning on the first day of summer the two brothers are out in the sun painting there porch when suddenly they hear his voice.

 

What you doing’..  Shouts Tom and the two brothers turn around to see Tom driving there way on what looks like a motorised scooter.

 

‘’Who’s is that?’’ The two brothers ask referring to the scooter.

 

‘’My grans, she has a plastic hip now and this bad boy gets her from A to B’’.

 

‘’Tom she never goes anywhere’’.

 

‘’The shop for cigarettes’’.

 

‘’Two doors down’’.

 

‘’Hey when your that age its far’’. And the two brother roll there eyes before going Tyler goes to get then all a beer.

 

‘’Hey wait, what abut we go down to the lake’’. Suggests Tom.

 

‘’You sure its not too soon?’ Asks Lewis after all Tome does have some history with the lake.

 

‘’No come on, you guys get the beer and we’ll all go down on this bad boy’’.

 

‘’I could walk down faster than that thing’’.

 

‘’Hey it saves your legs’’.

 

‘’Your right’’. and Tyler then climbs on the back while Lewis goes to fetch the beers.

 

The three of them are sat by the lake drinking there beers while Tom fills them in on what he had been up to in his new town when Tyler notices that Tom’s arms look a lot bigger than they did the last time he visited.

 

‘’Your looking at my guns aren’t you’’. Says Tom to Tyler and the two of them had always competed against each other with everything since they were young always wanting to top one another at whatever they do.

 

‘’No I’m not’’.

 

‘’Yeah you are’’. And Tom flexes his muscles on his arms.

 

‘’Look at them, look at those babies’’. And Tome stands up showing off even more.

 

‘’Come on admit it, your jealous’’.

 

‘’No im not’’.

 

‘’Come on Tyler, your jealous’’.  And Tyler has to sit there while Tom continues to show off his body, taking off his top and then his jeans.

 

‘’Ok, ok enough already’’. Adds Lewis.

 

‘’No, im going in, im skinny dipping’’. Says Tom as he takes off his socks.

 

‘’Tom, it’s the middle of the day and there’s people fishing over there’’.

 

‘’I don’t care man this is the summer!’’. And Tome then takes everything off before running and jumping in the lake while the two brothers laugh at him but there laughter is soon stopped when they are approached by a man with a scowl on his face.

 

‘’Son, can you get out of there’’. He asks Tom.

 

‘’ Who’s your parents?’’ The man asks Lewis who looks at Tyler and blows out his cheeks.

 

‘’Skinny dipping’’. Says there mom as she grills her sons in the kitchen while Tom sits out in the garden playing on the swing he is obviously too old for.

 

‘’It was Tom, he’s just got a little too excited about being back’’.

 

‘’Lewis, you’re the eldest I want you to make sure this is the last stupid thing tha happens this summer, you can have fun but nothing stupid’’.

 

‘’Ok I will’’.

 

‘’Ok good, and I love you both’’. And there mom then heads back to putting the washing away while the brothers go out to Tom.

 

‘’Ok Tom, we have to cool it a little on the fun stuff’’. Warns Lewis.

 

‘’Yeah or moms going to end up banning you from here’’.

 

‘’Ok I will’’. And Tom then looks up at there old tree house the three used to sleep in as kids.

 

‘’Hey what about we sleep up there tonight, for old times sake’’.

 

‘’Aren’t we a little old?’’.

 

‘’Come on, this could be the last time we ever do’’.

 

‘’Your right’’. And the three agree to sleep in the tree house for possibly one last time.

 

Lewis looks over at his brother who is staring up at the tree house.

 

‘’What is it?’’. He asks.

 

‘’I can remember’’.

 

‘’Remember what?’’.

 

‘’Remember dad building the tree house’’.

 

‘’Yeah me too’’.

 

‘’I struggle to remember so much about him, people talk about things he did but I cant remember them, you can and mom can but I cant, I can barely remember the sound of his voice’’.

 

‘’You were young, its hard, its hard for me to remember everything and I’m older than you’’.

 

‘’Yeah’’.

 

‘’Come on’’. And Lewis grabs hold of his brother and takes him for another beer.

 

‘’Ok so what movies we got?’’ Asks Tom as the three settle in the tree house.

 

‘’We have Wrong Turn, Deliverance and the exorcist’’.

 

‘’So its either the sick girl or the woods’’.

 

‘’Yep’’.

 

‘’Ok then, I say Wrong Turn’’.

 

‘’Me too’’. And the three settle down to watch Wrong Turn.

As the movie nears the end Tom had fallen to sleep and when he does Tyler goes searching in his backpack.

 

‘’What you doing?’’. Whispers Lewis.

 

‘’Looking for proof’’.

 

‘’Proof of what?’’.

 

‘’Of this!’’. And Tyler pulls out a small glass capsule.

 

‘’I know it, I knew those muscles weren’t natural’’.

 

‘’What, he’s on…..’’.

 

‘’Yep, steroids’’.

 

‘’That lying!’’.

 

‘’He has to pay for this’’. Says Tyler.

 

‘’Come on, what does it matter now’’.

 

‘’We have to, remember Tom is like a dog, he needs keeping in line for his own good’’.

 

‘’So what you going to do?’’.

 

‘’Nothing now, but I have an idea’’. And Tyler smiles as he looks down at the sleeping Tom.

 

‘’You curly haired liar’’. He whispers before turning off the TV ad the two brothers going to sleep.

The next morning the sun is shining bright and the three of them are up playing football in the garden Tom insisting he play with his top off showing off his fake physique.

 

‘’Hey I though we could go bowling tonight’’. Suggest Tyler.

 

‘’Good idea’’. Says Tom.

 

‘’Yeah and loser buys the burgers’’.

 

‘’Sounds good’’. And Tyler gives Lewis a look where he knows he is up to something.

 

Later that day the three of them are at the bowling alley changing there shoes.

 

‘’Ok, I’ll get the drinks (soda sadly) and you two type in the names’’. Says Tyler and Lewis and Tom then head down to there alley, first he types in Tom, then Lewis and then instead of Tyler he types in weedy boy once again brining up the topic of his physique.

 

‘’Hey I got the…’’. And Tyler spots his name.

 

‘’Very funny Tom’’.

 

‘’Well if you had arms like these’’. And Tyler rolls his eyes before placing down the drinks.

When Tom  goes up to take his shots Tyler has a chat with his brother.

 

‘’Ok I’ve got Tom back for lying about the steroids’’.

 

‘’Why what you done?’’ Asks  Lewis and Tyler then looks down at Tom’s drink.

 

‘’What have you done now?’’.

 

‘’Oh just given his drink a little extra kick’’.

 

‘’What extra kick?’’.

 

‘’Laxities’’.

 

‘’Laxities!’’.

 

‘’Yep, the bottle said two tea spoons but I just poured in half a bottle’’.

 

‘’Wont the taste it?’’.

 

‘’Its Tom remember’’.

 

‘’Oh yeah’’. And Tom then returns from taking his shots and picks up his soda.

 

‘’Ok your shot Weedy’’.

 

‘’Yeah, yeah’’. And Tom then takes a drink of his soda.

 

‘’Hey this tastes a little weird’’.

 

‘’it’s a new flavour’’. Says Tyler. ‘’Bubble gum or something’’.

 

‘’Well it don’t taste great’’.

 

‘’Hey your not leaving it, I paid god money for that drink’’.

 

‘’I know’’.

 

‘’Good’’. And Tom then takes another drink of his soda.

As the match draws to the end Tyler and Lewis can tell the laxities are finally beginning to kick in.

 

‘’What’s wrong?’’. Asks Tyler.

 

‘’My stomach man’’.

 

‘’You ok?’’. Asks Lewis.

 

‘Yeah yeah’’.

 

‘’Well its your shot’’. And Tom then stands up holding his stomach as he does before picking up a ball and going to take his shot, Tom takes his first shot and immediate holds his stomach after.

 

‘’You ok?’’. Asks Tyler.

 

‘’Yeah sure’’. And Tom then picks up his second ball and goes to take his shot but after he had he just stands there in the knelt position not moving at all.

 

‘’What’s wrong with him?’’. Asks a smiling Lewis.

 

‘’I don’t know’’. And the two brothers the head on up to see what’s wrong.

 

‘’You ok man’’. Asks Lewis.

 

‘’I….. I think I’ve…..’’.

 

‘’What?’’.

 

‘’I think I’ve s**t myself!’’.

 

‘’How!’.

 

‘’I don’t know but I need to get to the bathroom!’’.

 

‘’Well stand up then’’. And Tom slowly stands up straight before slowly heading to the bathroom walking in a way where everyone knows what has happened and Tyler and Lewis both begin laughing along with a group of girls.

 

‘’Oh man I love that boy’’. Says Tyler as he laughs even more.

After waiting for over fifteen minutes the two brother finally decide to go and see if there friend is ok.

 

‘’Hey Tom…you in there?’’. They ask knocking on the only locked cubicle.

 

‘’Yeah’’.

 

‘’And you er….…ok?’’.

 

‘’No, I’m bleeding’’.

 

‘’Where from?’’.

 

‘’Where do you think!’’. And the two brothers hold there hands over there mouth to cut out the laughs.

 

‘’Well what did you have to eat?’’.

 

‘’ A stew’’.

 

‘’You ate your gran’s stew?’’.

 

‘’Yeah I know , that must be it’’.

 

‘’Must be’’. And the two brothers look at one another with huge smiles on there faces.

 

‘’So you….ready to go home?’’.

 

‘’I cant, I need…..I need some new pants’’. And the two brothers laugh.

 

‘’Hey come on guys’’.

 

‘’Ok, we’ll go and get you some jeans, you wait here for us’’.

 

‘’Ok, and hurry’’.  And the two brothers then set off home.

 

‘’So were going to get him some pants?’’. Asks Lewis.

 

‘’No’’.

 

‘’What do you mean no?’’.

 

‘’Just leave him there’’.

 

‘’Leave him there!’’.

 

‘’Yeah, he’ll be fine, after all think of everything he’s done to us in the past’’.

 

‘’Your right’’. And the two smiling brother head home.

 

The next morning the two brother awake and head down to the kitchen to find there other had already heads off to work.

 

‘’So I wondered what happened to Tom?’ Says Tyler as he pours himself a glass of orange juice.

 

‘’Yeah, we’ll head other to his grandmothers and find out’’. And the two brothers begin to laugh as they think about Tom walking to the bathroom at the bowling alley.

Half an hour later the two head to Tom’s grandmother and knock on the door and half an hour later is grandmother answers.

 

‘’Hey Mrs….’’.

 

‘’Helen, you boys know by now’.

 

‘’Helen, is Tom in?’’.

 

‘’Tom, no I thought he stayed at your house last night because he never came home, he did didn’t he?’’. She asks with a slightly worried look on her face.

 

‘’Oh yeah, we…. Just thought he came over here to change but he’s probably headed straight to the park to meet us there’’. Says the quick thinking Lewis.

 

‘’Ok then boys be careful now’’.

 

‘’We will Mrs…’’. and she gives the both a look…… ‘Helen’’. And the two brothers head down the drive.

 

‘’Where the hell is he?’’. Asks Tyler.

 

‘’I don’t know but first we need to go to the bowling place’’. And the two head straight there.

The bowling place wasn’t open yet but Marvin was inside, he was the guy who waxed all the alleys before opening and he would always have his earphones in loud meaning a train could ride straight through behind him and he’d just keep on waxing.

 

‘’Come on, its open’’. Says Tyler as he tries the glass door.

 

‘’We cant just go in’’.

 

‘’Come on its Marvin’’. And the two walk behind Marvin as he waxes away and to the men’s toilets where they find the cubicle Tom was in is still shut, the two brothers look at one another both pulling a face before Tyler knocks on the cubicle door.

 

‘’Hey Tom……. You still in there’. And moments later the door opens and the two brothers find Tom, looking tired and mad.

 

‘’Where the hell…..’’.

 

‘’Hey man were sorry, we forgot’’. Says Lewis.

 

‘’No were not, this is for lying, about your muscles’’.

 

‘’What do you mean lying about my muscles?’’.

 

‘’Come on man I know your on steroids’’.

 

‘’Steroids!’.

 

‘’Tom I found them in your bag’’.

 

‘’There not mine’’’.

 

‘’Bullshit, I know when your lying’’.

 

‘’How?’’.

 

‘’Your hair goes curlier’’. And the two brothers laugh.

 

‘’Ok, ok I did steroids but I’m not anymore’’.

 

‘’Good’’.

 

‘’And your behind all the s**t aren’t you?’’. He asks Tyler.

 

‘’Yes I am’’.

 

‘’Dick!’’.

 

‘’Hey I never got you back for the toe nail pizza’’.

 

‘’Ok, ok were even but remember the rule’’.

 

‘’It doesn’t leave the three of us’’.

 

‘’Exactly’’. And Lewis then throws Tom a pair of clean jeans before the three leave the bowling place sneaking behind Marvin the waxier and back home.

 

‘I cant believe you guys’’. Says Tom on the way home now with a smile on his face and that’s what the brothers loved about Tom, no matter what practical joke they played on him  (or rather Tyler)  he never held a grudge, he would just get them back.

 

‘’Yeah good old times’’.

 

‘’Hey my grandmother has some really old vodka, she has about twelve bottle all stacked up so I’ll sneak one out later’’.

 

‘’Yeah but I think you should give her, her scooter  back she really needs it to get around’’.

 

‘’Yeah it took her a day to answer the door’’.

 

‘’I will….tomorrow’’. And the three laugh.

 

‘’Do you think it will always be like this?’’. Asks Tyler.

 

‘’You know when we have jobs and houses and wife’s, do you think the three of us will still have fun together?’’.

 

‘’Of course’’. Says Lewis always the positive one.

 

‘’Hey you get married and your fostering me’’. Tom tells Tyler’’.

 

‘’Yeah I’ll probably have t because no one else will put up with you’’.

 

‘’Exactly’’. and the three then reach the brother’s house.

 

‘’Hey I best take my grandmas scooter back’’. Says Tom.

 

‘Yeah you better’’.

 

‘’So are we going to sleep in the tree house tonight for one last time?’’. Suggests Tom.

 

‘’You said that last night!’’. Says Lewis.

 

‘’Come on, one for the road’. Pleads Tom and the two brother look at one another.

 

‘’I’ll get the beers’’. Says Tyler.

 

‘’And I’ll get the snacks’’. And the two brother go off into the house while Tom takes back his grandmothers scooter all three of them deep down wishing this summer would never end……

 

                                  FIVE YEARS LATER…….

 

Lewis is in the gym working out when his brother Tyler walks in.

 

‘’Hey I’m going out tonight with some guys form work do you want to come there great guys’’.

 

‘’I cant, I’m working tonight’’.

 

‘’Dam’’.

 

‘’Next time maybe’’.

 

‘’We don’t get chance to do out anymore’’.

 

‘’I know, but work feels like a night out anyway with all the music and beer’’. Says Lewis talking about his job as a waiter at a very posh restaurant slash bar.

 

‘So does Rachael know your going out tonight?’’ Asks Lewis.

 

‘’No not yet’’.

 

‘’Man I wouldn’t like to be you’’. Laughs Lewis talking about his brothers nice but clingy girlfriend of the last two years’’.

 

‘’I know I need an excuse’’.

 

‘’Yeah and a good one’’.

 

‘’Dam she’s clingy’’.

 

‘’I told you, yeah she’s nice and honest and a looker but does she like to know where you are all the time’’.

 

‘’Yeah sometimes she even shuts at me like she’s my mother’’.

 

‘’Come on bro you do need telling off sometimes’’.

 

‘’True, true’’. He agrees. ‘’Hey talking of true did you watch true Blood last night?’’.

 

‘’Come on you know I don’t miss an episode’’.

 

‘’Dam Bill’s cool’’.

 

‘’I know’’. Agrees Lewis.

 

‘’Sometimes I wish I could give Rachael a little V’’.

 

‘’Yeah she could do with it, especially after you tell her your going out’’.

 

‘’Yeah’’.

 

‘’Well remember you did end up in hospital last time’’. Says Lewis after his brother went in with a broken knuckle after punching someone.

 

‘’The guy deserved it’’.

 

‘’No you need to learn to walk away sometimes’’.

 

‘’I cant, I just see red sometimes’’.

 

‘’Well your older now and supposedly more mature’’.

 

‘’Come on bro, me you and Tom will never really grow up and who wants to’’.

 

‘’Yeah your right’’. And Lewis puts down his weights to take a breather.

 

‘’I need to take you out to get you’re a girl anyway’’. Tyler tells his brother.

 

‘’The last thing I want right now is a girlfriend’’.

 

‘’I don’t mean a girlfriend just one night to get Heather out of your head’’. Referring to Lewis ex girlfriend’’.

 

‘’ Yeah maybe’’.

 

‘’It’s been long enough now’’

 

‘’Yeah your right, next time hey’’.

 

‘’Defiantly’’. And Tyler taps his brother on the shoulder before heading home to change for his night on the town.

 

The next morning Lewis is asleep on the couch downstairs having collapsed there after his night shift and he is awoken by Rachael who is on the war path.

 

‘’ Do you know where your brother is?’’. She asks having let herself in with her spare key.

 

‘’Tyler, didn’t he come home?’’. Asks a half asleep Lewis.

 

‘’No’’. She loudly replies.

‘’Well I don’t know then’’.

 

‘’I’m going to kill him when I find him!’. Replies Rachael not for the first time in her life.  Rachael and Tyler had been seeing one another for just over two years and living together for the past five months, she was a year younger than Tyler but much more mature and grown up and at times a little too grown up, Tyler loved to mess around and have fun and go out while Rachael always wanted to do things together like going out for meals and heading to the local cinema and they would clash a lot, they loved each other but they clashed.

 

‘’Well when you do see or speak to him tell him to get home now!’’.

 

‘’I will’’ . Replies Lewis before trying to get back to sleep while Rachael finally leaves.

 

After a few more hours sleep Lewis is woken by his mother who is having a cup of coffee before she heads to work. Lewis still lives with his mother and the two were close.

 

‘’Did I hear Rachael at the crack of dawn?’’. She asks.

 

‘’Yes you did’’.

 

‘’What did she want?’’.

 

‘’Tyler, he didn’t come home last night from the sounds of it’’.

 

‘’And I think I know why’’.

 

‘’You do?’’.

 

‘’Tom’’.

 

‘’Tom!’’.

 

‘’Yes, he’s moved back down here, permanently’’.

 

‘’Forever!’’.

 

‘’Yes, he wanted to tell you himself but seen as though the two of them are M.I.A’’.

 

‘’So where’s he living?’’.

 

‘’His grandmother, she left him the house’’. Tom’s grandmother died six months ago.

 

‘’I bet Rachael loves the fact Tom’s living down here’’.

‘’I don’t think she knows yet’’.

 

‘’Well that should be fun’’. And Lewis closes his eyes with a smile on his face as he tries to catch just half an hours more sleep as his mom heads to work.

 

After another hour Lewis is up and heads out for a run, Lewis is running along all the streets he and Tyler would play on as kids and there old school and up by where they used to play football when finally he stops to take a breather by the lake and to his amazement sat sunbathing by the lake is Lewis ex girlfriend Heather laid out in a pair of big black sunglasses and a white dotted red bra and pants bikini suit looking absolutely amazing.

 

‘’Heather……’’. Says Lewis surprised to see her there.

 

‘’Lewis!’’. She replies lowering her sunglasses to take a better look.

 

‘’What you doing here?’’. He asks.

 

‘’Just taking a lunch break and catching some rays’’. She always was obsessed with her looks but then again she was very, very pretty.

 

‘’I haven’t seen you around here for a long time’’.

 

‘’No I moved, opened up by own child minding business’’.

 

‘’Really!’’.

 

‘’Yes, we have a building and a website and business is booming’’.

 

‘’Well that’s great’’.

 

‘’Yeah, I’ve been abroad twice this year and I bough that’’. She replies looking across at a parked comfortable. (Now she’s just showing off) ‘Life’s great’’.

 

‘’Well im pleased’. Says Lewis as he rests beside her and when he does Heather sits up and takes off her sunglasses.

 

‘’Lewis, I owe you an apology, for how it all ended’’.

 

‘’Its in the past now’’.

 

‘’No, I said when I returned from the child minding course I would call you but I never did’’.

 

‘’Can I ask why? What exactly did I do wrong?’’.

‘’Nothing, its just……’’. And Heather reveals her left hand to show of a huge diamond engagement ring.

 

‘’I met someone else, on the course’’.

 

‘’You did’’.

 

‘’Yea and I just didn’t have it in me to break you heart’’. ( Well that’s nice of her)

 

‘’He’s rich and successful and has a great and….’’. Heather stops when she can see she had got carried away and could see the sinking look in Lewis eyes.

 

‘Well, it was just love, love’’.

 

‘’Just love so you left me without even calling or know what was going on’’.

 

‘’I thought it was for the best’’. And Lewis just wants to scream in her self obsessed face but he’s never been one for raising his voice or arguing.

 

‘’Well looks like you got what you want now’’.

 

‘’Yes I did thank you’’. And Lewis then stands back up taking one more glance at Heather’s car.

 

‘’You going so soon?’’. She asks.

 

‘’Yeah, I better go’’.

 

‘’Ok then’’. She replies before putting her huge sunglasses back on and lying back down leaving Lewis standing there staring down at her in his head remembering the good times the two shared, remembering how she used to make him feel so alive and so happy knowing he was with the prettiest girl in town, the girl who made him so happy and then ripped it all away.

 

An hour later Lewis is sat on the dock by the lake dipping his feet in the water when his brother Tyler appears and sits beside him on the dock knowing his brother.

 

‘’Mom said you went out for a run hours ago’’.

 

‘’Yeah’’.

 

‘’So what’s wrong?’’.

 

‘’I bumped into a face from the past’’.

‘’Really, who?’’.

 

‘’Heather’’.

 

‘’Oh, her’’.

 

‘’Yep, her’’.

 

‘So what was said?’’.

 

‘’She’s moved on, she’s got her own business and fancy car and goes aboard every other week’’.

 

‘’Ah screw her’’.

 

‘’She’s met someone else, some rich a*****e probably with perfect white teeth and prefect tanned body’’.

 

‘’So what, she treated you like s**t, that girl has only ever been in love with one person, herself’’.

 

‘’But look at her and look at me, I’m a waiter, I serve people there food and there drinks and I still live with my mom, she has her own business, car house the lot’’.

 

‘’You’re a good person Lewis, don’t ever forget that, your always there for me and mom and just anybody else, you have a good job that you enjoy and how many people can say that, your body’s getting more ripped by the day and so what if you don’t have a car, you ride the s**t out of your bike’’.

 

‘’it’s a push bike’’.

 

‘’So, form of transportation all the same’’. And the two brothers smile.

 

‘’I couldn’t do without you Lewis and I’m not the only one’’. And Tyler puts an arm around his brother.

 

‘’Thanks bro’’.

 

‘’It’s ok, now lets go home’’. And Tyler stands up.

 

‘’Wait, what happened to you last night, Rachael was on the warpath this morning’’.

 

‘’Yeah I er… went out with Tom’’.

‘’Yeah I heard he’s back for good’’.

 

‘’Yeah he is and don’t I know it’’.

 

‘’So you stop at his old grandmothers house?’’.

 

‘’No, we er….. Ended up sleeping in some woods’’.

 

‘’Woods! Man what did you get up to?’’.

 

‘’I cant remember half of it, I just know Rachael will certainly let me have it’’.

 

‘’Yes she will’’.

 

‘’Well if she doesn’t ground me tonight I’m going out’’.

 

‘’You are?’’.

 

‘’Yeah, with some friends, why don’t you come?’’.

 

‘’Er…. I don’t know’’.

 

‘’Come on you say you want to change things a little so start tonight’’.

 

‘’You know what, your right’’.

 

‘’Good, it’s a date then’’. And the two head home Tyler heading to face his punishment.

 

Later that day as night falls Lewis is stood in front of a long mirror fixing his hair as he gets ready for his night out, Lewis looks down at his dark blue jeans and black shirt still unsure if he even wants to go and as he stands there thinking of possible ways to get out of tonight there s a knock on his bedroom door and Tyler walks in wearing a white t-shirt and his short hair gelled.

 

‘’You ready?’’.  He asks.

 

‘’I guess’’.

 

‘’Come on it’ll be fun’’.

 

‘’I’m a little surprised Rachael let you out’’.

 

‘Yeah I had to promise to go and have a drink with her ssiter and her boyfriend next week’’.

 

‘’I thought you didn’t like them?’’.

 

‘’The boyfriends ok but her sister…well lets just say she likes the spotlight fixed firmly on her’’.

 

‘’Reminds me of someone else’’.

 

‘’Hey I’m not that bad’’. And the two laugh.

 

‘’Oh and tonight, Tom is coming out’’.

 

‘’He is’’.

 

‘’Yeah but Rachael cant know’’.

 

‘’Ok I wont tell’’. And the two then head on out to meet up with Tyler’s friends.

 

Lewis is sat in a nightclub with a drink as he watches his brother in the middle of the dance floor pulling out all his moves, Lewis wasn’t much of a dance, he wasn’t much for really being out there at all, in anyway. And as Lewis sits there alone suddenly a young women comes and sits beside him drinking a bottle of beer with a straw in, the young girl is small, petite but not like a midget and she has long black hair and the most amazing eyes Lewis had ever seen.

 

‘’Hey, your Tyler’s brother aren’t you?’’. She asks.

 

‘’Er…. Yeah, Lewis’’.

 

‘’Well I’m Roxy’’.  And the two smile at one another

 

‘’So how do you know Tyler is my brother?’’.

 

‘’He’s works with my best friend’’. And she points a girl dancing beside Tyler.

 

‘’Helen, they work together and I’ve met your brother a few times’’.

 

‘’So I guess you know he’s a bit of a livewire’’.

 

‘’He’s certainly energetic’’. And the two loo at Tyler pulling out all the stops on the dance floor.

 

‘’So how come your not out there?’’.  She asks Lewis.

 

‘’Oh I think Tyler dances enough for both of us’’.

 

‘’Come on, I’ll dance with you’’. She says holding out a hand.

 

‘’I’m fine’’.

 

‘’Come on’’.

 

‘’Really, I’m ok and look around I’m sure just about every guy in this place would love to dance with you’’.

 

‘’But I want to dance with you’’. And Lewis looks across at Roxy with her huge eyes and beautiful face wondering why in the hell the most prettiest girl in the club is talking to him but at the same time he doesn’t want it to pass him by.

 

‘’Ok then’’. And Lewis takes Roxy’s hand across the table and the two head to the dance floor. Lewis is feeling a little awkward, he was leading the prettiest girl to the dance floor and he couldn’t even dance, his brother over there looked like a young John Travolta but Lewis all that he had was two left feet and neither were any good.

 

‘’Er……er Roxy, I’m not the best dancer in the world’’.

 

‘’Well let me take the lead then’’. And Roxy then begins doing simple dance moves which Lewis copies and begins to feel a little more comfortable.

 

‘’You see, just nice and simple’’. She says with a smile on her face and as Lewis really begins getting into it and enjoying himself he is tapped on the shoulder and as Lewis turns around finds Helen, both Roxy’s and her brothers friend standing there.

 

‘’Its your brother’’. She says. ‘’He’s got kicked out for fighting.

 

‘’Dam, is he ok?’’.

 

‘’Yeah but I think you should go out to him’’. And Lewis nods his head before looking back at Roxy gutted that he has to leave.

 

‘’I er….. Better go out to him’’.

 

‘’Yeah ok’’.

 

‘’So I’ll see you around maybe’’.

 

‘’Yeah and we can finish our dance’’. She tells him with a smile on her face and Lewis then smiles back before heading out to his brother.

 

When outside Lewis finds his brother in an angry mood pacing up and down the pavement outside the nightclub.

 

‘’What’s wrong, last time I looked you were enjoying yourself on the dance floor’’.

 

‘’While I was dancing some a*****e walked past me and I caught him with my arm and knocked his beer down his shirt, I turned around and apologised and even offered to buy him another but he just threw a punch at me so I ducked and threw one back’’.

 

‘’And then what?’’.

 

‘’The bouncers grabbed me by the neck and threw me straight leaving the a*****e who threw the first punch in there’’.

 

‘’Come on, lets go somewhere else’’.

 

‘’No, I’m waiting out here for the a*****e’’.

 

‘’What’s that going to achieve?’’.

 

‘’It’ll make me feel better’’.

 

‘’Tyler lets just go’’.

 

‘’He threw a punch!’’.

 

‘’And you threw one back so come on, this is your brother asking, you asked me to come out and I came and now im asking you to come home, come on, well get something to eat on the way’’. And Tyler finally agrees before following his brother home.

The two head back to Tyler’s house making sure they are quiet enough not to wake Rachael  and after sobering up a little on the walk home and after having a bite to eat the two brothers sit with a coffee and decide to watch Evil Dead two one of there favourite movies since they were kids.

 

‘’So you ok now?’’. Asks Lewis.

 

‘’Yeah I’m ok’’.

 

‘’I know it wasn’t your fault tonight’’.

 

‘’But I could have been a little calmer’’.

 

‘’Maybe’’.

 

‘’I’ll try, I promise’’.

 

‘’Good, I just don’t want you to get into any trouble’’. And the two continue watching there film.

 

‘’So I saw a certain brother of mine on the dance floor tonight’’.

 

‘’Yeah with Helen’s friend Roxy’’.

 

‘’She’s stunning’’.

 

‘’Yeah, you know her well?’’.

 

‘’No, I’ve only met her a few times’’.

 

‘Shame’’.

 

‘’You want me to ask Helen for her number?’’.

 

‘’No, no’’.

 

‘’Come on you like don’t you?’’.

 

‘’Who wouldn’t?’’.

 

‘’So then’’.

 

‘’Girls like that have there pick’’.

 

‘’Stop putting yourself down, anyway who was she dancing with’?’’.

 

‘’I guess’’.

 

‘’Well I guess next week I’m going to ask Helen to come out with her and bring along her friend Foxy Roxy and your coming too’’. 

 

‘Just don’t let Rachael hear you call her Foxy Roxy’’.

 

‘’Dude I know, I’m already in the dog house’’. And the two smile at one another before going back to watching there movie.

 

A few days later Lewis is at work preparing the tables for a business party when Tyler walks in and eats a grape from the middle of the table.

‘Hey don’t let my boss catch you’’.

 

‘’She loves you!’’.

 

‘’Well here, you can help’’. And Lewis throws his brother a set of napkins.

 

‘’So I came here bearing good news’’.

 

‘Really’’.

 

‘’Yes, I’ve been invited to a party in two days time, a foam party and guess who’s going’’.

 

‘’Roxy?’’.

 

‘’Yes so you coming?’’.

 

‘’I think I will’’.

 

‘’Good, I’ll pick you up’’.

 

‘’So is Rachael going?’’.

 

‘’Yes and Tom’’.

 

‘’How did you manage that?’’.

 

‘’I haven’t yet’’. And Tyler then heads out. ‘’Friday, I’ll pick you up at six’’. And Tyler then heads out of the door leaving Lewis to get back to his work with the thought of meeting Roxy again on his mind.

 

Friday night comes around much quicker than normal and Lewis once again finds himself standing in his bedroom in front of his full length mirror getting ready, he feels more nervous than normally because of the thought of meeting Roxy again.

Lewis then heads downstairs to find Tyler waiting for him.

 

‘’Looking good’’. He comments.

 

‘’Thanks bro’’.

 

‘’Ok before we go out, I need to tell you something’’.

 

‘’What?’’. Rachael’s in the car, and Tom’’.

 

‘’How did you manage that?’’.

 

‘’Rachael doesn’t know’’.

 

‘’What?’’.

 

‘’Tom, he’s in the boot’.

 

‘’What about when she sees him in the party’’.

 

‘’I’ll worry about that at the time’’.

 

‘’Ok’’. And Lewis smiles before heading out to the car. Lewis climbs in the back and the three I mean four head to the party. The four reach the party and head in.

 

‘’Hey what about Tom?’’ Lewis whispers to Tyler as they head in.

 

‘’I told him to wait five minutes’’.

 

‘’Good idea’’. And the three the head in

While Tyler and Rachael immediately head to the dance floor Lewis goes over to the punch bar and pours himself a drink, he then stands by the punch bowl scanning the room but there is no sign of Roxy so he stays there and drinks his punch hoping he sees Roxy soon……

Lewis looks into his empty glass and then around the room but still there is no sign of Roxy and Tyler then heads over needing a drink from al his dancing.

 

‘’Hey you ok?’’. He asks slightly out of breathe.

 

‘’Yeah sure’’.

 

‘Your looking for her aren’t you?’’.

 

‘’Who?’’.

 

‘’Come on lets not play that game’’.

 

‘’Ok, so do you think she hasn’t come?’’.

 

‘’I don’t know, want me to ask Helen?’’.

 

‘’No, I don’t want to look desperate’’. And just then they hear a voice from behind the punch bar and Lewis looks to see Tom is hiding behind there.

 

‘’What’s he doing there?’’. Asks Lewis.

 

‘’He’s waiting’’.

 

‘’For what?’’.

 

‘’This’’. And Tyler fills a cup of punch before lowering it behind the table and allowing Tom to pour a good load of vodka in.

 

‘’What you doing?’’.

 

‘’Oh don’t worry its Rachael’s, were getting her drunk so hopefully in half an hour Tom can come out and party and Rachael will be too drunk to care’’.

 

‘’Sounds good’’.

 

‘’Ok man, I’ll see you soon’’. And Tyler takes the drink to Rachael.

 

After drinking another full glass of punch Lewis is resigned to not seeing Roxy.

 

‘’Fill me up’’. He ask the hiding Tom behind the bar who tops Lewis drink up with vodka. ‘’Thanks man’’. And as Lewis raises the glass to his mouth and lowers it back down he sees her,  Roxy walking in wearing a glittering black dress looking absolutely amazing.

 

‘’Your spilling your vodka’’. Whispers Tom from behind the bar.

 

‘’Yeah thanks man’’. And as Lewis closes his mouth and tries to pluck up the courage to go on over he is beaten to the punch ( no pun intended) when a tall dark haired man immediately approaches Roxy and kisses her on the cheek.

 

‘’don’t you hate those tall good looking guys’’. Comments Tom as he pops his head up and looks across at Roxy.

 

‘’Yeah thanks Tom’’. And Lewis pushes his head back down and wonders how he can find a way to talk to Roxy.

Lewis is stood with his drink watching the tall dark haired man slaver all over the gorgeous Roxy and knows he will regret it forever if he doesn’t do something about it.

 

‘’Come on, this is it, stop being p***y, you always play it safe, she’s over there, she approached you last tie so this time its your turn, just go on over and say hi’’. Lewis tells himself quietly and he then looks down to see Tom still hiding behind the punch bar is distaining to him.

 

‘’Tom, Rachael is tanked and asleep on her table, you can come out now’.

‘’Really?’’

 

‘’Yes’’. And Lewis points to Rachael sat down asleep with her head resting on a table.

 

‘’Cool’’. And Tom jumps out brushing himself off.

 

‘’But dude, talking to yourself isn’t cool’’.

 

‘’Just go and find Tyler’’. And Tom pours himself a drink before heading off arm swinging and ready to party leaving Lewis back to concentrating on Roxy.  Lewis turns around to face the punch bar and fills his glass up to try and build up some Dutch courage.

 

‘’Come on, just go over there, tell her she looks nice, no wait you cant come on too strong, what a compliments coming on too strong, just get your a*s over there.’’ Lewis tells himself and as he turns around he finds Roxy is standing right behind him and probably heard everything he was telling himself.

 

‘’Er….. Hi’’.

 

‘’How come you didn’t come over and say hi?’.. She asks her smile sparking just as much as her eyes.

 

‘’I er….. So you talking to that guy’’.

 

‘’Who Peter! No, he’s just some guy who loves himself and thinks everyone else does too’’.

 

‘’Oh, ok’’.

 

‘’So you going to get pour me a drink?’’.  She asks looking towards the punch bowl.

 

‘’Yeah sure’’. And Lewis pours her a drink and the two get chatting.

 

‘’So how come you arrived so late?’’.  Asks Lewis as they sit at a table.

 

‘’My bike broke down on the way home from work’’.

 

‘’Wait, you have a bike, as in a motorbike’’.

 

‘’Yeah, yeah go on say what they all say, I’m a tomboy, leave the bikes to the boys, go and buy a small four wheeler like all the other girls’’.

 

‘’No, I think its great!’’.

 

‘’You do?’’.

 

‘’Yeah I really do’’.

 

‘’Well my dad always had  bikes so I grew up with them, some of the best memories I have from a kid was sitting beside my dad on a weekend as he fixed his latest bike’’.

 

‘’Yeah I love bikes too’’.

 

‘’Do you have one?’’.

 

‘’Er…….. No, no I don’t’’. Replies Lewis not dare saying he still owns a push bike.

 

‘’Well why don’t I take you out on it sometime, take you for a spin’’.

 

‘’Really?’’.

 

‘’Yeah, here give me your phone and I’ll type my number in’’. But as Lewis reaches into his pocket he realises to his shock horror that he had forgot his phone at home.

 

‘’I er….. I’ve forgot my phone at home’’.

‘’Well give my your hand’’. And Lewis passes his hand over as Roxy takes out her eyeliner and writes her number on Lewis hand in thick black numbers.

 

‘’Give me a ring over the weekend I’ve got a couple of free days for a change’’.

 

‘’Ok then I will’’. And the two smile at one another.

 

‘’So you dance?’’. Asks Lewis as the two continue to get to know one another better.

 

‘’Yeah, I have since I was a kid’’.

 

‘’So do you enter any competitions?’’.

 

‘’Yeah, all over the place, it gives me an excuse to travel and I’ve one quite a few awards’’.

 

‘’Wow it must be great doing something you love’’.

 

‘’Yeah it is, and to make money I teach young kids dance lessons and I love passing one what I’ve been taught’’.

 

‘’Wow, I really admire people like you’’.

 

‘’What do you mean?’’.

 

‘’People who follow there passion, do what they really want to in life’’.

 

‘’Well what do you do?’’.

 

‘’I’m a waiter, at a very large restaurant, very exciting’’.

 

‘’So what do you love?’’.

 

‘’Er……..’’.

 

‘’Come on there must be something’’.

 

‘’Well I like writing’’.

 

‘’Really’’.

 

‘’Yeah, I have since I was a kid’’.

 

‘’What kind of writing?’’.

 

‘’All different really, horror, crime’’.

 

‘’Love?’’.

 

‘’Er im not exactly and expert on love’’.

 

‘’Who is, I think were learning all the time when it comes to love’’.

 

‘’Yeah I think your right there’’. And the two smile.

 

‘’Hey you smoke?’’. Asks Roxy.

 

‘’No’’.

 

‘’Well I do and I don’t think they let you smoke in here’’.

 

‘’No I think it’s the whole smoke alarms thing’’.

 

‘’Well wanna stand outside with me a minute while I have one?’’.

 

‘’A smoking dancer’.

 

‘’Yeah, smoking hot;’’. And the two laugh. ‘’Come on, im not standing out there alone’. And the two head on outside so Roxy can have a smoke.

 

Roxy is stood having a smoke while Lewis talks to her.

 

‘’So you seeing anyone?’’ Ask Lewis.

 

‘’No’’.

 

‘’That’s a surprise’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’Because….’’. And Roxy can see Lewis feels a little awkward.

 

‘’Because…… you’re a really good looking girl’’.

 

‘’Your not too bad looking yourself’’. She replies and just then inside the party the song U2 with or without you comes on and Lewis begins tapping his feet.

 

‘’Do you like this song?’’. Asks Roxy.

 

‘’Oh yeah’’.

 

‘’Me too’’. And the two look at one another as they listen to the song and Lewis notices something.

 

‘’Hey you have oil on your chin’’.

 

‘’Oil’’.

 

‘’Yeah, looks like it’’.

 

‘’Oh it must be from the bike’’. And Roxy tries to wipe the oil from her chin but the oil mark remains.

 

‘’No its still there’’.

 

‘’Well will you get it for me’’. And Lewis then slowly reaches over and wipes the oil from Roxy’s chin and as he does the two look into one another eyes and then slowly lean towards one another to kiss but just before they do they are interrupted by Tom.

 

‘’Hey the foams about to start!’’. He announces and the two pull away form one another.

 

‘’Oh great’’.

 

‘’Yeah we’ll be right in’’. And as Tom leaves the two look at one another with smiles on there faces.

 

‘’Well I best get inside to the party then’’. Says Roxy as she walks past Lewis and to the party and just as Lewis thinks he’s missed his chance with a beautiful girl Roxy reaches back and grabs hold of his hand.

 

‘’You coming?’’ She asks and Lewis turns around and looks at Roxy’s eyes what feel like there almost staring down into his soul knowing just how he feels.

 

‘’Yeah sure’’. And the two head in to the party. When inside Lewis finds his brother and Tom are already pulling out all there moves on the dance floor as the foam falls and Rachael still asleep on the table.

 

‘’Come on’’. Says Roxy as she leads Lewis to the foam filling dance floor and the two then begin dancing Lewis taking Roxy’s lead and really, really enjoying himself like he hadn’t for a long time and as he watches Roxy move its as if everyone else is just fading into the background and he cant believe how beautiful she looks and moves and he cant believe he is the one dancing beside her wishing this night would never end.

The four of them, Roxy,  Lewis, Tyler and Tom continue to enjoy themselves on the dance floor as the music lays and the foam falls, Tom covers his whole head in foam and roams around the dance floor like a mad man while Tyler continues to pull out all his John Travolta like dance moves and then suddenly the loud music changes and the song ‘Save Tonight’ comes on and Roxy immediately throws her arms in the air and begins singing along lifting her arms in the air and Lewis joins along grabbing hold of Roxy’s hands and the two sing along to the song at the to of there lungs enjoying every single moment.

 

After the party everyone begins heading out and Lewes watches on as Tom and Tyler carry out the very drunk Rachael and lie her on the back seat before Tom climbs back in the boot and Lewis then looks back at Roxy who is catching a ride with Helen.

 

‘’I really enjoyed tonight’’. He tells her.

 

‘’Yeah me too and remember, give me a call and I’ll take you for a ride on the bike’’.

 

‘’I will, it’s a date… I mean er…… I will thanks’’. Sheepishly replies Lewis as he almost gets his tongue in a twist but immediately blames it on the alcohol.

 

‘’Ok then, see you soon Lewis’’. She replies throwing a smile.

‘’Yeah see you soon’’. And Lewis then heads to his car while Roxy heads to hers.

Lewis heads to the car with a huge smile on his face having had a fantastic night but as heads to the passengers seat of the car his brother is driving he finds someone already sat there so Lewis instead looks into the back seat to see Rachael laid out fast asleep. ’What now’’. Mutters Lewis before opening the back door and he then lifts the limp and very drunk head of Rachael and as he does she slavers all over his hand, Lewis then lifts up his slavered stained hand wondering what to do with it, he looks at his brother Tyler who shrugs his shoulders so Lewis wipes his slavered stained hand into the hair of Rachael which sticks to his hand before he finally frees himself  and Sits down resting Rachael’s head on his lap and when he is finally settled Tyler lights a cigarette and then sets off.

 

‘’Lewis this is Kirsty, a girl I work with, I said we’d drop her off on the way home’’.

 

‘’Ok cool’’. And Lewis then looks down at Rachael resting on his knee with her mouth wide open and wishes he was the one sat in the front.

Just before they reach Kristy’s home Rachael stirs and lifts her head and looks up at Lewis her hair now clunked together because of the slaver.

 

‘’You ok?’’. Asks Lewis.

 

‘’I feel sick’’. Se replies before barfing all over the lap of Lewis.

 

‘’S**t, S**t Tyler!’’. And he immediately pulls over allowing Lewis to jump out. Lewis jumps out of the car on an banking side and looks down at his jeans to see his whole crotch area is covered in sick.

 

‘’Oh am sorry man’’. Replies Tyler and Lewis then looks at Rachael is back fast asleep. Before looking back down at his sick covered pants and just as he does the rain begins falling heavily very quickly just to make his night complete…..

 

Lewis is back in the car on the way home, sat now in just his boxers Rachael still resting on his knee when he notices that the rain had made Roxy’s number on his had smudge and run.

 

‘’No!’’.

 

‘’What is it?’’.

 

‘’The rain’s made Roxy’s number smudge on my hand’’.

 

‘’S**t, and Helens going on holiday so I wont be able to get her number off her’’.

 

‘’S**t!’’. And Lewis looks at his hand to see a few of the numbers are unreadable and just preys he can get in touch with Roxy again.

Lewis is dropped off at home and immediately jumps out of the car banging Rachael’s head as he does before running to the front door as Tyler sets off but as he reaches the front door he realises eh was in such a rush to get inside he had left his sick covered pants in Tyler’s car and in the pocket of his sick covered pants were his house keys.

 

‘’S**t, s**t, s**t!’. Says Lewis as his night just gets better and better and just then as Lewis contemplates banging his mother up to let him in he is squirted with water and as he turns he sees old misses Groves peeping over the fence squirting him with her hosepipe.

 

‘’Mr’s Groves its me Lewis’’. He shouts as she squirts the hose in his face.

 

‘’Lewis?’’.

 

‘’Yes, Lewes Mrs Groves’’.  He shouts.

 

‘’Oh I’m sorry, I thought you were a burglar’’.

 

‘’Its ok Mrs Lewis, im just locked myself out’’.

 

‘’Do you want me to ring your mother?’’.

 

‘’ No, no Mrs Groves, that’s ok’’. And Mrs Grove’s head then disappears back behind the fence taking her hosepipe with her and a very wet Lewis goes back to thinking to trying to get back in the house. Lewis decides to go around the back to see if his mother had left a window open instead of waking her up, Lewis heads around the back and finds all the windows are shut but one not locked so Lewis begins trying to jam the window open as quiet as he can not to wake his mother but as Lewis finally opens the window he hears sirens behind him and turns to see a police car stop right behind him and Lewis night is now complete.

 

Lewis is laid in bed asleep when he is woken by his brother.

 

‘’What a night you had’’. He says jumping on his brothers bed.

 

‘’Just let me sleep’’.

 

‘’First you get puked on and then your arrested, what happened?’’.

 

‘’Mrs Groves didn’t believe it was me so called the cops and they caught me trying to open a window’’.

 

‘’Man that is unlucky’’.

 

‘’Yeah the station had to wake mom up and get her to come down to the station, it was awful I felt like such an idiot!’’.

 

‘’So how come you were trying to get through the window?’’.

 

‘’ I didn’t want to wake mom, she’s go work in the morning’’.

 

‘’Well that didn’t go to plan’’.

 

‘’’No it didn’t, me at my age calling my mom’’.

 

‘’Well at least you enjoyed your night’’.

 

‘’Yeah but it ends there’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’Look’’. And Lewis shows his brother a piece of paper with several numbers on.

 

‘’What’s this?’’.

 

‘’Roxy’s number’’.

 

‘’But its missing two digits’’.

 

‘’Exactly, the rain wiped them off’’.

 

‘’So you just dial in the one you have and guess the other two, you’ll get them right one time’’.

 

‘’Guess two digits, it will take forever’’.

 

‘’Yeah and I saw the smile on your face last night when you were with her, trust me she’s worth it’’.

 

‘’Yeah your right’’. And the two brothers then begin ringing.

 

‘’Hello’’. Says Lewis on the first call.

 

‘’Hello?’’.

 

‘’Is Roxy there?’’.

 

‘’Roxy, who is Roxy, this is  Uncle Pappas Sandwich express’’.

 

‘’Who is it?’’. Quietly asks Tyler.

 

 

‘’.Uncle Pappas Sandwich express’’

 

‘’Oh order me a flamed grilled’’. Asks Tyler and Lewis rolls his eyes.

 

‘’Hello?’’. Asks Tyler taking a turn on the phone seen as though the two brothers sound familiar.

 

‘’Ronny, Ronny is that you?’’.

 

‘’No I…..’’.

 

‘’Ronny you best not be playing around’’.

 

‘’No I’m…….’’.

 

‘’Just get your a*s home right now Ronny’’.

 

‘’This isn’t…..’’.

 

‘’I’ve been waiting and waiting and….’’. Tyler hangs up.

 

‘’Who was it?’’ Asks Lewis.

 

‘Wrong number’’.

 

‘’Hello’’. Asks Lewis. ‘’Is Roxy there?’’.

 

‘’Who’s speaking please?’’.

 

‘’Oh its Lewis, we met at a party last week and arranged to meet up again’’.

 

‘’You did?’’.

 

‘’Yes….’’. And the line then goes silent before a women speaks.

 

‘’This is Roxy who is it’’ And Lewis immediately knows it isn’t the Roxy he knew.

 

‘’I er……’’.

 

‘’I aint been to no party, im a married women you hear!’’.

‘’I know its…’’. But before Lewis can finish the man comes back on the phone.

 

‘’What you been doing with my women!’’. He demands.

 

‘’No Sir I…’’.

 

‘’You been playing with my wife boy?’’.

 

‘’No Sir I…’’.

 

‘’Were you live? Were you live?’’.

 

‘’Sir I have not….’’.

 

‘’Am going to kick your white a*s boy!’’.

 

 

‘’Sir I have not slept with your wife!’’.

 

‘’Oh your saying your too good for her now, what you think she’s too ugly or fat for you white boy?’’.

 

‘’No Sir I don’t’’.

 

‘’So you did sleep with her, that was a mother f*****g test son!’’.

 

‘’Sir I……’’. And Lewis hangs up before looking at his brother.

 

‘’I don’t like this game’’.

 

‘’Me neither’’. And the to give in.

 

‘’I’ve lost my chance haven’t I’’. Says Lewis as the two sit on the porch with a beer as Tyler throws a ball out onto the lawn for the dog.

 

‘’No you haven’t, Helen will be home in a couple of weeks’’.

 

‘’It’ll be too long, girls like Roxy don’t stay single’’.

 

‘’She really likes you bro I can tell’’.

 

‘’Maybe’’.

 

‘’Trust me she does, just give it time’’. And Tyler pats his brother on the shoulder.

 

A week passes and Lewis had not heard or seen of Roxy and felt his chances were pretty slim, after all girls like Roxy don’t have to wait around for guys to call because there banging down the door.

 

‘’I’m going to the shop do you want anything?’’. Lewis shouts out to his mother who is busy gardening.

 

‘’No thank you’’. She replies so Lewis jumps on his push bike and peddles down to the shop. Lewis reaches the shops and parks his push bike behind the dumpsters before heading in but just before he does he spots a beautiful looking red and white motorbike parked up across the road and has to go and take a closer look.

 

‘’Wow your beautiful’’. Mutters Lewis.

 

‘’Why than you’. He hears back and after a split second of thinking he had found the herbie of the motorbike world Lewis looks up to see Roxy standing behind him.

 

‘’Roxy!’’.

 

‘’Hi Lewis’’.

 

‘’Yeah look I need to explain something’’.

 

‘’What is it?’’.

 

‘’Why I didn’t call’’.

 

‘’Oh its ok, no big deal’’. She replies and Lewis then begins worrying that she was no longer interested in spending time together.

 

‘’No its just I got wet before ii reached home and the water rubbed your number off my hand’’.

 

‘’Got wet, it was hot’.

 

‘’I know, it was from a hosepipe’’.

 

‘’Oh ok, don’t worry about it anyway’’.

 

‘’Oh great now she’s not interested and she thinks im not too, and probably a little woerd’’. Lewis thinks to himself.

 

‘’So is this yours?’’. He asks quickly changing the awkward conversation.

 

‘Yeah he is’’.

 

‘’He?’’.

 

‘’What nine out of ten guys call there car there girl, anyway he’s my man, and he’s more man than a lot of a******s I’ve met in the past’’.

 

‘’Well HE looks great’’.

 

‘’Yeah thanks’’. And the two look at one another.

 

‘’So you walk here?’’. Asks Roxy and Lewis immediately pictures in his head his very un cool pushbike compared to here monster of a man and knew he couldn’t take another strike right now.

 

‘’Yeah I er….. I walked here’’.

 

‘’Ok then, why don’t you come on that ride we talked about’’.

 

‘’What now?’’.

 

‘’Yeah, I was off on a ride anyway so you could keep me company and buy me a drink to make up for LOSING my number’’.

 

‘’A drink, you don’t…..’’.

 

‘’No I don’t drink and drive’’. She replies and Lewis is relieved.

 

‘’I ride and drive so get on’’. And with a smile Roxy puts on her helmet before climbing on the bike and starting the engine and a slightly scared Lewis then looks down at the bike a little worried to climb on but something inside pushes him on much to his relief.

Lewis climbs on the back and Roxy asks him to wrap his arms around her waist and hold on and he doesn’t need asking twice, when he is ready oxy sets off down the street, the wind blows in Lewis face as they glide down the sunny streets with such ease and Lewis closes his eyes absorbing it all in loving every second of his ride wishing they could go on for hours and hours. Roxy takes turns around bendy streets before driving along the lake Lewes looking out as the sun rests its rays on the surface of the water and finally they stop at a small motorbike bar to grab a drink.

Lewis looks around the outside of the bar to see several big built, tattooed men all sat around looking mean as they drink there beer and as Roxy takes off her helmet she can see the slight look of concern on his face.

‘’don’t let them scare you, they look mean but there all p***y cats’’.

 

‘’Oh yeah I know’’. Replies Lewis trying to look as least concerned as possible.

 

‘’That’s the problem with the world Lewis, most of us judge people on the way they look, like we’ve been told bug guys who ride bikes and have a lot of tattoos are mean and swear a lot,  some are but I know some guys who come here who would do anything for you, some of the nicest guys you will meet, unlike stuck up rich boys in there fancy suits’’.

 

‘’Now who’s judging?’’.

 

‘’I don’t know but I am buying, what do you want?’’.

 

‘’Let me…’’.

 

‘’No, first round on me’’.

 

‘’Ok, Corona then please’’.

 

‘’Ah my favourite’’.

 

‘’Yeah mine too’’.

 

‘’Ok then, I’ll go and get the drinks’’.

 

‘’And I’m just going to nip to the toilet’’. And as Roxy heads for the drinks Lewis heads to the bathroom.

 

Lewis is stood at the urinal taking a leek and whistling away when suddenly a huge man stands beside him in the next urinal so close they are almost touching, Lewis looks up at the he man who’s both arms are completely covered in tattoos he is wearing a white vest and a red bandanna with a long scraggly beard.

 

‘’You got any?’’ He asks Lewis in his deep, manly voice, a real bikers voice in Lewis world.

 

‘’Any????’’. He’s afraid to think what of because this huge man could literally eat  him alive.

 

‘’Tats, you got any tats?’’.

 

‘’Oh tattoos’’. And Lewis immediately thinks of the one tattoo he has….. It is of Luigi from the Mario brothers and is on his bum cheek, Lewis regrettably got the tattoo a few years ago when he was out with friends and got very drunk on vodka and red bull ( It was my first time of trying the stuff and it tastes just like a energy drink) And when he was truly gone Lewis had the tattoo done telling the tattooist he was sick of Mario getting all the limelight.

 

‘’Er…… no I don’t have nay, thinking of getting one though’’.

 

‘’Yeah im booked in for one next week’’.

 

‘’Er… .really, what you have (This time)’’.

 

‘’A sinking ship, across my chest’’.

 

‘’Sinking ship, what like the titanic’’.

 

‘’I aint having that guy form Romeo and Juliet across my chest’’. Meaning Leonardo Di Caprio.

 

‘’No, the titanic, the real ship’’.

 

‘’What do you mean the real ship?’’.

 

‘’The titanic, it really sank’’.

 

‘’You mean it’s a true story?’’. Oh man where do I start?.

 

‘’Yeah, the ship really sank’’.

 

‘’ So that guy with the fancy hair really was on the boat’’.

 

‘’No, the love story part never really happened’’.

 

‘’So it was just a sinking boat?’’.

 

‘’Yes, just a sinking boat’’.

 

‘’’Man that would have made a boring movie’’.

 

‘’I agree’’. And the big man zips up his trousers patting Lewis on the shoulder and then leaves leaving Lewis standing there slightly puzzled.

 

‘’Where you been?’’. Asks Roxy as she sits drinking her glass bottle of coke through a straw.

 

‘’I got talking to a guy in the toilets’’.

 

‘’Really, what about?’’.

 

‘’don’t ask’’. And Lewis sits down picking up his beer.

 

‘’So do you come here a lot?’’. He asks.

 

‘’Yeah when  I can, I get so busy with work and dancing but when I can I get out here,  all the guys are really protective of me, I think they all see me as some kind of little sister’’.

 

‘’It must be nice, having your own little biker family (Or mafia depending on how you look at it)

 

‘’It is, it really is’’. And the two look at one another.

 

‘’You know I’ve never brought another guy here before’’.

 

‘’Really why?’’

 

‘’Well a part of it is because the guys are so protective’’. (Could have told me that earlier!)

 

‘’And because well….. I don’t know sounds kind of silly’’.

 

‘’Go on, I wont laugh’’.

 

‘’Well this is kind of my place if you know what I mean’’.

 

‘’Yes I do, we all have one’’.

 

‘’And I never just want to bring anyone here like its nothing special because it is’’.

 

‘’And im not just an anyone?’’.  Asks Lewis looking into Roxy’s eyes.

 

‘’No your not Lewis, most guys I meet seem a set a little competition with themselves in there head where the rules are how many cheesy compliments will it take to get this girl in bed or how quick can you get her on her back, I mean im not saying im like this stunning girl who all men fall for ( Which she is) but I just want a guy or a boyfriend whatever who is a friend too, who I can bring here and sit and talk to, even if its just rubbish were talking about but were still talking’’.

 

‘’You want someone who is listening to what you are saying and not just waiting for there turn to talk’’.

 

‘’Exactly, s**t I need to write that down’’.

 

‘’You cant, I’ve already copy writhed it’’.

 

‘’Really’’. And the two laugh.

‘’Well actually I think it was Brad Pitt in fight club but I pass it off as my own because no one remembers him saying that, all they remember about fight club is Brads bod’’. 

 

‘’Yeah tell me about it’’.

 

‘’Well and meat loafs huge b***s’’.

 

‘’Are you a fan?’’.

 

‘’What of huge b***s?’’.

 

‘’No of meat loaf?’’.

 

‘’Of course, he was like the Beatles in my house growing up, my mom would always say there has never ever been anyone like meat loaf ‘’.

 

‘’Oh my God, I love him, me and my dad outside with a bike singing along to paradise o the dashboard’’.

 

‘’His best song’’.

 

‘’Exactly! Everyone says bat out of hell but it has to be dashboard’’.

 

‘’I agree’’. And the two smile at one another.

 

‘’Man it feels like you’re my long lost twin or something’’.

 

‘’Yeah im just glad you approached me that night’’.

 

‘Why?’’.

 

‘’Because I would have never approached you’’.

 

‘’Why thanks’’.

 

‘’No I mean, your…… you’re a ten and I’m….. we’ll im not’’.

 

‘’Why you putting yourself down?’’.

 

‘’Im not going for the sympathy vote of anything, I just see guys my age with there confidence and muscles’’.

 

‘’Hey I heard your going to the gym’’.

‘’Yeah but it takes time I guess’.

 

‘’And those guys with there loud confidence, there the ones I’m talking about with the whole competition to my pants thing, I cant sit down with them and talk like this, talk about meat loaf and my bike one guy I mentioned my bike to once, he has the body and the confidence and you know what he wanted to do on our second date?

 

‘’What?’’.

 

‘’Go out on the bike, park up somewhere and as he put it ‘Do me over it’’’.

 

‘’Sounds romantic’’.

 

‘’Oh it was, lets just say we didn’t make it to date three’’.

 

‘’Good’’.

 

‘’So what about you, you just come out of a relationship or you been single for a while?’’.

 

‘’There was someone, her name was Heather’’.

 

‘’So what happened if you don’t mind me asking’’.

 

‘’It was going great but there was always a felling at the back of my head, she was pretty with her perfect teeth and she had her pick of guys but when I met her she had just broken up with someone and I helped her through it, I sat there with a bottle of wine night after night listening to all of his bad points and everything he did wrong from leaving the toilet seat up to spending too much time in the gym and I guess we just connected form there, I listened and she respected that I guess and we started seeing one another’’.

 

‘’So where did it go wrong?’’.

 

‘’Well for the first month I felt like a fraud, like I was going to wake up any minute or she would meet someone else, probably a surfer or a model you know the type’’.

 

‘’Yeah sadly I do’’.

 

‘’Anyway she didn’t but even though she didn’t I never felt equal to her, like I always had to play my A Game with her, dress my best do my hair even on Sundays, always keep a permanent smile on her face’’.

 

‘’Sounds more like a clown prerogative at a kids party than a boyfriends’’.

 

‘’Well looking back now it was because she never did much for me, she did every now and then but she always came first in our relationship, her career, her car, her perfectly white teeth’.

 

‘’Sounds like a real catch Lewis’’.

 

‘’Yeah she really was’’. And the two smile.

 

‘’Well it sounds like the two of us haven’t had the best of luck in the past’’. Suggest Roxy.

 

‘’No, not until now…..’’. and as the two look at one another intensely there moment is broken by the vibrating of Roxy’s phone on the table.

 

‘’I best…..’’.

 

‘’Yeah sure’’. And Roxy answers her phone.

 

‘’Hello, yes….. What? What happened?, oh ok, I’ll be there as soon as I can’’ And Roxy hangs up.

 

‘’What is it?’’. Asks Lewis.

 

‘’The kids I learn to dance, it isn’t my day today but the girl taking there class Emily a friend of mine she’s called in sick so they need a  teacher and those kids cant miss a lesson because they have a big competition at the end of the week and all there competitors will be practising every day’’.

 

‘’So you need to go?’’.

 

‘’Yeah im sorry to cut things short’’.

 

‘’Its ok, don’t worry’’.

 

‘’So I’ll drop you off then’’.

 

‘’Where’s the class?’’.

 

‘’Border street’’.

 

‘’That isn’t too far form here and my house is’’.

 

‘’ Its ok I’ll take you I brought you here’’.

 

‘’Well if you want and its no trouble ill watch your class or wait outside’’. Asks Lewis.

‘’Really, its two hours long and you’ll get bored’’.

 

‘’Its ok, ill watch’’.

 

‘’Ok then’’. And with a smile on her face Roxy climbs on the bike and Lewis on the back.

Roxy rides to the dancing class and climbs off the bike followed by Lewis.

 

‘’Ok this is it’’.

 

‘’Nice place’’.

 

‘’Yeah it is’’. And Lewis follows Roxy in and as they do all the girls run across to Roxy excited to see her.

 

‘’Hey kids’’.

 

‘’Roxy!!!!!’’.

 

‘’I heard Emily is sick’’.

 

‘’Yeah she got the runs’’. And Roxy looks back at Lewis puling a face.

 

‘’Well I thought id take your class today’’.

 

‘’Yeah!!!!!’. Shout all the girls.

 

‘’Ok, everyone warm up while I just get changed’’. And all the girls head to warm up while Roxy changes.

 

‘’They really like you’. Says Lewis.

 

‘’Yeah there great kids’’.

 

‘’Ok, is it ok for me to sit back here?’’.

 

‘’Yeah sure, I’ll bring you a drink’’. And as Lewis takes his seat Roxy heads to change.

Lewis then sits there with a glass of coke as he watches Roxy take her dancing class, the music starts and Roxy moves with such rhythm and grace she looks so beautiful as the light shines on her through the glass windows, her arms and legs glide through the air with such precision and tenderness Lewis cant takes his eyes of her as the girls follow her lead and then after a while an up-tempo song is put on and Roxy is dancing all over like a jumping bean never looking out of breathe and then the class ends with another slow song and Roxy talks the girls through a slow dance routine that looks beautiful and elegant.

‘’Ok girls, you’ve all done well, time to shower and change your parents will be here soon’’. And as the girls go to shower Roxy turns to look at Lewis and she walks across as she wipes her head with a towel.

 

‘’Sorry if you got a little bored there’’.

 

‘’Bored, Roxy your brilliant and the girls love you’’.

 

‘’Yeah I love them too and I love dancing, always have’’.

 

‘’Well your good, and I enjoyed watching’’.

 

‘’Really?’’.

 

‘’Really and im not just trying to impress you’’.

 

‘’Well thank you’’. And as Roxy kisses Lewis on the cheek she spots out of the corner of her eye she spots all the girls spying on them.

 

‘’Girls have you showered?’’. She asks with a smile on her face.

 

‘’Roxy and……’’.

 

‘’Its Lewis’’. He tells the girls.

 

‘’Lewis sitting in a tree K.I SS I.N ‘’.

 

‘’Ok, ok go and change’’. Roxy tells  the giggling girls as Roxy looks at Lewis and the two laugh.

 

‘’Ok that’s the last one’’. Says Roxy as the last girl heads to her mothers car and Roxy locks the door.

 

‘’You tired?’’. Asks Lewis.

 

‘’Yeah, it takes it out of you’’. And Lewis then heads into the middle of the dance studio beside Roxy and as he does Roxy takes hold of his hands.

 

‘’Now its your turn’’. Says Roxy.

 

‘’What for?’’.

 

‘’Dance lesson’’.

 

‘’Who says I need one?’’.

 

‘’ The first time we met we danced’’.

 

‘’Oh so you think I need to learn to dance better, I get it’’.

 

‘’We never stop learning’’. Smiles Roxy before turning on the CD player and plays a slow soft song.

 

‘Now put your hands here’’. Says Roxy putting Lewis hands on her waist.

 

‘’And follow my lead, don’t watch my feet, watch my eyes and move with the rhythm’’. And Roxy slowly begins dancing and Lewis follows her lead.

 

‘’See your picking it up quickly’’.

 

‘’Must be something to do with my teacher’’.

 

‘Yeah I’ve heard she’s good’’. Jokes Roxy.

 

‘’The best’’. And the two smile.

 

’I’ve really enjoyed today’’.

 

 

‘’Me too’’. And then with butterflies doing summersaults in his stomach Lewis leans down and softly kisses Roxy who’s lips are soft and feel like none before and now Lewis butterflies are replaced by warmth.

Roxy then slowly pulls hr head away and looks at Lewis with a smile on her face.

 

‘’I best take a shower’. She tells him. ‘’You going to wait for me?’’.

 

‘’ I have no choice’’.

 

‘’Oh yeah’’. And Roxy then gives Lewis a peck before heading for the shower.

 

Roxy stops her bike outside Lewis home who jumps of the back.

 

‘’Thanks again for today, I’ve really enjoyed it’’. He tells her.

 

‘’Me too’’.

 

‘’And its my turn next time’’.

 

‘’Ok your on’’.

 

‘’When you free?’’.

 

‘’Er…… next Thursday, after five’’.

 

‘’Ok then Thursday it is’’.

 

‘’So what we going to do?’’.

 

‘’That’s for me to know and you to find out’’. ( Lewis didn’t have a clue yet but he knew it had to good).

 

‘’Sounds interesting, I cant wait’’.

 

‘’Me too’’. And Lewis pecks Roxy on the cheek before waving her off and when she is out of sight Lewis stands there in the middle of the street with a huge smile on his face, he doesn’t care that is it late and he should get to bed or that he probably lost his push bike because it was all worth it and all he wants to do right now is shout with joy from the top of his lungs and dance in the middle of the street because he had never felt this happy before….but just before he breaks out in song and dance in the middle of the street and looks like a poor mans version of Zac Efron Lewis heads into the house being as quiet as he can not to wake his mom and as he heads into the living room he finds laid on the couch is his brother with a busted lip and cut knuckles and Lewis knew he had been fighting again.

 

‘’Tyler’’.

 

‘’ Bro’’.

 

‘’What happened?’’

 

‘’Oh I got in a fight with an a*****e in town’’.

 

‘’Over what?’’.

 

‘’He was just drunk and looking for a fight but don’t worry, I didn’t come off worst’’.

 

‘’What did I tell you? What did I say about walking away’’.

 

‘’I know, I know but sometimes you cant walk bro, you cant even run’’.

 

‘’ Do you need to go to the hospital or anything?’’.

 

‘’No, he jut got a lucky punch in on the mouth that’s all, im ok, I just didn’t want to go home and let Rachael see me like this because you know what she’s like’’.

 

‘’Ok, you just rest, im going to get something to clean those knuckles and that lip’’. And Lewis heads to the kitchen disappointed hat his brother had been fighting again wishing he could stay out of trouble.

 

The next morning Lewis heads downstairs to find his brother gone, he then makes himself a cup of coffee and as the beans brew his mind wanders back to last night and his date with Roxy and then he begins to think about what he can do for there date on Thursday.

 

Helen is laid on bed fast asleep when her phone begins to ring, she lifts her head and looks at the time to see it is the middle of the night and immediately wonders what emergency it must be before answering.

 

‘’Hello?’’.

 

‘’Helen, Helen Porter?’’.

 

‘’Yes who is this, is everything ok?’’.

 

‘’Yes its Lewis, Tyler’s brother’’.

 

‘’Tyler, Tyler who I work with?’’.

 

‘’Yes’’.

 

‘’Well what is it?’’.

 

‘’I need to ask you about Roxy’’.

 

‘’Roxy, do you know where I am’’.

 

‘’Er… yes’’.

 

‘’Do you know what time it is?’’.

 

‘’Not exactly’’.

 

‘’I’m hanging up’’.

 

‘’Wait, I know your on holiday and your probably sleeping right now (He never thought of the time difference he was too excited and a little nervous about Thursday). But I need to ask you what Roxy’s favourite movie is’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’I just would like to do something for her please’’.

 

‘’Er…….. Er  American Beauty’’.

 

‘’American Beauty?’’.

 

‘’Yes, now can I sleep?’’.

 

‘’Yes and sorry again’’.

 

‘’Ok ad if you want to know her date of birth or favourite TV programme because im on holiday and I don’t care’. And Helen hangs up.

 

‘’Ok thank……’’. Helen is gone but Lewis has what he needs for his big plan.

 

Lewis walks into a small cinema he and Tyler had gone to since they were kids, a few years ago a much bigger and more updated cinema opened in the centre of town but Lewis and Tyler stayed loyal to there youth and as Lewis walks in he finds Mr Mossback changing the weekly posters.

 

‘’Hey Mr Mossback’’.

 

‘’Lewis what can I do for you kid’’.

 

‘’I need a favour, a big one’’.

 

‘’Go on’’.

 

‘’You still close on Thursday nights?’’. Thursday night was horse racing night and Mr Mossback ever missed it.

 

‘’Yes regular as clock work’’.

 

‘Well what it be ok if I had the place for the night’’.

 

‘’You want this place?’’.

 

‘’No wild partying or anything, just for a date, a special date’’.

 

‘’I don’t know’’.

 

‘’I promise to clean up after’’. And Mr Mossback scratches his head.

 

‘’Tell you what, if it wasn’t for you and your brother I’d have probably ad to close this place down years ago so if you help me sweep up all the old popcorn and wrappers in the cinema it’s a deal but only you and your date this is my livelihood after all’’.

 

‘Ok it’s a deal’’. And Mr Mossback then passes Lewis a sweeping brush and he immediately gets started. Lewis cleans up all the popcorn and the old sweet wrappers inside the cinem and bags it all up for Mr Mossback.

 

‘’Ok, I think that is it Mr Mossback’’.

 

‘’Yep, sure looks like it’’.

 

‘’So…..’’.

 

‘’Here’’. And Mr Mossback throws Lewis his keys.

 

‘’But remember everything I said’’.

 

‘’I will don’t worry and thanks again Mr Mossback’.

 

‘’don’t mention it kid’’. And Lewis then heads home.

 

Soon enough Thursday comes around and Lewis is sat in the kitchen waiting for Roxy to arrive to pick him up ( Hey it’s the twenty first century not the cave times, women can pick men up too) When Tyler walks in alongside his fiancée Rachael.

 

‘’Hey guys’’.

 

‘’Someone looks good’’. Comments Rachael.

 

‘’Thanks’’.

 

‘’So who’s the lucky girl?’’.

 

‘’I know’’. Says Tyler with a smile on his face and Rachael then heads to the living room to s there mom while Tyler sits and tlaks to his brother in the kitchen.

 

‘’So, all well with Roxy?’’.

 

‘’Yeah its going great’’.

 

‘’Good, good’’.

 

‘’So you ok now?’’. Asks Lewis referring to the other night when Tyler was involved in a fight and Lewis cleaned him up.

 

‘’Yeah, yeah I’m good’’.

 

‘’Well no more fighting’’. He whispers.

 

‘’I wont’’. And the two brothers knock there knuckles together.

 

‘’Hey by the way were having a party next week at our place’’.

 

‘’Really?’’.

 

‘’Yeah, Rachael got a raise at work so its an excuse’’.

 

‘’Ok great’’.

 

‘’Bring Roxy if you want’’.

 

‘’Yeah I’ll ask her’’. And Lewis then spots Roxy pull up out of the window.

 

‘’Ok she’s here I best get off’.

 

‘’Good luck bro’’.

 

‘’Thanks’’. And Lewis then heads out to Roxy.

 

‘’Hey’’.

 

‘’Hey’’.

 

‘’So were we heading?’’. Asks Roxy.

 

‘’Just head down to new beach’’.

 

‘’New beach?’’.

 

‘’Yes and that’s all im saying’’. And Lewis jumps on the back of the bike and Roxy sets off.

 The two arrive at new beach and Roxy parks up before Lewis walks Roxy to Mr Mossbacks cinema.

 

‘’Here, I thought this old place was closed down?’’.

 

‘’Hey it has history, you cant buy that’’.

 

‘’But its closed’’.

 

‘’Not when you have these’’. And Lewis flashes the keys.

 

‘’Lewis we cant go in’’.

 

‘’don’t worry, I know the owner its cool’’. And Lewis opens the place up and the two enter.

 

‘’This place sure does have history’’. Says Roxy as she looks around the place.

 

‘’Told you’’.

 

‘’So what were watching because I don’t think this place is up to date’’.

 

‘’I know it isn’t’’. And Lewis then heads behind the counter and grabs the two some popcorn and soft drinks.

 

‘’Ok ladies first’’. And Roxy heads in to take her seat.

 

‘’So what we watching?’’ .She asks Lewis as he sits down having just come from the projection room.

 

‘’You’ll see’’. And as the movie screens lightens up American Beauty begins.

 

‘’ American Beauty this is like my favourite ever movie!’’. Gasps Roxy.

 

‘’I know, Helen told me’’.

 

‘’But this movie came out like ten years ago’’.

 

‘’I had to buy an old reel off eBay’’.

 

‘’And this guy who owns this place just let you have it for the night?’’.

 

‘’After I did him a few favours’’.

 

‘’You did this all for me’’.

 

‘’Of course’’ .And the two look into one another’s eyes before enjoying the movie.

After enjoying the movie the two sit and talk as they finish off there popcorn.

 

‘’God I love that movie’’. Gushes Roxy.

 

‘’Yeah, Kevin Spacey is great’’.

 

‘’Isn’t he, give me him over Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe any day of the week’’. And the two smile.

 

‘’You’re a real romantic aren’t you Lewis’’.

 

‘’I try I guess’’.

 

‘’what’s the most romantic thing gesture you’ve ever done for a girl?’’.

 

‘’I don’t know’’.

 

‘’Come on something must have just popped in your head’’.

 

‘’Well I can remember once I was seeing the girl’’.

 

‘’Go on’’.

 

‘’And she had to go away for a while because of work, anyway it was for two months and a month in I was missing her like crazy, phone calls just aren’t the same, so one day after work without telling he I jumped on a train to see her, I had work the next day but I thought it was worth just it just to see her for a few hours, anyway there I sat on the train for two whole hours sat next to a guy who loved pigeons and believe me there isn’t enough about pigeons to fill for two hours so I was glad to get there, anyway  got there, knocked n the door where she was staying and her friend answered, I explained who I was and she told me Lucy who was the girl has got back form work just half hour before and collapsed on her bed completely exhausted, she still invited me in but when I crept upstairs Lucy was out for the count and her job wasn’t easy so I knew she needed all the sleep she could get’’.

 

‘’So what did you do?’’.

 

‘’Went out to a nearby shop and bought a single rose and some red bull because I needed it’’.

 

‘’Sounded like Lucy did too’’.

‘’And I went back and laid the rose by her pillow before going all the way back home on the train’’.

 

‘’That’s so sweet’’.

 

‘’Yeah, but as soon as se got back she dumped me three weeks later for a Spanish waiter named Rico, do you know what it feels like being told your dumped for a guy called Rico?’’.

 

‘’Strangely no’’.

 

‘’Well you’re the lucky one’’. And the two laugh.

 

‘’My last boyfriend Marcus, everyone thought he was perfect, a real pretty boy with his perfect body and six pack and a great job, all the girls wanted to be with him, they would throw themselves at him everywhere we went’’.

 

‘’But I guess he was a real a*****e?’’.

 

‘’He hit me’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’Because he hated it when guys tired it on with me, I was expected to accept all these girls throwing themselves at him and he throwing them all his cheesy smile but when it was me it was different’’.

 

‘’So why not take it up with the guys who were trying it on?’’.

 

‘’Because it was always my fault in his eyes, my skirt was to short r it was the way I was dancing or a smile I threw them’’.

 

‘’You mean he was a coward who was too scared to face up to a man so hit a women instead’’.

 

‘’I could have walked away sooner’’.

 

‘’So why didn’t you?’’.

 

‘’Because when it was good it was good and after every slap I would sit wiping my tear stained cheeks trying to convince myself I could change him, that he wouldn’t do it again ad it was only because he was so scared of losing me’’.

 

‘’So what made you wake up?’’.

 

‘’ You did Lewis’’.

 

‘’What?’’.

 

‘’We only broke up a short time ago but for a week after I was on the verge of going back and I would have, then you came into my life and showed me all men aren’t the same’’.

 

‘’Roxy…’’.

 

‘’No, thank you Lewis, thank you for showing me that’’. And the two look into one another’s eyes before sharing a soft kiss.

 

‘’Come on’’. Whispers Roxy.

 

‘’Where to?’’.

 

‘’Lock up I have somewhere to show you’’. And Lewis quickly locks up before heading on the back of Roxy’s bike who rides to a house and takes Lewis inside.

 

‘This your place?’’.  He ask as Roxy puts on some music

 

‘’I share it with my sister but she’s I Europe somewhere’’. And Roxy then puts her body right up against Lewis’s who is nervous.

 

‘’Your shaking’’. She tells him.

 

‘’I just don’t want to mess up with you Roxy, your too special’’.

 

‘’Yu couldn’t if you tried’’. And Roxy softly kisses Lewis before taking his hand and leading him upstairs.

 

Lewis is laid in bed with a sleeping Roxy laid on his chest and the feeing Lewis had inside was like nothing before, suddenly he felt like he was rising off the bed, up ad up higher and higher like never before, he looks down at Roxy asleep as he raises higher and higher, music playing in the background and Lewis nodding his head along to it with a huge smile across his face before he lowers back down and back onto the bed Roxy resting on his chest and he would not want to be anywhere else in the world not for all the tea in China. (Just how much tea do they have?)

 

As morning sun breaks through the windows Lewis wakes to find Roxy is no longer asleep on his chest, was it all a dream? He feared but as Lewis takes a glance around the room unless his mother decorated through the night it was indeed reality.

 

‘’Your awake’’. Says Roxy as she stands in the doorway in a white towel having just taken a shower looking absolutely stunning.

 

‘’Yeah, I like my sleep’’.

 

‘’don’t worry it still early’’ and Roxy then walks across to the bed and craws over to Lewis like a lioness hunting her dinner. (Please don’t have morning breathe, please don’t have morning breathe) And Roxy softly kisses Lewis on the lips.

 

‘’You want a coffee?’’.

 

‘’Yeah sure’’.

 

‘’Ok I’ll be right back’’. And Roxy leaves to make coffee and puts on a CD pf the script which plays through the house and Lewis in such a good mood jumps up on the bed and begins dancing away o the song.

 

‘’ How many…..’’. Roxy comes back to ask about sugar and catches Lewis dancing.

 

‘’Er…..’’. Lewis is embarrassed. ‘’Three’’.

 

‘’Three it is’’. And a smiling Roxy heads to make  the coffee but Lewis takes a big breathe and follows after her grabbing Roxy’s hand and turns her around.

 

‘’You know what, that would normally embarrass me and I’d be in there right now with the cover over y head but your different Roxy, you make me feel different’. And Lewis begins dancing  with Roxy in the hall both dancing along to the song with smiles on there faces.

 

Later on Roxy drops Lewis off at home.

 

‘’So, you going to call me tonight?’’ Asks Roxy after she takes off her helmet.

 

‘’Yeah of course, when does your class end?’’.

 

‘’About half six’’.

 

‘’ Ok I’ll call bout seven, give you time to get in’’.

 

‘’Make it quarter to’’. And Roxy pecks Lewis on the lips before setting off and Lewis heads inside.

 

Later on that day Lewis is at work cleaning the tables with his work college Kim when once again he takes a glance up at the clock on the wall.

 

‘’What is it with you and the time tonight?’’ She asks.

 

‘’Nothing, just wondering’’.

 

‘’Come on spill it’’.

 

‘’There’s nothing too spill’’.

 

‘’Lewis I know you too well’’.

 

‘Ok, I met someone’’.

 

‘’Really, what’s her name?’’.

 

‘’Roxy’’.

 

‘’Roxy, sounds very sexy’’.

 

‘’She is, well she’s everything’’.

 

‘’Everything, sounds serious’’.

 

‘’Its early days, very early days’’.

 

‘’But you still cant stop looking up at the clock’’.

 

‘’Well I can now’’.  Replies Lewis as it turns quarter to seven and he heads to the back to ring Roxy.

 

‘’ Hello Roxy?’’.

 

‘’Who is this?’. Asks the man on the other end.

 

‘’Lewis, who is this?’’.

 

‘’Marcus’’. Roxy’s supposedly ex. ‘’So this is Lewis’’.

 

‘’ What you doing with Roxy’s phone?’’.

 

‘’She’s just in the shower right now after….well after some making up’’.

 

‘’She is…’’.

‘’Yean and she told me about you, you and her….. What did she call it now, oh yeah pity sex, some sloppy good guy still hung up on his ex girlfriend who ad moved on a long time ago and Roxy’s always had a soft spot for soft guys’’.

 

‘’Yeah and you cant really call a women beater a soft guy’’.

 

‘’ Pity sex Lewis, pity sex just et it go man’’. And Marcus hangs up leaving Lewis devastated.

 

‘’You ok?’’. Asks Kim, your as white as a sheet’’.

 

‘’Nothing, I…. I just need a minute’’. And Lewis storms out of the backdoor and to the back for some air and he stands there hands on hips looking up to the sky.

 

That night Tyler is looking for Lewis and finds him sat in the tree house outside drinking a beer or two. and as he climbs the ladder he immediately know something is up.

 

‘Hey what you doing up here?’’.

 

‘’Escaping it all’’.

 

‘’Why what’s wrong?’’.

 

‘’Nothing nothing to worry about’’.

 

‘’Roxy I guess’’.

 

‘’ How could you tell?’’.

 

‘’But I thought you were getting along so well’’.

 

‘’Yeah so did I’’. And Lewis phone begins to ring and when he sees the caller is Roxy he cancels the call.

 

‘’Come on what happened?’’.

 

‘’Nothing, its over’’. And Tyler can see Lewis is hurting and a little teary eyed.

 

‘’One of those beers going spare?’’. He asks his brother.

 

‘’shouldn’t you be getting back to Rachael?’’.

 

‘’Not just yet’’. So Lewis passes his brother a beer and the two sit together Tyler supporting his brother just like he had done for him many times before.

A couple of days later with Lewis still rejecting Roxy’s calls he is getting ready for Tyler’s house party which is tonight and when he is ready he heads on over to Tyler’s place.  As Lewis reaches his brothers house he finds the party had already started, the music was playing loudly and the beer was flowing.

 

‘’Hey you’re here’’. Says his brother passing him a beer.

 

‘’Good to see you’’. Says Tom giving him a hug looking like he’s already had one too many.

 

‘’You ok?’’. Asks Rachael.

 

‘’Yeah I just need a drink’’. And Lewis takes a big swig of his beer.

As the party goes on and everyone is having a great time Lewis finds himself sat in the back garden with just another beer as company unable to enjoy himself with Roxy running through his head like a lightning bolt,  the image of her and Marcus together refuses to leave his thoughts and when they do all he sees are her smile and her beautiful face and the time they shared together and as Lewis sits there tears fill his eyes as he stared own at his half drunken bottle pf beer a single tear spilling from his cheek and landing on the rim of his bottle.

 

‘’I was wrong about you’’. He then hears and as Lewis raises his head he finds Roxy standing there.

 

‘’What?’’.

 

‘’ I was wrong about you, your just like all the other guys but really your worse because at least they don’t pretend to be what there not’’.

 

‘’I called you’’.

 

‘’No you talked to Marcus’’.

 

‘’On your phone’’.

 

‘’Yes, he came around, he came around to see if I’d changed my mind about me and him but I hadn’t, for the first time I was giving in and going back and it was because of you, because f the way you made me feel but then you ruined it’’.

 

‘’I ruined it’’.

 

‘’Yes, I told you what Marcus was like, a violent liar and he stole my phone because I told him about you and when you called he lied, he lied and you believed him’’.

 

‘’What do you expect’’.

 

‘’I tried calling, I got my phone back and I called again and again and again but every single time you hung up’’.

 

‘’Because I was hurt’’.

 

‘’don’t you think I was too, I even came to your house but you wouldn’t even answer the door’’.

 

‘’So you and Marcus…’’.

 

‘’No we didn’t sleep together, I didn’t touch him and the reason was you but now its gone’’. And Roxy begins to walk away.

 

‘’Roxy wait’’.

 

‘’Not for you Lewis, you know I thought it would be ok because you’d listen to me, to my side after all I didn’t tell you anything, I didn’t say one word it was all him but you didn’t care, you believed I was do something like that, jump right into bed with him straight after you’’.

 

‘’Roxy….’.

 

‘’’No Lewis…its over’’. And Roxy leaves leaving Lewis heartbroken.

 

An hour later everyone is partying inside when Rachael asks Tyler where Lewis is.

 

‘’I think he’s still out back’’.

 

‘’Still’’.

 

‘’Yeah, I’ll go and see’’. And as Tyler goes and checks on his brother all he finds is a half drunk bottle of beer.

 

 

                             3 WEEKS LATER…………

 

 

 

Tyler is at work when he is visited by his brother.

 

‘’Hey how you doing?’’.

 

‘’Yeah ok’’.

 

‘’Well I’m nearly done here so we can get off in a minute’’. And just then Lewis spots Helen and heads over for a talk.

 

‘’Helen’’.

 

‘’Tyler’s brother’’.

 

‘’Yah that’s right’’.

 

‘’Well what’s up?’’.

 

‘’Have you heard from Roxy lately?’’. He asks and she immediately rolls her eyes.

 

‘’Yes I have, why?’’.

 

‘’How is she?’’.

 

‘’Good, both her and her boyfriend’’. And Lewis feels his heart sink to the floor like a falling star.

 

‘’So she’s seeing someone’’.

 

‘’Yep’’.

 

‘’And is she happy?’’.

 

‘’Very’’.

 

‘’Good’’.

 

‘’Want me to tell her you were asking?’’.

 

‘’No…. its ok’’. And Lewis walks away.

 

‘’You said what’’. Asks Roxy as she and Helen sit in a bar having a drink.

 

‘’Told him you were seeing someone’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’Why? Because the guys a stalker, he phoned while I was on holiday in the middle of the night just to ask me what your favourite film was?’’. And Roxy begins thinking about how good a time her and Lewis had watching American Beauty in the cinema together, laughing and joking and throwing popcorn at one another while they got to know one another and how she’s never really done that with a guy before.

 

‘’The guys obsessed’’.

 

‘’So what did he say when you mentioned I had a boyfriend?’’.

 

‘’He just asked me if you were happy which I told him you were and when I asked if he wanted me to tell  you he said no and walked away’’.

 

‘’So he was glad I was happy’’.

 

‘’Guess so’’. And Helen takes a sip of her drink and when she does she can see Roxy is thinking of him.

 

‘’don’t tell me your hung up on him’’.

 

‘’He’s a sweet guy’’.

 

‘’Roxy, go in the ladies bathroom and take a look in the mirror please’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’You have your pick, of anyone male or female you can have them’’.

 

‘’don’t be daft’’.

 

‘’Trust me I don’t like saying it because it makes e dam jealous but you do, your stunning so stop getting hung up on a stalker who isn’t even ripped and go cast your net out’’.

 

‘’Its not all about there physique Helen’’.

 

‘’Well it is tonight Roxy because we going out around town and its my personal mission that by the end  you will be on your back staring up at a guy with a sick pack and great abs’’.

 

‘’Helen!’.

 

‘’Really, do you know how many guys ask me about you, oh no they never want my number or they never want to take me for dinner its always my good looking friend and tonight I don’t mind because you need it to get that stalker out of your head’’.

 

‘’I don’t know about tonight’’.

 

‘’Tough you have no choice’’. Helen demands.

 

‘’Tough bro you have no choice’’. Tyler tells his brother. ‘’We are going out’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’Because your still hung up on Roxy and don’t deny it’’.

 

‘’ I just’’.

 

‘’Just nothing, you need tonight trust me’’. And in the reflection of the mirror Tyler sees his brothers newly formed six pack as he changers his top.

 

‘’Wow look at you’’.

 

‘’What?’’.

 

‘’The six pack , the whole body man your really getting ripped’’.

 

‘’Do you think so?’’.

 

‘’Hell yes, I told you all that time in the gym was paying off’’.

 

‘’I hope so’’.

 

‘’Come on, were showing that body off tonight’’. And Tyler demands his brother get ready.

 

Tyler, Lewis and Tom are out around time a three stood at the bar drinking there bottled beer as the music plays loud and Lewis can see his brother is scanning the dance floor for any possible women for his brother.

 

‘’don’t bother’’. Lewis tells his brother.

 

‘’What?’’.

 

‘’I know what your doing’’.

 

‘’What am I doing?’’.

 

‘’Scanning the dance floor’’.

 

‘’I’m not scanning the dance floor’’.

‘’Remember brother I used to go out with you before you met Rachael so I know when your scanning the dance floor’’.

 

‘’Ok, ok I’m just looking for an opportunity for my brother’’. And Tyler then spots a girl in a red dress dancing on the dance floor..

 

‘’There you go’’.

 

‘’Tyler, its just a drink’’.

 

‘’Yeah, yeah’’.  And Tyler nudges Tom. ‘’Come on people, lets mingle. And Tyler, Tom and a reluctant Lewis head to the dance floor.

 

‘’Come on another one here and then we’ll go somewhere else’’. Helen tells Roxy as they sit in a nightclub and Roxy can see two guys sat across the nightclub eyeing her up and probably talking about her.

 

‘’No, lets go somewhere else now’’. Replies Roxy after she necks her drink.

 

‘’Ok, ok clam down, calm down we’ve got all night’’. Helen tells her as Roxy glances at the two men still eyeing her up with there cheesy smiles across there faces.

Lewis stands awkwardly on the dance floor moving his feet from side to side as the girl in the red dress dances in front of him.

 

‘’So what’s your name?’’. She asks over the loud music.

 

‘Er….. Lewis’’.

 

‘’Willis, like Bruce Willis’’.

 

‘’No Lewis, not Wills’’.

 

‘’Same thing and I love Die Hard’’. She replies with a wink slightly scaring Lewis not Willis.

 

‘’Come on we’ll have a look what its like in here’’. Says Helen dragging Roxy into the next club.

 

‘’My names Shelly, do you like my name Willis?’’.

 

‘’No its…. (oh forget it) Yes Shelly is a nice name’’.

 

‘’Good’’. Because I like you’’.  And Lewis is even more scared.

 

‘’Come on Roxy, smile a little’’.

 

‘’I’m just in the mood for guys right now’’.

 

‘’Well taking a look at some of them there in the mood for you and you are taking one home tonight’’.

 

‘’I’m not a s**t Helen’’.

 

‘’I know your not you’re my best friend and I’m doing this to help you now you go and take a look around while I get us some drinks’’. And Helen heads to the bar while Roxy reluctantly takes a look around.

 

‘’Put your hands here’’. Says Shelly grabbing hold of Lewis hand and placing them on her bum.

 

‘’That’s it baby, oh your arms feel good’’. She says as she rubs hr hand up the arm of Lewis.

 

‘’I er… best get us a drink’’. Replies Lewis as he desperately tries to think of an excuse to get away.

 

‘Not yet baby, your all the drink I need’’. And a very forceful Shelly leans over and kisses Lewis slamming her lips down on his without choice and as Lewis pulls away feeling slightly used he spots standing behind Shelly is Roxy who had just seen them kiss and his hands on her bum.

 

‘’Roxy’’. He says who simply just walks away to the bar.

 

‘I er….. I need a drink’’.  Says Lewis as he finally pulls away from mad Shelly’s grip.

 

‘’Well don’t be long baby’’. Se replies and Lewis then heads to the bar.

 

‘’Roxy I…’’.

 

‘’Hey no need to explain’’.

 

‘’No that girl’’.

 

‘’That girl nothing, go on you have fun really, that’s what I’m here for too’’ .And as Helen returns with the drinks Roxy grabs hers and almost necks it in one.

 

‘’At least let me buy you a drink’’.

 

‘’Its ok, anyway someone is looking for you’’. And Lewis turns to see Shelly is waiting for him. And Lewis can see Roxy doesn’t want to talk to him so he turns and slowly heads back to his torture on the dance floor.

 

‘’See, even stalker boy is out getting laid’’. Helen tells Roxy.

 

‘’Yeah your right’’.

 

‘’Dam right I am I want to se fun Roxy back the fun Roxy I’ve known all these years and not the one I’ve known the last three, the fun Roxy who sometimes even made me looking a little boring if that’s possible’’.

 

‘’Yeah your right, I’ve been boring these last few weeks and its time to get back being me’’. And Roxy slams her hand down on the bar and orders two shots and two cocktails.

 

‘’That’s more like it!’’. Shouts Helen with delight as Lewis watches on from the dance floor with Shelly holding onto him tight.

As the night goes on and Lewis fails to escape the clutches of Shelly Roxy is a little more than merry from the shots and the cocktails she had been necking and as she staggers to the bathroom she bumps into someone.

 

‘’Sorry’’. She says looking up at a guy with slicked black hair and designer stubble.

 

‘’No its….fine, girls who look like you can fall for me anytime’’. He replies with a smile.

 

‘’You want a drink?’’. He asks and Roxy takes a look back at Lewis on the dance floor before turning her attention back to the guy.

 

‘’Yeah sure, why not’’. And Roxy grabs hold of the young mans arm as he leads her to the bar with Lewis looking on.

 

‘’So What’s your name?’’.  The young man asks Roxy who is leant up against the bar.

 

‘’What?’’. She asks.

 

‘’Your name?’’. And Roxy then takes another quick glance at Lewis on the dance floor before looking back a the young man.

 

‘’Roxy’’.

 

‘’So Foxy…’’.

 

‘’Please don’t finish that line I’ve heard it enough’’.

 

‘’Ok, is it ok if I ask you what your drinking?’’.

 

‘’Yes’’. And the young man throws her a cheesy smile.

 

Shelly continues to hold onto Lewis tight but as she looks up at him she spots him looking in Roxy’s direction.

 

‘’You know her baby?’’ She asks.

 

‘’Er…… no not anymore’’.

 

‘’Well who ever she is she looks like she’s having a good time, especially with that hunk she’s with, maybe you should too’’. And Lewis then looks on as the young man places his hand on the lower back of Roxy holding it there and the two of them are laughing and smiling clearly enjoying one another’s company much to his heart break.

 

‘’You know what Shelly, your right’’. And Lewis then begins to dance with Shelly with much more enthusiasm but it has more to do with the girl at the bar than the one in his arms.

 

Roxy takes another glance at Lewis and can see he is getting much more cosier with Shelly, his hands still on her bum and hers gliding all over his body up and down his arms and around his back which makes Roxy feel something she hadn’t really felt before, Jealousy.

 

‘’So…….’’.

 

‘’Jay’.

 

‘’Jay’’. She says to the young man as she rubs her finger down the front of his shirt clearly a little worse for wear.

 

‘’I’m really glad we bumped into each other’’. She says pushing her body up against is and looking up at him wit h the drink doing most of the talking.

 

‘’Yeah me too baby’’. She replies rubbing his hand up her leg in full view of Lewis. ‘’And I cant wait to bump some more’’.

 

Lewis watches on as the jerk with the back hair continues to run his hands over Roxy’s body so Lewis wraps his arms around Shelly and pulls her closer to him both he and Roxy tryning to make the other more jealous.

 

‘’Dam you have a sweet body girl’’. Jay tells Roxy.

 

‘’You too’’. She replies feeling his arms and then taking a glance back at Lewis who catches her eye line for a couple of seconds and as he does the two look deep at one another and immediately know this is not what they want and not how they want it to be.

 

‘’So, you wanna go to my place and get to know each other better?’’. Asks Jay and Roxy takes one last glance at Lewis on the dance floor before looking back at Jay.

 

‘’Yeah sure’. And Jay then takes Roy by the hand and begins leading her out but as he does she looks back at Lewis who stares deep into her eyes before she turns and heads to the door with Jay her head spinning with thoughts wondering what she should do, should she listen to her friend and have some fun with the very good looking Jay or should she……

 

‘’Wait’’. Says Roxy pulling her hand from Jays.

 

‘’What is it baby?’’. He asks as she glances back at Lewis who is still looking at her before looking back at Jay.

 

‘’You know what, screw it’’. And Roxy turns before heading straight to the dance floor with purpose and when there she grabs hold of the arm of Shelly and pulls her away from Lewis and to one side before looking at Lewis who stares back at her and the two stand there for a few seconds staring at one another with the feeling as if everything around them, the fellow dancers, there friends, the music and crazy Shelly had been turned down for a few seconds so they could have there moment alone finally together and as Lewis holds out his arms Roxy moves into them and the two share a kiss in the middle of the dance floor, Shelly rolling her eyes, Tyler and Tom giving one another a high five, Shelly opened mouth and Jay combing his hair but Lewis and Roxy don’t care, for that moment they care for no other as they enjoy there time n the dance floor doing what they want to do and after a few minutes of sharing the best kiss of there life’s Roxy pulls away and Lewis feels like he’s floating again.

 

‘’Come on, lets get out of here’’. She tells him with a smile on her face.

 

‘’Sounds good to me’’. And Lewis takes Roxy’s hand in his as the two head on out together just like they always wanted to.

 

‘’I cant believe she’s back with the stalker’’. Moans Helen.

 

‘’ Hey do you need a stalker baby because I can stalk,  I can stalk like a hawk’’. Tom says to Helen as he raises an eyebrow and Helen simply rolls her eyes at him before walking away.

 

Roxy and Lewis walk down the street away from the club hand in hand.

 

‘’So we start afresh’’. Says Lewis.

 

‘’Yes, we start afresh’’. And the two smile at one another.

A few weeks later with everything going great Lewis is sat at home waiting for Roxy to arrive ad at the same time his mother to head to work.

 

‘’What time is Roxy coming over?’’ She asks.

 

‘’Yes’’.

 

‘’Well I’ll get out of your hair then’’

 

‘’Thanks mom’’. And she then smiles before heading to work and ten minutes later Roxy arrives.

 

‘’So what’s this called again?’’ Asks Roxy as Lewis passes her a tub of popcorn and the two sit down to watch TV.

 

‘’True Blood’’.

 

‘’And its about vampires?’’.

 

‘’Yes, vampires’’.

 

‘’Its not like twilight is it because that film was sooooo’’.

 

‘’No, its not like twilight’’.

 

‘’Good’’.

 

‘’Its about a human well kind of, named Sookie who falls in love with vampire Bill’’.

 

‘’Vampire Bill?’’.

 

‘’Yes, it’ll all come clear’’.

 

‘’Ok then’’. And the two sit to watch true Blood.

 

‘’ Man I want to try some V’’. Says Roxy with a smile on her face.

 

‘’Yeah me too’’.

 

‘’And Bill is sooooo sexy’’.

 

‘’Bill, most girls think Eric’’.

 

‘’No, Eric is sexy but he knows it, Bill doesn’t and believe me that’s sexy plus he has feelings, a bit like someone else I know’’. And Roxy places her hand on Lewis arm and looks at him ad he looks right back.

 

‘’I don’t need any V when I’m around you’’. Lewis tells her.

 

‘’Me neither’’. And the two kiss.

Later on after the two had finished watching True Blood they sit out back on a hammock Roxy laid in Lewis arms as they slowly rock with a drink watching the sun slowly fall.

 

‘’ Hey I’ve planned something for us tomorrow’’.

 

‘’You have?’’.

 

‘’Yes’’.

 

‘’What?’’.

 

‘’Just be ready for four and don’t worry I’ll have you back for shift’’.

 

‘’Ok then, I’ll be ready’’. And the two stare out of the sun.

 

‘’What do you want Lewis, for the future?’’.  Asks Roxy as she sits on top of him staring down at him with her smile the sun slowly shining over her shoulder making her look angel like in Lewis eyes and if al Angels look like Roxy book my ticket now.

 

‘’Would you run if I said you?’’. He replies.

 

‘’Would you chase me if I did?’’. She replies before leaning down and kissing him as the sun falls behind them.

 

The next day Lewis is ready and waiting for Roxy who arrives on her bike and tells Lewis to jump on.

Finally after riding for a while Roxy stops outside a bike yard.

 

‘’What we doing here?’’.

 

‘’Getting you your first bike’’.

 

‘’Bike!’’. Yes and I don’t mean push bike. And Lewis takes a quick glance around the bike yard as an old man wearing a dirty red baseball cap and a cigar hanging form the side of his mouth approaches them.

 

‘’Roxanne’’. He says hugging her.

 

‘’Ted’’. She replies and he then looks at Lewis glancing him up and down almost as if he is inspecting him.

 

‘’You’ve got a good girl here, don’t mess it up boy’’.

 

‘’don’t worry Sir I don’t intend to’’.

 

‘’Good, because I have two dogs back there who think the world of Roxy and there always hungry’’. He tells Lewis before patting him on the shoulder and then looking back at Roxy.

 

‘’So what you after?’’.

 

‘’A bike’’. And Ted then takes a glance at Roxy’s bike.

 

‘’You’ve already got a beauty’’.

 

‘’Its not for me’’. And Ted takes a look at Lewis once more.

 

‘’So its for you’’.

 

‘’Er….. Yeah I guess’’.

 

‘’So what you looking for’’.

 

‘’Er….’’.

 

‘’It doesn’t matter too much about the bodywork because he’s learning on it’’. Says Roxy rescuing im. ‘’So something cheap he can find his feet on and then when he has come back and getting something better’’.

 

‘’So you want a cheap run around with so a little rust on the body work’’.

 

‘’Exactly, do you have something?’’.

 

‘’For you Roxanne…… defiantly’’.

 

‘’Thanks Ted’’. And she and Lewis then follow Ted into the bike yard.

 

‘’Ok I think this will be ok for your’’. Suggests Ted as he pulls a bike of the rack.

 

‘’I know it’s a little… rusty but she runs’’

‘We’ll take it’’. Replies Roxy with a mile on her face.

 

Roxy rides down to an old, quiet lake where she used to play by as a kid to let Lewis practise there.

 

‘’Here, you can practise down here’. She says as she stops Lewis new bike having left hers at the bike yard while they practise.

 

‘’What is this place?’’. He asks as he looks around the green banking with a small lake in the middle and a tree with a tyre swing nearby.

 

‘’I used to pay down here when I was a kid, me and my friends would swim in there in the summer, swing on the tyre when we were board, I got drunk for the first time here on very cheap cider and i practise on my field bike here and your going to practise on your bike down here’’

 

‘’Ok then’’. And Lewis climbs on the bike while Roxy gives him some advice.

 

‘’ok, easy on the acceleration, just go steady while you find your feet and don’t panic or kick back on it’’.

 

‘’Ok’’.

 

‘’Look where your going and take it easy nice and steady at first’’. And Lewis then begins riding slowly a step at a time.

 

‘’Ok that is’’. Encouragers Roxy but just then the bike flips on its back wheels and Lewis falls flat on his bum and as he looks up he can see Roxy wants to laugh.

 

‘’You did…. Ok’’. And the two then laugh.

 

‘’Yeah I know just remember I’m a newbie’’. And Lewis then picks the bike back up before practising again. For the next few hours Lewis rides up and down on the bank getting better and better and more confident as he does before the two rest on the banking Lewis laid on the grass and Roxy swinging on the tyre.

 

‘’If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t even had got a bike’’.

 

‘’Well I’m glad I pushed you into it’’.

 

‘’Me too’’.

 

‘’ And Roxy then stands up before slowly taking off her jeans.

‘’What you doing?’’ Asks Lewis.

 

‘’Pushing you to do something else exciting’’. She replies taking off her top to stand there in just her underwear.

 

‘’So….. What we doing?’’.

 

‘Going for a swim’’.

 

‘’What now? it’s the middle of the day’’.

 

‘’This place is always quiet, always have been, come on Lewis,  you have to live life n the edge to see what’s out there’’. And as she glances Lewis a smile looking absolutely stunning Lewis stands up taking off his jeans and t-shirt.

 

‘’Ok, see you in there’’. And Lewis runs before dive bombing into the lake with Roxy following. The two swim in the lake before meeting in the middle.

 

‘’Oh we cant kiss in the lake, its so eighties dirt dancing’’. Laughs Roxy.

 

‘’ Come on Roxy, live a little and Lewis then grabs her hand before pulling her closer and the two then share a kiss.

 

Two months pass and Lewis relationship with Roxy is going from strength to strength so much that he is contemplating popping the big one.

 

‘’Really?’’. Asks Tyler as he, Lewis and Tom are playing pool.

 

‘’Yep’’.

 

‘’don’t you think Roxy’s a little…….’’.

 

‘’A little what?’’.

 

‘’A little bit of  a party girl to get married’’.

 

‘’Yeah she doesn’t seem like the settling down type to me’’. Adds Tom.

 

‘’That’s the things guys, a know she can be a little wild and full of fun but deep down she has a sensitive side and calm side that wants all the things other girls want’’.

 

‘’What like a white dress and a vicar?’’.

 

‘’Not quite that much, I think Roxy want to marry on a beach’’.

 

‘’A beach?’’.

 

‘’Yeah we saw it on Six feet under some time ago and he loved the idea’’.

 

‘’So you really think he’s ready for all that?’’.

 

‘’I don’t know, I know she likes a fun and just seems like a ball of fun to you guys but I’ve seen other sides, sides when its just me and her and maybe she is, what I am sure about is I don’t want to be with anyone else for the rest of my life because she’s the one guys’’.

 

‘’Well go for it then man’’.

 

‘’Yeah, maybe I will’’. And Lewis takes his shot.

 

A week later Roxy is just walking out of a dance lesson when she finds Lewis waiting for her on his newly sprayed motorbike.

 

‘’Hey you got the spray job’’.

 

‘Yep, Ted told me about a guy’’.

 

‘’Well it looks good’’.

 

‘’Thank you, now get on’’. Asks Lewis.

 

‘’Why, were we going?’’.

 

‘’A picnic’’.

 

‘’Picnic, where?’’.

 

‘’Your favourite place’’. And Roxy then jumps on while Lewis rides to the small lake where Roxy took him to practise on his bike.

 

Lewis reaches into a big bush where he hid the picnic basket and he then lays out a sheet for the two to sit on and then pulls out a small tub of strawberries, some sandwiches and a bottle of wine.

 

‘’Wow, someone’s out to impress’’.

 

‘’Yes I am’’. And Lewis then pops open the wine.

The two sit and enjoy there picnic and as Roxy enjoys another strawberry she realises just how special things between her and Lewis really are.

 

‘’You know I’ve never met a guy who would have done something like this for me, its sweet and I appreciate it’’.

 

‘’Your worth it Roxy’’.

 

‘’You are too’’. And she then leans over and feeds him a strawberry and when she does Lewis feels into his pocket at the engagement ring he had bought trying to pluck up the courage while at the same time wondering if it was even the right thing to do.

 

‘’Look Roxy, I have a confession to make’’.

 

‘’I’m your fool’’.  She sings of the foo fighters song.

 

‘’No really’’.

 

‘’What is it?’’.

 

‘’I….. I bought this’’. Ad Lewis pulls out the ring.

 

‘’ I guess I just got a little ahead of myself  and a little too excited, I know were both still young and we should enjoy it and enjoy each other as well as our time apart its just….’’.

 

‘’You bought me a ring’’.

 

‘’Yes’’. And Lewis then opens the box’’.

 

‘’Its just I love you Roxy and want to spend the rest of my life we you, your lie no other girl I’ve ever met, your exciting and wild and sexy but you can be calm and sensitive and homely, you have it all and I know there’s no other girl out there like you but I know this is way too soon so I just want you to know how I feel and one day I hope to do this for real’’.

 

‘’What not today?’’. She replies before looking in his eyes.

 

‘’Really?’’.

 

‘’Yes, really’’. And Lewis then takes out the ring and looks back at Roxy.

 

‘’Are you sure Roxy, we can wait for as long as you want there’s no rush’’.

 

‘’Why wait when you find what you want’’. And Roxy then takes the ring from his hand before putting it on. ‘’Its so beautiful’’.

 

‘’Not as beautiful as you’’. And Lewis then leans over kissing Roxy

 

‘ I cant believe were engaged’’. Gushes Roxy.

 

‘’Me too, im the luckiest guy in the world’’.

 

‘’Im the luckiest girl’’. And she kisses Lewis again feeling love like never before.

 

‘’Congratulations!’’. Shouts everyone at the party at Lewis work as Lewis and Roxy walk in, it is a week since Lewis proposed and all there family and friends were there to celebrate.

 

‘’Here bro, enjoy it while you can’. Says Tyler as he passes his brother a beer.

 

‘’Thank you’’.

 

‘’ Lewis!’’. Shouts Tom giving him a hug.

 

‘’Nice to see you too Tom’’. And they all begin to enjoy the party.

 

‘’Roxy is sat drinking a cocktail with Helen.

 

‘’So you sure?’’. Asks Helen.

 

‘’Sure about what?’’.

 

‘’Wedding, marriage, chain and ball, lock down’’.

 

‘Yes, yes I’m ready, I’m more than ready’’.

 

‘’But your young and free and a little wild or at least you used to be’’.

 

‘’I still am’’. She says giving her a nudge.

 

‘’ Can you remember all those nights me and you sat with a tub of ice scream watching a move like looking like extras from friends’’.

 

‘’Yes’’.

 

‘’And we would slag of al the guys who had treated us badly, all those guys who were only after one thing and treated us like possessions’’.

 

‘’Sadly yes’’.

 

Well I found Lewis, I found a guy who isn’t just after one thing and who gives me respect and thinks about me, remembers conversations we had, he’s thoughtful and fun and everything I’ve ever wanted but never had, it almost feels like I’ve been waiting all my life for him’’.

 

‘’Well cheers then, and I am very pleased for you, you’re my best friend and I love you’’. And the two knock there glasses together.

As the party continues and everyone enjoying themselves Lewis is in the back grabbing another drink when suddenly he hears someone banging and as he opens it a slightly worse for wear Marcus barges in.

 

‘’Where is she?’’. He demands.

 

‘’What the…..’’.

 

‘’Roxy, where is she?’’.

 

‘’She’s with me now!’’. Sys Lewis and Marcus stops looking back at him.

 

‘’You, you! Why would Roxy end up with a guy like you!’’.

 

‘’Because I love her and she loves me and I respect her and treat her right unlike a******s like you who knock women around because they cant do it to men!’’.

 

‘’She doesn’t love you, its just all nice and safe!’’.

 

‘’  Screw you!’’.

 

‘’You know it, deep down, Roxy’s special and she has her pick, her pick of anyone, she’s fun and wild and doesn’t end up with someone boring like you! She doesn’t love you!’’.

 

‘’Your wrong’’. They hear and look at the door to see Roxy standing there.

 

‘’Your wrong Marcus, I do love Lewis, I love him with all my heart, he means more to me than you ever did’’.

 

‘’But its not as exciting’’.

 

‘’It is and more, he loves me and makes me feel like a princess and I don’t ever want that feeling to go away, and what did I ever get from you? A black eye, tears, feeling alone, feeling worthless? Is that what you call love, is that how you make girls feel special’’.

 

‘’Roxy I…..’’.

 

‘’Too late Marcus, you mean nothing to me now and never will again’’.  And as they all stand there in silence Tyler storms in and grabs Marcus by the collar pinning him up against the wall.

 

‘’ What the….’’.

 

‘’Tyler’’. Says his brother. ‘’don’t’’.

 

‘’ If I ever see you near my brother again your dead!’’. He  warms Marcus before letting him go and heading back to the party.

 

‘’Leave Marcus’’. Roxy tells him and Marcus heads for the door but before he heads out e looks back at Roxy.

 

‘’ Were broke up five minutes and your already planning a wedding, I always knew your were a w***e’’. And Lewis then lunges punching Marcus across the face before pushing him out of the door and Marcus falls out onto his back on the dirt floor.

 

‘’If I ever see you near Roxy again I’ll kill you’’ .Warns Lewis. ‘’Never, ever speak to her again do you hear me because if you do I’ll kill your, look at you, laid on the floor drunk and desperate, why would anyone want to be with you’’. And Lewis slams the door shut before looking back at Roxy who smiles at him and then heads into his arms.

 

‘’Were not going to let that a*****e ruin our party’’.

 

‘’ I wont I promise’’.

 

‘’Good, my night in shining armour’’. And Roxy kisses Lewis before taking his hand.

 

‘’Come on, lets go and have a dance’’. And Roxy leads him back into the party.

 

Everyone is dancing and having fun while in the middle of the floor is Roxy in Lewis arms.

 

‘’Tonight has been perfect’’. Says Roxy.

 

‘’Almost’’.

 

‘’No, it has, I even so your rugged side’’.

 

‘’Yeah well I thought it was in there somewhere’’.

 

‘’Its not the side I love, it’s the tender and sweet and loving’’. She replies wrapping her arms further around him.

 

Marcus walks back to his car and opens the door taking one look back at the party and sniggering but before he climbs in he is attacked from behind by Tyler who punches him to the floor and then punching him again and again.

 

A month later Roxy is taking a dance lesson when through the glass she spots Lewis and after he lesson  she heads on out to him.

 

‘’I thought you were working’’. She asks.

 

‘’I was but I got off early’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’To take you somewhere’’.

 

‘’Where?’’.

 

‘’Jump on, but I warn you were in for a two hour ride’’.

 

‘’Two hours!’’.

 

‘’Trust me it’ll be worth it’’. And Roxy jumps on the back of the bike.

After over a two hour ride they are finally there and Lewis rides down a small rode which leads to a small, clear beach looking out onto the ocean, Roxy jumps off the bike and looks around at the beautiful scenery.

 

‘’What…. I…. I didn’t know about this place’’.

 

‘’Me neither until I found t on the net’’.

 

‘’Its…… its…..’’.

 

‘’Do you like it?’’.

 

‘’Its beautiful!’’.

 

‘’I was thinking about the wedding’’.

 

‘’Yes, it would be perfect’’.

 

‘’Well I made some enquiries and you can arrange weddings here’’. 

‘’Really!’’.

 

‘’Yes, so do you want me to make the arrangements?’’.

 

‘’Yes, it……. it would be perfect’’. And Roxy hugs Lewis.

 

‘’On the way back Roxy taps Lewis on the shoulder so he pulls the bike over.

 

‘You ok?’’. He asks.

 

‘’Yes, look over there’’. She says pointing across the street.

 

‘’What?’’.

 

A tattoo shop’’.

 

‘’Yes’’.

 

‘’So…….’.

 

‘’Well do you have one?’’. She asks.

 

‘’What do you think?’’.

 

‘’Well I don’t too but I’ve always wanted one so lets go and get one each’’.

 

‘’A tattoo?’’.

 

‘’Not scared are you?’’.

 

‘’No’’.

 

‘’ Well come on then’’.  And Roxy leads a slightly scared ( Don’t tell her) Lewis across the street. The two enter the shop to find a bold headed large man with a long ginger beard and many, many tattoos sat in the chair reading a magazine.

 

‘’So what can I do for you too?’’. H asks standing up.

 

‘’Er.. .my friend would like a flaming eagle on his chest’’.

 

‘’What!’’. Cries Lewis.

 

‘’Im only joking’’. She tells Lewis before looking back at the tattooist’’.

‘’Were both after our first tattoos so something small’’.

 

‘’Ok I’ll get the book’’. And he tattooist passes Roxy a book of pictures so they can go to take a look and then for the next five minutes the two sit down and look through the book of pictures as the mull over what design to have.

 

‘’I think I’ll have this one’’. Says Roxy pointing to a small tribal tattoo that went on the outside of your little finger and down a small part of your hand.

 

‘’Hey I like that’’.

 

‘’Yeah it’s cool, so what you having?’’.

 

‘’Me?’’. And Lewis looks at the pictures that all begin to blur a little.

 

‘’I… don’t know’’. He quickly answers as his eyes desperately search for the smallest design.

 

‘’What about that one?’’. Suggests Roxy pointing to a small picture of a cross.

 

‘’No, too religious’’.

 

‘’Lewis you wear a cross around your neck’’.

 

‘’Exactly, I don’t want to come across as some God fanatic’’. (Love you big man and screw Darwin).

 

‘’Hey what about that one’’. He suggests pointing to a small  symbol that looks similar to the letter P.

 

‘’What is it?’’. Asks Roxy.

 

‘’You’ve seen Halloween six right?’’.

 

‘’Oh yeah, the tattoo on Michael’s wrist’’.

 

‘’Exactly, the thorn’’. ( I know a lot of people didn’t like that movie and especially hated the whole thorn thing but I did and this is my story….. Sorry).

 

‘’Yeah I like it, it looks cool’’.

 

‘’Ok then that it is’’. And the two settle on there tattoos and Roxy goes first.

 

‘’ Ok, this is going to hurt but a lot of people tell me after a while it feels good and this s**t must be addictive because they all keep coming back’’. The tattooist tells Roxy.

 

‘’Ok here goes then’’. And she reaches out for Lewis to hold her hand which he does as the tattooist starts. At first Roxy bites her bottom lip a tell, tell sign to Lewis it her a little. (Plus the fact she’s squeezing his hand)

 

‘’Ok now for the colouring in’’. Says the tattooist.

 

‘’Ow’’. Moans Roxy a few ties between biting her lip.

 

‘’Ok that’s it’’. Says the tattooist.

 

‘’All done?’’. Asks Roxy.

 

‘’Yep’’.

 

‘’Well that was quick’’. And Roxy looks at her tattoo with a smile on her face.

 

‘’I love it’’.

 

‘’Yeah me too’’. Adds Lewis.

 

‘’It was defiantly worth the pain’’. (Oh great say that right before I go under the knife…. I mean needle).

 

‘’Ok what you having?’’. The tattooist asks Lewis.

 

‘’This’’. He says pointing to the picture. ‘’On my wrist.

 

‘’Wrist can be painful, it’s a little tender there. The tattooist warns. ( Oh great just what I needed to hear, why did I pick a tattoo there! I cant back out now or have it somewhere else because Roxy will think I’m a right weed)

 

‘’Ok, just go easy I guess’’.

 

‘’don’t worry son, I always am on first timers’’. (I’m not even going to go there) and Lewis sits in the chair.

 

‘’Ok I’ll just get the needle’’. Says the tattooist and as he turns around to get the needle Roxy holds out her hand.

 

‘’Wanna hold my hand?’’. She asks.

 

‘’Oh yeah, very macho‘’.

 

‘’You getting a tattoo because I asked, what’s not macho about that‘’. And the two smile at one another before Lewis takes her hand.

 

‘’Ok son, here goes’’. And the tattooist starts.

 

( Dam this hurts! Arrhhhh! It feels like a thousand needles burying into my flesh at the same time, like I had attacked, no destroyed a wasps beehive and there army of ten thousand suicide bombers were stinging my arms! Wasps do have beehives don’t they? And sorry for the whole suicide bombers thing.

 

‘’You ok baby?’’. Asks Roxy.

 

‘’Fine’’. (Fine! Fine! No im not I want to cry, im not biting my bottom lip like Roxy I’m tearing it off And Lewis then looks up at the tattooist as he works away. ( You are a liar! Begins to feel nice after a while no! It hurts at the start and just gets worse! How can this be addictive! How can having your flesh burned in front of your eyes and pain shooting trough you be addictive! I’m never coming again…. Ever!.

 

‘’You feeling ok son?’’. Asks the tattooist ( No you idiot!) ‘’ Yeah ok’’. And Lewis squeezes on Roxy hand.

 

‘’Ok I’m done’’. He tells Lewis a few minutes later.

 

‘’See, wasn’t too bad was it’’. Says Roxy with a mile on her face as she holds Lewis hand.

 

‘’No it was…..ok’’. And Lewis then stands up to head over to the big mirror on the wall but as he takes a few steps he suddenly begins to feel light-headed and a little sick and before he knows it Lewis faints and crashes to the floor.

 

‘’Lewis……Lewis’’. He hears someone calling and Lewis opens his eyes to find himself sat back in the tattooists chair.

 

‘’What happened?’’.

 

‘’You fainted’’.

 

‘’Really?’’.

 

‘’Yes but before you dropped you seemed to love the tattoo’’.

 

‘’Yeah I do’’.

 

‘’Good because we gave you another’’.

 

‘’Another!’’.

 

‘’Yeah, take a look’’. And Roxy holds up a mirror to show Lewis his back which is covered with a huge tattoo of a flaming motorbike being rode by a devil.

 

‘’Do you like it?’’.

 

‘’No!!!!!!!!!!!’’. He screams.

 

‘’Lewis….Lewis’’.

 

‘’No more devils please’’.  Says Lewis as he opens his eyes and realises he was having a dream.

 

‘’What do you dream about?’’. Asks the tattooist with a puzzled look on his face.

 

‘’Er…. I was having a dream’’.

 

‘’What about?’’ .Asks Roxy.

 

‘’Er…… the exorcists’’. ( Dam the tattoo dream sounds better now).

 

‘’Okay.. Well you blacked out’’.

 

‘’Blacked out?’’.

 

‘’Yeah, fainted, Ricky here said it happens sometimes with your first tattoo’’.

 

‘’Yeah I’ve seen it happen three or four times’’. And Lewis then look up at the sign above the door which states Ricky had been running the place for over ten years but doesn’t point that out.

 

‘’Ok then, I feel fine now, probably because I’ve had nothing to eat’’.

 

‘’Yeah, do you feel sick?’’.

 

‘’No I’ll be fine’’. And Lewis takes a glance down at his tattoo.

 

‘’Hey it looks good’’.

 

‘’Yeah I think it does too’’. And he and Roxy then thank the tattooist before heading on out.

 

 

‘’We should celebrate’’. Says Lewis.

 

‘‘Celebrate?’’.

 

‘’Yeah the birth of our first tattoos’’.

 

‘’Ok then’’.

 

‘’Tell you what, lets drive home, you drop me off at Tyler’s place and I’ll go and get Tyler and Rachael to come’’.

 

‘’You will?’’.

 

‘’Yeah you know how good I am at persuading people’’.

 

‘’Your right’’.

 

‘’Yep while you go to my place and pick up my dress’’.

 

‘’Which one?’’.

 

‘’ Yellow and black one’’.

 

‘’Ok then’’. And Lewis sets off to drop Roxy off at Tyler’s.

Lewis drops Roxy off and she heads up the drive knocking on the door. Roxy knocks again but doesn’t get an answer so she knocks again and still nothing and as Roxy heads around the back she finds Tyler laid face down on the lawn.

 

Lewis lets himself into Roxy’s and immediately is hit by music playing loudly. ( Roxy left the music on again, she always told me it was to warn off burgles but I know its just because she’s forgetful and not one for being in order, maybe that’s what I like about her, her freeness against my order?) And Lewis walks into the hall before heading to the bedroom but as he walks in and heads to the wardrobe, he then looks through the cloths and picks out the yellow and black dress but as Lewis turns back around he is hit over the head with a baseball bat and knocked out cold.

Roxy rushes over to Tyler and turns him over to his back to find his face a mess form obviously more fighting.

 

‘’Tyler, Tyler’’. She says moving his head and Tyler finally opens his eyes and looks up at Roxy.

‘’What happened?’’. She asks and Tyler simply rolls his eyes.

 

‘’You wait here, I’ll be right back’’. And Roxy heads into the house.

 

Lewis wakes to find Roxy standing over him.

 

‘’What happened?’’. He asks.

 

‘’You were attacked buy your ok now’.

 

‘’By who?’’.

 

‘’I don’t know but your ok now’. And Roxy helps Lewis to sit up.

 

‘’I found you laid out here and while you were out I got you something to say sorry for being attacked in my house’’.

 

‘’What?’’.

 

‘’Look’’. And Roxy points to the mirror and as Lewis looks he sees that both his arms are sleeved with tattoos.

 

‘’Do you like it?’’.

 

‘’No!!!!!!!!!!’’. He screams…….

 

Lewis wakes, he wakes to find himself laid on Roxy’s bed with a bag of ice balanced on his forehead and he takes the ice off his head and sits up to find a young women with long brown hair, wearing just a long t-s**t sat opposite him on a chair.

 

‘’Er…… I’m sorry’’. She says.

 

‘’Who are you?’’.

 

‘’The names Sam I’m…’’.

 

‘’Roxy’s sister’’.

 

‘’Yeah and you’re Lewis’’.

 

‘’Yep’’.

 

‘’I saw a picture of you two in a frame but sadly after I popped you, back then I just thought you were a weird burglar stealing my sisters cloths’’.

 

‘’Wish you’d seen that picture a little earlier’’. Says Lewis feeling the bump on his head.

 

‘’You’ll be ok’’. She replies throwing him a beer.

 

Roxy returns with a first aid kit and a bag of ice and begins cleaning Tyler up.

 

‘’So what happened this time?’’. She asks Tyler.

 

‘’ I don’t want to talk about it’’.

 

‘’Why, think I’ll judge you or go running to Rachel?’’.

 

‘’No’’.

 

‘’So spill’’.

 

‘’I just…… I just lose it sometimes and I need… I need…’’.

 

‘’To let it all out’‘.

 

‘’Yeah, I men I never EVER go looking for trouble but when it starts I just cant back down and I see red, I know its wrong but…. I just cant’’.

 

‘’You cant go on fighting forever, you need to control your temper’’.

 

‘’I know, its just if I see someone look at me funny or bump into me I lose it and minutes later the punches are flying, guys start with me because they know im easy to provoke and I am, I cant control this thing inside of me and it feels like its ripping me apart sometimes’’.

 

‘’Your brother worries about you, we all do’’.

 

‘’I know and it upsets me when they see me like this’’.

 

‘’Well my dad used to always tell me and my sister when you make a mistake in life there’s two roads, one road where you learn from your mistakes and move on or the other where you don’t and just keeping making them again and again, the road you do take is up to you, no one else’s’’. She tells Tyler as she cleans his knuckles.

 

‘’ Your right’’.

 

‘’So stop using these’’. She says holding up his hands. ‘’And start using this’’. She says pointing to his head. ‘’Before its too late because you’re a good guy Tyler, you remind me of Heath cliff’’.

 

‘’Who?’’.

 

‘’Heath cliff, withering Heights?’’.

 

‘’Nope’’.

 

‘’Its only the greatest love story of all time’’.

 

‘’You into love stories’’.

 

‘’I do have my soft side’’.

 

‘’Ok’’.

 

‘’Well Heath cliff is the strong type like you who rarely shows his true emotions and keeps them bottled up, yeah he has fun and is confident but his true emotions stay inside and because of this he’s in constant battle with them always fighting them never being able to open up until she comes along’’.

 

‘’She?’’.

 

‘’Kathy and when she came along he felt these emotions pouring out of him and a first he didn’t know what to do about it but then…. Then he opened up to her and showed his emotions and they fell in love, this big, strapping man who many feared fell in love and changed forever, je found what he always needed’’.

 

‘’And did they live happily ever after?’’

 

‘’Er….. No it’s a little more complicated than that’’.

 

‘’I thought this story was supposed to make me feel better?’’.

 

‘’It is, I just think you should open up more, to Rachael’’.

 

‘’ Guess so’’.

 

‘’Well don’t worry, I wont mention this to anyone’’.

 

‘’Thanks’’.

 

‘’Your probably wondering what I’m doing over here in the first place’’.

 

‘’What with blood pouring from my nose? No I wasn’t sorry’’. He replies with a smile on his face.

 

‘’Well me and Lewis are going out tonight I we were wondering if you and Rachael wanted to come’’.

 

‘’Rachael’s at work and I don’t think im in a state to go’’.

 

‘’Well I’ll tell Lewis your feeling a little under the whether’’.

 

‘’Thanks, what’s the occasion anyway?’’.

 

‘’Me and Lewis got our first tattoos’’.

 

‘’Wait, my brother got a tattoo!’’.

 

‘’Yes, only a little one but still’’.

 

‘’I cant believe it’’.

 

‘’Well he has’’.

 

‘’Your good for him Roxy’’.

 

‘’He is for me too’’.

 

‘’So you’re the one my sister is always going on about’’. Says Samantha as they finish there beer.

 

‘Your sister talks about me?’’.

 

‘’don’t flatter yourself cowboy’’.

 

‘’Oh I know its just….’’.

 

‘’I’m kidding, of course she does, she loves the bones off you’’.

 

‘’Well that’s good to hear’’.

 

‘’It is too, my sister has always had her pick’’.

 

‘’Yeah I’ve heard’’.

 

‘’And to hear she’s getting married, my sister settled down and married well you must mean a hell of a lot to her’’.

 

‘’ Well she means the world to me’’.

 

‘’Good and it better stay that way’’.

 

‘’It will… I promise’’.

 

‘’Ok then, what’s the plan for tonight?’’.

 

‘’Well me and Roxy are going out’’.

 

‘’Good, I’ll come too’’.

 

‘’Er….. Ok then’’.

 

‘’Well I’ll just go and get ready’’. And Samantha walks off and as she walks away with her back to Lewis she takes off her large t-shirt and throws it to the floor now just in a small pair of pants, letting Lewis know she is defiantly not shy.

 

Roxy waits outside Tyler’s house and ten minutes later he appears with a young women on the back of his bike, the young women then jumps off and takes off her helmet to reveal to Roxy it is her sister.

 

‘’Samantha’’.

 

‘’Roxy’’. And the two hug.

 

‘’When did you get back in town?’’.

 

‘A few hours ago’’.

 

‘’Well you look good’’.

 

‘’You too’’.

 

‘’Is Tyler and Rachael coming?’’. Asks Lewis.

 

‘’Er…. No, Rachael is working and your brother is feeling under the whether’’.

 

‘’Really, I’ll just g and see what’s wrong’’.

 

‘’No, he has flu, a bad case of it and he doesn’t want us to catch it, he’s just laid in bed sleeping’’.

 

‘’Oh ok then, I guess its just us three’’.

 

‘’Why don’t you leave the bike here and we’ll call a cab’’.

 

‘’Good idea’’. Replies Lewis and the three then jump in a taxi and head to town.

 

The next morning after a good night out the two sisters are sat on the swinging bench in the back yard with a cover over there legs and cup of coffee as they catch up.

 

‘’So your back home for a few months now?’’.

 

‘’Yep’’.

 

‘’Good, so you’ll defiantly make the wedding’’.

 

‘’Yes I will’’.

 

‘’So how’s the band? Asks Roxy as he sister is a guitarist in a band.

 

‘’Good, Jessie’s always asking about you’’.

 

‘’Is he’’.

 

‘’Yeah you should come and watch us some time like old times’’.

 

‘’I will I promise’’.

 

‘’Wait till they all hear wild and reckless Roxy is getting married’’.

 

‘’Hey, I may be wild but you’re the reckless one’’.

 

‘’True’’. And the sisters smile.

 

‘’So you seeing anyone?’’.

 

‘’No, nobody special’’.

 

‘’You never have been one for relationships have you’’.

 

‘’No and speaking of guys what’s Tyler like’’.

 

‘’Im not telling you’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’Because I know what your like’’.

 

‘’What do you mean?’’.

 

‘’Samantha I’m your sister I know what your like, you cast guys in your spell and spit them out when your bored’’.

 

‘’Well thanks sis’’.

 

‘’I’m only kidding’’.

 

‘’No your not’’.

 

‘’Well im not but it doesn’t matter anyway because Tyler’s spoken for’’.

 

‘’Oh well’’. And the sisters take a sip of there drink.

 

The wedding is drawing closer and closer so Lewis and Roxy are sat in the back yard going over the arrangements for the big day.

 

‘’Ok, so everything’s sorted at your work?’’ Asks Roxy.

 

‘’Yes, we have the biggest room for the whole day, the food, music, drinks, everything’ all sorted, all I have to do is go in the night before and help set things up and I’ve got a few guys who I work with to come and give me a hand so it wont take long’’.

 

‘’Ok good, and I called the orchestra band that’s going to play at the wedding’’.

 

‘’And?’’.

 

‘’They have the music I sent them and they say they can do all the songs’’.

 

‘’Even Journey?’’.

 

‘’Yes, there going through them all this wek’’.

 

‘’Excellent’’. And as the two continue to arrange things Samantha joins them outside wearing skinny jeans and a white vest with a beer in her hand.

 

‘’I I hope your not organising your hen night’’. She tells her sister.

 

‘’No, I haven’t really thought of it’’.

 

‘’Good, because I’m doing that’’.

 

‘’You are?’’.

 

‘’don’t worry, it wont be too crazy I promise’’.

 

‘’ Ok I’ll look forward to it with a few nerves’’.

 

‘’Good, and you still keep your passport in the bottom draw right?’’.

 

‘’Passport!’’.

 

‘’Just kidding, we don’t need passports where were going’’. And a smiling Samantha heads out to the garden’’.

 

‘’ I’m glad my sisters helping out with the arrangements’’. She tells Lewis.

 

‘’Yeah me too, she’s a little crazy and wild at times but I can see how happy she makes you just being around and I like her myself’’.

 

‘’Yeah she has that effect on guys’’.

 

‘’No not like…’’.

 

‘’I know I’m just playing’’ And Roxy rests her head on Lewis shoulder.

 

‘’I could say the same about her sister’’. He jokes and Roxy looks up a him.

 

‘’Not anymore because I’ve found what I want’’. And Roxy lies her head back on Lewis shoulder who has a smile on his face.

 

All the arrangements are made and everything is in place as the wedding lies two days away, that night Lewis and Roxy are at the beach where they will take there vows looking at the wonderful all white setting that had been set up for there special day and to Roxy it looks like an image right out of a fairytale.

 

‘’So what do you think?’’. Asks Lewis and Roxy turns to him.

 

‘’Its beautiful’’.

 

‘’I cant wait to marry you here’’ .He tells Roxy.

 

‘’Not a much as me’’.

 

‘’I’m going to show my wedding ring off to everybody, stopping random stranger in the street telling them how I married the most beautiful girl in the world so I best start carrying a picture of you around with me so I can prove it’’.

 

‘’What a life size cut out one?’’.

 

‘’I was thinking something a little smaller’’. And the two laugh.

 

‘’No really though, it feels like my whole life has been leading up to this’’.

 

‘’Like a dress rehearsal’’.

 

‘’Exactly’’.

 

‘’Me too, I am the luckiest girl in the world’’.

 

‘’Yeah you probably are’. And Lewis swings Roxy on his arms as the two laugh more.

 

‘’So its your hen night and my stag night’’.

 

‘’Yep’’.

 

‘’Celebrating the death of our single status’’.

 

‘’Yep’’.

 

‘’Yeah I might as well go out with a bang’’. Jokes Lewis and Roxy begins chasing him down to the water and begins wetting him. ‘’You dare!’’. She laughs as the two wet one another before Lewis grabs her and begins lowering her legs into the water and she screams lifting them up before turning her body around and wrapping her legs around Lewis staring into one another’s eyes as the sun slowly sets behind them Lewis with his shoes on stood in the water getting wet.

 

‘’God I love you so much’’. He tells Roxy as he holds her in his arms. ‘’I never wont to let you go’’.

 

‘’Then don’t’’. She tells him lowering her head and the two share and slow and tender kiss.

It is the night of Lewis stag and Roxy’s hen night as the celebrate the death of there single life’s ( Don’t tell Roxy I said that).. Lewis is out in town with his brother, there good friend Tom and a few of his friends from work.

 

‘’So whatever happens in town tonight stays in town tonight!’’. Shouts Tyler as he carries over a  trey of shots.

 

‘’Hey, remember I want to keep this on the low’’. Lewis tells his brother.

 

‘’Come on Lewis, it’s the end of an area’’. Replies Tom who then begins dancing in a way only he can and Tyler joins in.

 

Roxy is dressed up as a school girl ( Hey hold your imagination at bay there, all the girls are it’s the theme of the night unsurprisingly set up by Samantha.

 

‘’So what’s this club again?’’. She asks on the way there in the mini bus’’.

 

‘’Ice Queen, very high class and I got us into the V.I.P area’’. Replies Samantha.

 

‘’V.I.P, how did you do that?’’.

 

‘’I know the D.J’’.

 

‘’You know the D.J?’’.

 

‘Lets just leave it there, just know this place is supposedly really hot with pole dances, killer music ( She should know), games and a lot more’’.

 

‘’Sounds good’’. Adds Helen.

 

‘It is trust me’’

 

Lewis is on the dance floor dancing to the best of his ability while his brother pulls out all his moves and Tom…. Well Tom’s Tom and the rest of his friends strut there stuff on the dance floor when suddenly Lewis spots Heather with to of her friends stood across the dance floor looking at him and Lewis smiles before throwing a wave.

 

‘’Roxy, Helen, Samantha, Rachael and the rest of her friends arrive at the Ice Queen nightclub all dressed as school girls and Roxy throws the guy on the door a smile before he lets her and the rest in and Roxy then leads them all to the V’I’P area where they are all let in, Roxy walks into the V’I’P area and looks around he room, there is young girls dressed just in a small pair of frilly pants dancing on poles while rich old men with wife’s at home stare at them like they are pockets of there old youth, while in the corner a young black guy is spinning the decks in the D.J booth, lights flash down from the ceiling onto the huge dance floor which has a few very good dancers on and in all the place looks good.

 

‘’I like this place’’. Roxy shouts into her sisters ear over the music.

 

‘’I know you would, it always reminded me of he places we used to sneak into when we were seventeen’’.

 

‘’Samantha they were never this good’’.

 

‘’They are in my memories’’. And Samantha then struts her stuff across to the huge bar before ordering a round of cocktails asking the bartender to put in a little twist.

 

Lewis is heading to the men’s toilet when suddenly one of Heathers friends stands in front of the bathroom door blocking his way.

 

‘’Hello…… Saskia. (I can remember she was the real pushy one)

 

‘’So…..’’.

 

‘’Heather wants you to go outside to the beer garden’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’She brought you a drink’’.

 

‘’So why is it outside?’’.

 

‘’Because its too noisy in here and she wants to wish you look with the wedding’’.

 

‘’Ok’’. ( That’s nice of her I guess).

 

‘’Ok then, thanks, I’ll be right out’’. But Saskia still doesn’t move.

 

‘’Er… I still need to pee’’. He tells her and Saksia finally moves allowing Lewis to use the toilet before heading out to Heather.

 

Roxy is on the dance floor with her sister, best friend Helen and some of her dance friends having the time of her life.

 

‘’I’m just heading to the ladies room’’ .Samantha whispers into her sisters ear before heading to the bathroom, Samantha walks into the empty ladies bathroom and heads to the big mirror in front of the sinks before re-applying her red lipstick but as she does one of the cubicles doors fly open and in the reflection of the mirror she sees Marcus standing there.

 

Lewis heads t the quietness outside to find Heather waiting for him, she is looking as beautiful as always in a short frilly, black dress and very high heels.

 

‘’Here’’ She says holding out a bottle of his favourite beer corona.

 

‘’I bought you this’’.

 

‘’Thanks’‘. He replies before taking the beer and then taking a seat.

 

‘’So…….’’.

 

‘’What am I doing here?’.

 

‘’Yeah kind of’’.

 

‘’Well I was thinking about…. About you….. About us’’.

 

‘’Us?’’.

 

‘’ Yes, us’’. And the conversation is replaced with a minute of awkward silence.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’Because…. Because I treated you wrong and I took you for granted,  cards on the table I never saw us as equals’’.

 

‘’Thanks’’.

 

‘’No its just I always had it’’.

 

‘’Had what?’’.

 

‘’Attention from boys, ever since I started school and when you came along I just saw you as another one, a nice guy to fill some time ( Dam don’t I fee special). But  when it ended or when I ended it I got with someone else who was just like me, great body, great career nice car and teeth ( Not then again!) but it made me realise something, it made me realise people like him, like me are selfish and always looking to improve themselves and better themselves so we need someone like you who puts us…me first and looks after me when im tired and does things for me rather than themselves, the guy I was engaged to was so self absorbed he never had time for me and I missed my tea being made for me and a hot bath with a glass of wine and candles waiting for me after work and I want that back’’.

 

‘’You want a slave?’’.

 

‘’No, I want you’’.

 

‘’Do you know how long I waited for you to call when you left?’’.

 

‘’I know’’.

 

‘’I waited and waited and my heart eventually tore, I couldn’t believe when you said yes to go out with me but I always played second best, always trying to make you happy and impress you but when did you ever do anything for me? I loved you Heather but you dint love me back, the only person you love is yourself’’.

 

‘’Lewis don’t say that’’.

 

‘’No I’m gad, I’m glad you dumped me and broke my heart because if you didn’t I would have never met Roxy’’.

 

‘’Look at me Lewis, you could have this, all of this, be the envy of every other guy out there, I’ll give you my all this time Lewis, everything’’. And Lewis takes a look down at the tattoo on his hand and remembers having it done with Roxy by his side and just earlier today holding her in the water where they will soon marry and Lewis hen looks back up at Heather.

 

‘’ Before Roxy this is all I dreamed about Heather, I laid in my garden on a night with a few of these and preyed you’d come back to me, I would look up at the stars and wish you would come back to me but you never did and I fought the stars weren’t listening, I fought they were ignoring me but they were listening and they gave me the brightest one of them all, Roxy’’. And Lewis takes a sip of his drink as Heather looks down at the floor.

 

‘’What do you want?’’. Asks Samantha as Marcus walks out of the cubicle and stands beside her washing his hands in the sink.

 

‘’The question is what do you want?’’ He asks.

 

‘’What do I want? You in Hell my sister happily married, me copping off at the after party’’.

 

‘’Well im afraid its not going to go down like that’’.

 

‘’Really?’’.

 

‘’Really’’. 

Samantha then looks at Marcus face through the reflection of the mirror.

 

‘’ What’s wrong, walked into a few doors?’’. She sniggers looking at the marks on his face that were caused by Tyler.

 

‘’Just a slight road bump on the way to getting what I want’’.

 

‘’And what’s that?’’

 

‘’Your sister’’. He replies and Samantha laughs.

 

‘’Too late Marc, she’s taken already’’.

 

‘’Yes by me’.

 

‘’Not anymore, she’s met someone special and the wedding is arranged if you didn’t know this is a hen do’’.

 

‘’ The wedding isn’t going to happen’’.

 

‘’Really?’’.

 

‘’Yes because Roxy loves me’’.

 

‘’She never loved you Marcus, the only person who loves you is yourself’’.

 

‘’We have something, things just got in the way’’.

 

‘’What like your fists?’’. And Samantha then turns and looks Marcus right I the face.

 

‘’If I’d have known I swear!’’.

 

‘’What if Roxy knew?’’. He replies and Samantha backs down.

 

‘’What if she knew about me and her sister’’.

 

‘’It was one night, one drunken night! That I have regretted ever since and will till the day I die because I must have been absolutely slaughtered to let you put your hands on me!’’.

 

‘’But you did and you enjoyed it!’’. And Samantha slaps Marcus across the face.

 

‘’And what about the abortion?’’. And Samantha’s face sinks an she backs away from Marcus.

 

‘’You wouldn’t’’. She replies quietly.

 

‘’Try me’’.

 

‘’I went thought, Hell, HELL when I went had the abortion, I cried and cried and had no one to turn to, I went all on my own and sat there waiting to kill my baby and on the night of the abortion I had a dream, a dream about a little girl, my little girl and I was combing her hair in the mirror for school and I loved it, it made me feel wanted and special but as I sat there combing my baby girls hair with a smile on my face I suddenly wake, I woke alone in bed with only my tear stained eyes and stomach pains for company and ever since I have had to live with it, live with this nightmare that was all my fault and this!’’. And Samantha shows Marcus a star on her wrist.

 

‘’This is for her! And every single day I look down at it and tell her im sorry for not doing what was right so don’t you dare try and threaten me with this!’’. And Samantha begins to walk away but as she does Marcus follows and Samantha turns around up against the door to have Marcus standing up close to her feeling his breathe on her as the two stand up close and Marcus then reaches across her and locks the bathroom door.

 

‘’You look really pretty tonight’’.

 

‘Screw you’’.

 

‘’I want you….. I want you to sabotage the wedding’’.

 

‘’Never!’’.

 

‘’I want you to tell Roxy Lewis made a move on you’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’Because she’ll believe you over anyone else, funny enough she trusts you’’. And Marcus sniggers. ‘’Tell her Lewis made a move on you and she’ll never go through with the wedding’’.

 

‘’And you think she’ll come crying into your arms?’’.

 

‘’Yes, because I’ll be there for her, a shoulder to cry on’’.

 

‘’Never!’’.

 

‘’Ok then’’. And Marcus unlocks the door. ‘’Lets go and tell your sister about our night together and the baby’’. And Marcus begins to open the door but Samantha slams her body against it and slams it shut.

‘’So you gonna play ball then?’’ He asks and Samantha who stays silent looking down at the floor.

 

‘’Good, best let you get to work then’’. And Marcus opens the door allowing Samantha to make her exit.

 

‘’So that’s it, your turning ME down?’’.  Asks Heather. I’m not turning you down Heather, it was you who turned me down remember, im just telling you I’ve with the girl of my dreams and I’ll do nothing to mess that up’’.

 

‘’ You’ll regret it, when you kiss her you’ll think of me’’.

 

‘’It’s impossible, because when I kiss her everything else fades to the background’’. And Lewis stands up. ‘’And I’m not going to spend anymore of my stag night out here explaining it to you so why don’t you just come inside, have another drink and we’ll pretend like this conversation never happened’’. And with that Heather stands up but she does not head back inside.

 

‘’You know what. All the cocktails must have gone to my head because why would I want to be back with a spineless boy like you, I can have anyone I want’’.

 

‘’Well good luck Heather, I hope you find what you want’’. And Lewis heads back into the club with a smile on his face feeling like he had concurred the demon that was Heather and now he could get his party before marrying his angel.

 

Roxy is having the time of her life on the dance floor with her friends when she spots her sister is still sat down so she heads on over.

 

‘’I am having such a good time!’’. She tells Samantha before taking a sip of a cocktail through a black straw.

 

‘’Glad to hear it’’.

 

‘’What’s wrong? Your normally the first one on and the last one off a dance floor, you’ve gone quiet’’.

 

‘’No, I’m ok’’.

 

‘’Really because if there’s anything wrong you can tell me’’. And Samantha looks at her sister to see just how much she was enjoying herself and how she would remember tonight forever and there was no way she was going to bring it all crashing down….. at least not tonight because the conflict of Marcus would have to stay in her head for the rest of the night as she partied with her sister who deserved the good time they were having.

 

‘’Come on’. Says Samantha as she tries her best to block Marcus out of her head and grab her sisters hand.

 

‘’Me and you on the dance floor’’.

 

‘’that’s more like it!’’. And the two sisters head for the dance floor as another up tempo song is played and they all party away.

 

‘’Where you been?’’. Tyler asks his brother.

 

‘’Just talking to an old friend’’.

 

‘’Well im glad you back’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’Because Tom bought you something’’. And Tyler moves aside to reveal a young, blonde stripper dressed as a police officer.

 

‘’I hear your getting married’’. She asks Lewis.

 

‘’Er….. Yes’’.

 

‘’Well there’s no ring on that finger tonight boy’’. And the stripper pushes Lewis back onto a chair before straddling his lap and flinging he long golden locks into his lightly frightened face.

 

‘’Roxy’’. Shouts Samantha in her ear.

 

‘’What?’’.

 

‘’ I bought you your wedding gift’’.

 

‘’You did?’’.

 

‘’Yes and I want to give you it now’’.

 

‘’No, wait until the reception after the wedding’’.

 

‘’I cant’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’ Because I don’t think all of the guests will approve’’. And suddenly the music changes and a spotlight is shone down on Roxy, Samantha with a wicked smile on her face then turns Roxy around to show her standing behind them a very well built and oiled up ( That’s enough) male stripper standing there dressed as a fireman.

 

‘’Are you Roxy?’’. He asks.

 

‘’Yes’’.

 

‘’Well I have a fire burning’’.

 

‘’Do you?’’.

 

‘’Yes and your going to need to hold my hose to put it out’’. And the strippers music hits and he begins taking off his yellow fireman’s jacket before pushing himself up against the laughing Roxy as all the girls egg her on and chant her name.

 

‘’Lewis, Lewis’’. They shout as the young stripper sits on his lap with her back to him and bends over unzipping her leather boots before taking them off,, Lewis then watches as the stripper reaches for her back and undoes her bra strap before allowing the bra to fall to the floor which is followed by a large cheer and she then turns back around on Lewis lap and faces him now just wearing small pants and block stockings.

 

‘’I need oiling up’’. She tells Lewis with a wink before being passed a tub of baby oil and then squirting some on her chest before looking at Lewis.

 

‘’Well, you gonna rub it in??????’’.

 

The striper takes Roxy’s hand and places them on his but cheeks as he dances up close to her.

 

‘’Dam he’s hot’’. Samantha tells Rachael as he continues to entertain Roxy.

The fireman stripper then takes off his yellow helmet putting it on Roxy before he rubs his fingers down her arms and then sits her down on a chair and passing Roxy a tub of baby oil.

 

‘’If only Lewis could see this’’. Rachael tells Helen and the two girls laugh.

 As they watch the stripper pour the baby oil onto the hands of Roxy.

 

The next morning after a very fun night Roxy still in her school uniform is laid fast asleep on the bed while in her doorway Samantha watches her sister with a cup of coffee in her hands as she struggles with what to do, if she tells Roxy Lewis tried it on with her she knows she would believe her and call of the wedding breaking her heart but if she doesn’t and the wedding goes ahead her one night stand with Marcus will no longer be a secret and the whole nightmare of the abortion will be revealed and Samantha cant go thorugh the pain of that again. She stands there in the doorway looking down at the star tattoo on her arm rubbing it as she thinks everything through.

 

‘’My head hurts’’. She hears from the bed to see Roxy is awake and turning over looking like she’s feeling the effects of her crazy night.

 

‘’Here’’. Replies Samantha as she throws a bottle of aspirin onto the bed.

 

‘’Just took two myself.

 

‘’Close the curtains or turn the sun off’’. Moans Roxy as she holds the pilow over her head and Samantha sits beside her.

 

‘’Just take two of these and you’ll feel better’’.

 

‘’I feel sick’’.

 

‘’Not surprised after last night, can you remember anything?’’.

 

‘’A little’’.

 

‘’ Can you remember joining the pole dancers on stage showing everyone what you could do with a pole or when you oiled up the stripper’’. And Samantha hears a moan from under the pillow.

 

‘’It was a great night sis, we tore up the dance floor and emptied the place of there cocktails’’. And Roxy then takes the pillow off her face to look at her sister.

 

‘’Yeah it was a great night, and now I can look forward to the wedding’’. And Roxy can see a sad expression cross her sisters face just for a few seconds but long enough to see it.

 

‘’What’s wrong?’’ She asks.

 

‘’Nothing, just an headache’’. And Roxy then grabs her sisters hand.

 

‘’I’m really glad your back home, to enjoy all this with me because it wouldn’t be the same without you’’. And the toil in Samantha’s head grows deeper.

 

‘’I’ll always be here for you’’. She replies ‘’Now you wait here and I’ll go and get us a coffee’’ .And Samantha walks out of the room so Roxy doesn’t see the tears forming in her eyes.

 

Lewis wakes and as his eyes open he is relieved to find himself staring up at his own bedrooms ceiling but then as he come round more Lewis finds he is wearing only a pair of boxes with a red gimp ball taped around his mouth, and his feet tied together and to his horror taped in each hand is a d***o (sorry mom), Lewis wiggles around and then tries to free himself of the d****s but it is no good with no free hand to do it with, he tries again and again but all that happens is the d****s clash (again sorry mom)  and he cannot break free and just then as Lewis struggles away there is a knock on his bedroom door.

 

‘’Lewis its your mom’’. And he suddenly stops wiggling his eyes widening. ‘’Auntie Melissa  is here and she wants to wish you luck for the big day’’. And Lewis then panics before trying to wiggle free again preying they wont see him.

 

‘’Ok were coming in’’ Shouts him mom and her and his Auntie Melissa walk in Lewis room to find him taped up d****s and all and Lewis just lies there wishing his bed would swallow him up just like in the film Nightmare on Elm street. Lewis looks at his mom and Auntie who stand there opened mouth not knowing what to do or say.

 

‘’Er…… we’ll come back later’’. Says his mother before slowly backing out of the room with Auntie Melissa and closing the door.

 

Tyler is stood in his kitchen making breakfast with a huge smile on his face when Rachael walks in.

 

‘’Have a nice night?’’. She asks kissing him on the cheek.

 

‘’Yeah it was really good’’.

 

‘’So how’s the groom to be?’’.

 

‘’Er….. Lets just say he’s still alive and in the country’’.

 

‘’What  happened?’’. And Tyler begins to laugh.

 

‘’We are….. Made sure he as nice and safe at home’’.

 

‘’How?’’.

 

‘’Am sure you’ll here about it’’. And Tyler then passes Rachael a coffee.

 

‘’So how was your night?’’. He asks.

 

‘’Good, I thought Roxy was wild but her sister!’’.

 

‘’Yeah I’ve heard a few stories’’. And Rachael then stands up and wraps her arms around Tyler from behind.

‘’Just think baby that will be us soon, arranging a wedding and saying our vowels’’.

 

‘’Yes it will’’. He replies turning around and wrapping his arms around Rachael.

 

‘’ I love you’’.

 

‘’I love you too’’. And the two of them then share a kiss but as they do Tom suddenly walks in, his hair messy, wearing just a pair of boxes and with the words help me wrote across his chest in big bold black marker.

 

‘’Where am I?’’. He asks and Rachael rolls her eyes as Tyler makes his friend a much needed black coffee.

 

The big day finally arrives and Roxy is up and sat at her dresser at home having just had her hair done, she sits there looking at her hair which is tightly tied up and covered in white netting.

 

‘’You look beautiful’’. Says Samantha as she walks in the room and sees her sister sitting there.

 

‘’I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy before’’. Replies Roxy and just then her phone rings.

 

‘’Hello’’.

 

‘’Hello the soon to be Mrs Parker’’. Says Lewis who is at his house stood in his suit.

 

‘’He were not supposed ot have any contact until the wedding’’. Replies Roxy with a smile on her face.

 

‘’No, I checked the rule book and it says we cant see one another until the wedding, it doesn’t say anything about talking to each other’’.

 

‘’Oh you checked the rule book’’.

 

‘’No, I lied because I threw it out when I met you’’. And Roxy smiles.

 

‘’So are you ok?’’.

 

‘’Yes, I’ve just had my hair done’’.

 

‘’Really, I cant wait to see it’’.

 

‘’So are you nervous?’’. She asks.

 

‘’Nervous, I feel like I’ve got a gymnastic team jumping around in my stomach, im not concentrating on remembering my vowels im just concentrating on making sure I don’t throw up’’.

 

 ‘’Nice thought’’.

 

‘’Well I just wanted to hear your voice and tell you how lucky I feel right now and how happy I am’’.

 

‘’Me too, I feel like a princes’’.

 

‘’You are a princess and I cant wait to see you’’.

 

‘’Me too’’.

 

‘’Ok I love you’’.

 

‘’Love you too’. And Lewis hangs up.

 

‘’God someone pass me a bucket’’.  Jokes Samantha.

 

‘’You just wait until you meet the one’’.

 

‘’Of all the people in the world to be slushy but my sister Roxy Howard who would have thought it’’.

 

‘’Maybe not, but then Lewis came along’’.

 

‘’Well I’m happy for you’’. And Samantha gives her sister a hug from behind but just then her phone rings.

 

‘’This ringing business is spreading’’.

 

‘’Yeah’’. And Samantha looks at the caller ID to see iit is Marcus for the fifth time today and knows she cannot continue to ignore him.

 

‘’Who is it?’’.

 

‘’Oh no one’’. and Samantha leaves the room to answer.

 

‘’What do you want?’’.

 

‘’Do you really think if you ignored me enough I’d simply go away’’.

 

‘’Yeah, a bit like a bad smell’’.

 

‘’I know wedding’s today and I want action now!’’.

 

‘’We need to meet up so I can explain how its gonna go’’.

 

‘’ Sounds good,  im stopping at the bars hotel on business, come over, I’ll leave a note on the front desk’’.  And Samantha then hangs up with  a scowl on her face wondering what the hell she is going to do.

 

Lewis is stood in his room when the door opens and in walks Tyler, Rachael and Tom.

 

‘’Here comes the bride’’. Sings Tom giving him a hug.

 

‘’Hey guys’’.

 

‘’So you excited?’’. Asks Rachael.

 

‘’Yep, a little nervous but I guess that’s normal’’.

 

‘’Well good luck’’. And Rachael gives him a kiss on the cheek.

 

‘’Yeah good luck pal’’. And Tyler shakes his hand.

 

‘’So you ready to go?’’.

 

‘’Just about’’.

 

‘’Ok then because the cars outside and its some drive’’.

 

‘’Yeah I’m coming’’. And they all head downstairs.

 

‘’Samantha is stood downstairs biting her nails as she racks her brain as to what to do when she suddenly heads upstairs with the intention to tell her sister everything, she is going to tell her sister about the baby and the one night stand and all the blackmail but as she swings the door open she finds her sister stood in her wedding dress and it knocks her completely back.

 

‘’Roxy, you look….. Beautiful’’.

 

‘’Thank you’’. She replies and Samantha then looks around the room to see Helen and many others of Roxy’s friends and just cannot go through with it.

 

‘’You ok sis?’’.

 

‘’Er…. Yes, I’ve….… I’ve just got something to do’’.

 

‘’Now!’’.

 

‘’Yes, I’ll see you at the wedding’’.

 

‘’See us there?’’.

 

‘’Yes, don’t worry, I’ll be there’’.

 

‘’Well what is it?’’.

 

‘’ A record boss we sent some samples to wants to speak to us about a possible contract but he’s only in town for today’’.

 

‘’Cant you re-arrange?’’.

 

‘’Already tried, im sorry sis but I will be there’’.

 

‘’Ok, just don’t be late’’.

 

‘’I wont I promise’’. And Samantha then leaves.

 

Lewis is at the wedding venue but having taken a look abound and felt the nerves growing even more Tyler had took him for a walk up the hills near the beach and the two were sat way up high looking over the wedding venue and the sea.

 

‘’Man its beautiful up here’’.

 

‘Yeah it is’’.

 

‘’Moms so proud’’.

 

‘’Yeah she’s really enjoying the it all’’.

 

‘’I just wish dad was here for today’’. Says Tyler.

 

‘’Me too’’.

 

‘’I can imagine him cracking jokes at the reception and buying everyone a drink looking so proud’’.

 

‘’Yeah still wearing that old suit’’.

 

‘’Oh man he would have never have got rid of that suit, he was determined it still looked good and did move with the times’’.

 

‘’Yeah can you imagine him on the wedding photos in the suit’’.

 

‘’Oh man’’. And the two laugh.

 

‘’Well I see some of the guests are arriving, I best go and welcome them’’. Says Lewis before patting his brother on the shoulder and heading back down.

 

Tyler then lifts his head to see his father sat beside him in his lucky suit.

 

‘’Thought you wouldn’t make it’’.

 

‘’My boys getting married, not even the big man up stairs can stop me’’.

 

‘’I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately, dad’’.

 

‘’I’m always thinking of you son’’.

 

‘’You know im going to head down there and everyone going to tell me how much I look like you and how much I sound like you, uncle Ted always calls me my fathers clone’’.

 

‘’And that’s because you are,  you always have been from being a little boy, the day you were born I held you in my arms and it was like looking in a mirror, you have my nose and my eyes but I never saw you as my little clone, you were always Tyler Parker to boy who grew into a man and im proud of you, you and your brother’’.

 

‘’I just wish you were here’’.

 

‘’I am, I always am’’. And then as the sun  shines bright over them Tyler’s father is gone.

 

Samantha enters the banks hotel and to the front desk where the receptionist instructs her to Marcus room and Samantha knocks on the door where she is met by Marcus who is wearing a white, half unbuttoned shirt and with a glass of wine in his hand.

 

‘’Come in’’ .He says with a smug look on his face.

 

‘’You look sexy’’.

 

‘’Lets just cut the chit chat and get down to business’’.

 

‘’But foreplay is such fun’’.

 

‘’I came here to tell you I wont do it’’.

 

‘’You wont do it?’’.

 

‘’That’ right, I wont lie to my sister about Lewis’’.

 

‘’Ok then I best start revealing some secrets then’’.

 

‘’Go ahead then tell her, tell her everything because even thought I will lose my sister you will lose Roxy forever, if she finds out we slept together and I had an abortion and then you tied to blackmail into lying about Lewis just to ruin the wedding  she will never speak to you again, she will hate you even more than she does now and you will lose any small, tiny chance you think you still have so go ahead, tell her’’. And Samantha throws her phone onto the bed.

 

‘’What times the wedding?’’. Asks Marcus as he looks down at the phone and then at Samantha.

 

‘’Three why?’’. And Marcus looks at the clock to see it is half one.

 

‘’Because I have a wedding to attend’. And Marcus grabs his jacket and heads for the door but before he is through it Samantha pushes herself against it and slams it shut, Marcus looks down at Samantha looking angry.

 

‘’Move!’’.

 

‘’No’’.

 

‘’Move or I’ll make you’.

 

‘’No’’. And as Marcus reaches for the handle again Samantha reaches up and kisses him before Marcus grabs hold of Samantha and rips her top off her head revealing her black lacy bra while Samantha rips Marcus shirt open and kisses him………..

 

Samantha wakes to find Marcus getting dressed again.

 

‘’What you doing?’’.. She asks.

 

‘’Getting dressed and heading to the wedding, I am still Lewis best man right?’’.

 

‘’You going to the wedding?’’.

 

‘’What you think this changers anything? I don’t want you Samantha’’.

 

‘I don’t want you either’’.

 

‘’You really saying that while you lay naked in my bed’’.

 

‘’Yes’’.

 

‘’ You were always easy Samantha, Roxy was the challenge’’.

 

‘’No Marcus, im smart’’.

 

‘’What do you mean?’.

 

‘’You really think I wanted to sleep with a snake like you?’’.

 

‘’Well it seemed like that when you were ripping my cloths off’’.

 

‘’No Marcus, that was the plan’’. And Samantha looks at the clock.

 

‘’What do you mean?’’.

 

‘’The wedding, it was at one, not three’’. And Marcus looks at the time to see it is ten past three.

 

‘’There married now Marcus and there nothing you can do about it’’.

 

‘’You b***h!’’.

 

                TWO HOURS EARLIER.

 

Roxy is stood in her wedding dress on the phone tying to get through to her sister.

 

‘’Any luck?’’. Asks Rachael.

 

‘’No, its going straight to answer machine’’.

 

‘’Well hopefully its going good with the record boss’’. Adds Helen.

 

‘’But she should be here’’.

 

‘And she will be, when she can’’.

 

‘’Yeah don’t let it spoil your big day, she’ll be here some time and maybe this is the day her band gets signed’’.

 

‘’Yeah maybe, it must be important’’.

 

‘’It will, now come on, lets get you married’’.

 

‘’Your right’’. And a smile spreads across Roxy’s face as she heads to the beach.

 

‘’She coming’’. Tom tells a very, very nervous Lewis who stands at the front ready.

 

‘’You ready bro?’’ Asks Tyler.

 

‘’Cant wait’’.

 

‘’Good, because here she comes’’. And the three of them look down the beach to see Roxy approaching and when they do Lewis jaw almost hit’s the sand beneath him as he sees just how beautiful Roxy looks, she looks just like a pure white angel, Roxy looks up at Lewis with a smile on her face as the music begins and she walks down the middle of the guests before meeting up with Lewis at the front.

 

‘’You look like an angel’’. He whispers in her ear. ‘’I think my breathes gone away with the sea’’.

 

‘’You don’t look to bad yourself’’. She whispers back before they share a peck.

 

‘’Hey, you cant skip to that part’’. Jokes Tom before the two then turn to the vicar who begins the vowels.

 

A happily married Lewis and Roxy head down the aisle as the band play and the guests throw confetti over them and the newlyweds then head down the beach to where the huge tent for there reception is prepared and ready and as son as they reach there the band begin to play there song.

 

‘’Shall we have first dance as newlyweds before everyone comes over?’’.

 

‘’Come on then, while no ones watching Mrs Parker’’.

 

‘’Mrs Parker, it like the sound of it’’.

 

‘’Me too’’. And Lewis then takes Roxy’s hand before leading her to the dance floor.

 

‘’Come on before our song finishes’’. He then tells her and the two have a slow dance as Mr and Mrs Parker.

The reception goes well and everyone is enjoying themselves when the DJ asks the newlyweds to head to centre stage where they are applauded and congratulated, Lewis then thanks everyone for coming and enjoying this special day with them while Roxy thanks everyone who helped her arrange the big day and after they are done the DJ asks the newlyweds to dance together while he plays one of there favourite songs and Lewis takes his wife in his arms as they slow dance with everyone watching on.

 

‘’ Is everyone watching?’’ He whispers into Roxy’s ear.

 

‘’Yes they are, but let em, if a girls cant be centre stage on her wedding day then when can she?’’.

 

‘’Ok, this time for you’’. And Lewis then kisses Roxy on her head and continues to dance and as they do Lewis spots a white bird sat eating there wedding cake and for some reason he cant take his eyes off it.

 

Roxy is sat in the back of the limo as Lewis stands just outside the door saying his goodbyes and as he does Roxy rings her sister and finally gets thought.

 

‘’Samantha’’.

 

‘’Hey sis’’. She replies as Samantha sits at a dressing table.

 

‘’Were are you?’’.

 

‘’I’m on my way home’’.

 

‘’You missed it sis, you missed everything’’.

 

‘’I know and im sorry’’.

 

‘’Sorry?’’.

 

‘’I know I can never make this up to you sis’’.

 

‘’I just wanted you to be there, my sister beside on the best day of my life’’.

 

‘’I know, and I should be’’. And Roxy can tell her sister is really upset.

 

‘’Are you ok?’’.

 

‘’Yeah fine’’.

 

‘’How did the meeting go?’’.

 

‘’Oh er….. Not too good, he didn’t feel our sound’’.

 

‘’You guys are brilliant’’.

 

‘’Yeah well some fat music mogul will agree with you someday’’.

 

‘’Yes they will, I know it’’.

 

‘’So you heading to the honeymoon?’’.

 

‘’Yep, Mexico here we come’’.

 

‘’Well enjoy it and when you get back we can look through the photos and I’ll throw a big a*s party to make up for missing the big day’’.

 

‘’You got it’’.

 

‘’Ok then, you go and enjoy Mexico and tell Lewis I said congrats’’.

 

‘’I will and I love you sis’’. And Samantha pauses before answering back.

 

‘’I love you too’’. And Samantha hangs up before placing the bag of ice back on her heavily busted and swelled lip given to her by the furious Marcus.

 

 

    MEXICO CITY.

 

 

Lewis and Roxy had arrived at Mexico city and were taking a stroll around at the scenery.

 

‘’I thought you were going to puke on the plane’’. Roxy tells Lewis and he then has a flashback to when the plane was taking off and he was holding onto the side of his chair as tightly as he could as sweat poured down his face as he begins to scream.

 

‘’Yeah, I’ve never been a good flyer’’.

 

‘’Really, I always loved it, even as a kid’’.

 

‘’And I guess we’ll have to join the high mile club on the way back’’. Says Roxy………

 

     ON THE PLANE.

 

Lewis is sat reading a magazine when Roxy looks at him with a smile on her face he had seen before and this wasn’t her nice, sweet smile, it was what he called her Foxy Roxy smile.

 

‘’Wanna join the mile high club?’’. She whispers into his ear.

 

‘’Yeah but can we?’’.

 

‘’You go the bathroom and leave the door unlocked you get ready and I’ll join you in five’’.

 

‘’Ok then’’. And Lewis takes a look at the stewardess before heading to the bathroom and when inside h takes off his t-shirt before checking his teeth in the mirror and then waiting for his wife and as he sees the door handle move he strikes a pose ( Come on everyone does once in a while) but as the door opens Lewis sees that it is not Foxy Roxy but the very mean looking stewardess with a scowl on her face.

 

‘’Mr Parker the pilot has instructed everyone fastens there seatbelts… and puts there tops back on’’. And Lewis stands there feeling slightly daft.

 

‘’Er….. Ok then, I’ll be right out’’. And the stewardess raises an eyebrow before leaving Lewis to it.

 

                                  BACK IN MEXICO

 

‘’Yeah but next time your going first’’.

 

‘’Got it’’.   And the two then reach the beautiful beach and head to take a stroll along.

 

Roxy and Lewis are laid on the beach with a couple of beers when Lewis sits up to find Roxy is asleep so he decides to go for a quick swim so Lewis puts on his shades and heads out to the water and as he dips his feet in the water which is lovely and warm so Lewis heads out further and further but as he does he suddenly feels a sharp pain on his foot followed by a stinging sensation and as Lewis heads back to the beach and sits down on the sand he finds a red bite mark on his foot which is stinging more and more.

 

‘’What the….’’.

 

‘’You’ve been stung my friend’’.  Says a slightly overweight moustached Mexican as he stops.

 

‘’Stung! What by because it hurts like hell!’’. And the Mexican takes a look at Lewis foot.

 

‘’Looks like a jellyfish my friend’’.

 

‘Jellyfish! How big are they around here because it hurts like Hell!’’.

 

‘’I can give you something for the pain my friend’’.

 

‘’You can, where?’’.

 

‘’I have some my friend’’.

 

‘’You do’’.

 

‘’Yes, just close your eyes my friend’’.

 

‘’Why does it hurt!’’.

 

‘’Please sir’’. And Lewis doesn’t need asking twice so he holds his eyes shut and as he does he feels a warm liquid being poured over his foot which immediately soothes the stinging.

 

‘’Oh man that feels better’’.

 

‘’I told you my friend’’. And Lewis opens his eyes to find the Mexican man doing back up his zipper.

 

‘’Wait…… what exactly was it?’’. Asks Lewis.

 

‘’What was it?’’. Asks the Mexican with arms held out.

 

‘’What did you use for the pain?’’.

 

‘’The best thing my friend, urine’’.

 

‘’U…u…. urine?’’.

 

‘’Yes my friend’’. And the big Mexican has a smile on his face as he holds out his hand (which was holding his….) to help Lewis up.

 

‘’I feel sick’’.

 

Lewis heads back to Roxy who is now awake.

 

‘’What you been doing?’’ She asks.

 

‘’I got peed on!’’. He reveals with the look of disgust on his face.

 

‘’What!’’.

 

Later on as the night draws on Roxy and Lewis are sat drinking cocktails as they joke about Lewis misadventures with his Mexican friend.

 

‘’Trust you to step straight on a jellyfish’’.

 

‘’I aint going out there again’’.

 

‘’Come on, I’ll go out with you again, we have to have a swim together’’.

 

‘’Out in that jellyfish infested water!’’.

 

‘Ok then, I guess I’ll not be able to wear my little red bra and pants swimsuit you like so much’’. She says with that Foxy Roxy smile on her face again.

 

‘’Ok then, but I’m buying some flip flops’’.

 

‘’it’s a deal’’. And the two smile at one another.

 

After enjoying a fantastic honeymoon together it is Roxy and Lewis last night in Mexico and the two are laid out on the beach a night staring up at the stars with a bottle of wine.

 

‘’This time tomorrow we’ll be home’’ .Says Lewis.

 

‘’Yep, back to reality’’.

 

‘’Man I have enjoyed this trip, we’ll have to come again’’.

 

‘’Defiantly’’.

 

‘’So when we get home we start looking for our own place’’.

 

‘’Yep, I talked to Helen before we left and she says shed love to move in with Samantha in my old room and take on my half of the rent’’.

 

‘’Well that’s one problem sorted’’. And Lewis fills there glasses.

 

‘’So I am having a games room right?’’. Jokes Lewis and Roxy nudges him.

 

‘’I need a spare room for all my cloths’’.

 

‘’We need two spare room for all your cloths’’.

 

‘’Well what about I hang my cloths in your games room?’’.

 

‘’Deal’’. And the two knock there glasses of wine together and as they do a white bird lands beside Lewis and sits there and Lewis stares at it.

 

‘’I think he likes you’’. Jokes Roxy who takes a while to answer.

 

‘’Yeah’’. And Lewis then turns to face Roxy and gives her a kiss.

 

‘’I love you Mrs Parker’’.

 

‘’I love you Mr Parker’’. And the two kiss again as they take in the last glorious night of there wonderful honeymoon.

 

 

  TWO MONTHS LATER.

 

Roxy is finishing packing her belongings into cardboard boxes with a little help from Samantha.

 

‘’You sure you want to move out?’’. She asks.

 

‘’You’ll be ok with Helen’’.

 

‘’Yeah, im just going to miss my sister’’.

 

‘’No your going to miss someone always tidying up after you’’.

 

‘’There is that too’’. And the two laugh before there is a knock on the door and in walks Helen and Rachael with a bottle of wine.

 

‘’Hey guys!’’.

 

‘’We brought wine!’’.

 

‘’Yep to celebrate the last nail in your single life coffin’’.

 

‘’Yep because buying a house with a guy is truly the last step’’.

 

‘’I thought that was getting married?’’.

 

‘’Nope, divorces are so easy now’’.

 

‘’Yeah and have you tried splitting a house down the middle, its hard’’.

 

‘’Yep he wants that, you want that, throwing a ring a someone and signing a divorce paper is easy’’.

 

‘’Thanks girls for the support’’.

 

‘’Oh we don’t have to worry with you Roxy’’.

 

‘’Yeah you and Lewis are stuck like glue’’.

 

‘’Yes you are’’. And they all then finish packing the boxes.

 

‘’To the next step’’. Says Tom as he holds up his beer to make a toast with Tyler and Lewis as they all sit on the porch relaxing after packing up all of Lewis stuff.

 

‘’Next step, isn’t that a line from American Pie?’’.

 

‘’Er…..no I don’t think so’’.

 

‘’Yeah man I think it is’’.

 

‘’Ok then I was just trying to have my moment in the sun’’.

 

‘’Tom half an hour ago you were dancing around in just a pair of Rachael’s pants’’.

 

‘’Yeah your right, I’ve had my time’’.

 

‘’Dude did you throw them pants away like I said?’.

 

‘’No I just put them back’’.

 

‘Tom!’’. And Tyler stands up to get the pants.

 

‘’What?’’.

 

Lewis climbs in his brothers car and the two head to Lewis and Roxy’s new home which is just a block away.

 

‘’Your own place’’.

 

‘’Well mine and Roxy’s’’.

 

‘’don’t it feel a bit weird living so close to mom?’’.

 

‘’No its even better, we can keep her company’’.

 

‘’Yeah your right’’. And the two brothers head to the house. When they reach the house they find Roxy,  Samantha, Helen and Rachael are already there and they all help take everything inside….

 

After carrying all the boxes into the new home they all sit on the living room floor eating takeaway Chinese.

 

‘’This is a great place’’. Says Helen.

 

‘’Thanks’’.

 

‘’Yeah and I love the colour’’.

 

‘’That was all Roxy’’.

 

‘’Hey we all best get off soon after all it is the newlyweds first night in there new home’’ Adds Tyler.

 

‘’You guys don’t have to go yet’’. Adds Lewis.

 

‘’No I have work in the morning anyway’’ .Says Rachael.

 

‘’I am still staying at your right?’’.

 

‘’Yes Tom’’. Answers Rachael.

 

‘’Good because I think my place is haunted’’.

 

‘’Dude you have a cat, cats move around at night I told you that’’.

 

‘’Oh yeah, I just forget I’ve got a cat when I’ve had a drink’’.

 

‘’True’’. And they all laugh.

 

After everyone had gone home Roxy and Lewis were sat with half a bottle of red wine.

 

‘’Our first night im our new home’’.

 

‘’I know, I cant believe its all finally happened’’.

 

‘’I’ll get started on the back yard at the weekend,  Tom said he’ll come and help’’.

 

‘’Well im going shop with the girls’’.

 

‘’Rachel going?’’.

 

‘’Yes’’.

 

‘’I’ll invite Tyler over here then’’.

 

‘’Do you think them two will get married?’’.

 

‘’Well they already have there own place’’.

 

‘’How long have they been together’’.

 

‘’Over four years now I think’’.

 

‘’Wow should do then’’.

 

‘’Have you got a dance lesson tomorrow?’’.

 

‘’Yep, eleven o’clock’’. Replies Roxy and Lewis then stands up and turns on some music before beginning to dance which immediately makes Roxy laugh (always does).

 

‘’What you doing?’’.

 

‘’Giving you some practise for tomorrows lesson’’.

 

‘’I think it should be the other way round’’. She jokes.

 

‘’Come show me then’’. And Lewis reaches down for Roxy’s hand before picking her up and dancing with his wife in there new home.

 

The next day Lewis drops Roxy off at her dance class on his bike.

 

‘’Ok, pick you up at five’’.

 

‘’Yes please’’. And Roxy gives her husband a kiss.

 

‘’I’ll cook us a meal for tonight and I’ll light some candles and get us some wine’’.

 

‘’Sounds good’’. Replies Roxy as she wraps her arms around her husband and gives him another kiss.

 

‘’I cant wait’’.

 

‘’Me too babe’’.

 

‘’You know I love you so much Lewis’’.

 

‘’I love you just the same’’. And the newlyweds kiss one more final time with Roxy’s students staring through the window before he sets off and Roxy heads to her class.

 

Lewis is stopped at the traffic lights thinking about Roxy and what to cook tonight when suddenly in the middle of the road lands a white bird and the bird stops there despite the traffic, Lewis stares at the bird wondering why it is there until finally the lights change and he heads forward but as he crosses a crossroad a truck comes flying the other way and goes straight into him…….

 

Roxy is taking her class when suddenly someone begins banging on the big glass windows and as she turns to look expecting to see kids instead she finds Tyler standing there with a very worried look on his face.

 

‘’Ok kids, you wait here’’. She tells her students before heading out and the students then watch on as Roxy heads outside and talks to Tyler before dropping to her knees crying hysterically with Tyler dropping too and holding her tightly…….

 

Roxy is laid on her bed looking completely motionless her eyes puffed and red raw from all her crying while downstairs Samantha is sat with Helen both who have been crying too.

 

‘’You talked to Tyler?’’. Helen asks Samantha.

 

‘’No, I talked to Rachael, the police say the brakes went on the truck and he couldn’t stop’’.

 

‘’And where’s Tyler?’’.

 

‘’She says he’s in bits and she doesn’t know where he is now’’.

 

‘’ And what we going to do with her?’’. She asks pointing up to Roxy.

 

‘’Give her time to grief alone for a while but then we have to be there for her all the time, she loved Lewis so much I just don’t know what to say’’.

 

‘’Or do’’.

 

‘’Her hearts in pieces and I cant put it together’’.  And a tear rolls down the cheek of Samantha.

Roxy is laid on the bed tears streaming down her cheeks as she looks at her wedding ring when suddenly she hears his voice and sits up to see Lewis sat on the edge of there bed.

 

‘’Baby’’.

 

‘’I’m ok Roxy, im still here, im still everywhere’’.

 

‘’But I want to hold you…… please don’t leave me not yet please’’.

 

‘’I wont, I never will’’.

 

‘’You cant go, not yet, we’ve just got married, we need to build a home and have children and grow old together, I want to grow old with you please don’t leave me alone’’.

 

‘’ I’ll always be here, watching over you’’.

 

‘’Its not enough!’’.

 

‘’I wish…… I wish I could stop your tears’’.

 

‘’You can, by coming back to me’’.

 

‘’I would do anything to hold you again but I cant but I’ll always be here, keeping an eye on you’’.

 

‘’I need you’’.

 

‘’I’ll always be with you Roxy, inside you heart’’.

 

‘Its not enough’’. She cries. Ad just then a white bird lands on the windowsill of Roxy’s bedroom window.

 

‘’I’ll always watch over you Roxy, always, love never dies and there’s a place in your heart where you know you’ll always find me and I’ll be with you wherever you are, near or far……’’. And as Roxy looks at the bird she then turns her head to see Lewis is gone.

 

Tyler is sat in a bar drinking yet another beer when suddenly he feels and sees his brother sat beside him.

‘’Tyler you’ve had enough’’.

 

‘’I need….. I need to feel numb’’.

 

‘’You need to be there for Roxy… and mom’’.

 

‘’I cant…… I cant do it, I need you brother’’.

 

‘’Yes you can you’re the strong one remember’’.

 

‘’Not this time’’.

 

‘’Well I need you’’.

 

‘’I need you’’.

 

‘’I’ll always be with you brother, I’m in your blood’’.

 

‘’ I should have been there, I should have been there when…..’’.

 

‘’You cant blames yourself, there’s nothing you could have done’’.

 

‘’I should have been there!’’.

 

‘’don’t bottle it up brother, don’t let it eat you from the inside, don’t carry hate with you’’.

 

‘’I cant brother, I feel so angry!’’. And just then someone accidentally jumps into Tyler who immediately turns around.

 

‘Sorry man’’.

 

‘’Sorry! You’ve ruined my shirt a*****e!’’

 

‘’Calm it boy’’.

 

‘’Boy, did you call me boy’’. And Tyler punches the man across the face who falls to the floor, he then punches him again and again until another man steps in and puts his arm across the chest of Tyler but he is punched across the face too.

 

Tyler is sat in a police cell when Rachael arrives not looking too happy.

 

‘’Tyler, they said you can go home’’. She tells him as Tyler sits with his head bowed down.

 

‘’You have to come back tomorrow and you have to pay a fine but its ok to go now’’. But Tyler still keeps his head down so Rachael goes and sits beside him.

 

‘’Talk to me Tyler, let me in’’.

 

‘’I cant’’.

 

‘’Why… I love you’’.

 

‘’Because if one tear flows they wont stop coming’’.

 

‘’But its better than bottling it up, or letting it out with your fists’’.

 

‘’I cant, I have to be strong, for everyone’’.

 

‘’If you are then at least let me be strong for you’’.

 

‘’I just want him back, I want my brother back!’’. And Tyler hits his hand against the wall in frustration and anger as Rachael puts her arm around him.

 

          ONE WEEK LATER.

 

It is the day of Lewis funeral and Roxy is sat in her room looking herself in the mirror, she looks at herself dressed all in black just weeks from being dressed all in white, her eyes are still red and puffed form the constant crying and her head is still spinning.

 

‘’I brought you up a brandy’’. Says Samantha and Roxy necks the whole glass in one.

 

‘’ You’ll feel better sis, over time’’.

 

‘’Time doesn’t make things better it just makes you accept things more, that’s all’’.

 

‘’Well are you ready to go?’’.

 

‘’No’’. But Roxy stands up and heads for the door but as she does she bursts into teas and her sister wraps her arms around her.

 

Later on all the mourners are stood by the graveside as the coffin is lowered and the priest reads his hymns, the whole family are asked to throw in a hand of dirt but Tyler refuses and the Lewis Parker is laid to rest as the grievers cry by his coffin side, all apart form Tyler who stands there staring at his brothers coffin being lowered almost as if he is some kind of trance and then when the priest is done  everyone begins backing away to head for the wake all apart from the trance like Tyler and Roxy who makes no noise but has tears rolling down her cheeks under her black face Vail.

 

‘’I saw him yesterday’’. Says Roxy and Tyler turns his head to face her.

 

‘’ He was outside in the garden and when I looked he smiled at me so I ran outside but when I got there….. When I got there he was gone’’. And as more tears roll down the cheeks of Roxy Tyler walks over to her and wraps one of his arms around her.

 

 

                     ONE MONTH LATER.

 

Roxy is sati n the house finishing off yet another bottle of red wine as the phone continuously rings behind her, since the death of Lewis Roxy had been in downfall, she had not danced or taken a lesson since and had hit the bottle hard to try and ease the pain of losing her husband she loved dearly and had only just found, she sits looking through the black and white photo album of there wedding day as she fills her glass with wine once more.

 

Tyler is at his moms house laid in the tree house in the backyard he and his brother used to play in as kids, Tyler had slept in the tree house having had a huge argument with Rachael last night after coming home with yet ore blooded fists because since the death of his brother all Tyler could do release the continuously building up rage inside him was to go out and fight the first person who was willing most of the time over absolutely nothing.

Tyler sits up and looks at his red and cut knuckles before rubbing his head and putting his t-shirt back on.

 

‘’I don’t know what to do’’. Rachael tells Helen as the two grab lunch together on there break. ‘’He comes home almost every night having got into yet another fight’’.

 

‘’Its all because of his brothers death’’.

 

‘’I know, but I wont even say Lewis name never mind talk about it, all the talking he does is with his fists’’.

 

‘’Maybe you should ask Roxy’’.

 

‘’Roxy?’’.

 

‘’Nobodies hurting more than them two right now so maybe they can help each other’’.

 

‘’Is she still drinking?’’.

 

‘’Yes, Samantha’s trying her best’’.

 

‘’Poor girl’’.

 

‘’I know, they were only just married’’.

 

‘’Right at the beginning’’.

 

‘’Life can be cruel’’. Adds Helen as she pays for her lunch.

 

Roxy is at home laid on her bed with a glass of wine and music playing in the background when suddenly she turns over and spots Samantha car keys on the table and grabs them.

Roxy drives to the cemetery and heads straight to Lewis grave, she parks the car and walks across and when there she finds Tyler sat by his brothers grave side with a bottle of beer.

 

‘’want a drink?’’. He asks her holding up the bottle of beer and Roxy immediately spots his blooded knuckles and busted lip from yet more fighting.

 

‘’See you’ve been fighting again’’.

 

‘’Yep and I cant go home looking like this again so this is the only place I can go’’. And Roxy then sits beside the gravestone.

 

‘’This is the only place I feel like being too’’.

 

‘’The close to him the better’’.

 

‘’I dream about him, all the time so much that…..’’.

 

‘’You wished you didn’t wake’’.

 

‘’Yeah and I know that’s dangerous to think but it doesn’t make less true’’.

 

‘’The guy I was fighting with earlier, you know why I did it?’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’Because he reminded me of Lewis, I saw him across  the bar and I really thought it was Lewis, I rushed over with my heart beating fast but when I turned him around it….. It’’.

 

‘’It wasn’t him’’.

 

‘’No, and I felt so angry and cheated I just punched this poor guy right in the mouth and his two friends then jumped me’’.

 

‘’You fight to forget I drink to forget’’.

 

‘’And all the time he’s probably looking over us rolling his eyes’’.

 

‘’I hope so, I don’t care if he is rolling his eyes as long as he’s looking over us’’.

 

‘’Yeah me too’’.

 

‘’Come on, you can stop at mine tonight, I’ll clean those knuckles and we can tlak about your brother over a pizza’’.

 

‘’Sounds good but im driving’’.

 

‘’You’ve had a beer’’.

 

‘’A beer, how much you had today?’’.

 

‘’Your right’’. And Roxy throws Tyler her (Or Samantha’s) car keys.

 

The two of them are sat in Roxy’s living room sharing a large pizza with a few beers as they talk about Lewis, something they both need to do.

 

‘’I can remember when we were on our honeymoon and he got stung by a jellyfish’’.

 

‘’Jellyfish, he never told me that’’.

 

‘’Probably because of the way he got rid of the sting’’.

 

‘’Wait you don’t mean……’’.

 

‘’Yep and not by me’’ And the two laugh for the first time since Lewis death.

 

‘’Its good, to talk about him’’. Says Roxy.

 

‘’Yeah it is’’.

 

‘’My sister Sam doesn’t even mention his name, she just asks me if im ok every five minutes’’.

 

‘’Sounds a bit like Rachael’’.

 

‘’They mean well I guess’’.

 

‘’Yeah’’

Tyler is laid on the couch when Roxy returns and throws a cover over him.

 

‘’You warm enough?’’.

 

‘’Yeah thanks’’.

 

‘’Well goodnight’’.

 

‘’Night’’.

 

‘’And I enjoyed tonight Tyler, it made a change from crying’’.

 

‘’ And fighting’’.

 

‘’Ok then, see you in the morning’’. And Roxy heads to bed.

 

A couple of weeks later Tyler is sat in the car with Rachael as they drive home.

 

‘’It means a lot to me you know, you spending the weekend with my family’’. Says Rachael.

 

‘’I enjoyed it’’.

 

‘’I know my sister likes the attention but…’’.

 

‘’Likes the attention? She demands it!’’.

 

‘’Yeah your kind of right, she always has since we were kids’’.

 

‘’ Dam I don’t know how you put up with her’’.

 

‘’She’s my sister!’’.

 

‘’I know im kidding and I sis enjoy the weekend’’.

 

‘’Yeah me too’’. And Rachael throws Tyler a smile.

 

After arriving home Tyler heads over to Roxy to find her in the drive working on Lewis old bike  with her hair tied in a ponytail and oil on her cheek.

 

‘’What you doing?’’. Asks Tyler.

 

‘’Just giving Lewis bike the once over, thought id ride it up to a bikers pub we used to go to a lot’’.

 

‘’My brother at a bikers bar?’’.

 

‘’Yep, you ought to have seen him’’.

 

‘’Well you look……’’.

 

‘’Well? Sober?’ Replies Roxy.

 

‘’Come on I don’t mean it like that’’.

 

‘’I know, the last few weeks I’ve been to some meetings’’.

 

‘’Really?’’.

 

‘’Yeah, Samantha set it all up, I thought it was just a bunch of crap but it does help, you know to hear other widows stories and get your s**t off your chest, I still get upset and I still drink but not as much’’.

 

‘’Well that’s good’’.

 

‘’Yeah I guess it is’’.

 

‘’And to celebrate your heading to a bar?’’.

 

‘’Yeah makes sense doesn’t it’’. And the two smile.

 

‘’So how was the weekend with the future in-laws?’’.

 

‘’Good, apart form her sister’’.

 

‘’Oh the attention grabber?’’.

 

‘’Yep, you know im not surprised Rachael’s parents haven’t yet had a spotlight put up in the living room for every time she calls by because she craves it’’.

 

‘’I hate girls like that’’.

 

‘’Me too’’.

 

‘’You know if you want some company on the bikers trip me and Rachael can come, I cant promise we’ll keep up but we’ll make it’’.

 

‘’No, I need to do this on myself, but thanks’’.

 

‘’Ok’’.

 

‘’Oh and how did the dance comp go?’’.

 

‘’Dance comp?’’’.

 

‘’Yeah I saw it on the calendar before I went’’.

 

‘’Oh I signed up for that before….’’.

 

‘’So you didn’t go?’’.

 

‘’No, I haven’t danced or taken a lesson since’’.

 

‘’Why not?’’.

 

‘’I just…… I just cant I don’t have the passion’’.

 

‘’Lewis would want you to, he knew how much dancing meant to you and teaching kids, he would talk about it all the time with such pride’’.

 

‘’I just cant’’.

 

‘’You have to, I wont let you quit’’.

 

‘’Wont let me quit?’’.

 

‘’No, Lewis would want me to’’

 

‘’I will, one day’’.

 

‘’No not good enough, im going to make sure you do’’. And the two smile.

 

‘’You serious aren’t you’’.

 

‘’Deadly’’.

 

‘’Ok, I’ll look into it’’. And Roxy throws a cloth at Tyler.

 

That night Rachael is cooking dinner while Tyler in on the computer.

 

‘’What you doing?’’ Asks Rachael as she comes and sits on Tyler’s knee giving him a kiss on the cheek.

 

‘Looking up dance competitions’’.

 

‘’Have you got a secret hobby you weren’t telling me about’’.

 

‘’No, its for Roxy, she hasn’t danced since Lewis and im helping her get back into it’’.

 

‘’Your really looking after her for him aren’t you’’.

 

‘’Its what he would have wanted’’.

 

‘’Well its kind baby’’. And Rachael gives Tyler another kiss on the cheek before going back to dinner.

 

Roxy returns from her few days away on the bike to find Tyler cutting the grass.

 

‘’What’s this?’’.

 

‘’If this grass had got any longer it would have been classed as a jungle rather than a garden’’.

 

‘’Your right it was always…’’.

 

‘’Lewis’s thing’’.

 

‘’Yeah, I always brought him out a drink’’.

 

‘’So I thought you were just going for the day?’’.

 

‘’I know but I saw a few old friends out there and stayed over at a hotel doing a bit of catching and I went to see a bike show it was great’’.

 

‘’Sounds good’. And Tyler then reaches into his bag and pulls out a sheet of paper passing it to Roxy.

 

‘’What is this?’’.

 

‘’Info for a dance comp’’.

 

‘’Dance comp?’’.

 

‘’Next week’’.

 

‘’But this is out a town’’.

 

‘’I made some calls to some of your old dance buddies and they’ll be there and don’t worry about the trip, im taking the car and Tom’s coming too for the company’’.

 

‘’Looks like its all done then’’.

 

‘’Yep and you cant pull out’’.

 

‘’Ok then, I best get some practise in’’.

 

‘’There expecting you in the morning’’. And Roxy laughs.

 

‘’Tyler Parker you are determined’’.

 

‘’Yes I am, so I’ll leave you to get some rest and see you next week’’.

 

‘’Yeah see you next week’’. And Tyler begins heading to his car.

 

‘’Oh if Tom asks’’. Shouts Tyler form his car. ‘’Were stopping off at theme world on the way there’’.

 

‘’But themes worlds the other way’’.

 

‘’I know that, and you do too but he doesn’t, the only maps Tom can read are on computer games’’.

 

‘’Ok then’’. Laughs Roxy before heading inside.

 

A week passes and the competition draws closer, Roxy had spent the week practising and but was still nervous about dancing for the first time in a long time while Tyler felt proud to be helping his brothers wife and for once in a while his fists were not the topic of conversation between him and Rachael.

 

‘’Ok we should only be gone the weekend’’. Tyler tells Rachael as he grabs the car keys.

 

‘’Ok’’. And Rachael gives Tyler a kiss before he heads out to first pick up Roxy and then Tom. Tyler stops at Roxy’s and beeps the horn and two minutes later she comes out carrying her big bag which Tyler puts in the boot.

 

‘’You ready?’’. He asks.

 

‘’Yep’’. And the two then go to pick up Tom.

 

Tyler stops outside and beeps the horn but Tom doesn’t come, so he beeps the horn again but still nothing so Tyler heads up on knocks on the front door.

 

‘’Come in’’. He hears Tom shout so Tyler heads in.

 

‘’Where are you man?’’. Shouts Tyler as he searches around for Tom.

 

‘’Bathroom’’ He replies and Tyler heads to the bathroom and is almost knocked over by the smell as he finds Tom sat on the toilet.

 

‘’Man you could have warned me’’.

 

‘’Dude I cant stop it, it wont stop!’’.

 

‘’You got the runs?’’.

 

‘’Runs, this is the donkey Kong of runs my arse is in bits’’.

 

‘’Ok, ok with the info’’.

 

‘’I think it’s a dodgy curry’’.

 

‘’Wait, tell me you didn’t go to curry murry?’’.

 

‘’I er…..’’.

 

‘’Tom!’’.

 

‘’I was hungry and its so cheap’’.

 

‘’Its so cheap because its so bad, you remember how many dogs murry had right?’’.

 

‘’Yes’’.

 

‘’And what happens to murry’s dogs?’’.

 

‘’They all go mysteriously missing’’.

 

‘’And I wonder where’’.

 

‘’I’m sorry man’’.

 

‘’So I guess you cant go’’.

 

‘’Not unless your car carries a porter-loo’’.

 

‘’Dam Tom’’.

 

‘’Again im sorry dude’’

 

‘’No its ok….. You need anything’’.

 

‘’Am good’’.

 

‘’Well I’ll see you when we get back’’.

 

‘’Does Rachael still hate me?’’.

 

‘’What do you think?’’.

 

‘’Thought so’’.

 

‘’Ok later man’’.

 

‘’Ok I love you Tyler’’. And Tyler heads back to the car.

 

‘’Is he coming?’’. Asks Roxy.

 

‘’No he’s er…… sick’’.

 

‘’What’s wrong with him?’’.

 

‘’Stomach bug’’.

 

‘’So do you want to call it off?’’.

 

‘’No were still going’’.

 

‘’But what you going to do while im at the competition?’’.

 

‘’Raid the mini-bar, stroll the shops’’.

 

‘’You sure?’’.

 

‘’Positive’’.

 

‘’Ok then lets go’’. And the two set off.

 

‘’So was Rachael ok with you going?’’ Asks Roxy on the drive down.

 

‘’Yeah she was cool, she really liked Lewis’’.

 

‘’Everyone did’’.

 

‘’Yeah there was nothing to dislike’’. And the two look at one another.

 

‘’So how’s your sister?’’. Asks Tyler.

 

‘’Good, still raising hell like she does’’.

 

‘’I haven’t seen her for a while’’.

 

‘’She’s been busy with the band’’.

 

‘’Oh yeah, Helen gave me one of there CD’s and it sounded good’.

 

‘’They are’’. And Roxy then picks up Tyler’s music selection.

 

‘’You like meat loaf?’’. She asks coming across his CD.

 

‘’My dad loved him and….’’.

 

‘’Yeah Lewis told me but I didn’t know you liked him as well’’.

 

‘’Meat Loaf? The guys a legend, give me him over the Beatles any day’’.

 

‘’Well fancy rocking out to confessions of a dashboard?’’.

 

‘’Do I, put that thing on’’. And a smiling Roxy puts on the CD and the two sing away.

 

The pair reach there hotel which is nearby where the dance competition will take place.

After sorting out there rooms Tyler and Roxy head to the bar for a drink.

 

‘’So you ready for tomorrow?’’. He asks.

 

‘’As ready as I can be’’.

 

‘’I’m proud of you, getting back into dancing head first like this, and Lewis would be too’’.

 

‘’Yeah I know’’. And the two click there glasses together.

 

‘’Want something to eat?’’. Asks Tyler

 

‘’I’ll grab a menu’’.

 

The next day after a good nights sleep Roxy is up and ready for her big day and after dong her stretches she meets Tyler downstairs.

 

‘’You ready?’’. He asks.

 

‘’I could do with a drink for the nerves’’.

 

‘’I don’t think the judges would like that’’. He replies with a smile on his face before the two head to his car and drive to the dance comp. When there the two head inside and Roxy signs in before they head to the arena where the dance comp will take place.

 

‘’You know you don’t have to stay, I really don’t mind’’. Says Roxy.

 

‘’No I want to, I’ll go and sit in the crowd’’.

 

‘’Well thank you, thank you for all of the support’’.

 

‘’don’t mention it’’. And just then Tyler can see a few of Roxy’s riends heading over she knew from dancing.

 

‘’Ok looks like your buddies are coming over’’.

 

‘’Yeah’’.

 

‘’I’ll head to the crowd then’’.

 

‘’Ok’’.

 

‘’Oh and…..’’. Tyler kisses Roxy on the cheek. ‘’Good luck’’.

 

‘’Thanks’’. And she then smiles at him before heading to her friends while Tyler heads to the crowd.

 

Forty minutes later the dance competition begins, Roxy waits nervously on the sidelines until it is her turn and when it finally is she takes a deep breathe and kisses her wedding ring before heading to the huge dance mat and gives the signal for her music to start which is Rhianna- Umbrella and Roxy then gives it all she has, at first she’s a little rusty and the nerves plays a part but after the first chorus she settles down more and nerves are replaced with the old determination and passion of before.

After her dance is finished Roxy takes part in a group dance which is aimed to put on a show for the audience before the results are announced and as Roxy waits nervously she looks up at Tyler who throws her a smile.

 

‘’In fourth place with the judges results with a score of 7.09.…. Kimberly Reid!’’. And Roxy’s head then drops as she fears there is no way she made the top three, fourth maybe but top three no way.

 

‘’And in third with the judges results with a score of 8.03.……. Roxy Parker!’’. And Roxy’s eyes light up as she claps happily and then heads to the results podium and climbs on podium three before having a bronze medal put around her neck and she then looks up at Tyler who just looks as happy as her and as she waves to the crowd she sees stood right up at the top Lewis who stands clapping and smiling at her but as the huge stadium light flashes around he is gone and Roxy looks down at her wedding ring before giving it another kiss.

 

‘’Congratulations!’’. Says Tyler giving her a big hug.

 

‘’First comp back and you take home the bronze!’’.

 

‘’I know I cant believe it’’.

 

‘’Come on the drinks are on me!’’. And the two then head off to celebrate.

 

Back at the hotel in the bar to two celebrate Roxy’s bronze medal.

 

‘’I really cant believe first competition back and I won a medal’’.

 

‘’Lewis always said you were good but dam girl you were on fire out there’’. And the two laugh.

 

‘’Oh it felt great, being back out there, the music the crowd, I forgot just how much I missed it’’.

 

‘’Well I’m glad you found it again’’.

 

‘’Me too, and I wouldn’t have without you’’. And the two look into one another eyes.

 

‘’Er.. Want another drink?’’. Asks Tyler.

 

‘’Yeah sure’’. Replies Roxy not too sure what was happening there and Tyler then heads to the bar.  As Tyler wait for the drinks Roxy heads over and puts an hand on his back before telling him she is heading to the ladies and as Tyler continues to wait for the drinks the man standing behind him starts a conversation.

 

‘’She shouldn’t have won third place’’. He tells Tyler.

 

‘’What!’’.

 

‘’That girl, Parker’’.

 

‘’And who are you?’’.

 

‘’ Kimberly Reid, the girl who finished fourth’’.

 

‘’What about her’’.

 

‘’She’s my fiancé’’.

 

‘’So why should I care’’.

 

‘’That Parker got the sympathy vote’’.

 

‘’What!’’.

 

‘’Because her husband or something died, it was in he broche’’. And Tyler immediately grips his teeth and then under the bar out of view of everyone else grabs the man by the….. (you know what).

 

‘’Hey man!’’.

 

‘’If there wasn’t  so many witnesses right now I would rip your head off!’’.

 

‘’Im sorry’’.

 

‘’That husband or something was my brother and I if ever hear you drag his or Roxy’s name down again I’ll bury you do you understand!’’.

 

‘’Yes man just let go please’’. And Tyler then squeezes harder before letting go.

 

‘’He was worth two of you, you worm’’. Tyler tells the man before his drinks are brought over.

 

‘’There on him’’. Tyler tells the bartender before heading back to his table with a scowl on his face.

When Roxy returns from the ladies she can immediately tell there is something wrong with Tyler.

 

‘’You ok?’’.

 

‘’Yeah, im fine’’.

 

‘’What is it?’’.

 

‘’Nothing really’’. And Roxy then picks up her drink and downs it in one.

 

‘’Come on’’.

 

‘’Come on where?’’.

 

‘’I saw a club down the street from here‘’.

 

‘’A club?’’.

 

‘’Yeah, to put a smile back on that face‘’. And Roxy then grabs Tyler’s hand before leading him out.

Half an hour later the two are in the club on the dance floor as the music plays loudly and Tyler had forgotten all about the a*****e at the hotel.

 

‘’I need a rest’’. He tells Roxy in the middle of the dance floor’’.

 

‘’Come on this is the best song’’.

 

‘’If I dance anymore im going to collapse’’.

 

‘’Then hold onto me’’. And Roxy places Tyler’s hands around her waist and the two look into one another’s eyes before they begin to dance.

 

A couple of hours later the two both a little tipsy almost fall out of the club both laughing away as they walk back to the hotel.

 

‘’I’ve really enjoyed tonight’’. Says Roxy.

 

‘’Me too’’.

 

‘’In fact I’ve enjoyed the whole trip’’.

 

‘’Right back at your’’. And the two then reach the hotel and head to there room first reaching Roxy’s who leans against the door and turns to Tyler with a huge smile on her face.

 

‘’Ok Mr Parker I will thank you for my night and retreat to my room’’.

 

‘’don’t mention it Mrs Parker, I enjoyed it just as much as you’’. And the two then stop talking and smiling and look at one another before then both lean close and kiss, they kiss for a few seconds before both pull away Roxy wiping her lips.

 

‘’Er……er…..’’.

 

‘’I have to go’’. Says Roxy quietly before quickly going into her room and closing the door while Tyler stands there feeling terrible as he holds his head in his hands.

 

Ten minutes later Tyler is sat around the back of the hotel in the dark as he smokes a cigarette so many thoughts running through his head, confusion and guilt just two of them when he sees the a*****e from the bar staggering across to a huge coca cola machine popping in quarters for a can and Tyler then drops his cigarette to the floor before sneaking up on the a*****e and form behind banging his head into the coca cola machine again and again until he is out cold and Tyler then drops him to the floor before rubbing his head angry that he had let the anger spill out again and he then quickly runs to his room and to his mini-bar. Meanwhile Roxy is laid in her bed tears rolling down her cheeks as she holds her wedding ring in her hands……

 

The next morning Tyler is sat on his bed with a huge headache as he wonders what to say to Roxy when finally he is sick  and tired of thinking and grabs his jacket before heading downstairs where he finds Roxy already there.

 

‘’You ready to go?’’. She asks sharply.

 

‘’Yeah’’.

 

‘’Ok you check out I’ll wait at the car’’. And Roxy quickly turns her back and heads to the car park while Tyler checks out. On the car drive home no one speaks, Roxy simply sits staring out of her window never once turning to Tyler and it stays that way until they reach Roxy’s house.

 

‘’Thanks for the ride’’. She says quickly before jumping out of the car and heading up the drive never once looking back and Tyler blows out his cheeks before heading home.

 

For the next three weeks Tyler and Roxy don’t see anything of each other but nether can stop thinking about what happened.

 

‘’How did the dance lesson go?’’. Asks Samantha as Roxy returns home.

 

‘’Yeah it was ok’’.

 

‘’Well you up for going out tonight?’’.

 

‘’I don’t know’’.

 

‘’Come on I think you need it, you’ve been quiet lately’’.

 

‘’Maybe’’.

 

‘’Good, I’ll get ready then’’. And Samantha heads to get ready.

 

Tyler is sat at home watching the TV with a beer when Rachael walks into the room as he ets dressed for work.

 

‘’When’s Tom coming over?’’ She asks.

 

‘’About an hour’’.

 

‘’You two watching the game?’’.

 

‘’Yep’’.

 

‘’Ok then, im going to work’’ .And Rachael leans over the couch giving Tyler a kiss before heading to work buy Tyler cannot get Roxy out of his head.

 

Roxy and Samantha are in a club but while Samantha is dancing away and drawing a lot of attention from the men Roxy is sat with a cocktail as the guilt of what happened with Tyler refuses to go away.

 

Tyler and Tom are watching the game but as Tom jumps around getting into it Tyler just cant.

 

‘’What’s wrong man’’.

 

‘’Nothing’’.

 

‘’it’s the reds, why aren’t you going crazy right now?’’.

 

‘’I just have a lot on my mind’’. And Tyler cant handle it anymore, he needs to see Roxy and tal about what happened and get it all of his chest the guilt included.

 

‘’Look man, I need to go somewhere’’.

 

‘’Where?’’. Asks Tom.

 

‘’Just to do with work that I forgot, you stay here and watch the game’’.

 

‘’Ok but bring more beer’’.

 

‘’I will’’. And Tyler then heads to Roxy’s house but has to walk as Rachael had taken to car to work.

 

‘’I’m going to get off’’. Roxy tells Samantha.

 

‘Already!’’.

 

‘’Yeah I have an headache but you stay, enjoy yourself’’.

 

‘’You sure?’’.

 

‘’Yeah I’ve already called a cab’.

 

‘’Ok then’’. And Samantha kisses her sister on the cheek before getting back to her dancing while Roxy heads outside to her cab.

Tyler is walking down the dark street going over in his head what he will say when he reaches Roxy’s house wondering how she feels about it all.

 

Roxy is already home and finishes off her bottle of beer before jumping in the shower. And as she does minutes later there is a knock on the front door.

 

‘’I bet she’s forgot her keys again’’. Roxy says to herself concerning Samantha but as she wraps a towel around herself and opens the door she finds Marcus standing there.

 

‘’Marcus!’’.

 

‘’I didn’t come here to fight, I came to give you these’’. And Marcus pulls a bunch of flowers from behind his back.

 

‘’I was away on business and when I got back I heard about Lewis’’.

 

‘’You did’’. Replies Roxy her head dropping.

 

‘’And I wanted to offer my sympathy and to tell you… to tell you im sorry for how I treated you in the past and for what I did’’.

 

‘’ Why you telling me this Marcus because there’s no way….’’.

 

‘’I just wanted you to know and again to other my sympathy’s’’.

 

‘’Okay…’’. And Roxy takes he flowers from him.

 

‘’If you need anything…’’. And just then Marcus feels ah and on his shoulder and he is janked back and then grabbed by the collar of his shirt.

 

‘’What the….’’.

 

‘’Tyler!’’. Shouts Roxy. ‘’Let him go’’. And Tyler then lets go of Marcus before telling him to leave.

 

‘’Call me if you need anything’’. He tells Roxy before leaving and when Marcus turns to leave he has a huge smirk on his face.

 

Tyler walks into the house and Roxy closes the door.

 

‘’What the hell Tyler!’’.

 

‘’What was that creep doing here!’’.

 

‘’What was that creep doing here? let me see, apologising, offer his sympathy, nothing much’’.

 

‘’He’s a low life a*****e Roxy!’’.

 

‘’I know that Tyler, much better than you but who I choose to talk to is up to me not you, your not my brother, your not my keeper you were just my husbands brother’’.

 

‘’I’m looking out for you just like Lewis would want and do you think he’d want you talking to him!’’.

 

‘’Oh your looking out for me? And does your brother want you to kiss me and try it on with me? Is that part of the whole looking out for me thing? Trying to get in my pants’’.

 

‘’You kissed me too’’.

 

‘’I was drunk and I had had a great weekend and it was a mistake, a terrible drunken mistake’’.

 

‘’Exactly what I was going to say’’.

 

‘’Well then, its all sorted!’’. Shouts Roxy.

 

‘’Good!’’. And Tyler heads for the door and reaches for the handle but just then he stops.

 

‘’But I cant help it’’. He says the shouting finally stopping.

 

‘’Help what?’’. Asks Roxy.

 

‘’Thinking of you’’. And Tyler daren’t even turn to look at Roxy who is stunned at what he said and a little confused at the same time.

 

‘’I’m sorry for kissing you Roxy’’. And Tyler then opens the door to leave….

 

‘’Wait….’’ Says Roxy faintly and Tyler stops and turns to see Roxy is shaking and looking like she could cry and he then closes the door and goes over to her and the two look at one another before Tyler reaches out and touches Roxy’s face and then in an instant the two grab hold of each other intensely, Tyler slams Roxy against the wall before dragging the towel from around her body and dropping it to the floor and Roxy rips the shirt from his back and undoes his belt as the two kiss intensely and passionately .

 

Tom is sat in Tyler’s the game finished wondering where his beer had got to.

 

Roxy and Tyler are laid in bed both breathing heavily neither believing what they had just let happen.

 

‘’So what now?’’. Asks Tyler.

 

‘’I don’t know’ but you best go home because Samantha could come back anytime’’. And Tyler then gets out of bed and grabs his cloths, he then stands with his back to Roxy wondering what to say but he is struggling for the right words.

 

‘’I’ll…. Call you tomorrow’’. He says before leaving as Roxy lies on her back wondering what will happen now and more importantly what she wanted to happen and just how she felt about things.

 

The sun is shining bright as Tyler sits on the dock by the lake dangling his feet in the water as he thinks tings through, what about Rachael and more importantly what about the memory of hi brother and as Tyler sits there suddenly from behind someone pushes him in the water and as he turns to look who it i he sees is brother standing there.

 

‘’How could you!’’.

 

‘’Lewis I….’’.

 

‘’My own brother! My flesh and blood! The person I trusted more than anyone else!’’.

 

‘’Lewis I didn’t mean it to happen I swear’’.

 

‘How could you do this to me your ripping my heart brother’’.

 

‘’Lewis I…’’ .And Lewis then reaches down and grabs hold of Tyler.

 

‘’ Your not my brother anymore’’. He tells him before ducking Tyler’s head under the water and holding him there and Tyler kicks and struggles to reach the surface again the air in his lungs quickly fading and he struggles more and more to break to the top as through the water he can see the tears rolling down his brothers scowled and angry face…….

 

Tyler wakes, he wakes in bed and as he sits up he realises it was all a bad dream, sweat is pouring form his head and chest and he feels terrible.

 

‘’You ok baby?’’. Asks Rachael.

 

‘’Fine, just a bad dream’’. And Tyler then lies back down Rachael putting an arm across his chest as Tyler stares up at the ceiling thinking.

 

The next day Tyler returns home from work to find Rachael putting out plates of food and alcoholic punch.

 

‘’What all this?’’. He asks.

 

‘’The party’’.

 

‘’Party?’’.

 

‘’You’ve forgot haven’t you’’.

 

‘’Er….. No’’.

 

‘’Yes you have’’. And Rachael then passes Tyler two plates of food asking him to help set it up.

 

‘’Its Roxy’s birthday’’.

 

‘’It is?’’.

 

‘’Yes and were throwing a surprise party, Samantha and Helen are bringing more booze’’.

 

‘’And its tonight?’’.

 

‘’Yes so go and take a shower’’. And a Tyler worries about the night ahead as he heads to take a shower.

 

Tyler is putting up banners with Tom as more guests arrive.

 

‘’Hey there’s some good looking girls here’’. Tom tells Tyler.

 

‘’Yeah there’s a lot of Roxy’s dancing friends here, Rachael phoned them all’’.

 

‘’So you think I have a chance?’’.

 

‘’Put some more vodka in the punchbowl and you just might’’.

 

‘’Where we going?’’. Asks Roxy to Samantha and Helen in the car.

 

‘’For a birthday drink’’.

 

‘’No surprises?’’.

 

‘No surprises’’.

 

‘’Ok then, birthday drink it is’’. And Samantha and Helen look at one another with smiles on there faces.

 

‘’O they’ll be here in a minute’’. Rachael tells everyone.

 

‘’It’ll be good to see Roxy’’. Tom tells Tyler.

 

‘’Yeah it will’. Replies Tyler as he wishes he was still at work avoiding the awkwardness of the night ahead.

 

‘’ What we doing here?’’ Roxy asks Samantha.

 

‘’Rachael’s coming too’’.

 

‘’She is?’’.

 

‘’Yep, not a problem is it?’’.

 

‘’No of course not’’.  And as Roxy answers Samantha and Helen jump out of the car.

 

‘’What you doing?’’. Asks Roxy.

 

‘’We thought we’d have a few here and then call a cab to town’’.

 

‘’Why don’t we just head straight into town instead?’’.

 

‘’Come on, just a few’’. And Roxy then climbs out of the car feeling awkward as she heads up the drive. Samantha then knocks before opening the door and the three walk in…..

 

 

               SURPRISE!!!!!!!!

 

And Roxy stands there in shock immediately looking through the crowd of people at Tyler who looks like he feels just as awkward as herself.

 

‘’Speak!’. Shouts one of the guests as Roxy is passed a glass of wine.

 

‘’Well er…. Thank you everyone for coming and believe me this is a surprise, I hope everyone enjoys themselves and Tom doesn’t puke’. And everyone laughs (including Tom he always does) before taking a sip of there drink and the music I then turned on. Roxy is stood looking at Tyler across the room who looks right back but the she is grabbed by the arm and turned around by Samantha.

 

‘’Come on sis you have to try this punch its kick a*s’’. And Samantha pulls Roxy to towards the punch.

The music is playing and everyone is having a good time, Roxy had stuck by her sister most of the night and had not even seen Tyler but as Samantha gets involved in a dance off with Helen Roxy decides to take five minutes out and heads to the backyard where she finds sitting on the porch with a bottle of snaps is Tyler alone and she goes and sits beside him to two looking at one another.

 

‘’This is….’’.

 

‘’Awkward?’’. Answers Tyler.

 

‘’A little’’.

 

‘’A forgot about the surprise party I even forgot about our birthday’’.

 

‘’Well Thanks’’.

 

‘’No, I’ve….. Had a lot on my mind’’.

 

‘’Me too’’.

 

‘’What happened, it was….’’.

 

‘’Wrong’’. Replies Roxy.

 

‘’Yeah it was wrong, we shouldn’t do, ever since that night all I’ve done is feel terrible and full of guilt and I haven’t stopped dreaming about Lewis but I wouldn’t call them dreams, more nightmares’’.

 

‘’I’d take a nightmare right now as long as it involved him’’.

 

‘’Its just I feel like im disrespecting him, when he….’’. And Tyler fights the tears. ‘’It broke me, it broke me in two, all I wanted to do was go out and fight because pain doesn’t hurt people do and now…. now I do this to my brothers memory’’.

 

‘’Every night I lie in bed looking at my wedding ring, even though he’s not here it still feels like I’ve cheated’’.

 

‘’Me too’’.

 

‘’We have to learn from mistakes and not do them again, I was married to your brother and you have Rachael’’.

 

‘’I agree’’. And Tyler then offers the bottle of snaps to Roxy which she takes and has a drink before passing it back.

 

‘’So we forget it’’.

 

‘’Forget what?’’. And the two smile slightly.

 

‘’Hey guys you have to come, Tom’s stripping’’. Says one of the guests to Tyler and Roxy ad Tyler immediately gets up.

 

‘’Come on Roxy’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’Because he doesn’t stop at the boxer shorts’’. And the two head inside.

 

A week later Roxy is at home painting the kitchen when she receives a phone call, it is from her sister saying she’ll be out of town for the week with the band and as Roxy wishes her luck and returns to painting there is a knock on the back door and she answers to find a florist standing there with ah huge bouclé of red roses.

‘’Mrs Parker?’’.

 

‘’Yes’’. She replies and the flowers are handed over and as she reads the card she finds the roses are form Marcus.

 

‘Dear Roxy, hope you are ok and all is well, please ring if you need anything, Marcus’

 

‘’So you gonna get her?’’. Asks Clyde one of Marcus work colleges as he hands over his cubicle.

 

‘’Get her, I’ll own her’’. And Clyde then looks at a old picture or of Roxy and Marcus together on his desk.

 

‘’Man she’s cute’’.

 

‘’Cute, she’s a fine piece of a*s’’.

 

‘’Why did you let her go in the first place man?’’.

 

‘’ I got cocky’’.

 

‘’Marcus your always cocky’’.

 

‘’But this time I’ll be smart with it, no other girls numbers on my phone, use a fake name on business trips and keep her sweet more’’.

 

‘’That’s the Marcus we love’’.

 

‘’And she will too, the weedy Lewis is dead thank God and I don’t think her b***h of a sister will interfere again leaving me to pick Roxy’s heart up off the floor’’.

 

‘’What’s the next phase?’’.

 

‘’Lunch date, no strings’’.

 

‘’I like it’’.

 

‘’I’ll be back in her pants by the end of next month and there’s nothing anyone can do about it’’.

 

Rachael returns home from work to find Tyler had just too and was making the two something to eat.

 

‘’Hey I dropped into Roxy’s on the way home’’.

 

‘’You did?’’.

 

‘’Yep, just to see how she was’’.

 

‘’And?’’

 

‘’She painting the kitchen but she’s struggling moving the oven and refrigerator’’.

 

‘’I thought her friend Kurt was helping’’.

 

‘’He was going to but he slipped a disk in his back surfing the other day’’.

 

‘’And she hasn’t got anyone else?’’.

 

‘’No, even Samantha’s out of town’’.

 

‘’Maybe I should help’’.

 

‘’It would be nice and Lewis will be looking down with a smile on his face’’.

 

‘’I hope so’’. And Tyler continues to cook there dinner.

 

The next day Tyler heads over to Roxy’s to lend a hand and finds her with her hair tied up in a pair of old overalls up a ladder painting.

 

‘’Hey’’.

 

‘’Hey’’.

 

‘’I came to offer m help’’.

 

‘’Oh… ok, I could do with a hand moving around the oven and refrigerator’’.

 

‘’Yeah Rachael’’.

 

‘’And if you want you can grab a brush because I have a class to take later today’’.

 

‘’Ok then’’. And Tyler takes off his jacket.

 

After moving the oven and refrigerator Tyler picks up a brush and helps to paint.

 

‘’I like what your doing with the place’’. Says Tyler.

 

‘’Yeah im going for the whole traditional American diner look’’.

 

‘’Yeah I like it’’. And the two then continue to paint.

 

You want a coffee?’  Asks Roxy as she climbs down the ladder to take a minutes break.

 

‘’ Yeah sure’’.  And as Roxy turns on the kettle one of her favourite songs comes on the radio and she turns up the volume.

 

‘’I love this song!’’. She says before beginning to dance with paint brush in hand and then as she dances behind Tyler she reaches over his shoulder and brushes some paint on his cheek.

 

‘’Hey!’’. Replies Tyler and as he turns around Roxy has a cheeky smile on her face so Tyler dips his brush in the paint and chases after her, Roxy screams and runs from Tyler as he chases her with the brush and Tyler finally corners Roxy in the kitchen, she tries to go left but Tyler stops her, then right but Tyler stops her again.

 

‘’There’s nowhere to run’’. He warns her before grabbing Roxy to the floor and brushing the paint on her nose and the two then laugh as Tyler holds Roxy to the floor and as the two stop laughing and Tyler is over the top of Roxy the two look at one another before Tyler quickly climbs off trying to diffuse the situation.

 

‘’So er….. You making the coffee?’’.

 

‘’Sure’’. And Tyler helps Roxy up before she makes the coffees.

 

‘’Ok thanks for all the help’’. Says Roxy a few hours later as she walks Tyler to his car.

 

‘’Sure no problem, I’ll come back in a few days and help you finish it off’.

 

‘’Thanks’’.

 

‘’ So I’ll see you then’’.

 

‘’Yep’’. And the two look at one another before Tyler climbs in the car and sets off home leaving Roxy waving him off.

 

The next day Roxy is a work teaching her first class of the day and as she heads to her dinner break she finds Marcus waiting for her outside.

 

‘’Marcus?’’.

 

‘’I was in town and thought we could grab lunch together, my treat’’.

 

‘’I…. don’t know’’.

 

‘’Come on, for old times sake’’.

 

‘’I guess so then’’. And the two head for lunch.

 

‘’So you went to some meetings then?’. Asks Roxy.

 

‘’Yep to talk about my anger and jealousy, and it was good to get it all out and hear others stories’’. Lies Marcus.

 

‘’Yeah I went to some meeting after Lewis and it helped me too’’.

 

‘’It does’’.

 

‘’So you seeing anyone?’’ Asks Roxy.

 

‘’No, since you I… decided to take a break’’. Lies Marcus again.

 

‘’Good, it sounds like you are changing’’.

 

‘’I have, well it still takes work but I needed and more importantly I wanted to change’’. (How many lies is that now?)

 

‘’Well its good to hear’’.  And Roxy takes a bite of her sandwich.

 

‘’So I’ll see you around then?’’ Says Marcus as he walks Roxy back to her dance class.

 

‘’Er…. Yeah’’.

 

‘’See you around Roxy’’. And Marcus turns to leave with a smirk yet again on his face.

 

Later that night Roxy is chilling at home on the couch as she talks on the phone to her sister.

 

‘’So it all sounds like its going well’.. Says Roxy.

 

‘’It is, its really great out here’’.

 

‘’Good, oh and guess who bought me lunch today?’’.

 

‘’Who?’’.

 

‘’Promise you’ll not get mad and let me explain’’.

 

‘’Who?’’.

 

‘’Marcus’’.

 

‘’What!’’.

 

‘’I know, I know, he was waiting for me a lunch’’.

 

‘’Well tell him where to go!’’.

 

‘’We talked and he told me how he went to all these meeting for his anger and jealousy and how he hasn’t even been with a anyone for a long time’’.

 

‘’I don’t care the guys an a*****e!’’.

 

‘’don’t worry sis nothing will happen again I promise, I couldn’t, not with him’’.

 

‘’Well good but I still don’t think you should see him’’.

 

‘’Its not going to be a regular thing but people can change’’.

 

‘’An a*****e is an a*****e not matter who much its cleaned’’. And Roxy laughs.

 

‘’Ok then, speak soon’’.

 

‘’We will and remember’’.

 

‘’I know I know’’.

 

‘’Good, love you’’. And Samantha hangs up before immediately ringing  Marcus.

 

‘’Well, well, well a blast form the past’’.

 

‘Cut out the bullshit Marcus’’.

 

‘’What can I do for you Samantha?’’.

 

‘’Leave my sister alone’’.

 

‘’Oh I cant help it if she cant stay away’’.

 

‘’I know what your doing Marcus’’.

 

‘’And what’s that?’’

 

‘’Trying to worm your way in again with your lies and pretending to be a good guy’’.

 

‘’But I am a good guy Samantha’’.

 

‘’Stay away from her!’’.

 

‘’Or what, you going to tell her how me and you slept together while I was with your sister or that you were pregnant with my baby but had an abortion? Or what about when we slept together on her wedding day and you kept it a secret? Face it Samantha you have just as much as me to lose’’.

 

‘’If I lose her you do too and when she finds out what you did to my lip’’.

 

‘’You killed her niece Samantha, which one wins?’’. And the conversation goes quiet.

 

‘’You keep quiet Samantha and I will you have my word’’.

 

‘’I wont let you….’’.

 

‘’I think its you who wants to control Roxy, not me’’.

 

‘’She’s my sister’’.

 

‘’Well than you’ll allow her to make her own decisions’’. And Marcus hangs up leaving Samantha unsure what to do in a no win situation.

 

For the next month Roxy continues to see Marcus on occasions who keeps up with the bad guy gone good act while Tyler continues to fight his feelings.

 

Tyler is out a bar with Tom and the two are playing pool.

 

‘’So that girl rang me back last night’’. Says Tom.

 

‘’She did’’.

 

‘’Yep I think im in there’’.

 

‘’That’s great man’’.

 

‘’What’s been wrong with you lately man?’’.

 

‘’Nothing’’.

 

‘’Tyler I’ve known you since we were kids and I know when something’s on your mind’’.

 

‘’Its nothing just take your shot’’.

 

‘’don’t you trust me?’’.

 

‘’Trust you with what?’’.

 

‘’Come on man with whatever’s on your mind’’.

 

‘’Its nothing’.

 

‘’Ok, ok sorry for asking’’. And Tyler then put down his cue.

 

‘’Ok, come on’’.

 

‘’Where we going?’’.

 

‘’Outside and bring your beer. And Tyler leads Tom outside……

 

‘’Oh man I cant believe it’’. Replies Tom after just being told everything about Roxy.

 

‘’ Ever since I’ve felt so…..so guilty and like a complete a*****e  for what I did to Rachael and more importantly…..Lewis’’.

 

‘’And the two of you agreed to put it all down to a one time mistake that never gets mentioned again?’’.

 

‘’Yep’’.

 

‘’So…. Is it the guilt that’s still tearing you apart or something else?’’.

 

‘’Something else?’’.

 

‘’About how you feel for her?’’.

 

‘’It wouldn’t mater if I did feel anything for her, we wont let it happen again, it cant’’.  And Tyler takes a drink of his beer.

 

‘’Oh man…. You love her don’t you….’’ .And Tyler does not reply.

 

‘’Love will tear us apart’’.

 

‘’You got that from a song’’.

 

‘’Yes I did but this time it isn’t said t show off’’……..

 

‘’Eighteen months!’’.  Gasps Roxy to her sister.

 

‘’I know, I know it’s a long time and I realise that since….. Since Lewis we’ve spent more time together and I’ve really enjoyed that so I’m going to say no’’.

 

‘’I want you to go’’.

 

‘’No… I wont’’.

 

‘’Really, you deserve this Samantha and I’ll be fine, I’m a grown women remember and I really want you to go’’.

 

‘’You sure?’’.

 

‘’Positive’’.

 

‘’Well ok and I’ll ring and email e.t.c,  e.t.c’’.

 

‘’Just promise me you’ll be safe while your touring around Europe’’.

 

‘’I will I promise’’. And the two sisters hug.

 

‘’Tell the band I said congrats’’.

 

‘’I will, you can come on the tour if you want?’’.

 

‘’No, no, I’m fine here’’.

 

‘’Ok then, I best go and pack’’.

 

‘’You best’’. And Samantha kisses her sister on the cheek before leaving.

 

A few nights later Tyler is laid in bed unable to sleep when suddenly Rachael rolls over and turns on the sidelight.

 

‘’ I thought you were still awake’’.

 

‘’What’s wrong?’’. And with a smile on her face Rachael reaches into her side cabinet and pulls out a small box.

 

‘’What is  this?’’. Asks Tyler and Rachael then places the small box on his chest.

 

‘’Open it’’. She tells Tyler and as he does he finds inside a ring.

 

‘I know its not traditional for a women to purpose but it’s the noughties and I love you’’.

 

‘’I er…… don’t know what to say’’.

 

‘’The normal response is yes….. Normally’’. And Tyler picks up the ring looking at it with Roxy running through his head.

 

‘’She’s married’’. His father tells him as he sits on the side of the bed. ’’She’s married to your brother’’.

 

‘’I know dad’’.

 

‘’You and Roxy, it cat happen plus she loved your brother, not you son so please don’t walk that path, just say yes’’.

 

‘’Hello….. Tyler’’. Says Rachael. ’’So?’’…..

 

‘’Yes, of course I’ll marry you ut I thought we were kind of already engaged?’’.

 

Well this times its official and were actually going to make the plans’’.

 

‘’Sounds good’’.  And the two share a kiss.

 

The next day Tyler is at Roxy helping her finish off the painting.

 

‘’So, Rachael good?’’ She asks.

 

‘’Yep, all good’’. He replies not mentioning the engagement.

 

‘’So Samantha’s in Germany?’’.

 

‘’Yep, she text me this morning’’.

 

‘’And its all going good?’’.

 

‘’Brilliant from the sound of it’’.

 

‘’That’s nice’’. And the two continue to paint but Tyler has more on his mind.

 

‘’You know it cant be easy for you’’.

 

‘’With Samantha’’.

 

‘’Yes I know how close you two are and with her gone for the next eighteen months and the rest of your family living in another state’’.

 

‘’I have all my friends’’.

 

‘’And you have family don’t forget, me and Rachael were always there’’.

 

‘’I know and thank you’’.

 

‘’You should come over for dinner’’.

 

‘’Er… yeah’’.

 

‘’You haven’t come over much since… well you know and I don’t want you to feel awkward about it, I don’t want it to be awkward between us’’.

 

‘’It isn’t I promise and I will’’.

 

‘’Well that’s good to hear’’.  And the two smile at one another.

 

‘’Ok then, I best be off’’. Says Tyler as he grabs his jacket.

 

‘’Well thanks for the help’’.

 

‘’don’t mention it and remember, come over for dinner, don’t sit here alone’’.

 

‘’I wont and yes I will’’.

 

‘’Good’’. And Tyler smiles before heading on out.

 

Roxy is just finishing cleaning up when there’s a knock on the door and as she answers expecting to see Tyler instead she finds Marcus.

‘’Marcus what you doing here? Its kinda late’’.

 

‘’I know,  I know, I just needed to talk to you’’.

 

‘’Well you have my number’’.

 

‘’Face to face’’.

 

‘’What about?’’.

 

‘’May I come in?’’. He asks and Roxy allows him in pouring the two a drink.

 

‘’What is it?’’. Asks Roxy.

 

‘’I….. I’ve really enjoyed the time we’ve spent together lately’’.

 

‘’Yeah its been nice’’.

 

‘’And I hope you can see the change in me and the work I’ve done to do that’’.

 

‘’Yes I have’’.

 

‘’Well, I…… I have a confession to make’’.

 

‘’You do?’’.

 

‘’Everything I’ve done, its all been for you’’.

 

‘’Me?’’.

 

‘’Yes Roxy, I know I screwed up before but I’ve changed and I can see where I went wrong and this time would be different I promise’’.

 

‘’Marcus I……’’.

 

‘’I still think you feel something for me and because I do for you’’. And Marcus steps closer to Roxy.

 

‘’Marcus’’.

 

‘’Just, think about how it was when things were good between us’’.

 

‘’When.’’.

 

‘’This time it’ll be like that all the time I promise’’.

 

‘’You hurt me Marcus, you hurt me physically and emotionally and my feelings….’’.

 

‘’ What we have is still there, we just lost it on the way’’. And Marcus grabs hold of Roxy’s hands.

 

Tyler is walking home when he feels in his pocket to realise he has left his wallet at Roxy so heads on back to get it.

 

‘’Just think about it, think about how it could be’’. Says Marcus before he leans over and kisses Roxy……

 

Tyler is walking up the drive when through the kitchen window he sees Marcus and Roxy kissing and immediately clenches his fist ready to storm in and beat Marcus to a pulp but as he marches to the door stood in front of it he sees his father.

 

‘’And what good what that do son?, you go in there beat him up maybe get jail time and then, then what? You and Roxy live happily ever after? What about your brother or Rachael? You have to let this go son because from the looks of things she has’’. And Tyler then unclenches his fist before turning and storming away.

 

Roxy pus away from Marcus and wipes her lips.

 

‘’What’s wrong?’’. Asks Marcus.

 

‘’This, I cant do it’’.

 

‘’Yes you can’’. And Marcus goes for another kiss but Roxy pulls away.

 

‘’My feelings for you aren’t there anymore Marcus, me and you were in the past and im not going back’’. And Marcus’s initial thought is to slap Roxy around the face but he’s playing the long game here and he wants Roxy.

 

‘’Ok, im moving too fast and im sorry’’. And Marcus backs off.

 

‘’Please accept my apologies’’.

 

‘’Its ok’’.

 

‘’I’ll…..I’ll go’’. And Marcus heads home determined to get what he wants.

 

Tyler is back home and pacing up and down the garden in his picturing both Roxy and Marcus together, he tries to block the imagers out but they just appear in his head more and more and more driving him angrier and angrier until he starts punching the wall again and again until his fist his bleeding and he then rests his head on the wall wishing he could just block it all out.

 

The next morning Rachael is up and heads to the living room to find Tyler asleep on the couch the table beside him full of empty beer bottles and one of his fists cut and bloodied and Rachael immediately wakes him.

 

‘’What happened she asks first looking at the empty bottles of beer and then Tyler’s bloodied fist.

 

‘’Nothing I…’’.

 

‘’You’ve been fighting again’’.

 

‘’No, no I haven’t’’.

 

‘’Really?’’.

 

‘’Really’’.

 

‘’Tyler you’ve been doing so well and now this’’.

 

‘’Why wont you believe me!’’.

 

‘’because the evidence is right in front of me, your fist is a mess and you’ve been drinking’’.

 

‘’I have not been fighting’’.

 

‘’Then tell me why you knuckles a mess’’. She asks and Tyler looks down at his hand knowing he cannot explain.

 

‘’You should believe me Rachael because im telling the truth’’.

 

‘’No Tyler your not and I wish you would’’. And Rachael heads to take a shower.

Rachael had headed for work while Tyler was in the shower and when he’s out he phones work to tell he wont be coming in today before taking two tablets for his hangover.

 

‘’So you caught them kissing? Asks Tom as he sits in Tyler’s house the two with a coffee.

 

‘Yep, she was kissing that snake’’.

 

‘’I’m surprised you didn’t burst in and kick his a*s’’.

 

‘’I wanted to and I almost did’’.

 

‘’What stopped you?’’.

 

‘’I don’t know, I guess I have to stop solving everything with my fists.

 

‘’Yeah your right, so what now?’’.

 

‘’Nothing, I marry Rachael and let Roxy get on with her life’’.

 

‘’Is that what you want, what you really want?’’. Asks Tom and Tyler doesn’t reply.

 

‘’This is what should happen and it will’’. And Tyler stands up and heads to the kitchen.

 

Over the next few months Tyler tries his best to put his feeling for Roxy out of his head, she does come over a few times for dinner but there never alone and he never even mentions the name of Marcus.

 

Tyler is at work one day when he receives a phone call.

 

‘’Hello’’.

 

‘’Is this Mr Tyler Parker?’’.

 

‘Yes speaking’’.

 

‘’Im calling from the hospital’’.

 

‘’Hospital, is everything ok?’’.

 

‘’Yes, yes im just calling on the behalf of a Roxanne Parker’’.

 

‘’Yeah im here brother in law why what’s wrong?’

 

‘’We’ve been trying to get in contact with a family member but haven’t been able to’’.

 

‘’Her folks live out of town and her sisters away’’.

 

‘’Well luckily we got in contact with you’’.

 

‘’Why what’s wrong?’’.

 

‘’She’s ok Mr Parker, she went over on her ankle pretty badly and she might struggle getting home so I thought I’d call a member of family to help her maybe’’.

 

‘’So she’s ok?’’.

 

‘’Yes there’s just swelling and bruising and it’ll be sore for a few days but she’ll be ok’’.

 

‘’I’ll ok it with my boss then and get right over’’.

 

‘’Ok Mr Parker, I’ll let Roxanne know someone is on there way’’. And Tyler hangs up.

 

Tyler arrives to the hospital and is directed to Roxy’s room where he finds her laid out on the bed.

 

‘’Thanks for coming’’.  She tells him.

 

‘’Its ok really’’. And Tyler takes a seat beside the bed and looks at Roxy’s ankle.

 

‘’So what happened?’’.

 

‘’I was taking a class and  just went over while I was spinning and it hurt like hell’’.

 

‘It looks sore’’.

 

‘’It is’’.

 

‘’They tried to get in contact with you parents and Samantha’’.

 

‘’Yeah one of the nurses said but my parents are on holiday and Samantha well Samantha’s somewhere in Amsterdam’’.

 

‘’ Amsterdam?’’.

 

‘’I know I daren’t even think about it’’.

 

‘’Well im glad you don’t have to get home alone’’.

 

‘’Me too and thanks again’’.

 

‘’don’t mention it’’. And Tyler picks up a magazine.

 

Ten minutes later the doctor arrives and gives Roxy the all clear to go home.

‘’Ok I’ll go and get a wheelchair’’.

 

‘’A wheelchair!’’.

 

‘’Where three floors up and I aint hobbling all the way down there with you’’.

 

‘’Thanks’’ Smile Roxy before Tyler goes to ask if he can borrow a wheelchair.

Tyler wheels Roxy out of the hospital and into his car before taking the wheelchair back and climbing in the car. Tyler then drives to Roxy’s house and helps her out and into the house and onto the couch.

 

‘’You want something to eat?’’. He asks.

 

‘’If you don’t mind please because hospital food is….’’.

 

‘’Horrible?’’.

 

‘’Exactly’’.

 

‘’Well you stay there… oh right you have to and I’ll make you something to eat’’.

 

‘Thanks Tyler’’. Says Roxy as he turns to look at her.

 

‘’Its ok, your family remember’’. And Tyler goes to make Roxy something to eat.

An hour later both Tyler and Roxy are sat with a glass of wine  and a pale of bolognaise.

 

‘’This is unbelievable’’. Says Roxy as she sucks up a piece of spaghetti.

 

‘’Thanks’’.

 

‘’I didn’t know you were such a good cook’’.

 

‘’Yep I got it from my dad and Rachael cannot cook, her best dish is a Chinese takeaway’. And the two laugh.

 

‘’Lewis wasn’t a great cook too, he always managed to burn food’’.

 

‘’Nope he couldn’t cook, I always had to help him when we were younger’’.

 

‘’You two were always there for one another’’.

 

‘’I can remember when we were younger and at school and there was this guy Eric….. Eric  Gates I think his name was and he would pick on Lewis, nothing physical  of course because I’d have ripped his head off just name calling and sniggering behind his back and I told Lewis one punch and he’ll never say another word but Lewis always worried about the amount of time I spent in detention and he told me not to because that would let him know it got to him so Lewis just ignored him and after a few months Eric got bored, he got bored of not getting any reaction and he stopped and moved on to someone else and looking back now some people might say he was a pushover but he wasn’t because it took so much discipline and calmness and maturity not to react, not to get mad or be sad or to take it out on other people and I just wish I had one ounce of what he had to be able to control himself like that’’.

 

‘’And…….’’.

 

‘’And what?’’.

 

‘’Im waiting for the part when you get Eric because I know you will have’’.

 

‘’Ok,  about six months later   during the summer break I was on my way home from a rock concert which my parents said I was not allowed to go to  and I saw Eric looking a little worse for wear probably on the way home from a house party and I gave him a few slaps, nothing major just a couple and I also took all the money from his wallet he had which by the way was only a little and I sneaked it into Lewis’s because I thought he deserved and I wouldn’t let anyone hurt my brother  because he was always there for me and I for him, and whenever I got into trouble or got into a fight it was him who was there to pick up the pieces…. Always’’.

 

‘’That was kind’’.

 

‘’Yeah and it felt good slapping that a*****e’’. And the two laugh.

 

‘’We haven’t done this for a while me and you, just sat down and talked and had a laugh’’. Says Roxy.

 

‘’Yeah we haven’t’’.

 

‘’You haven’t been avoiding me have you?’’ 

 

‘’No, no’’.

 

‘’Okay’’.

 

‘’Its just…. ‘’.

 

‘’What?’’.

 

‘’Can you remember the night we finished painting the kitchen?’’.

 

‘’Yes’’.

‘’Well I forgot my phone’’.

 

‘’I know’’.

 

‘’And I came back for it that night’’.

 

‘’You did?’’.

 

‘’Yes and I saw you….… you and Marcus’’.

 

‘’Me and Marcus?’’.

 

‘’Yes…… kissing’’.

 

‘’You saw us kissing so you backed off?’’.

 

‘’I thought it was for the best, I wanted to storm in and kick his a*s but I didn’t, I counted to ten and walked away’’.

 

‘’And now you think I’m back with Marcus?’’.

 

‘’I don’t know…. Its your life I cant tell you what to do’’.

 

‘’ Marcus, he was he but he kissed me and I didn’t kiss him’’.

 

‘’Please, don’t give me any details’’.

 

‘’No I want to because he wanted the two of us to get back together, he was telling me how he’s changed and learned from his mistakes’’.

 

‘’What a dick’’.

 

‘’No he has or at least it looks that way but me and Marcus, were in the past and I don’t look back’’.

 

‘’So you didn’t,…..’’.

 

‘’Sleep together, no and when I pulled away from his kiss he went home’’.

 

‘’Oh’’.

 

‘’So that’s why you haven’t been coming over’’.

 

‘’I just thought you needed your own time, time to meet someone else and go one dates without your widows brother always being here passing judgement’’.

 

‘’ I haven’t even thought about the whole dating scene’’.

 

‘’You haven’t?’’.

 

‘’No…… but I’ve thought about you’’. And the two look at one another.

 

‘’I wish I didn’t and I wish I could stop it but I still do’’. And  Roxy looks away looking almost embarrassed and shameful at the same time.

 

‘’I…… I haven’t been able to stop thinking of you too, at first I thought I could keep my feeling for you just as background noise but as time goes on its got…..’’.

 

‘’Louder?’’.

 

‘’Deafening’’. And Tyler then leans slowly towards Roxy the two looking scared about what is about to happen and then there lips meet and the two kiss. The two then pulls away and look into one another’s eyes before they kiss again and begin ripping each others cloths off.

 

Tyler is laid asleep n the couch with Roxy by his side when suddenly his phone begins to rin and it wakes the two.

 

‘’Hello?’’  Asks Tyler having just woken.

 

‘’Tyler, are you ok?’’ Asks Rachael which immediately wakes Tyler right up.

 

‘’Yes, yes’’.

 

‘’Well I’ve just got back off my night shift and your not here, where are you’’.

 

‘’Er… ‘’. And Tyler then looks at Roxy who is looking up at him with her big brown eyes.

 

‘’Roxy’s’’.

 

‘’Roxy’s, at this time’’.

 

‘’Yeah she was in the hospital’’.

 

‘’Oh God is she ok?’’.

 

‘’Yeah she’ll be fine, she went over on her ankle pretty badly and needed help getting home, the hospital couldn’t get in contact with any of her immediate family so rang me and I brought her home and cooked her some dinner and next thing I know im helping Roxy to her bedroom and then im sat on the couch with a beer’’.

 

‘’And you crashed asleep’’.

 

‘’Yeah im sorry, I was exhausted’’.

 

‘’Well at least I know your ok’’.

 

‘’Yep’’.

 

‘’Well you going to come home now or in the morning?’’.

 

‘’Now, I have work in the morning’’.

 

‘’Ok then, I’ll wait up’’.

 

‘’I’ll be ten minutes’’. And Tyler hangs up before looking down at Roxy.

 

‘’Im sorry about that’’.

 

‘’Its ok she must have been worried’’.

 

‘’Yeah she was’’. And Tyler then stands up before grabbing his cloths as Roxy wraps a white sheet around herself.

 

‘’So what now?’’. Asks Tyler.

 

‘’I don’t know’’.

 

‘’I’ll come by, tomorrow during my lunch break, I’ll make you a bite to eat and we can talk’’.

 

‘’Ok’’.

 

‘’Just remember to stay off that ankle like the doctor said’’.

 

‘’I will’’. And Tyler than stands up.

 

‘’Ok then, I’ll see you tomorrow’’.

 

‘’Yeah tomorrow’’. And Tyler then heads out.

 

The next day all Tyler can think about is last night and it is a mixture of guilt, regret and happiness all rolled into one, while e is taking his morning shower, having breakfast with Rachael and at work all he can think about is Roxy……

 

Roxy is laid on the couch resting her ankle as she watches the TV when she reaches down for her drink and as she does something catches her eye on the floor and she reaches down to pick it up and as she does she falls off the couch and laughs at herself as she remembers her dad always calling her clumsy when she was younger and as she climbs back onto the couch and takes a look at what it was on the floor she sees that it is a ring, a mans ring that looks a lot like an engagement ring. (whatever they look like)

 

Tyler is just finishing up at work and ready to go and see Roxy for there talk when suddenly Rachael appears holding two sandwiches.

 

‘’Rachael’’.

 

‘’Baby’’. She replies giving im a kiss.

 

‘’What you doing here?’’.

 

‘’You know I can never sleep during the day when I’ve been on nights so I brought some sandwiches so we can have lunch together and you can fill me in on what happened to Roxy’’.

 

‘’Well talking of Roxy I was going to head over there to cook her some dinner’’.

 

‘’Ok, I’ll come with’’.

 

‘’No, you don’t have to’’.

 

‘’Its better that way, then I can hear the story from the horses mouth’’. Ad Rachael laughs ‘’don’t tell her I called her that’’.

 

‘’No you head home,  I don’t think she wants any visitors, what with not being able to get dressed properly or taking take a good shower or put on her makeup’’.

 

‘’Tyler, we both know Roxy’s pettier even without makeup and anyway nothing comes between a  girl and her makeup bag especially no twisted ankle’’. And Rachael heads for the door and Tyler rolls his eyes before reluctantly following having failed to put Rachel off.

 

‘’ So all you can do is rest it?’’. Asks Rachael of the ankle.

 

‘’Yep until the swelling and bruising goes down then I have to go see the doctor for a check up’’. Replies Roxy who is a little surprised to see Rachael.

 

‘’I was heading over here when Rachael popped into my work and suggested we have lunch together and when I told her I was coming over here she insisted she come’’.  Tyler tells Roxy.

 

‘’Ok’’.

 

‘’Yep but I must admit I had an hidden agenda’’. Asks a surprised and slightly scared Tyler.

 

‘’Yep, I wanted to see if you were ok but I also wanted to tell you something else’’.

 

‘’Really’’. Replies Roxy.

 

‘’Yes, show her Tyler’’. Says Rachael as she looks at Tyler and he immediately knows what she means, she wants Tyler to show Roxy his engagement ring but Tyler had kept the engagement from Roxy last night and he had taken off his ring and put it in his pocket not wanting to talk about a possible wedding with Rachael while he was still thinking of her.

 

‘’Er……’’.

 

‘’Go on, I know we were going to keep it to ourselves for now but I cant keep it in anymore’’. And Tyler looks at Roxy.

 

‘’Yeah come on Tyler’’. She replies and he then slyly reaches into his back pocket for the ring to slip it back on his finger but as he does he finds the ring is not there and Tyler begins to panic as his fingers desperately search the pocket.

 

‘’Well?’’. Says an impatient Rachael.

 

‘’I er…..’’.

 

‘’It here’’. Says Roxy holding up the ring in her hand and Tyler almost falls to the floor, it is over, Roxy is going to reveal all and World War thee will officially begin ( I am not exenterating, you have not met Rachael’s family).

 

‘’Er…… yes it is’’. Replies Rachael as she takes a closer look at the ring.

 

‘’What is Roxy doing with your ring?’’. She asks.

 

‘’Well er……’’.

 

‘’ Tyler told me’’. Says Roxy saving his skin.

‘’Tyler told you?’’.

 

‘’Yes last night, he was just as excited as you and just couldn’t keep it a secret and I asked him if I could take a look at the ring, next thing I know im waking up in the morning and the rings still here because I forgot to give him it back, just don’t blame me I was high on painkillers (not literally)’’.

 

‘’Yeah and I completely crashed last night sorry it just slipped my mind’’.

 

‘’Its ok’’. Says Rachael before taking the ring from Roxy and passing it back to Tyler. ‘’Just look after it this time’’. Rachael tells Tyler with a playful smile on her face.

 

‘’I will I promise’’. And the two smile at one another.

 

‘’Well I best get back to work’’. Says Tyler when looks at his watch after the three had eaten.

 

‘Yeah and I best try to get some sleep’’. Adds Rachael.

 

‘’Ok you two and thanks for coming over’.

 

‘’Just call if you need anything’’.

 

‘’I will and thanks’’. And Tyler and Rachael then leave Tyler dropping Rachael off home before heading back to work. For the rest of the day Tyler’s head is all over the place, last night the engagement, what happened right now at lunch just all of it all running around in his head and as soon as work finishes he heads straight over to Roxy’s just having to sort it all out somehow.

Straight after work Tyler hurries over to Roxy’s but knows he has to be quick because Rachael will be expecting him at home.

 

‘’Who is it?’’. Shouts Roxy from the couch.

 

‘’Its me… Tyler’’. He shouts and Roxy does not reply so Tyler lets himself in.

 

‘’Roxy I cant stop long’’.

 

‘’I know, you have to get back to Rachael’’.

 

‘’I just wanted to explain’’.

 

‘’Why didn’t you tell me?’’.

 

‘’Because, I …… I don’t know’’.

 

‘’Did you think there was a better chance of sleeping with me if you didn’t?’’.

 

‘’No of course not, do you really think I would act like that?’’.

 

‘’No… I don’t but it still doesn’t explain why you didn’t tell me’’.

 

‘’I just… my heads been all over the place this last few months because…. Because I’ve have these feeling for you Roxy, and I don’t see it as one last fling before I get married or a drunken mistake, I like spending time with you I always have, even when Lewis was here I liked being around you because your loving and caring and you listen to people and my feelings… they grew I tried for it not to happen but I cant help it, I hate what I’ve done to my brother and I hate what I’ve done to Rachael I really do but I….. I love you Roxy and I know you feel the same way too and I don’t want t put any pressure on you in anyway and if you want to forget all this ever happened then fine, I’ll leave tonight and never mention it again I swear and I’ll never try anything again or act jealous when you meet someone else but if you do feel the same way as I do then I don’t…. I don’t want to throw it away’’. And Tyler goes silent waiting for a response.

 

‘’What we have done… we shouldn’t have allowed, Rachael was over here being so nice to me and all the time all I could think about was that I had slept with her FIANCE behind her back, and then there’s Lewis, my husband the love of my life, what does this say about my feelings for him? He lies in the ground where he shouldn’t be and im up here sleeping with his brother’’. And Tears rolls down Roxy’s face.

 

‘’I…. I don’t have a response to that because I feel the same too’’.

 

‘’Well if you do Tyler you’ll know I cant go on, I cant keep hurting people like this I just cant’’.

 

‘’Ill tell Rachael, I don’t want to do anything behind anyone’s back anymore’’.

 

‘’And then what? We live happily ever after?’’.

 

‘’Why not?’’.

 

‘’because they wont let us’’.

 

‘Who wont?’’.

 

‘’Rachael, your family, my family, they wouldn’t accept us’’.

 

‘’All I need is you and if they take on you they take on me’.

 

‘’This isn’t a fight Tyler, you cant settle this with your fists, you dealing with peoples emotions!’’.

 

‘’Im willing, im willing to risk it all Roxy…. For you but the  question is what do you want?’’.

 

‘’Peace and that’s something us two would never have’’.

 

‘’Then we’ll move, we’ll move away and start afresh’’.

 

‘’This is my home Tyler, the home I bought with your brother, my job, my life its all here’’.

 

‘’Then we’ll take what they have to throw at us’’. And Tyler sits on the couch taking Roxy’s hand and wiping her tears.

 

‘’I want you Tyler…. Im just scared’’. She tells him as more tears roll down her cheeks.

 

‘’Me too’’. And Tyler then holds Roxy in his arms but after crying for a few minutes she pulls away.

 

‘’But you…. You have to marry Rachael’’.

 

‘’What!’’.

 

‘’it’s the right thing to do’’.

 

‘’How is it I love you!’’.

 

‘’But I love your brother and Rachael loves you, you two have been together years, you have an house and you…’’.

 

‘’I don’t care about all that stuff, only you’’.

 

‘’But I do and this is what I want to’’.

 

‘’Is it?  Is it really?’’. Asks Tyler.

 

‘’Yes……. It is’’.

 

‘’Please Roxy don’t do this, please follow your heart’’.

 

‘’I cant do this Tyler, I couldn’t live with myself, with the guilt and the knowing of the pain I had caused’’.

 

‘’Ok then, I’ll leave tonight and never mention this again and your ok with that because its breaking my heart’’. Replies Tyler as his eyes fill with tears a side of him very rarely shown.

 

‘’Yes Tyler’’. Lies Roxy. ‘Its what I want’’. And Tyler then looks at Roxy for a few seconds tears filling his eyes even more until he stands up and storms out leaving Roxy to cry alone, she does love Tyler and does want to be with him but she just cant rid herself of the pain and guilt that came with the love but as Roxy cries into her hands unaware to her Marcus was listening from the back yard through a window, he had come over to try his snake like moves on Roxy again but had heard the shouting so he had headed to the back yard to listen in and was shocked at what he had heard, he was angry and jealous and desperately wanted revenge.

 

A few minutes later as Roy lifts her head from crying  and she almost jumps out of her skin as she sees Marcus uninvited stood in her living room right in front of her watching her cry.

 

‘’Marcus what….’’. But he does not let her finish, instead he hits her across the face with the back of the hand sending her to the floor.

 

‘’You s**t!’’. He screams as Roxy holds her busted lip blood pouring between her fingers as she cries.

 

‘’All this time! All this time I bared my soul and you were screwing him! The brother of your dead husband you sick b***h!’’. And Marcus knocks a lamp off the side and it smashes to the floor.

 

‘’Go on, I dare you to call the cops and I’ll scream it from the top of my lungs every last detail of your disgusting secret!’. He warns her and Marcus then bends down to Roxy who tries to drags herself away from him but her holds her still on the floor.

 

‘’Don’t worry, im going and you’ll never see me again but  I want you to know that you could have had it good with me Roxy, the cloths the cars jetting all over the world but you threw it away for a fumble with your brother in law! Well your loss because I don’t take sloppy thirds sweetheart’’. And Marcus stands up straightening his suit jacket.

 

‘’ I cant believe I came over here to try and bed a w***e!’’. And Marcus spits on the floor before leaving as Roxy lies there bleeding and crying.

 

                              TWO WEEKS LATER.

 

Tyler is sat at home watching a game with a beer when Rachael comes and sits besde him snuggling up to him.

 

‘’Who’s winning?’’.

 

‘’Not us’’. Replies Tyler and Rachael then sits up and looks at Tyler with a look her knows is serious.

 

‘’Tyler can you turn of the TV a minute’’.

 

‘’Why?’’.

 

‘’Just please’’. And Tyler turns off te TV knowing something is really bothering Rachael.

 

‘’What is it?’’.

 

‘’Are you happy?’’.

 

‘’What?’’

 

‘’Well, are you Tyler?’’. And Tyler knows where Rachael is coming from because the last few weeks since he and Roxy decided to go no further Tyler had been in a permanent mood and had shown no enthusiasm towards all of the talk of the wedding.

 

‘’So?’’.

 

‘’Yes….. I’m happy’’. And Tyler knows he has to change, in that minute with the look on Rachael’s face of worry and love he knows he cannot go on feeling like he does, pining for the love of his dead brother’s wife, seeing Roxy’s smile in his head the whole time worrying of when she will meet someone new because he is with Rachael and they are going to get married  and Tyler knew Rachael loved him and would do anything for him and that is something you can not throw away and even through all of the Roxy situation he never stopped loving Rachael and knew now was the time to make an effort and show that love that was so strong before Roxy.

 

‘’Im sorry, im sorry I’ve been a moody a*****e these last few weeks’’.

 

‘’Is it because of all the talk of the wedding? Are you having second thought because if you are we can….’’.

 

‘’No, no second thoughts’’.

 

‘’Then what is it?’’…… And Tyler can see the worry and concern on Rachael’s face which is all for him.

 

‘’So much has happened this last year and my heads been in a spin, so I just want… I just want everything to be ok and everyone to be ok’’. And Rachael then takes Tyler’s hand as she listens to him.

 

‘’And we will as long as we love one another and talk about everything good or bad’’.

 

‘’Your right’’. And Tyler kisses Rachael who smiles after. ‘’It’s time I make more effort starting now so pass me that broche again with all the wedding decorations and I’ll show you my favourite’’. And Rachael smiles with excitement and relief as she grabs the broche.

 

‘’So that’s it then’’. Says Tom as Tyler tell him how it ended with Roxy as the two sit in the backyard when Rachael had headed to bed.

 

‘’Yep, that’s it’’.

 

‘’And you haven’t spoken to Roxy since?’’.

 

‘’Nope’’.

 

‘’Wow man, are you ok with that?’’.

 

‘’I don’t know….. But I have to because I am marrying  Rachael because she loves me and I love her’’.

 

‘’But who do you love the most?’’.

 

‘’Roxy is not an option Tom and its not what she wants or what I want now and im marrying Rachael’’.

 

‘’So your going to be okay seeing Roxy and her being at the wedding?’’.

 

‘’Of course she is my sister in law after all and we made an agreement never to mention all of this again and just get on with being friends which will becomes easier over time

 

‘’Ok we’ll leave it there’’. Replies Tom who can see his best friends feelings towards Roxy are still very strong and raw.

 

‘’Thank you’’.

 

‘’don’t mention it’’. And the two clink there bottles of beer together quietly.

 

‘’So where you been the last few weeks?’’. Tyler asks Tom.

 

‘’ At my girls’’.

 

‘’You don’t have one’’.

 

‘’Oh yeah, at grans’’.

‘’She okay?’’.

 

‘’She died’’.

 

‘’Bummer’’.

 

‘’She left me some money and her cats ashes’’.

 

‘’’What you going with it?’’.

 

‘’The ashes? ‘’.

 

‘’The money’’.

 

‘’Oh, I don’t know yet maybe buy a car’’.

 

‘’You cant drive’’.

 

‘’Oh yeah, a car that comes with lessons’’.

 

‘How many you had tonight?’’.

 

‘’I lost count after three’’. And Tyler smiles as he listens to Tom and look out at the stars.

 

The lip looks worse than you said’’. Says Samantha as she arrives at Roxy’s having only coming back last night from her eighteen month European tour.

 

‘’Well its good to see you too’’. Replies Roxy as the two hug each other for several minutes.

 

‘’So you fell on a wet floor?’’.

 

‘’No it wasn’t wet, I had cleaned the kitchen floor and I forgot, rushed in and bam face down on the floor’’.

 

‘’Well im here now to mop up the blood clumsy’’. And Samantha kisses her sister.

 

‘’So explain it all the last eighteen months if you can remember any of it’’.

 

‘’Can I after the jet lag’’. Replies Samantha as she crashes on the couch and as she does Roxy spots a tattoo on her sisters lower back.

 

‘’What that?’’.

 

‘’What’s what?’’.

 

‘’That tattoo on your back’’.

 

‘’Oh that MOM, is a tattoo’’.

 

‘’I know what is but you know your not supposed to get tattoos on holiday you have to be careful with the needles, you should go to the one here we always use’’.

 

‘’Its ok the needle was fine’’.

 

‘’So What’s the story behind it?’’.

 

‘’Story? I got drunk on tequila with Raul’’.

 

‘’Raul?’’.

 

‘’don’t worry I have pictures and his body, wow and then there was his huge….’’.

 

‘’Okay, okay I’ll wait for the pictures’’ And Roxy heads to the kitchen to make them both a coffee.

 

‘’Hey I got a text from Rachael this morning’’.  Shouts Samantha from the room.

 

‘’You did?’’.

 

‘’Yeah didn’t you?’’.

 

‘’My batteries dead, why what is it?’’.

 

‘’The wedding, they’ve booked it’’.   And Roxy stops putting down the kettle as she takes it in.

 

‘’Roxy?’’.

 

‘’Yeah the wedding’’. She replies snapping out of it.

 

‘’When for?’’.

 

‘’Next month’’.

 

‘’Really?’’.

 

‘’Yep, the tenth and were both invited the invitations are in the post and we get a plus one’’. ( Can Roxy’s be Tyler?).

 

‘’Oh…. Ok’’.

 

‘’Well don’t get too excited, its three alcohol remember’’.

 

‘’I know, I know its cool’’.

 

‘’So who you gunna take?’’. Asks Samantha.

 

‘’No one’’.

 

‘’Come on Roxy just about ever guy in town would want to go with you’’.

 

‘’I’m jut not ready for the whole dating and plus one thing’’.

 

‘’Ok then’’.

 

‘’So who you going to take?’’. Asks Roxy quickly taking the spotlight off herself.

 

‘’Raul, if he can get his toned a*s over here’’. Jokes Samantha before lying back down on the couch.

 

A few more weeks pass an the wedding looms large, Tyler goes for his suit measuring with Tom and cant stop Roxy popping in his head even though he tries his best and put a all his attention on the wedding and Rachael hoping in time the feelings will fade and burn out while Roxy is the same still wondering if she made the right decisions as he feeling for Tyler refuse to go away but she knows she has to, she has to get on with her life and bury those thoughts as the day of the wedding grows closer and closer and the two of them try there hardest to move on with there life’s.

 

Roxy is at home cooking dinner for her and her sister.

 

‘’So the wedding next week’’. Says Samantha.

 

‘’Yep, next week’’.

 

‘’You going to be……’’.

 

‘’Ok going?’’.

 

‘’I was just thinking about the fact that it wasn’t that long since your own’’.

 

‘’I know and on the day Lewis will be on my mind but I cant let it ruin my life because its not what he would have wanted’‘.

 

‘’Your right’’. And Samantha then puts a consoling hand on her sisters shoulder before helping her prepare dinner.

 

‘’So Tyler and Rachael finally making the plunge’’.

 

‘’Yeah’’.

 

‘’Its about time’’. And Roxy then slips with the kitchen knife and cuts her thumb as she loses concentration.

 

‘’Dam’’.

 

‘’Roxy, your bleeding!’’.  Gasps Samantha before wrapping a tea-towel around her sisters thumb. ‘’You might need stitches’’.

 

‘’No I don’t’’. And Rachael then looks at her sister to see her eyes filling with tears.

 

‘’Come on were going to the hospital because your in pain’’.

 

‘’No, its not that’’.

 

‘’Then what….’’. And Samantha can see the tears beginning to roll down her sisters cheeks so she takes her in her arms and holds her tight.

 

‘’I cant believe it’’ Replies Samantha as her and her sister sit on the couch with a bottle of wine as Roxy reveals all about her and Tyler.

 

‘’You think im a b***h don’t you for what I’ve done to Lewis, for how I’ve treated him?’’. Asks Roxy and Samantha takes her hand.

 

‘’Baby girl don take this the wrong way.. But Lewis isn’t here anymore, he isn’t here to pass judgement or for you to hurt his feelings and unless he’s soul is sat in the corner of the room with wings playing a harp and listening him his thoughts of you will forever be of love’’.

 

‘’Maybe so but there’s still Rachael, the wedding and all the family’’.

 

‘’So what, we live we die so while you here go for what you want’’.

 

‘’And don’t care about who gets hurt along the way’’.

 

‘’No, you can care but you don’t let it stop you because if you do you’ll grow old and bitter’’.

 

‘’I can live like that Rachael’’.

 

‘’Do you want to be with Tyler?’’.

 

‘’I…. I…’’.

 

‘’I, I , I I what?’’.

 

‘’ We can go back now Rachael, like you said the wedding is next week and he loves Rachael’’.

 

‘’Doesn’t sound like it’’.

 

‘’He does’’.

 

‘’So he’s put it all out of his head, all that happened between you two and he’s happily marrying Rachael?’’.

 

‘’Yes’’.

 

‘’I think your both denying yourselves the truth’’.

 

‘’No this is the best way’’.

 

‘’The best way for who?’’. And Samantha takes a sip of her wine leaving Roxy thinking things over.

 

The day of the wedding arrives and Tyler is stood in the bathroom pouring water over his face when Tom walks in.

 

‘’You ready to go?’’. He asks.

 

‘’Almost’’.

 

‘’You got your vows memorised?’’.

 

‘’I hope so’’.  And Tyler then lifts his head and looks at Tom through the reflection of the mirror.

 

‘’No last regrets?’’ Asks Tom and Tyler bows his head back down before looking back up at Tom.

 

‘’No regrets’’. And Tyler stands up straight before following Tom out.

 

‘’You look pretty’’ .Samantha tells her sister as the two get ready for the wedding.

 

‘’I don’t know if I should go’’. Replies Roxy.

 

‘’Yes you are going, you have to’’.

 

‘’I know but….’’.

 

‘’You said yourself everything was fine between you and Tyler and this is what you both wanted’’.

 

‘’Yes…..’’.

 

‘’So then, you can be there on his wedding day’’.

 

‘’I guess’’.

 

‘’don’t worry, I’ll be right beside you’’. And Samantha throws her sister a smile as Roxy worries about the day ahead.

 

Most of the guests are at the church and sat in there seats while Tyler waits nervously at the front and as he does he sees his father stood beside him.

 

‘’You know these places always gave me the creeps’’. Says his father.

 

‘’You, having the creeps’’.

 

‘’Hey we all do sometime I guess…… it’s the whole life and death thing, christenings, funerals, people come here to get married other to prey for there ill’’.

 

‘’Life and death dad’’.

 

‘’Speaking of life, is this the one you want son?’’.

 

‘’I thought you told me already this is what I should do, you should be congratulating me’’.

 

‘’Yes I did tell you this is what you should do but not what you would do, that parts up to you’’.

 

‘’Will you make your mind up’’.

 

‘’Im just saying son, make sure its what you want, what you really want’’.

 

‘’It is’’.

 

‘’Liar, close your eyes and tell me who you see first, Rachael or Roxy?’’.  And as Tyler closes his eyes it is the smiling face of Roxy he sees’’.

 

‘’Told you’’.

 

‘’She was married to my brother dad, you know I couldn’t do that’’.

 

‘’They had a wedding and they had a funeral its life and death son’’.

 

‘’So what you trying to say dad’’.

 

‘’What im trying to say is your at the best part of the ride son , right in middle of life and death so while you here make sure you don’t have any regrets’’ And as Tyler bows his head he is suddenly patted on the shoulder and looks up to see it is Tom.

 

‘’She’s here man’’. He tells her and Tyler lifts his head straight and swallows hard.

 

‘’Do I look ok?’’. Rachael asks her father as she prepares to go in.

 

‘’You look beautiful sweetheart’’.

 

‘’Like a princess adds Helen who is a bridesmaid’’.

 

‘’What about me?’’. Adds Rachael’s sister as she wrestles for the spotlight.

 

‘’Come on, come on’’. Shouts Samantha from behind the wheel as her and Roxy sit stuck in traffic on the way to the wedding.

 

‘’It will have started already’’. Adds Roxy.

 

‘’Its ok we’ll only be missing the boring bit’’.

 

‘’Maybe we should turn back’’.

 

‘’No, this lot should be moving soon’’ .And Samantha beeps her horn.

 

As the vicar is about to start procedures Tyler takes a quick glance back at the guests and cannot see Roxy anywhere and he wonders why she had not come, was it because she didn’t care or that she just couldn’t watch the two of them marry or maybe she was busy with a guy, either way Tyler wishes she was here but was it as a guest or by his side???????

 

‘’Where’s Samantha and Roxy?’’ Whispers one of Rachael’s work colleges to Helen.

 

‘’I don’t know’’. She replies.

 

‘’Come on sis lets just go home’’ Says Roxy as Samantha goes faster to try and reach the church before it all ends.

 

‘’Come on sis, lets at least see the part where they say I do’’. And Samantha then puts her foot down more.

 

‘’We are gathered here today…..’’. Begins the vicar as Tyler takes one last look over his shoulder to see if Roxy had arrived.

 

‘’What’s wrong?’’. Whispers Rachael.

 

‘’Just checking where all the exits are?’’ He jokes.

 

Samantha pulls up outside the church and stops the car.

 

‘’Ok were here finally’’.

 

‘’Why were you  so determined to get here sis, you almost run over that old women!’’.

 

‘’She wasn’t looking where she was walking and anyway it wouldn’t le like I was cutting her off in the prime of her life’’. Jokes Samantha.

 

‘’And the real reason I was so determined to get you here was to give you a choice’’.

 

‘’A choice?’’.

 

‘’A choice to go after him or not and I don’t here any church bells so you still have time’’.

 

‘’Samantha we talked about this’’.

 

‘’I know and now its tie for action, you either go in there and shake things up or you sit down and forever hold you piece’’. And Samantha holds her sisters hand. ‘’Either way im here for you’’. And as Roxy looks up at the church she has a vision of storming in and stopping the whole thing before breaking down in front of everyone and telling Tyler who she really feels not caring of the consequences.

 

‘’Ok, im going in’’. And Roxy climbs out of the car, she climbs out of the car and heads towards the church with all the intention of revealing all, finally telling Tyler how she really feels and how she really does love him and want to be with him but was scared of the consequences and scared of how it would look to everyone and most importantly the memory of her love for Lewis which would never ever go away, Roxy then stands in front of the church doors and takes a big breathe before pushing the doors open.

 

‘’Or forever hold you peace..’’. Says the vicar and as he  finishes everyone turns around to see Roxy standing there and she immediately fixes her eyes on Tyler who fixes his on hers and the two look at one another and all she wants to do is run into his arms but Roxy then looks at Rachael, standing there at the alter in her beautiful white dress on what is every girls best day of  there life, the day they dream about from little girls while the boys dream of being Jedi’s , the day you remember for the rest of your life and look back on in your old age and Roxy remembers her big day and remembers how perfect it was and how special she felt and she can see al of that and more in the eyes of Rachael which makes it impossible for Roxy to be the bad guy (or girl) she just cant ruin this day, she knows how she would have felt if someone had done this to her and she cant put Rachael in that position, Tyler is stood up there by her side n his suit ready to wear his ring so he chose and now it is tine for Roxy to accept it so she simply smiles before sitting down at the back of the church.

 

Tyler watches Roxy sit down and a part of him feels like it had fallen to the floor because a part of him wanted Roxy to reveal all, a part of him wanted Roxy to announce her love for him and he the same but she doesn’t, Roxy takes one look and sits down with the rest of the guests ready to celebrate in his marriage to Rachael so Roxy must be certain, certain that he and Tyler are not to be together and be so comfortable with it she can even celebrate this day and Tyler had to accept that, he ad to accept that the world wind of him and Roxy had finally gone forever never to return and he was now going to marry Rachael ad be with her forever, a women who loved him all the world and he loved her too, despite what had happened with Roxy he still loved Rachael, maybe in a different way but it was still love so Tyler turns back around to face the vicar and nods for him to continue.

Moments later Samantha quietly enters the church to find the wedding is still going ahead as planned and then sees her sister sat on the back row so Samantha joins her sister there holding her hand as she sits down….

 

The vicar continues with the wedding and is almost through and ready to announce Tyler and Rachael man and wife.

 

‘’And now Tyler, do you take Rachael to be your wife?’’. He asks Tyler who opens his mouth expecting the word yes to come out but it doesn’t, nothing comes out of his mouth at all.

 

‘’Tyler, do you take Rachael Adams to be your wife?’’. Asks the vicar again but Tyler hesitates again and as he looks up he can see the worry beginning to form on Rachael’s face and just before the moment becomes a lot more awkward the church doors open once more and this time standing there to everyone’s surprise is Marcus.

 

‘’What the…..’’.

 

‘’I know why he cant say yes!’’. Shouts Marcus who is carrying a half empty bottle of whisky with him.

 

‘’Because he doesn’t love her!’’. And the crowd gasp as Tyler clenches his fist but as he does Rachael grabs his arm and shakes her head telling him not to do it, not to fight on there big day and in church of all places.

 

‘’And do you all want to know why?’’. Shouts Marcus and as he does Roxy quickly jumps up and stands in front of Marcus and quietly tells him not to spoil this big day.

 

‘’Sit down b***h!’’. He replies pushing Roxy back down onto the cue and as he does Samantha stands up teeth gritted.

 

‘’Oh I wouldn’t do that if I was you big sis’’. He warns with a smile on his face before Marcus turns his attention back to everyone else in the church.

 

‘’You see people, I know a little secret’. And as Tyler begins marching down to Marcus Rachael grabs hold of Tyler.

 

‘’You see people, Tyler there, Tyler has been screwing this little hussy’’. Tells Marcus pointing to Roxy.

 

‘’His brothers wife! All this time behind all of your backs!’’. And the crowd gasp!.

 

‘’Is this true?’’. Asks Rachael and as Tyler turns to face her he can see thick black tears rolls down her cheeks as her mascara begins to run.

 

‘’Rachael I…’’.

 

‘’Please Tyler, the truth’’. And Tyler looks back at Roxy before looking back at Rachael and as he does Roxy pushes past Marcus and to the front of the church towards Tyler and Rachael.

 

‘’Rachael he’s a violent drunk don’t listen to him’’. Roxy tells her.

 

‘’The truth, I want the truth!’’. Demands Rachael her voice getting louder with each word and she looks straight into the eyes of Tyler for an answer. ‘’The truth’’. She asks him quietly.

 

‘’Rachel I love you’’.

 

‘’Have you Tyler!’’. And Tyler pauses before answering.

 

‘’It over now’. Answers Tyler no longer able to keep it up and as Rachael finally hears the truth she immediately lashes out and punches Roxy across the face followed by more gasps from the crowd, Tyler then reaches down to help Roxy up but he is grabbed by two of Rachael’s family members who grab him tight and as Tyler pulls to break free demanding they get off one of the men punch him across the face while the other punches him in the stomach.

 

‘’Stop this we are in the home of God!’’. Demands the vicar as Tyler is kicked across the face while he is down and then Tom jumps up to defend his best friend jumping on one of his attackers backs while Tyler gets to his feet and wipes the blood form his mouth before grabbing one of the family members by the collar and pulling his fist back ready to hit.

 

‘’Stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’’. Screams Rachael at the top of her lungs and everyone immediately pauses.

 

‘’This is supposed to be the happiest day of my life!’’. And as everyone goes quiet Rachael looks at Tyler lifting up the veil form her face.

 

‘’Why did you hesitate Tyler’’.

 

‘’What?’’.

 

‘’Hesitate, when the vicar asked’’.

 

‘’Because I….’’.

 

‘’You love her don’t you?’’.  And as Rachael asks Tyler looks at Roxy who is just picking herself up to her feet.

 

‘’You love her don’t you!’’. Rachael screams very, very loudly.

 

‘’Yes, ok I love her!’’. Replies Tyler as he looks at Rachael’s family who are ready to pounce before he looks back at Roxy stood beside him.

 

‘’Yes I love Roxy, im sorry, I didn’t mean for it to happen and I tried my best to fight it, we both did’’.

 

‘’Oh I bet you did!’’.

 

‘’We did but I cant hide my feeling any more’’.

 

‘’Oh well lets all feel sorry for Tyler’’. And Rachael then looks at Roxy.

‘’What’s wrong, one Parker not enough for you, it’s a shame there dad isn’t here’’.

 

‘’don’t talk about my father’’. Adds Tyler.

 

‘’Oh im sorry I forgot he was a touchy subject’’.

 

‘’Rachael, please im sorry for what I’ve done’’’.

‘’Oh your sorry, well that makes it all ok, come on lets put on the rings and go on our honeymoon because after all your sorry, your sorry for cheating on me, your sorry for lying and climbing into bed with your dead brothers supposedly grieving wife!’’.

 

 ‘’It wasn’t like that’’. Adds Roxy.

 

‘’Oh I bet you two had a good old laugh behind my back and to think I felt so sorry for you losing Lewis and how did you repay my me? By sleeping with my fiancé!’’.

 

‘’I didn’t mean for it to happen, I have felt so bad and so ashamed for what I have done and I didn’t come here to spoil your day, I came here to help celebrate because me and Tyler were over in fact we never got going but standing here in front of everyone the truth out and no morel lies, no more secrets then I will say that I do love Tyler and im real sorry for all the hurt that causes’’ And as Tyler and Roxy look at one another Rachael lunges for Roxy and as Tyler tires to stop her he is grabbed too by several of Rachael’s family members and as Tyler cant escape Rachael begins pulling away at the hair of Roxy and as all the mayhem goes off a smirking Marcus with his job done simply strolls out of the church happy with his work and Samantha dashes to the front of the church to help her sister and begins pulling Rachael off the top of her sister as Tyler struggles against the family members who all throw punches as they hold Tyler down but with Tom’s help Tyler manages to break free and escape the family members before dashing across and grabbing hold of Roxy before pulling her away down the aisle and the two then look back at everyone who all have anger and rage across there faces all ready to pounce, Rachael her eyes black form the smudged makeup and straggles of Roxy’s hair hanging form her newly shaped nails and the family members all ready to grab Tyler again.

 

‘’Ok, were going!’’. Shouts Tyler. ‘’This is over!’’. And the two begin backing away to the front doors of the church.

 

‘’No its not over!’’ Shouts Rachael. ‘’It’ll never be over…… because im pregnant’’. And the church gaps once more (last time I promise).

 

‘’Your…… what?’’.

 

‘’Im pregnant Tyler, your baby is growing inside me as we speak… or fight’’. And just then as Tyler stands frozen jaw on the floor Roxy looks at Tyler who stares at Rachael in shock and lets go of his hand tears rolling down her cheeks and she knows all of this mayhem had just gone to a completely new level and as she looks at Tyler staring at Rachael is disbelief Roxy backs away feeling she had caused enough trouble and storms out of the church and as she does Tyler turns his head.

 

‘’Roxy wait….’’.

 

‘’Let her go Tyler, we need to talk’’. Says Rachael.

 

Roxy rushes and is immediately hit by the hard falling rain which is bouncing off the pavement below her, she then races across the Samantha’s car and leans against it looking up at the sky a the rain masks her many tears.

 

Tyler and Rachael both head into one of the churches back room away from all prying eyes as they talk things over.

 

‘’Pregnant’’.

 

‘’Yes Tyler, pregnant’’.

 

‘’But…..’’.

 

‘’But what? How? When I don’t exactly know the dates Tyler it came as a surprise to me too’’.

 

‘’But why didn’t you tell me?’’.

 

‘’Because….. Because I just wanted to get the wedding over with first and I didn’t want anyone thinking we were only getting married because I was pregnant’’.

 

‘’I just wish I’d have known’’.

 

‘’Why? Would you have jumped out of Roxy’s bed if I did’’.

 

‘’It wasn’t like that’’.

 

‘’Really, because it sounded like that to me’’. And the room goes silent as Tyler bows his head. ‘’I love you Tyler….. I always have and I would do anything for you, anything’’.

 

‘’I know’’.

 

‘’So why…. Why do this to me, why do this to what we have?’’.

 

‘’I didn’t intend to hurt you Rachael’’.

 

‘’Well im hurting right now!’’.

 

‘’I feel….. I feel terrible and always will for what I’ve done, for what I’ve done to you and what we have together but Roxy… it came out of nowhere’’.

 

‘’So do you want to be with her?’’. Asks Rachael her eyes fixed firmly on Tyler and he immediately knows the answer, he knows in his heart he wants to be with Roxy and that is where his heart lies but with a child on the way…….’’.

 

‘’I want us….. I want us to be a family and I want to be there for my child’’. Replies Tyler as he feels his heart tear a little.

 

‘’Is Roxy ok?’’. Helen asks Samantha.

 

‘’She needs some time alone out there but I swear if Rachael’’.

 

‘’She wont’ Replies Helen  ‘’And I guess we just wait and see what happens now’’.

 

After ten more minutes of everyone calming themselves down Rachael re-appears and talks to her family telling them all the wedding is back on, many of them immediately disagree and want to grab hold of Tyler’s neck but Rachael tells them all that if they love her they will support her decisions and that Roxy was a one time and one time only mistake that will never happen again.

 

Meanwhile Tyler is waiting in the backroom his head all over the place.

 

‘’You don’t want to do this’’. Tyler’s father tells him as he stands behind him.

 

‘’Yes I do’’.

 

‘’Liar’’.

 

‘’I have to dad, I have a kid on the way and I have to be there for him and support him… or her’’.

 

‘’And you can do all that without being with Rachael’’.

 

‘’Another child with a broken home, what a cliché’’.

 

‘’Having a child doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your life son, its supposed to be a good thing not a bad one’’….. And just then the doors open and Rachael appears.

 

‘’You ready?’’. She asks.

 

‘’Yes’’.  Lies Tyler.

 

‘’Ok then, come on, everyone is ok now’’.

 

‘’They are?’’.

 

‘’There angry and want to kick your a*s, but there supporting me’’.

 

‘’And what about you?’’.

 

‘’Me?…… I love you Tyler and we’ll sort out the rest together’’. And Tyler then follows Rachael out back to the front of the church where the vicar waits to finalise the wedding.

 

‘’Ok everyone, now normally I wouldn’t continue after such an episode but the bride and groom assure me this is what they want so I will finish what we started’’. And the vicar continues with the wedding.

 

Roxy still stood outside and soaking let decides to leave and go home, go home, pack a bag and get out of town for a few weeks because she couldn’t take any more of this………

 

The vicar then asks Tyler to place the ring n Rachael’s finger and he picks up the ring before looking into Rachael’s eye and putting the ring on but just before he does he remembers something and immediately pulls away.

 

‘’What is it?’’.

 

‘’You Rachael’’.

 

‘’What?’’.

 

‘’You the night before you shared two whole bottles of wine with Helen’’.

 

‘’Yes………’’.

 

‘’You shard two bottle of wine while your pregnant? You of all people’’.

 

‘’Ok, ok im sorry but this isn’t the time to go through this’’.

 

‘’Yes it is, because you wouldn’t do that, your one of the safest people I know when it comes to health, you didn’t speak to your cousin for two days when you caught her drinking one glass of wine while pregnant’’.

 

‘’I was nervous about today and it turns out I had every right to be’’.

 

‘’No, this isn’t right’’.

 

‘’What?’’.

 

‘’Your…… your not pregnant’’. And the crowd…. (I know I know I said no more).

 

‘’What!’’.

 

‘’Your not pregnant’’.

 

‘’Tyler how dare you’’.

 

‘’Swear to me, swear to me in the home of God you are carrying child’’. And Tyler can immediately see it in her eyes she is not, Rachael lied! She lied about something so big as being pregnant to keep Tyler because she knew it would, she knew it would work’’.

 

‘’Tyler I…..’’.

 

‘’I lied?’’.

 

‘’Tyler I love you and I am willing to forgive you so’’.

 

‘’I forgive you is that it?’’.

 

‘’We’ll wipe the slate clean’’.

 

‘’No Rachael because I love Roxy’’. And Tyler begins backing away.

 

‘’Tyler!!!!!!!!!’’. She screams.

 

‘’Im sorry’’. And Tyler then turns and runs out of the church all the time Rachael screaming at him.

Tyler reaches outside in the pouring down rain which bounces off his suit and can see Roxy walking away in the rain.

 

‘’Roxy!!!!!!!!’’. He shouts and she stops before turning around to look at Tyler who has a smile on his face and the two look into one another eyes form distance and know what each is feeling.

 

‘’I love you!!!!!!!!’’. He shouts before racing down the church steps and to her and Roxy drops her rain soaked coat to the pavement before racing after him too the  two of them racing to one another’s arms but as Tyler races across the road he does not look and is hit by an oncoming ca that appears through the thick rain knocking him right over and across the street.

 

‘’No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’’. Screams Roxy as she race’s over to him and sits down by his head holding him as she does.

 

‘’Tyler please’’. She pleads as he tears mix with the rain and Tyler looks up at her his eyes half shut.

 

‘’Tyler I love you’’. She tells him and he smiles before taking her hand with his shaking hand and placing it over his heart before his eyes close.

 

‘’No!!!!!!’’. She cries again as everyone from the church races out.

 

‘’don’t touch him!’’. Cries Roxy as everyone gathers around. ‘’don’t touch him, he’s mine now!’’. She cries as she holds him tight and the rain falls harder and harder………….

 

                                  TWO WEEKS LATER.

 

Roxy is at home packing her case when Samantha walks in the room.

 

‘’So when will you be back?’’.

 

‘’I don’t know’’.

 

‘’Are you coming back?’’.

 

‘’I don’t know’’. And Roxy the stops packing to look up at her sister. ‘’I’ll call you, every night’’.  And Samantha then walks around to her sister and gives her a big hug.

 

‘’Be careful’.

 

‘’I will’’.

 

‘’So you going…..’’.

 

‘’Yeah before I go’’. and Roxy then kisses her sister on the cheek before the two of them carry the bags out to Roxy’s car.

 

‘’Look after the bike’’. Roxy asks her sister as she takes one last look back at Lewis old bike and she immediately pictures in her head the two of them riding along the road with the sun by there side with no worries in the world feeling freer than the wind.

 

‘’don’t worry, I will’’. Assures Samantha and Roxy then climbs in her car before driving away.

 

Roxy stops at the cemetery and climbs out of the car with a bunch of white lilies and she begins walking across to a gravestone and as she reaches the gravestone and stands in front of it the name reads ‘Lewis Parker’.

 

‘’Hey babe’’. She says before kneeling down and placing the flowers on his grave.

 

‘’Im going away for a while but I’ll be back and in here’’. Pointing to her heart. ‘’And here’’. Pointing to her head’’. I’ll carry you with me, always… right to the end of the earth’’. And Roxy stands up before kissing her hand and then placing it on the gravestone of her husband before heading back to her car. Roxy then drives out of the cemetery and down the street several blocks until he reaches Tom’s house and as she beeps the horn the door to Tom’s house open and out wobbles Tyler on his crutches…. You see Tyler survived the crash, he came away with bruising to the brain and a very nasty gash at the back of his head as well as a broken ankle, broken foot and a few missing teeth but most importantly of all he was alive and after the incident he had moved out of his home with Rachael and moved in with Tom until he and Roxy were ready to go away together.

 

‘’Ok man I’ll see you soon Says Tom before he gives Tyler a hug and then helps him into his seat.

 

‘’You ready?’’ Asks Roxy.

 

‘’Ready for anything’. And Tyler leans over and shares a slow and tender kiss with Roxy before she pulls away with a smile on her face and the sets off ready to begin her new life and new adventure with Tyler Parker……….

 

Meanwhile a week later Tom is sat outside an office waiting to be called in for his job interview.

 

‘’You can go in now Mr Healy’’. The redeposit tells Tom.

 

‘’Thank you Miss replies Tom very gentlemen like and he stands up and heads inside the office wearing a very smart shirt and tie and  as Tom enters the room and takes his seat his possible future boss turns around to face him and the possible future boss is Marcus!.

 

‘’So Mr Healy, you have come about the office vacancy’’.

 

‘’Yes Sir’’.

 

‘’Your CV is impressive’’.(His CV was a lie and if you read it all it actually states Tom’s religion choice as Jedi.

 

‘’ So tell me what you can offer’’. Asks Marcus in his normal cocky and God like way and as he does Tom takes a deep breathe before looking up at Marcus.

 

‘’Well b***h… what about this!’’. And Tom then stands up before he punches himself in the face twice busting his nose.

 

‘’What the…..’’. And Tom then throws himself across the room knocking down a shelf and glass ornaments smash on the floor, and Tom continues to throw himself around the room dunking his own head in the fish tank( and accidentally swallowing a fish in all of the excitement) and slapping himself across the face as a shell shocked Marcus looks on before a security guard and one of Marcus bosses runs into the room just in time to find Tom on his knees begging Marcus to stop.

 

‘’Marcus what the……!’’.

 

‘’I…. I……’’. And Tom then turns to face Marcus’s  boss and the security guard.

 

‘’He…. He asked me to touch him or else’’. Cries Tom before he looks back at the shell shocked Marcus and winking and as the security guard phones for the police Marcus is in big, big trouble…………

 

                                                         Fade to Black,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

thank you for reading, I know my punctuation isn't great and needs working on but I hope you like the story