Well, there's a new short chapter for you :) Well, Lindo, your guess was good ;) And I'm glad you like your description :P Like I always I hope you'd enjoy it and I'd try to post another part this week :)

31 September, 2011

'It's the biggest mistake I've ever done in my whole life.' He stated as he shifted on his shoes and leaned against the brick wall, before he lose his balance and fall down on the pavement. 'How long we're going to stay there?'

'All night?' His friend retorted sarcastically as he slowly followed him and pulled the hem of his dress down as few whistles reached his ears and few cocky guys stared at his legs. 'I told Mercy it's way too short.' He scowled and blushed slightly.

'You look great. You have long and slender legs and I think Mercy was right with chosen this dress for you.' He said with a small smile. 'You look hot. Especially with your stilettos.' He added with a chuckle.

'My feet would stay at this angle for days when I only kick them off!' He rolled his eyes.

'It's better have feet set at the strange ankles, than look like Godzilla.' He stated with a smirk as he looked down at his own, red platforms. 'I'm too tall to wear such shoes. They'd know from one look at me I'm a guy.'

'You look like a normal, pretty girl.' He assured him with a cheeky grin. 'Surely better than me…Anyway, watch out your purse, we're almost in the house.' He added as they turned into one of the narrow alleys and he once again checked the small card his boss has given him the night before.

'If someone doesn't steal it, I'm sure I'm gonna lose it somewhere. You saw at what thin strap it's hanging?' He tugged for a golden strap with a growl. 'I just hope no one would try to hit on me and the whole party would end soon.'

'I think you're too optimistic.' He stated and once again tried to pull down the dress. 'Just keep smiling all night and be on the move, and everything would be fine.'

'How can I keep walking all night in these shoes without catching the wall with each step?' John Paul exclaimed.

'Well, I thought it was you who kept saying to look at the bright side of this job, eh?' He gave him a long look.

'You would stand in your booth, while I would have to walk around the guests, serving drinks.' He retorted.

'If you want so badly we can switch our places.' He offered. 'It's not like the boss is going to check if it's me in the booth, and you alone are good in DJing.'

'The last time when I was standing behind the decks was about two years ago.' He reminded him with a thought the man just has to lost his brain during their way here.

'It's like riding on the bike, you'd never forgive it.' Spike said firmly with a small smile. 'If it's really so big deal for you, I can serve the drinks and you just entertainment the crowd with a music. I'd give you my vinyl records.' He offered with a cheeky grin as he pointed behind his back.

'You know you look ridiculous in a tight, sexy dress with a big, old bag daggling behind your back?' He looked at him amused. 'You could ask boss to prepare some discs for you and leave them in his friend's house.'

'They're not paying me only for standing behind the decks.' Spike gave him a long look. 'As a professional DJ I need to have my own records with myself.' He said firmly and sighed heavily as he noticed a crowd of people outside the building in elegant, expensive clothes, making Spike felt even more exposed in his outfit.

'It looks like we're at the place.' His friend mumbled and shifted nervously on his feet as he took a look at the crowd. 'Nice.'

'I'm looking like a hooker.' Spike said deadpanned, close to despair, as his eyes slid over his outfit.

'Aw, take it easy. You look great. Come on, Pretty Woman.' He threw an arm over his shoulders and pushed him forward with a big grin on his face. 'Take a breath and forget about your dress.'

'But I can't!' He growled, flustered.

'Why not?'

'I'm cold!' He yelled and blushed once again this night as some handsome man whistled at him and check him over with a big grin. He immediately caught his friend's hand and dragged him inside the lobby, feeling the first pangs of panic.

'They'd think we're a pair!' John Paul scowled behind his back as he smiled apologetically to some couple watching them with shocked faces.

'Well, you want them to think we're pair of lesbians and be leave in peace, or rather to play around as a pair of gays, huh? What sounds better?' He asked him sarcastically when they reached the elevator.

'Just don't try to make any move on me.' He warned him.

'If you don't know yet, if I'm going to hit at anyone, it surely be another guy!' He said with a cheeky grin, making his friend roll his eyes. 'Anyway, we both should cheer up a bit, I guess. Maybe inside it wouldn't be so bad.' And he'd give anything to believe in that.

30 September, 2011

He wasn't sure if it was a good idea, but till his wife was fine with it and doesn't mind to have for a night an extra kid in the house, he didn't feel guilty anymore and prepared himself for a night out. He almost finished stylizing his hair with a gel, when the doorbell caught his ears and he heard the rush in the corridor as his wife has to moved to answer the door.

'Darren's ready?' He smiled slightly to himself as he heard Craig's cheery voice and he almost could see him, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

'Almost.' Nancy replied and knocked on the door of bathroom. 'Get ready, Darren. Craig is already here.' She called, like he already didn't know it and was completely deaf.

'Sylvia's fine?'

'She just finished her dinner. Why don't you come inside and wish her good night?' Darren smirked to himself, hearing a bit of sarcasm in his little wife's voice.

'We already talked today and I told her what I needed. Now, I'm in hurry.' Craig replied evasively at the same time as someone once again knocked on the door. 'Darren, finish your makeup and we're heading out! I don't want to be late.'

'We won't be.' Darren rolled his eyes and splashed aftershave on his face. 'Give me two minutes!'

'You said the same one hour ago, when I brought Sylvia here!' He retorted and he could tell that younger man was becoming irate.

'You know you're worse than Nancy?'

'Oy, I'm still here!' His wife called with a roll of her eyes. 'Thanks a lot!'

'I love you too, babe.' He grinned cheekily when he finally left the bathroom and wrapped his arms around her waist before she gave her a few light kisses along the neck. 'So, where are we heading tonight?'

'There's a party over my mate's house.' He replied casually. 'I'm sure we'd have a lot of fun there, and you deserve a one night off after the dealing with kids every day.'

'I hope you'd be a good boy and don't flirt with any pretty girl?' Nancy asked her husband with a smirk.

'You really think he wouldn't try to flirt with any of them?' Craig snorted and gave her a knowingly look. 'It's Darren Osborne, my brother. Of course he's gonna flirt with girls, I have my reputation to keep, you know?' He sounded almost hurt.

'I thought we're going to celebrate your parenthood, not trying to help you pick up another chick.' Darren smiled slyly.

'It's not like I need any help.' Craig said bluntly.

'Okay, guys, you know what? I'm not sure if as your wife I want to hear anything more about your night off.' Nancy chimed in and pulled back from her husband. 'Just have a good fun with each other and don't do nothing stupid you'd regret later.' She waggled a finger at him.

'I love you.' Darren grinned and kissed her lightly on the lips. 'See you tomorrow, babe.'

'Yea, see you later, Nancy. And don't let these monsters do what they want. Keep them on a tight leash.' Craig added from himself with a cheeky grin before they both went outside the flat and he threw an arm around his brother's shoulders. 'Come on, mate. You're just going to spend the best night of your life!'

'And I'm sure it'd end with some disaster, knowing our luck.' He smirked at him. 'Our nights off never ended good.' He reminded him.

'You're definitely spending too much time with Nancy and kids. You're just under her thumb!' Craig exclaimed at the whole street, when he was sure she wouldn't hear them. 'Trust me, Darren, this night would change our life. I feel it.' He grinned, excited.

'Yea, you might find a nice girl for yourself and maybe even settle down with her, but what about me, eh? How my life would might change after this night?' Darren never was such optimist like him.

'I don't know, maybe someone would recognize your work on Scott's walls and you'd have a chance to be a photographer again?' He suggested with a shrug. 'Or maybe you meet someone special?' The last words caused a big grin on younger man's face.

'Thanks, but I already have someone special.' Darren said firmly, didn't like the way their conversation was going on. He loved Nancy and there would be anyone else who he would be able to love more. He was sure about that.

'Well, I wouldn't say Nancy is so special as you think, but anyway, I didn't mean it has to be your new object of love!' He argued and patted his back with a hand previously laying lazily on Darren's shoulder. 'You just might find a new friend or someone who offers you better job. You know I have contacts and would know a lot of people there, so if you want I can put a word in about you.'

'Well, thanks, Craig. But I'm not sure if I want to work in some big corporation. It's not my cup of tea, I'd be destroyed after one week working there.' He replied unsurely.

'I think we can find something more suitable for you.' He assured him with a slight smile. 'Now, take a deep breath, put a smile on your face, and we're going to spend the night of our life!' Darren chuckled at him and with a shook of his head, moved quicker. 'Don't laugh at me. Trust me, one day you'd thank me for that!'

It turned out they both didn't has so much work to do as they supposed to have. The guests were more interested in their companions, than dancing to the music, and John Paul wasn't the only waitress around the apartment serving drinks, so he was able to taking breaks and take a look at everything what was going on around them whenever he wants.

'You seem to feel good in your shoes.' John Paul teased his friend as he decided to take a break and ran away from the decks two men stubbornly trying to catch his attention. 'You're keep walking straight and without any major problems.

'It means my labyrinth is working, then.' He replied with a snort and they both turned around to face the caramel wall covered with a black and white photography, bathing in a soft light coming out from the small lamps hanging just above them, didn't have nothing more interesting to do.

'I feel like I am at some vernissage.' John Paul muttered and moved closer to him. 'Why someone would like to have so many photographs in one room?'

'They're the one of the best photographs I've ever seen, maybe that's why he has them so many, here.' Spike said, couldn't take his eyes off of them. 'It's like reading a story.'

'I'm only seeing the pictures of few old buildings and people doing their usual things.' He shrugged, didn't share the man's enthusiasm. It were some photos, that's all. 'Nothing interesting, really.'

'You're such ignoramus.' Spike rolled eyes at him. 'Don't you see their depths and beauty in their simplicity? He or she is just showing us the beauty of our town, our lives, something which normally we're missing and don't notice…Trust me John Paul, you'd never look at this old church if you pass by it. No one appreciate things like that anymore.' There was sadness in his voice.

'Not only eternal dreamer but also romantic.' John Paul said with a smirk, but he didn't mean to upset him or make a laugh at him. No. He was more surprised with the way the things turned out, than amused. Suddenly he just began to learn few more things about his friend and he was utterly impressed how delicate and sensitive man was hiding under his hard cover, and until now, he understood how small he knew about him. It wasn't the same strong, a bit arrogant and cheeky Spike he knew. And it made him feel sad and worried, and almost ashamed of himself. They're supposed to be friends, so why he wouldn't noticed things like that earlier?

'Because I'm trying to see the beauty in everything, it doesn't mean I'm romantic or eternal dreamer.' He disagreed with him. 'I'm only trying to find a sense of my existence, here. And maybe find the strength and reason to live for...It's just nothing make sense for me anymore. Each day brings pain and more sorrow.'

'You have a reason to live for, Spike.' John Paul said softly, noticing that Spike low lip trembled. 'You have Jasmine.'

'Yes, but for how long?' He asked with serious voice, his eyes met with John Paul's for a short moment. 'It's just matter of time, John Paul. I'd lose her…And I can't see nothing more positive than her in my life. I'd be empty without her.' He added quietly, before he took a deep breath and fixed his eyes at the photography of the stone bridge with a willow in the background, before he burst into tears. 'Funny. Just like my life. Empty and grey.'

'Well, there's another one with the same bridge, Spike. But this time you can see people sitting down on the wall with their head hang down, like they were watching themselves in the water.' John Paul added as he looked further. 'Maybe we find another one somewhere.'

'You think they're lovers?' Spike suddenly asked.

'No, why would they?' John Paul gave him a funny look. 'They're sitting far away from each other and don't even look at each other. You can say they're sad, so it doesn't look like a happy couple for me…They're look more like they were considering suicide.'

'It's not a Golden Bridge, John Paul.' He smirked. 'The chance that both suicide would choose the same, low bridge in some shit-hole, it's negligible.' He stated, almost making him feel stupid. 'They way they're avoiding their looks and look so depressed, mean they can be lovers.' He said firmly, although his friend was still unconvinced.

'What kind of lovers behave like that? It's not Romeo and Julia.' John Paul snorted with a roll of his eyes. 'I think you're just seeing too much into it. Maybe even trying to find something, you wish you could have.' He added softly.

'They're after fight, or maybe one of them decided to break up with another? That's why they're far from each other, but still…very close. They're still share one thing and although they might decided everything's over between them two, they still can't fully accept it. It's like they're still have a hope they could be together once again…Like nothing ends yet.' He continued thoughtfully.

'You're worse than Carmel.' John Paul smiled slightly at him, but man was too busy studying the photography to notice it. 'Can we just talk about something more positive? Maybe we could dance, since you don't have to come back to work and I'm still on my break?' He suggested.

'I'd love to meet the author of these photographs and ask him about this pair.' Spike continued, unmoved. 'Maybe he knows who are they and what's happened to them?'

'Well, there's some inscription under the bridge.' John Paul noticed, knowing Spike wouldn't give up, until he finds the answer for his all questions or wake up from his lethargy. 'Darren O.' He read and frowned a bit. 'I guess that's the author.'

'I'm sure there's a lot of Darren O. in England. Why he wouldn't signed his work with his nickname or at least surname?' He stared at the letters puzzled.

'Maybe that's his hallmark, just like these photographs.' John Paul suggested. 'He just can be everyone. Even one of us.'

'Or no one…' Spike said quietly and smiled slightly. 'Ah, true artist.'

'You even didn't see the guy but you already have a crush on him?' He chuckled amused. 'You're such an incurable romantic.'

'You always have to tease me, eh?' He grinned slightly at him, eyes shone with amusement. 'I just would love to meet this guy and that's all. I'd like to know the rest of the story.' He nodded at the photography.

'Well, we always can think up about something.' John Paul suggested with another chuckle and almost frozen as he felt that someone stop behind his back and moment later unceremoniously slipped between him and Spike with two glasses of red wine in hands.

'Evening ladies. Maybe you'd like to taste a bit of wine, while you're discussing about the photographs?' There was something charming about this man and his voice was soft and warm. John Paul would normally say him to get lost, but instead he took the offered glass and moved his hairs from his face, so he could take a look at the small man between him and his friend.

'Why not?' Spike shrugged and also took the offered drink before with a slight smirk he looked at his friend. 'Anything you fancy?' He asked in a low voice.

'There wasn't anything I'd fancy until I spot you, ladies.' The man replied with a charming smile, not aware that the question was directed not to him, but to John Paul. 'How's your evening?' The man turned around to face the blonde woman, who stared at him speechless.

'It's…Fine.' John Paul stuttered, couldn't take his eyes off the man. He was handsome. No, it wasn't the right word. Gorgeous! Yea, that was more correct. Maybe he was a bit to low as for his taste, but his exotic beauty compensate it. He had dark skin and hair, the most gorgeous, chocolate eyes he has ever seen in his whole life, plump lips you'd love to kiss all the time, and a small, cute mole above his lip…And as he kept watching his face adorned with charming smile and those amazing eyes, he just understood what's mean, love at first sight. He just knew, he experienced it right now. And Spike seemed to know that also, until his attention hasn't been drawn by another man standing next to him, and John Paul could see the horror written over his face. But before he even had a chance to ask his friend what's wrong, his Prince speak up softly.

'I heard you talking about photographs and your desire to meet the author of them. And, well, let's say I have the pleasure and occasion to introduce him to you.' John Paul watched him like a charmed and any words comes to his ears. He just lost his head for him for good, and he even didn't know his name, yet.