Kiss and Control

Bill put down his eye liner on the dresser then checked his reflection in the mirror. He teased his thick fluffed up raven hair which had random white streaks, with his hand. Satisfied, he turned and grabbed his black and white checked rucksack from the bed then headed downstairs to where Gordon stood with Tom waiting at the bottom of the stairs ready for the first day at Amadeus Musical Academy or AMA for short.

“Do you have to put all that shit on your face?” Gordon growled as he eyed his stepson’s heavily made up face. “No wonder you get into the trouble you do?”

Bill shot his step father a dirty look.

“Well its true...It’s not fair on Tom having to fight your battles every time someone picks on you. It’s about time you started dressing and acting like a man!”

Tom glanced at Gordon. “It’s fine...I really don’t mind.” He answered then gave his twin a sympathetic look.

Gordon was always criticizing Bill about the way he dressed or acted and Tom felt bad about it as it seemed as though Gordon treated him better.

Bill looked down at his feet as he felt his cheeks heat up at Gordon’s hurtful remark.

“Are you two arguing again?” A petite blonde woman by the name of Simone asked as she walked into the hallway. “This is a fresh start for all of us remember?” She slipped her arm around her husband.

“Well Simi... someone should remember that and stop covering his face with all that shit.” Gordon narrowed his eyes at his youngest stepson.

Simone flinched at her husband’s harsh words about her youngest son. “Bill should be able to dress as he wants without bigots making his life miserable. They are the ones with a problem not Bill.”

“Yes but we have to bear the brunt of it because he can’t handle himself. We do not want Tom being arrested for GBH again on his behalf!”

Tom’s face turned red this time. “I promise not to get in to any trouble...I’ll just keep my eye on him.” Tom said then bit on his thumb nail.

Gordon turned to look at Bill again. “I do not want you putting my job in jeopardy, do you hear? And I am not getting involved in any trouble you bring on yourself! This teaching job at the academy is very important to me!”

Bill nodded as his eyes filled with easy tears.

“And don’t start with the waterworks...you are not a freaking girl” Gordon rolled his eyes with exasperation then sighed. He kissed his wife and opened the front door. “See you tonight love.” He said with a wave of his hand and stepped outside into the drive.

Simone hugged both her twins before they could follow their stepfather out to the car. “Have a wonderful day, boys!” she said in a cheery manner.

“Thanks mum.” Tom replied and Bill just gave her a small unhappy smile.

“He doesn’t mean it.” Tom said giving Bill’s arm a squeeze as they walked to the car.

“Of course he means it...he always means it!” Bill pulled away from Tom and got into the back of the car.

Tom shrugged then hitched up his oversized jeans before getting into the passenger side.

The ride to the academy was a silent one, each of the three caught up in their own thoughts. Bill stared out of the window as he bit down on his lip, he was apprehensive about starting at AMA because of his past history with school bullies but at the same time, he was excited, as this was a musical academy and his dream was to become a singer/songwriter and a pianist. He could play the piano okay having reached grade 4 at after school lesson back in Germany but here he hoped to become more fluent as he would spend the majority of his lessons in piano and singing. Bill pulled out his little note book from his bag and began scribbling down his feelings and thoughts. The book also contained a number of songs which he had written.

Tom couldn’t wait to get there even though he was apprehensive about being in another country and having to speak English rather than German but at least he would spend most of the school day with his beloved guitar in his hand. The dread-head twin was already an awesome guitarist thanks to Gordon. The dark haired man with a goatee beard had begun to teach him when he was nine years old, shortly after he began dating the twin’s mother. Gordon was a very experienced and talented guitarist and would be teaching the pupils of the academy to play bass and guitar.

“Mr Trumper, we are most pleased to have you as a member of our staff.” The principal, Mr Charles Davies, shook Gordon’s hand firmly.

“Hello Tom and Bill, I am sure you are going to be very happy in our exclusive and prestigious musical school.” Mr Davies smiled proudly and shook both twins by the hand. “Miss Jones, could you please see to Tom and Bill while I take Gordon up to the staff room.” The principal addressed his secretary.

“See you two later...and please keep out of trouble.” Gordon whispered the last part not wanting Mr Davies to think his stepsons were troublemakers. He then followed the man up the staircase.

Miss Jones handed the twins a timetable each and began giving them a sort of induction. This was soon interrupted by a loud slamming of a door.

“Elladan Arvenien! Get back here immediately!” A head peering around a door to an office, demanded angrily.

A tall boy with long black straight hair dressed in leather and new rocks stomped across the foyer of the main building. He briefly stopped, turned and saluted the elderly man with his middle finger then carried on stomping past the twins. The tall dark goth teen glanced momentarily at the twins as he passed them then disappeared through another door.

Tom raised his eyebrow at Bill. “Exclusive eh?” He muttered. Bill snorted.

“Sorry about that, he’s very temperamental...one of our top students you know?” Miss Jones replied going pink in the face.

Tom shot her an expression saying, yeah right. The principal’s secretary gave them directions to their form rooms for registration as the other students began filing into the building.

The twins made their way up the staircase. A boy sporting a red and bleached blonde mohawk, a septum and clad in ripped jeans and a slipknot t-shirt bumped into Bill at the top. Bill stumbled and knocked into the wall.

“Hey watch it dude!” Tom shouted automatically, shoving the thuggish intimidating looking teen. The dread-head had spent the last two years at their old school protecting Bill from bullies and now jumped to his defence without thinking.

“Aww sorry did I hurt your girlfriend.” The thug answered sarcastically. He shoved Tom back.

“Don’t Tom...just leave it.” Bill pleaded tugging at his twin’s arm. He didn’t want Tom to get in to trouble on their first day because if it got back to Gordon, Gordon would blame him and go ballistic.

“Oh my god...he’s a dude.” The teen sneered then snickered unkindly. “What’s with all the makeup fairy boy?” He added still laughing. Bill kept his head down feeling mortified and afraid.

“Say that again you fucker and you’ll be sucking all your meals through a straw!” Tom squared up to the thug.

“Leave it Erodin!” A teen with shoulder length blonde hair pulled back his friend from Tom. “He means no harm.” He added looking at Tom apologetically.

Tom nodded and pulled Bill away from the pair and started off down the corridor. Bill eyes pricked with his easy tears. “I’m sorry.” He sniffed, wiping the tears with his sleeve which had started to fall. “Please don’t tell Gordon.”

Tom stopped and turned to his twin. He cupped his chin to make him look at him. “Bill don’t apologise, the guy is obviously a douchebag and I’m not gonna tell Gordon either.” Tom then pulled his twin in to a hug. “I’ll take care of you like I always do, okay?” He said rubbing his back.

Bill gave his brother a small smile as he looked at him through his long wet eye lashes and nodded. “Thanks.” He whispered.

"No probs!" Tom smiled. "You're my tiwn and I love you."

Bill relaxed a little as Tom stuck his arm around his shoulder and continued to walk. He didn't know where he'd be without him.