Time After Time

Suddenly, two full months has passed. Gustav Wood and Rose Lette went to a lot of place during those two full months.

They talked about a lot of things. Gustav told Rose about London, a place where he grew up and she couldn't stop saying that how she wanted to go there. He also told her about his friends. Rose understand that he left some part of the story untold, but she was fine with that. In return, she told him about the small elementary she went to as a kid and some of her very close friends who were mostly male and how they moved out the town when they grow up.

"I still remember when I was devastated because I have no close friends left," she chuckled. "Then I went to my friend's Halloween Party, I was the worst witch ever, and I met one of her friend from another faculty. She came from Chittagong, Bangladesh and I remembered we watched a depressing video about how people work in Chittagong Ship Breaking yard. Most of the workers will never reach age 30 because the work was really heavy and dirty and unhealthy so they will die really young."

She sighed.

"It was super sad for all of us. But she was pretty calm about it. She said that in Third World Country, it is better to die for a job rather than having no job at all. Money has more value than life in a place like that. Then she told me about how she left all her friends and her entire family back in Bangladesh and I felt so ugly for having my friend lived in a different city. I mean, I can still visit them if I wanna drive for 2 hours, but she needs to take a plane and pay about one thousand Australian dollars just to get back home."

They were walking on one beautiful night in Sydney's Central Business District. There were a lot of people went out for clubbing but Gustav and Rose were just walking around.

There was also time when she showed him a video where a kangaroo and a lemur playing tag.

"That is one adorable video, don't you think?" Rose said when the video was done.

"HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE? She actually touched that kangaroo and says, 'Tag, you're it!'" Gustav sounded way too excited.

He looked so happy and amused that she started to laugh.

"When you're retired one day, Gustav, I'll buy you a kangaroo so you can play with it."

"… what? Why don't you do it now?" he pouted and he looked a like disappointed 9 years old boy. He was so cute Rose just wanna ruffle his hair and snuggle him.

"If I buy you one now then you wouldn't take me to a lot of place again because you'd be too busy playing with it."

"You got a point," he chuckled. "I'll buy two kangaroos, male and female, and then I'm going to make kangaroo kingdom in my backyard."

"See? When you're retired, it is."

They both laughed.

***
It was a morning after they spent the whole day to bushwalking in the National Park. Gustav told her the night after that he was going to rest and basically sleep for the whole day because they were terribly tired.

Rose nodded, but she warned him, "If you don't eat properly tomorrow, I will feed you with Vegemite sandwich."

Gustav laughed, "Now I'm really scared. See ya in two days, Rose." He ruffled her hair softly before he left.

On the morning after, she got a call on 9 am in the morning.

"Who's this?" she mumbled.

"Jesus, can't you at least look at the phone screen before you pick up?" a familiar voice was groaning on Rose's ear.

"No, Gabriella Hay, I can't. I'm supposed to be still sleeping now."

"I'm coming there in 15 minutes."

"No."

"Well, nothing could stop me now… Rosey, I really miss you. You've been so busy with this new guy and I can't even believe that you guys are not dating!"

"You know, you can actually have a close male friend. I've had few before all of them left this plain escarpment…"

"Never happened in my life before so it doesn't work for me. Just get ready, okay? I won't be there for long."

"Alright, Gab…"

She woke up sleepily and didn't even fully awake when she opened the door for Gabriella who hugged her tightly. Gabriella Hay is one of Rose's old friend. Rose always remembered her as someone who are obsessed with band and anything related to it. She quickly asked where is that new neighbor.

"Oh, he's taking a rest for this whole day so… you can't meet him, unfortunately."

"That's too bad! I was wondering if he knows a lot about UK bands… he's from UK, right?"

Rose laughed. Gabriella fancied so many band and there are a lot of them came from UK Rose couldn't even think how did she manage to remember all of them. Anything that would be in Kerrang! magazine.

"How could you like and know and fancy so many bands?"

"Well duh, it's the passion that matters!"

Rose laughed. "Alright. Suit yourself."

She made Gabriella tea while she pulled out a big stack of music magazine from his bag. While Gabriella was reading, Rose cooked her lunch and then end up reading Gabriella's magazine. She knows almost none of them except a few who were really really famous. Gabriella was reading an article and there was a big ad on the next page.

"What's that?" she pointed at the ad.

"Oh, this? That's Young Guns album cover."

"… isn't that a movie title?"

"I almost forget how uneducated you are in term of pop culture or something, Rosey. The last time I remembered, I was riding my big fat creepy dinosaur. Anyway… yeah, that's a band named Young Guns. Well… I'd probably say was a band… why? Do you wanna marry one of them?"

"What? Do I look like someone who call every 'hot band member' as their 'husband'?" she giggled at Gabriella, who would spam you with pretty band member's photo and told you that he's her 'hubby'. "I don't even know them!"

"Hey. Girls like me can dream!"

Rose nodded, "Girls sure can. By the way, why did you say 'was'?"

"I think they're pretty much break up as a band now. I mean, I think they can't work that properly again without the same vocalist…"

"Mm. What happened to the vocalist? Was he going for solo career, like, if I'm not mistaken, a lot of band nowadays? Like Matchbox 20 or The Strokes…"

"I'm actually surprised you know the name of some bands. Serious talking. What did you say? Solo career? Darling, the vocalist couldn't sing anymore. I don't exactly know what happened. Rumour said he got something wrong with his vocal chord or whatever. It was sad. Very sad. A lot of people was completely… obliterate. They're a good band, you know. Not only because every member of Young Guns is totally gorgeous, but they make awesome songs as well…"

"Well. That's heartbreaking, don't you think?" she mumbled, trying to imagine the situation.

"Super heart breaking, Rosey. Do you know how much I-actually-cry-when-I-heard-that-news confession that I read on the internet after they officially announce they won't go on as a band? But why do you care, anyway?"

"Trying to update my pop culture education, maybe."

"Hmmm. Very convincing. I don't know what are they doing right now. It's pretty sad though… oh, I'm feeling sad again because you bring up this topic…"

"… when is that become my fault?" she chuckled.

Gabrille put on her straight face, "A couple of seconds ago. Anyway, I'm going to go to Dan's house now. He told me this morning—very early morning, actually, I think that was around 3 am or something—that he wrote new lyric and he wants me to check it out on the afternoon—you know him, not a very morning person. Once he said he won't be enthusiastic at anything before 11 am, but hey, still an awesome musician and boyfriend—how cool is that, huh?"

"Pretty cool, Gabriella," Rose smirked.

"Alright, I'll catch up with you later," she took all her magazines and walked away through the open door.

"Can't you at least close my door?" Rose yelled, but it was too late.

She felt sorry for Gabriella leaving not long after that. She couldn't go back to sleep and there was nothing to do.

"So bored…" she mumbled to Lestat who was enjoying his food. "Maybe we can switch body or something, Les…"

Lestat didn't respond. He was munching his lunch happily.

Rose yawned and then rolled on her bed, opening her laptop.

There was no update in Facebook. Nothing. Even the usually pretty awesome Google page couldn't keep her entertained for more than three minutes. Then she thought about something and she typed on Google search:

Young Guns

The first few entries were about the movie, but that was before the saw the box that titled "See results about" on the right side of the search result. There were two Young Guns indeed. One was about the 1988 action/western film and one was a British rock band from Buckinghamshire and London. She clicked the second one.

There was a little profile provided by Google on the right said. In the end of that profile, it was written that they were currently inactive. Rose remembered that Gabriella said they're a good band. So she clicked one of their music video. The title was "Bones".

Now let's see what kind of song "Bones" is… it's actually a pretty creepy title. Bones. And flesh. And all the unpleasant autopsy kind of thing. Or maybe they're talking about 'stick and stone may break my bone' and something like that…

Once the YouTube page was opened, she clicked to enlarge the video until it filled the whole screen.

The song's intro was actually pretty good, so Rose thought that this band actually has talent instead of a group of good looking young man who don't seem to have any appeal beside their looks.

Lestat just finished his lunch and he joined Rose on the bed.

"Les! Come here! Let's watch 'Bones' together… oh, was that the vocalist at 0:06? He looked familiar, don't you think?" Rose chuckled while Lestat barked at the laptop screen. "Do you like them as well, Lestat?" she rubbed the canine's head.

When the singing started, there was a close up of the vocalist.

"Whoa! He actually looked so familiar it's scary. Maybe because there was a little light and a lot of shadow. But then again people always looked like people… do you remember Jacob? The guy who looks exactly like the blonde guy in Skins serial that Gabriella was obsessed about in my class back at uni," she continued speaking to Lestat as she watched the video. "The vocalist has a really good voice, though." I really can feel how sad the fans were because he can't sing again, she thought. That voice is just… really good.

But she was getting more and more scared as the video went on because deep down she knew that she recognize the vocalist.

"Oh no… no… it can't be…"

I've seen down the end of the road
Now I deal in a different story, oh
And I will never let go again

"No… no… oh God… no… don't tell me…"

I feel it in my bones, bones, bones
I feel it in my bones, bones, bones
I'll do this on my own.

"Les…" she trembled as she moved her position to sitting position. "See that man on the video? The one who sing?" Her dog was paying attention.

She gulped and when she spoke again, her voice was hoarse and weak. She could actually feel aching pain all over her body as she cover her nose and mouth with her hands while she began to cry.

"… that's Gustav. He is the vocalist of Young Guns."

She shuddered.

"It's him."