Adding Fuel To The Fire
For the first time in my life, my hair was up off my neck and tied high on my head, partly due to the humid conditions and partly due to the fact that I wished to impress no one. More often than not, I allowed my hair to hang loose over my shoulders and admired how fondly people spoke of its length, but not today. Oh no; definitely not today. My current temperament was one that should not be messed with and the young man to my side knew that, too. But did he care? No, he did not give a damn. After arriving at my apartment around dawn in a rush to get me up and out, it took all of my strength to avoid swatting him into shape. Everyone knew better than to rouse me so early in the morning, but this little bugger had other plans, it seemed. As we drove down the everlasting highway toward god only knows where, the silent hum drifting from the cars engine was already beginning to infuriate me. It was now just after nine, I had not eaten breakfast or had a cup of coffee, nor had I been given long enough to dress accordingly. A hot day it was, but there was quite a breeze with the windows rolled down halfway. My friend had almost zoned out and was paying little mind to how very angered I was with both him and the current situation.
"Oi, Rabbit" I sighed, rolling my window up after finding the breeze too cold as he drove by every other car at the speed of light. "You wanna tell me where we're going so early in the damn mornin'?"
For a moment, he kept his eyes fixed on the road as his hands remained tight around the wheel, almost as though he hadn't heard me at all. But, I knew he had. By no means was he anywhere close to being deaf and he knew better than to purposely ignore me. My choice of words were enough of an indication, after all.
"You will either hate me, or you'll love me, once you find out. I'm not prepared to take any chances while we're travelling at 80mph down the motorway," he said, glancing at me briefly.
Alright, so he had a point. My intrigue would not be shunned so easily, however. Although I wanted badly to ask him further questions about this particular trip, I kept silent the rest of the way. Sooner or later, I was bound to find out and he too would find out which reaction he had achieved. A small part of me wondered why I might suddenly lunge at him for having taken me somewhere I didn't even know and it seemed quite an impossibility the more I pondered on it. That was not the kind of person I was at all. He knew that, he had always known that. Everyone around me, even those who had come and gone from my life, understood that I wasn't the kind of person who would hold such a grudge.
Our drive lasted at least another two hours and when he pulled off the motorway and ran through several lanes, I mercilessly swatted him with both hands, growling when he lost control for a few seconds. That had not been my intention, but he had been deserving of such a smack. To think he was one of the only people in my life who had never gotten himself a ticket for dangerous driving and here he was crossing over lanes that were packed to the brim with other cars. Such an early hour in the morning; he should have realised there would be a million people trying to reach work on time.
"You are such an idiot, Paul!" I yelled, shrinking in my seat and crossing my arms angrily over my chest.
"You love me really. You know you do, it can't be helped. I'm just naturally adorable," he said, batting his eyelashes at me as he slowed and we approached a quiet road.
I chose not to respond to his childlike remark, given that the batting of his eyelashes had actually won me over many times before and he knew I could no longer stay mad at him. My interest now, lay with the sights that surrounded us as he drove slowly and carefully down a deadly silent dirt road. On either side were overgrown hedges, but very neatly shaped and well trimmed. Whoever lived around here must surely spend an awful lot of time taking good care of the greenery.
After stopping the car a few minutes later, I finally turned my attention toward Paul's side and spotted a very large gate not far from us. In bold black letters, set nicely on a golden plaque, were the words 'Friar Park'. A very familiar name that was, but I couldn't for the life of me work it out. With my brows furrowed in confusion, I followed Paul as he got out of the car and strolled up toward the welcoming gates. Just when I thought we might have to buzz to be let in, the gates swung open right as we reached them and the idea that I might be in a poorly made horror film struck me. How daft a thought that was, though. Either way, my hand reached out and clasped around Paul's arm and he chuckled as we climbed the path to the beautiful manor that awaited us up ahead. To live here would be an awfully big adventure and one I would be more than willing to embark on, if only things were a little less complicated for me right now.
Absently, I began fiddling with the hem of my skirt and quickly donned my sunglasses whilst we waited for someone to open the huge oak doors. It resembled the home of someone who was surely very wealthy; or was high in power, perhaps. Then, I realised that Paul and his friends didn't often have such acquaintances.
"So.. is now an okay time to ask where we are?" I whispered, still clinging for dear life to his sleeve.
All he did was turn his head slightly at hearing my question and a glimmer of amusement burst in his eyes, turning them a completely different colour. Pouting severely, I dropped my hand from his arm and as before, crossed them angrily over my chest as we continued to wait. As the minutes passed, there was absolutely no sound at all on the other side of the doors and I was beginning to think there wasn't anyone home, until Paul knocked again, a whole lot louder than before. So loud, in fact, that I had to hold my hands over my ears and pull him right back, smacking him upside the head.
"You do realise that some of us like to sleep in a little longer, right?" I asked, with clear sarcasm.
"Well, he better not still be in bed! Everyone else should be here too by now," he answered, shuffling his feet and straightening himself out a bit.
Before I even had chance to reply, the sound of footsteps deftly approaching the doors seemed to echo around us and in a split second, the mystery person was revealed. Richard, or as I preferred to call him, Nellie – given the size of his nose. It was cruel at first, but he soon adapted to the affectionate nickname. Or was it affectionate? I really didn't know anymore, as long as he was not offended by it.
"Okay.. so.. why are we here then?" I asked, hoping at least someone would give me an answer this time.
Richard snapped his head toward Paul, who was now looking elsewhere, sheepishly. I uncrossed my arms and lay my hands upon my hips, tapping my foot and waiting for one of them to speak up. After having been woken so damn early, without a good enough reason, I was no longer going to keep quiet about it.
"You haven't told her, mate?" Richard asked, a curious look in his eyes.
Now, I was really beginning to get fed up. After giving Paul a good shove until he stumbled and pushing by Richard, I shot into the manor and went about my way, looking for the answer to my question. One way or another, it had to be here. The soft sound of music filled the air and despite my poor mood, I smiled. Music always found a way to bring my emotions down to a normal level and instinctively, I followed the melody until it lead me through to the back end of the building. The last room on the left of the hallway, where it appeared fairly dark – aside from the flood of light pouring from beneath the door. There was someone else here, too.
With a heavy sigh, I reached my hand out toward the door to push it open but was stopped by a number of voices. Paul, Richard.. and another voice, from whoever was in this room; John? It certainly sounded like him. Were they having a reunion of sorts? Perhaps they were – and I had been invited – how very special. I beamed as Paul and Richard came running over to join me and they smiled in return, thinking I had changed my mind about going inside, but they were wrong. Oh, so very wrong. Paul winced a little as I gave the door a little kick and stepped inside, ready to greet the bespectacled beatle. But as soon as that door opened and the bright light shone down upon not only John, but the last person I wanted to see, I slumped back against a nearby wall and my arms returned to their previous position; across my chest.
It was almost a defensive stance, or gave off the impression that I didn't wish to be messed with. When around this man, I really didn't. His presence was too much to take, even now. Our history with one another made things very complicated last time and I knew better than anyone else in this room that it would never get better. And by the look on his face, he hadn't even been expecting my arrival.
"You know.. if I didn't know any better.. I'd swear I was lookin' at Zsa Zsa Gabor," he spoke up after finding his voice and switching the expression on his face.
Now, he was sat there on a cushion with his infamous sitar on his lap and a stupid grin on his face. A grin I wanted terribly to smack right off of him. True it was that my sense of style had changed considerably over the years, but I honestly didn't think I looked anywhere near that glamorous. Or rather, the opposition; the real meaning behind his words. It had not been a compliment at all. He was merely suggesting that I had overdone it a great deal and that alone annoyed the hell out of me.
"You should see yourself, Harrison" I spat, my words dripping venom. "You're lookin' like a right old wolf man with that beard and haircut." Regret, as soon as I had spoken, washed over me. I actually found the way he looked at present to be rather seductive, but he would never know of that. As my façade seemed to falter just a little and the grin turned upside down, I released a low howl, suggesting I was very serious.