You Are Not

Gus woke as he heard the front door close, he rubbed his eyes and sat up, the first thing he'd noticed was his phone flashing.

Three new messages

Andy:

Gus, what can I say except goodbye? I think you know how I feel and I think you know that I really wish I didn't have to go but I do. I want to call you, write to you and most of all see you again. Please call me, Andy x

John:

I'm worried about Tay, is she still mad? she was really upset last night. Ring me

Tay:

I need to talk to John, text me when your up xoxo

Gus sighed pushed his quilt off and made his way to the bathroom, he stopped looking at Andy's pile of wet clothes. He knew he wasn't going to see Andy again there was no way he was flying to America, he didn't want to call either. Things would just be awkward so Gus picked up the clothes along with his mobile and dumped it all in the bin.

He turned back towards the bathroom and got ready for the morning ahead of him. All morning he thought about Andy, about how sure Andy was that they should be together. Gus splashed cold water on his face and went to get changed, his thoughts turned to Tay and he wondered what she was going to say to John since she they didn't get to talk last night. Gus looked up at the time and it read two fifteen in the afternoon.

Gustav got his keys and wallet from his jacket and left the apartment, he walked around the block heading for the coffee shop near the last place he sow Fraser hoping he might still he there. Gus spotted Fraser's car but went into the coffee shop first dragging two coffees and a bacon roll for himself then a muffin for Fraser since he was a vegetarian.

Gus tapped on the glass and Fraser removed the cushion from his face, he unlocked the car door and Gus climbed inside, "Y'know you have a stack of tickets of your window right?"

"Yeah.." Fraser rubbed his eyes and took a coffee from Gus. "I've ran out of petrol too so the car isn't going anywhere."

"Do you want to work with me?" Gus asked taking out the banoffee muffin and handing it to Fraser.

"You have a job?" Fraser raised an eyebrow.

"Nope but I know a place we can get one and then once we've got some money together we can start another band."

"Well anything is going to be better than this, but is that why you're asking me? Because anyone else would think you're barmy." Fraser asked putting sugar in his coffee.

"No John will be in, I know he will but then there's only three of us and we wouldn't have the money yet. But if we start working then all our money will go towards studio time, we don't really need a massive label or anything."

Fraser sighed, "Have you really thought this through?"

Gus took a bite from his roll and nodded, "I think so, but I just need to get my money up and I'm not sinking as low as to asking my mum."

The boys finished there coffees and then left the car and went to see a friend of Gustav's. They walked into the store, on the inside the walls where painted white with strange animals or dogs in space outfits painted on the walls, it was only a small store, hardwood flooring that had been glossed and glass shelf's with accessories spread out across the top.

There was a skinny boy behind the counter who looked up as the door opened, "Gus." He smiled, "What can I help you with?"

"I just wanted to ask a favor and this is Fraser by the way..." Gus smiled.

Fraser waved and smiled awkwardly, and Gus continued, "We wanted to pick up some work and I thought you'd be the person to come to."

"Yeah absolutely, you've done me so many favors I think this is the first time you're asking something from me so don't sweat it, it's all yours, can you do full days though?"

"Sure, the more days the better and for Fraser." Gus smiled at Fraser as to reassure him it was the right thing to do.

The boys left there details and Gus was told to be there the next morning for ten o clock, he handed Gus a key and took a contact number in which he had to leave Tay's for now until he could afford a better phone. Gus thought he could do with a decent phone especially if he ends up touring a lot, although he'd still have to take Tay with him.

Gustav and Fraser went back to Fraser's car binned the tickets and pushed Fraser's car down the road to Gustav's apartment blocks and put it in a parking space. They emptied the car and cleaned it then Fraser cleaned himself up and moved into Gustav's room. Gus was positive it was time to turn things around and this was who he was going to do it with. Once Fraser was ready and they'd had a drink they went back out to get some ad's printed.

"So..." Gus began, "We need a singer and a drummer but how do we go about it?"

"Put some ad's in the local clubs and around studios and university blocks, I think that's a good place to start." Fraser nodded.

"I totally need to get a new bass though, maybe we'll be working longer than I thought..." Gus rubbed his forehead.

"Maybe you won't need to, John's pretty good at cleaning guitars up, we can ask him first."

"A good singer is going to be the hardest and I'm not going to be the one letting them down, maybe we should leave that to John." Gus laughed.

The lads got twenty flyers printed and went around the block handing them out and pinned them up. They spent the afternoon talking to club owners, the guys behind the bar's, the receptionist at a local recording studio and the music stores around the town. Once they were out of flyers the time had flown by and it was nearing nine o clock, the boys where exhausted and went for late lunch.

-

Tay had spent the day in with John and had sent Gus several messages but it wasn't until she got home she heard the bin ring in time to Gustav's ring tone. Tay sighed and cleared up the mess him and Fraser had left in the kitchen. She washed up and wiped the sides over and then she went and put the bedding in the wash. Once everything was cleared up Tay took a bath and got changed and then Gustav's key clicked in the door and he walked in with Fraser close behind.

Early that after Tay had got to John's and he was the only one home which she was pleased about, she was concerned about the Spanish guy. John looked worried when she went in but she gave him a hug and told him she was sorry for not saying anything and rushing out the night before. John had told her it was okay and they spent the day inside watching films, playing happy feet on the Play Station and eating a lot of snacks. They also played fifa which Tay was utterly useless at.

Tay and John had talked about Fraser too and they both thought it was best to help him out although right now it had seemed Gustav had taken care of it. Both boys stopped in the doorway and looked at her.

"Where have you been?" She beamed, "I called like one hundred times and the bin answered."

"Yeah I'm going to get a new phone and we spent the day looking for a few people to fill our band positions that was after we got a temporary job." Gus told her nodding for Fraser to come inside so he could shut the door.

"So is Fraser staying here now?" Tay asked crossing her arms.

"For now, is that a problem?"

"No but we should of discussed it first and you left the place in a mess. Did you say goodbye to Andy?"

"Not really but what can I do he's gone now and we'll never see each together again but it's okay was only a onetime thing or... well you understand."

"I do not. How could you just leave it like that?"

"Easy, I already have."

"But why?" Tay flung her arms down by her side helplessly.

"Because I don't do long distance relationships and this isn't up for discussion."

"I hate that."

Gus ruffled Tay's hair as he walked past and slouched on the sofa, he said, "I'm starting work at ten tomorrow so can you wake me up?"

"Where is Fraser sleeping?" Tay asked trying not to be mad at Gustav.

"In my room but I might sleep in your room tonight, do you mind?" Gus smiled at her, which made it even more difficult for Tay to be mad at him.

"It's fine, I can make breakfast."

While Gus was getting ready for bed that night, Tay took the lid off of the bin and retrieved Gustav's phone, she took note of the numbers including Andy's and then put the phone back before Gus noticed. She had no idea what she was going to do with it but she wanted them but together and Gus wasn't going to do anything about it, before Andy Gus had never cared about his life, he could have been hit by a car and he would have had nothing to lose. Gustav was trying now and Tay knew Andy was good for him and they were amazing together.

Tay was so sure she was going the right then yet she had no idea that Andy wouldn't actually be in the UK for another eight months at the very least.

Tay had a feeling Andy cared a lot more than Gus did and if she was going to get through to anyone maybe it would be him and just for now she'd drop the conversation with Gus.