‹ Prequel: Smiling Politely
For One Beat More
Makes My Chances About A Million To One
Within the hour Tom and Matt were round at Oli’s with the rest of the band and Sheep.
“Right, last item on the list,” Sheep started (his list consisting of two post-it notes stuck together), “Girlfriends.”
“What’d you mean?” asked Jona from his spot on the sofa beside Lee.
“If they’re allowed or not,” Sheep clarified.
“Cause it were so successful last time,” Oli drawled.
Matt looked over at his friend, “What’s tha’ supposed to mean?”
Oli shrugged, “It didn’t end right well before, did it?”
“If ye mean Lexi an’ me finishin’ ye’ve got nothing’ to worry about,” Matt reassured his friend.
“Ye thought that las’ time,” Oli folded his arms across his chest and slumped down in his chair.
Matt shook his head, “Things are different this time, not that it’s got anythin’ to do wi’ you.”
Sheep held both his hands up between the boys, “Can you two bicker somewhere else? Does anyone have any problems with the girls joining us this year?”
The other guys shook their heads ‘no’ and made their escape into the kitchen leaving Matt and Oli on their own.
“Spit it out then,” Matt goaded Oli.
He shrugged, “I think yer bein’ an idiot, tha’s all.”
“Cheers for the vote o’ confidence,” Matt scoffed.
Oli rolled his eyes, “I jus’ think it could end up like las’ time and she gets scared and runs away again and your left feelin‘ like shit.”
Matt shifted in his seat, “No offence mate, but it’s really got nowt t’ do wi’ you. I get yer tryin’ to look out fer me or whatever but Lexi and me are better than we were las’ time. I mean, we’ve been back together fer almost a year, longer than we were together last time. I’m not worried about askin’ her to come on tour so you definitely shouldn’t be.”
Oli shrugged and sat forward, leaning his elbows on his knees, “Well, I s’pose I’m happy fer ye.”
“Ye don’t sound like it,” Matt observed.
“I don’t have t’ sound like it if I’ve got my doubts about’ ’er.”
Matt frowned, “What’s she done t’ make ye like this? Ye used to be right close then she finished wi’ me and ye hate ’er.”
“I don’t hate ’er,” Oli rubbed his face, “I jus’ think ye were too fast to take her back.”
“Yeah, nine months isn’t a long time to be apart at all,” Matt scoffed.
Oli quirked an eyebrow and sighed, “I jus’ think she’s taken ye fer a mug is all.”
“Well, least we all know where we all stand,” Matt sighed as he stood up and pulled his hoodie on, “I’ll see ye later Ol. Tell Tom I’ll see ‘im at the flat.”
“Right, last item on the list,” Sheep started (his list consisting of two post-it notes stuck together), “Girlfriends.”
“What’d you mean?” asked Jona from his spot on the sofa beside Lee.
“If they’re allowed or not,” Sheep clarified.
“Cause it were so successful last time,” Oli drawled.
Matt looked over at his friend, “What’s tha’ supposed to mean?”
Oli shrugged, “It didn’t end right well before, did it?”
“If ye mean Lexi an’ me finishin’ ye’ve got nothing’ to worry about,” Matt reassured his friend.
“Ye thought that las’ time,” Oli folded his arms across his chest and slumped down in his chair.
Matt shook his head, “Things are different this time, not that it’s got anythin’ to do wi’ you.”
Sheep held both his hands up between the boys, “Can you two bicker somewhere else? Does anyone have any problems with the girls joining us this year?”
The other guys shook their heads ‘no’ and made their escape into the kitchen leaving Matt and Oli on their own.
“Spit it out then,” Matt goaded Oli.
He shrugged, “I think yer bein’ an idiot, tha’s all.”
“Cheers for the vote o’ confidence,” Matt scoffed.
Oli rolled his eyes, “I jus’ think it could end up like las’ time and she gets scared and runs away again and your left feelin‘ like shit.”
Matt shifted in his seat, “No offence mate, but it’s really got nowt t’ do wi’ you. I get yer tryin’ to look out fer me or whatever but Lexi and me are better than we were las’ time. I mean, we’ve been back together fer almost a year, longer than we were together last time. I’m not worried about askin’ her to come on tour so you definitely shouldn’t be.”
Oli shrugged and sat forward, leaning his elbows on his knees, “Well, I s’pose I’m happy fer ye.”
“Ye don’t sound like it,” Matt observed.
“I don’t have t’ sound like it if I’ve got my doubts about’ ’er.”
Matt frowned, “What’s she done t’ make ye like this? Ye used to be right close then she finished wi’ me and ye hate ’er.”
“I don’t hate ’er,” Oli rubbed his face, “I jus’ think ye were too fast to take her back.”
“Yeah, nine months isn’t a long time to be apart at all,” Matt scoffed.
Oli quirked an eyebrow and sighed, “I jus’ think she’s taken ye fer a mug is all.”
“Well, least we all know where we all stand,” Matt sighed as he stood up and pulled his hoodie on, “I’ll see ye later Ol. Tell Tom I’ll see ‘im at the flat.”