When You Got Love in Your Sights, Watch out, Love Bites

Steve hadn’t spoken a word to me for entire week. He wouldn’t take my calls, or see me. I’d been killing myself to even get him to so much as look at me. But nothing I did worked, and he just went on with whatever he was doing without so much as glance in my direction.

I really could not figure out what I had done to make him so mad at me. Sure going backstage with Phil wasn’t one of my more brilliant ideas. But it was one of those spur of the moment once in a lifetime chances. And I’d be damned if I let one of those pass me by.

I was at a point of desperation now. I needed to talk to my best friend; even if it killed me I would do it. I’d come up with a plan the night before. It was a stupid plan, but it was all I had.

I convinced my father to drive me into town with him when he left for work. I told him that I wanted to look for a decent job, that I would need the whole day, and I would find my own way home. He bought it, and told me that he was happy to hear that I was actually taking some incentive and getting off my ass.

I knew the band practiced in a shitty old spoon factory, near Bramall Lane. So that’s where I set off for after my father was out of sight. And that is where I’d spent my entire day. To say I was dieing of boredom was an understatement. I was going crazy by myself, and this shit hole had the right atmosphere for it. To add onto everything I was really hungry. The only thing I brought with me for food was one measly sandwich.

I’d started wandering around the place aimlessly as I waited. Kicking the occasional rock in my way. It was better then just sitting around and doing absolutely nothing. I probably should have taken my play to talk to Steve a little further, and planned it in a little more detail. I’d only really figured out what I was going to do up until I got to this place.

I heard a faint laugh coming from outside the main doors of the factory. I thanked god that I hadn’t wandered too far from there. I quickly made my way to the doors, and I got there just as Rick and Joe walked in.

They both looked rather shocked to see me at first, but their shocked expressions were quickly replaced by smiles.

“Isn’t this a lovely surprise,” Joe chuckled as he came over and gave me a hug.

“So I take it this means Steve’s finally forgiven you?” Rick asked.

“Thank god,” Joe sighed, “I don’t know how much more I could take of his moping!”

“Well…” I looked down at my feet, “he hasn’t exactly forgiven me… or spoken to me… or looked at me…”

Rick shared a glance with Joe and mumbled, “that explains a little.”

Joe nodded in agreement, then looked over at me, “he used to talk about you a fair bit, now when any of us even say your name he snaps. We thought he was going a bit mental for a while, then we remembered what happened on Friday…”

“He wont talk to any of us about it. He just broods and drinks more,” Rick explained as he took his bass out of its case.

“What exactly were you fighting about, luv?” Joe asked as he took a seat on Tonys stool.

“Joe, it’s not our business,” Rick rolled his eyes.

“I never said she had to answer, Savage. But as they are our friends, it would be nice to know what’s goin’ on.”

“We do know what’s goin’ on,” Rick began to tune, “they’re having a row.”

It was Joes turn to roll his eyes, “thank you caption obvious.”

I couldn’t help but giggle at them. They bickered like an old married couple. And it was probably the most interesting thing I’d heard all week, which was unbelievably sad.

“It’s okay guys… you probably know as much as I do anyway,” I shrugged, “well… after the gig Phil and I, ya know… hooked up… and then when Steve found out, he took off.”

Joe just looked at me blankly, while Rick continued to tune his bass. Pete entered the room and looked around awkwardly, before he took a seat on an amp and took out his guitar.

“So… this is interestin’,” he quietly chuckled to himself as he looked between Joe and I.

“You’re jokin’ right, luv? That cant be it?” Joe asked, completely ignoring Pete.

“Think about it for a minute, Joe,” Rick looked over at his friend, “it’s not that hard to figure out… even for you.”

Joe sent Rick a glare, and pouted, “oh, haha.”

I didn’t see how this was so simple. I’d been trying to figure it out all week, and I’d gotten nowhere. I wished someone would just come out and tell me what was going on with Steve so we could get passed this. I missed my best friend, and I hated having him mad at me.

Joe looked thoughtful for a few moments, before he had a look of realization come over him. He gave Rick a questioning glance, “does Clarkie… ya know?”

Pete looked around at the three of us, “can I be filled in?”

“Filled in on what?” that familiar smooth voice drifted through the room.

My stomach did a back flip then dropped to my feet. I was both excited that Steve was in the same room as me, and I was scared of his reaction to me being here. My heart actually started to race just from the sound of his voice, and when I turned to look at him it missed a beat.

Steve looked confused for a moment. Then looked down at the ground and walked out of the room. The look of hurt on his fact practically tore me apart. I could tell now that he wasn’t mad at me, but it seemed that I had been causing him some kind of pain. And that was much much worse, in my opinion.

I called his name as I jogged out of the room after him. I needed this to be over once and for all.

He had stopped just outside the front doors. He was leaning up against the side of the building, looking everywhere but at me, “what do you want?”

“What do I want? Steve, you haven’t spoken a word to me in a week!” I walked in front of him, “I think it’s rather obvious what I want. I want to know what I did to upset you so much. God! I want to talk to my best friend!”

I was a mixture of upset and pissed off by the end of my little rant. Frustrated tears stung the corners of my eyes. Not only did I want those things, I needed them.

Steve looked me in the eyes before mumbling, “you just don’t get it do you?”

“No! No I don’t get it! I don’t know what I’m supposed to be getting! Everyone seems to know but me!” I was loosing my cool now; I was just so fed up. I wanted to know what was going on. But no one would tell me, “Why don’t you just come out and say whatever it is that’s bothering you?”

He looked away from me for a moment, and took a deep breath, “I… I was just really hurt when you went off with Phil… I duno… I was jealous… and felt a little betrayed.”

He stopped and looked me in the eyes once again. I was probably more confused now then I was before.

“I love you, Gypsy… and I thought you might return my feelin’s,” he looked down at his feet, “I guess I was wrong.”

I just stared at him like a deer in headlights. He loved me? He loved me! Did I love him back? I hardly had to think about that question. Yes, I’d loved him for quite some time now. I never really realised it though. God! How dense was I?

Just as Steve went to walk away, I grabbed a hold of him, stood on my tippy toes, and kissed him. I put everything I had into the kiss, and I felt it returned ten fold. I heart skipped about one hundred beets when Steve wrapped his long arms around me, and pulled me closer.

It was just pure bliss standing there with him. Every pent up feeling for him was being released through our lips. I just hoped he could feel everything I was giving him. It was like fireworks were going off in my head. This was perfect. This was exactly where I was supposed to be. I just wish it hadn’t taken me so long to figure it out.