Hope you all enjoyed the last three chapters! You better enjoy these because in just two chapters you, the reader, gets to make a decision. Intrigued? I thought you would be.
12:30 PM
After showing him round Stark's Pond, Joey, Stan and Kyle took Robert to Raisins for lunch. As Stan pushed open the doors, Robert remembered why he preferred men.
Girls barely in their 4th year of school, dancing like strippers to extract as much money as possible from young boys.
Joey didn't mind. He can ignore things when they're bothering him.
Stan and Kyle tried not to look, remembering their girlfriends and how angry they would be if an ogling was to occur.
As he sat down, Robert got out his iPhone, put in his earphones and tapped with heavy concentration. After about two minutes of silence and confusion, Joey asked him what he was doing.
"Uh, Robert, what-" Robert lifted up his finger and mouthed "one sec". Suddenly, the music blasting over the PA system changed to Will Smith, Boom! Shake The Room.
Everyone in the establishment turned around and looked at the speakers.
"Ha! This is real music!" Robert yelled, not caring who beamed an evil glare his way.
"Robert, what the fuck are you doing!"
"Hacking their computers, anything like that's a piece of piss after you've hacked into the permanent record computer at school."
"Why?"
"I like changing things. And I'll be damned if this place isn't under my ownership by the time I'm 18."
"I'll hold you to that." Joey said.
"Oh, listen to this part, it's amazing."
Joey was thinking about Robert. He was everything Joey wasn't. He was brave, never afraid of the consequences, cultured, upper-class and at the flick of a switch he could become a defender, someone to help you fight your battles, someone to be there for you and to stand by your side no matter what happens.
Joey hoped he would never leave.
The song switched over upon Robert tapping his iPhone to Pitch Up by Coone & Ghost.
"I can play this on a loop during Happy Hour." Robert said, chuckling. Stan and Kyle laughed, whilst Joey tapped his feet.
The customers seemed to stop complaining when the song switched. Robert looked at the menu with a grimace.
"Is there anything here not soaked in bacon grease? I mean, come on, fried cabbage? What the fuck?"
"It helps if you don't think about where it comes from."
"Well, I'm afraid I can't do that. My OCD and Hpyochondria makes me want to know where something came from before it comes near me. Joz, en't you 'avin anyfin'?"
"No, Sitophobia, can't eat and drink in public."
" 'ave you eva tried gettin' rid of it?"
"No, whenver I try it, I panic."
"It's easy. Just try it out wiv a drink and don't fink about it. I got over it by frowing myself in the deep end. I went to Nando's, sat down, ordered a fuck-loada chicken and chugged it down like there was no fuckin' tomorra! I think that's what you're gonna 'ave to do."
He flagged down a waitress and said "Get that scrawny little boy a bucket full of your greasiest wares, chop chop!"
She tried the eyelash flutter before asking in a far too sultry tone, "Anything else?".
Stan quivered but then remembered if Wendy saw that, he would be dead.
"3 cans- no, a pitcher of full sugar coke, I need to keep my wits about me. Stan, Kyle, what do you two want?"
They placed their orders, both trying not to look at the waitress, if you could call her that. She brushed her hand across Robert's knee in a futile attempt to get a tip.
"That's not gonna work on me, love. Bent as a post." He heard her mutter "Damnit." as she walked away.
"Well, get yaself ready, Joz. Just shut your eyes and imagine you're on your own. That usually works."
Joey was nervous but he knew Robert would help him. A few minutes and a song change to Rizzle Kicks, Down With The Trumpets, later, a waitress brought out the heart attack on a plate.
As it was set down, Joey looked in shock. How am I gonna eat any of that? Joey thought.
"Well, good luck." Joey picked up the piece that had the least amount of grease, shut his eyes and bit into it. Once you get past the fat, it's not too bad, he thought.
As he finished it, he opened his eyes and looked around the room. No-one was staring at him. He realised his fear was just stupid. He didn't need to be afraid of eating in public. This would open up a whole new window for him.
"See, Joz? It's a stupid phobia, it's easy to overcome it when you've got someone to help you."
At that point, the waitress came back with a pitcher of coke.
Robert began to pour two glasses for Stan and Kyle.
As he was about to pour a 3rd, Joey stopped him. "I don't want any, thanks."
"Sure? 'cos what's left in this jug is mine."
"Oh, in that case, pour me one." As a waitress came to the table with Stan and Kyle's order's, Robert had just finished gulping down his jug of coke.
"Waitress! 'nother jug!" He said, waving it in the air. "You're gonna need to take a huge piss after that."
"I am the master of my own bladder." He looked down at his iPhone and switched the song.
"I don't know why they haven't stopped you yet." "I don't think anyone has even realised. Morons."
He found Rizzle Kicks, Couch Potato and selected it, announcing "This is my life's theme song. Hang on, Joz, you can't eat all of those."
Robert grabbed a piece of chicken, ignoring the dripping oil and took a bite. He regretted it.
"What the fuck do they cook this in, shit?"
"I guess you were treated to caviar and lobster in London."
"Yes, I was privaliged enough to have the finer things but I learnt a fair amount from Grandfather. He was a chef for the Queen for 30 years. All I need is the right ingredients and you'll be in food heaven."
Almost 15 minutes later, Stan, Kyle, Joey had finished their meals and Robert had just thrown down another jug of coke, giving him a sugar high.
They paid their bill and as a "parting gift" Robert switched the song to Horny, Horny, Horny by Mousse T.
"See what they think of that." They all laughed before Joey asked a question.
"So, where do you wanna go next?"
"Where'dyou recommend?"
"Well, it's 1 o'clock so school's gonna be out soon. We could go back to Stark's Pond."
"That sounds acceptable."