Sequel: Faithfully Yours

Lots of Love, Mike

Gatecrashing the Gilman

Dear Mike

Oh my god you are not going to believe what has been happening. Oh, Happy Birthday by the way. Your present is enclosed.

The Clash was awesome. I had such a wonderful time I can't stop thinking about it. They were so cool Mike it was unbelievable. Most kids from school don't really understand how cool it was and they say that I keep going on about them all the time. Even Jess can't understand how good they were. The only ones that understand are Will, Stu and Jade.

They have become such good friends even though they are older than me. Will really looks out for me. Actually Mike I think he looks a lot like you but Jessie can't see it. I have put some concert photos in and I hope you think they are good, but you should have been there Mike. I wish you had been.

Anyway I may not be able to write to you for a little while as I have got end of year exams again and then it's the school holidays. Geoff is taking Mum and me camping somewhere. He says it's a surprise. I don't really like camping but mum says we have to make the effort as he has been so nice to me lately. Big deal.

I hope you enjoy your summer Mike and I'll write to you as soon as I can.

Lots of love and enjoy your birthday. I must go now as I'm meeting Will, Stu and Jade at the park.

Stella x

p.s. Thanks for letting me know that French kissing means with tongues. I'd always wanted to know what that meant. Have you French kissed anyone?


Mike suddenly felt jealous. Now why would that be? Was he jealous of the fact that Stella had been to see the Clash and he hadn't or was it more to do with the fact that her letter seemed rushed as though Stella had better things on her mind and other things to be getting on with rather than write to him.

I hope she doesn't stop writing now that she has got a new group of friends thought Mike. I bet she fancies Will. It sound like she might. Anyway she says he looks a bit like me. Does that mean she could fancy me?

"Hey dude," said Billie poking his head round Mike's bedroom door? But Mike didn't answer him.

"Hey, what's the face for?" said Billie.

"Nothing" said Mike moodily.

Billie noticed a letter in Mike's hand.

"Is that from Stella" said Billie. "Did she go to the concert?" he said coming into the room. "Did she get close to them? Get their autographs?"

"Here, have a read," said Mike throwing the letter over to Billie.

Billie read the letter. "Where are the photos then man said Billie? Show me."

"I haven't opened the photos yet," said Mike.

"WHAT. Get them open and lets have a look, this is the Clash we're talking here" said Billie all excited.

Mike reluctantly opened the photos and there were loads of the Clash concert.

"Awesome" said Billie looking at the Clash photos, "Look at Joe Strummer, there he is at the front, one cool dude. Oh look Mike, there's Stella and she's with a group of friends and Jessie is there too. Stella looks so much older now, look at her Mike her hair has grown. Are these a new bunch of guys she knows?" Said Billie.

"Don't know" said Mike

"Hey this guy looks a lot like you," said Billie. "Well, may be if you squint a bit he does. What's up man?" said Billie looking over at Mike. "Don't tell me you're jealous?"

"No."

"You are. You're jealous because Stella went to see the Clash. Get over it"

"No its not that" said Mike

"Oh I get it," said Billie. "You're jealous of the guy."

Mike didn't answer.

Billie went and sat next to him, the photos in his hand.

"Mike be realistic man, Stella is hundreds of miles away, and you'll probably never ever meet up with her. You'll probably stop writing soon anyway. Deal with it and - look I thought you liked Julie. Why not ask her out on another date. She sure likes you."

"Yeah I know I'm just being stupid. I love getting Stella's letters they always cheer me up, as she's always so happy. Sometimes I wish I could just meet up with her once though."

"Well when we are rich and famous we can travel the world and you can go and meet up with your Stella. I'm gonna get a drink, want one?" Said Billie.

"Yes please," said mike "and she's not my Stella," shouted Mike after him. And probably never will be he thought. Billie's right I have to be realistic here. I'll probably never even get to leave America, let alone travel to England and meet up with some girl.

Mike's thoughts turned to Julie and he decided he would ask her round to watch the band practice after school tomorrow. She was really sweet.

Billie had left the photographs on the seat. Mike idly picked them up, sort of not really interested but intrigued. Billie was right, the ones of the band were awesome and there she was. Stella. She had changed. She looked older and well.. She looked real pretty. Her hair was long and shining and her eyes were bright. She looked so happy standing next to that guy. He was smiling too. Mike suddenly felt a strange feeling in his stomach that he had never felt before when he looked at Stella. He felt that he wanted to stand next to her and put his arm around her and feel her hair against his and hear her laugh and see her eyes sparkle.

"There you go man," said Billie interrupting his thoughts and handing him a carton of orange juice.

"She sure is pretty," said Billie looking at Mike. "But I think you already know that don't you?" said Billie.

"Jessie looks good too" said Mike trying to change the subject.

"Yeah man, but she's way out of my league," said Billie.

"Come on, cheer up. Ask Julie out. May be you should forget writing to Stella if this is the mood you are going to be in when you get her letters"

"May be you're right said Mike. May be it is time to stop writing to Stella" but he knew deep in his heart he didn't want to.

The next day...

Billie and Mike are walking past the back of the Gilman when they could hear music.

"Listen to that man" said Billie. They stood there listening for ages when Billie suddenly had an idea.

"Hey if we get onto that ledge we can get through to the men's room and in through that way," said Billie.

"Oh come on Billie, we'll never do it"

"Let's try. Give me a hand up."

Mike reluctantly put out his hand and Billie put one foot on it and hoisted himself up onto the ledge. The window opened really easily and the next minute he was in.

"Come on Mike. You're taller than me, you can get up easily"

Mike got up onto the ledge and clambered in through the window after Billie.

The music was quite loud even in the men's room.

"Come on" said Billie going to the door. He opened it and stuck his head out. "All clear"

They left the men's room and the music got louder and louder as they walked towards it.

"Fucking hell" said Billie. "This is awesome. Even better than I thought it would be."

"Oh my god" said Mike. "Listen to that music" he said.

They got swept away with the crowd and ended up quite near to the front where some band was playing. It was some local punk band and the crowd were going crazy. Mike and Billie started jumping up and down and got carried away with the music when they felt somebody grab them on the shoulders and hoist them out from the crowd and into a corridor.

"How did you two get in?" said this burly guy.

Mike and Billie didn't answer.

"Obviously not through the front door" he said. "How old are you?"

"Sixteen" they both said at the same time.

"Oh yeah" said the bodyguard. "Well you're the youngest 16 year olds I've ever seen," he said. "Now get out and don't come back I don't want to see your ugly faces round here for years, you got it" he spat into their faces.

"Yeah we got it," shouted Billie walking away "but next time we come back we're going to be on that stage and you won't be able to throw us out then," said Billie.

"Piss off kid" said the bodyguard.

Billie just sauntered off out of the Gilman with Mike following behind.

"Fucking hell man" said Billie when they got out into the cold night air. "I tell you something, we're gonna play there when we're older I just know it" he said

"Oh yeah" said Mike. "Who's going to want to listen to us play?" he laughed.

"Loads of people" said Billie.

"Well we can count on our families coming but I don't know who else would want to come and watch to us," said mike

"Well that's where you're wrong Mikey. Because I reckon when we make it big, we're going to fill a stadium".

"Yeah and we're going to win tons of awards and be so rich we'll live in mansions and have whatever cars we want. We'll marry beautiful women and have loads of kids and we'll make loads of albums and videos and be on TV and get interviewed," said Mike.

They burst out laughing thinking how unrealistic that would be...

5 months later

Mike was sitting on a beanbag idly strumming his guitar to himself in his bedroom when he glanced over at his pin board. Stella's letters and photographs stared back at him. He looked away again. It had been 5 months since he'd last heard from her. He'd sent two letters to her but hadn't had a reply. He felt a little sad but knew he had to get over it. It was probably over. She had grown up and grown away from him. She had better things to be getting on with. He had his band to practice with thank god and that took his mind off it, and then there was Julie. Awww she was so cute and sweet but very quiet. All they did was kiss each other, she didn't want to do anything else but Mike didn't mind he wasn't that type of guy to pressurize her. They hardly went out alone she seemed quite happy to hang out with him and the guys at band practice.

He looked at the pin board again and the photo of Stella. If I don't hear from you by the end of the year Mike thought to himself then I am taking your stuff down and trashing it. No on second thoughts I won't trash it. I'll just take it down...