Chapter seven: Change is gonna come
Trixie stood outside with tears running down her face as she looked up at the sky. She faced away from the house so no one inside would be able to see that she was crying. Micky stepped outside and stood there, quietly looking at Trixie from behind. Then he walked up behind her but stood where he wouldn't be too close to her.
"Trixie…" He said softly
She sniffed "What do you want, Micky?"
"Look I'm really sorry that um… that you had to see that. We really didn't mean for that to happen."
"But it did happen."
"I know…" He paused "Can you at least look at me?"
She wiped her tears away before looking over her shoulder at him. His heart sank when he saw the look on her face. She looked away again and shook her head.
"Micky I'm such a fool."
"What are you talking about?"
"I can't believe that I ever thought I could have a chance with you. I can't believe that I ever had feelings for you."
Micky sighed and turned her around to face him. He then wrapped his arms around her in a snug hug "Don't talk like that, Trix. You have no idea how sorry I am about this. I really care about you but I… I…"
"You care about August more?"
"Well… more like in a different way. A very different way. You've always been a great friend to me and I never meant to lead you on to believe that I would ever like you for more than that. Actually for a while I wasn't sure exactly how I felt about you. Will you be able to forgive me for this?"
"Micky…" She looked at him and a small smile formed on her lips "Damn it… I can't ever stay mad at you."
"I don't understand why anyone would want to." He said with a slight laugh "So are you willing to still be my friend?"
"I think I can manage to get through this, but of course. You've been too good of a friend for me to just give you up." She hugged him again, giving him an extra squeeze
"Great." Micky laughed and then pulled away from her
The two of them then linked arms and walked back into the house.
The club was packed that night. The Nuggets were going to play their first gig with Micky as their singer. This wasn't Micky's first gig but he felt nervous playing with the new band in public for the first time. He had invited Mike, Davy and Peter to come out and see them perform but he didn't think that any of them would show up, especially Mike. As the band sat at their table, waiting to go on stage, August knew that Micky was a little tense. He lightly rubbed Micky's hand with his thumb under the table. Micky looked at him with a grin to show that he was ok.
The two of them talked amongst themselves as they sat there. Often times, even though they knew there was plenty of people around them, they snuck some kisses. Finally when the time came the band got up from their table and went up to the stage. As they approached the stage together, Micky and August casually slipped their fingers around each other. Once on stage the band took to their instruments and Micky adjusted his mic stand.
"How's everybody doing tonight?" He asked over the mic. The crowd let out a cheer "Groovy." He laughed "We're The Nuggets and the first song we're going to play is…" He got interrupted when he felt someone grab his butt "Thanks for that, August."
"Anytime." He smiled
"Knock it off you PANSIES and play some tunes!" Some one shouted from the back of the room
"Shut your trap." Micky replied
"Suck my balls!" The guy snorted
"Hey that's what I said to your mother last night! She did that and then some!" Micky finished his statement with a pelvic thrust
Before the heckler, who was most likely drunk, could say anything else, the band went right into the first song. Right away people got up and began dancing. At one point when they thought no one was watching Micky blew a kiss at August. The affection was returned when August smiled and then pursed his lips. Putting the onstage flirting aside, the band continued to play. During one song Micky looked out into the crowd and smiled to himself when he spotted Davy and Peter. When the set was over Micky left the stage and went over to them.
"Hey I didn't expect to see you guys here tonight."
"Yeah well you invited us, remember? We decided to come and check the band out." Davy said
"What do you think of the band?"
"Well it's weird to see you onstage with a different band but we dig it." Answered Peter
"Yeah you're doing a great job."
"Thanks. So um… I take it Mike didn't bother to show up."
"No…" Davy let out a slight sigh "He didn't really want anything to do with you or this band."
"Oh…" Micky looked down
"It seems you hurt him pretty bad." Said Peter "But he won't really admit it."
"No of course not. He's too stubborn for that."
Davy placed a hand on Micky's shoulder "Don't ge' yourself down about it. Mike'll get over this."
"Can you promise that?" He looked at him and then at Peter. Both Monkees were quiet "Didn't think so."
"You know what Micky? Just don't worry about it. It's his hang up, not yours."
Micky nodded "You're right, Pete. You know, you're not such a dummy as you let on."
"Well thanks… I think."
Right on the other side of the room a small commotion caught their attention. It was August and some other guy in the midst of a shouting match. The only thing that they picked up on was that the shouting seemed to be over Micky.
"Yeah he is my boyfriend! What of it?!"
When that came out of August's mouth, Micky's jaw hit the floor. He was taken completely by surprise after hearing those words. Not because he realized August was willing to fight in his honor, but because of one particular word: "boyfriend". Up until then neither of them had even uttered anything close to that, not even to each other. All he could do right then was stand there and stare at August and the other guy as they fought. He didn't know or even care what else was being said, or shouted rather, between the two guys. The only thing that was going around inside his head, over and over like a broken record, was August saying the word "boyfriend." But he managed to shake himself out of it when he saw the guy take a swing at August.
Micky's eyes narrowed and he clenched his jaw tight. His hands balled up into fists and then he marched over towards August and this other guy. He stepped in front of August right on time to catch the guy's fist on his cheek. This time Davy and Peter were the ones left stunned across the room as they watched Micky throw a punch of his own. The guy stumbled back, holding his nose while Micky and August watched him with matching "Don't mess with me" looks on their faces. Before the guy could hit back he dropped his fist, realizing that it was no longer a fair fight. Instead he walked away, pride hurt, and muttering something about "fairies not supposed to hit like that…"
August and Micky then turned to each other and fell into each other's arms with a kiss. Davy and Peter walked up to them, half proud and half shocked over what Micky had done to the other guy.
"Wow Micky. I nevah knew you had that in you." Said Davy with a pat on Micky's back
"Yeah I know." Micky said with a sheepish grin "I didn't either to tell the truth."
Peter cupped Micky's shoulder with a smile "It was great how you stood up for August and yourself like that. But don't let me see you hit anyone like that again."
"Don't worry Pete. I won't." He snickered
"How's your cheek, babe?" August asked while lightly touching Micky's cheek with his finger
"Oh it's alright. Probably gonna have a bruise there tomorrow though."
August kissed Micky's cheek and then placed another kiss on his lips. The two Monkees said that they were heading home before walking away, and Micky gave August another kiss. Behind them a bout of laughter, groans and various rude comments from people got them to pull apart.
"Queers!"
"You fairies get a room!"
Red-faced and upset, Micky couldn't take the ridicule and headed into the bathroom. August chased after him after giving the people dirty looks.
"Micky!"
When August walked into the bathroom he saw Micky standing in front of the sinks. He had his hands on the edge of one sink and his head down. August sighed and put an arm around his shoulders.
"Hey…" He said softly "Micky don't pay attention to that. Those people don't matter."
"Aug I…" He shook his head "I have never experienced anything like that before in my life. I'm so humiliated…"
August hugged him "They were just acting like that because they don't understand. They are jealous that they can't have something great like what we've got. You know?"
Micky grinned slightly "I suppose…"
"C'mon. Let's get out of here and go back to my place. I'll uh… I'll ice your cheek for you."
This caused Micky to snicker "Oh yeah…" He looked at him "What would I ever do without you?" He smiled
"I don't know." August laughed as he spoke "Prolly be fucking Trixie."
They both laughed before leaving the bathroom. From there they walked right on pass everyone who made fun of them and out the door. The two of them then got in August's car and drove away into the darkening summer evening.
