Friday Again

''We fucking rock, bitches!''

They did it. They saved Byron fucking Powell from it all. Sasha was driving on the highway as Jade was screaming of joy. Cloe and Yasmin were singing along to some of their most played songs off Sasha's scorching playlist. Byron was quietly between the two of them.

''How do you like your new freedom?''

''I am slowly gutted about getting in a cadillac with four girls but I'm handling.''

''OMG, Byron, we should go visit your family? How about your friends? We could do a road trip around America and-''

''Nooooo, no road trips. I'm car sick just fucking thinking about it. I've aced those enough in 25 years.''

The car stopped abruptly as they all looked at him.

''WHAT?''

''I've been hosting TV for 25 years, producing for 30. And owned the Pinz since 1992.''

''Hold up, how… how old are you?''

''Sasha! You can't ask someone you kidnap that question. Right, Yasmin?''

''Cloe! That was years ago.''

''Hum.. Ladies? Would you all be silent for a few so I can explain it all to you?''

He was 17 years old, recently coming back from a summer camp. The tensions were high at home after poor Mr. Powell had a long conversation about Byron's sexuality.

''You're gay?''

''Ladies… obviously. But in all seriousness, bisexual. Let's continue…''

There wasn't much to be said, a few plates thrown left to right as the now homeless boy was searching for a place to stay. The streets of London were brightly decorated for Christmas while the ice was hardly noticeable causing him to slip a few times. Walking around town were a few shelters for comfort but still, all full. An abandoned building was on the corner of Queen's street and St Patrick's, a tall rustic tower a few steps high with a few guests already at the entrance.

''Coming fo' the me'al show?''

''Come again?''

''We' hostin' a heavy me'al show for xmas. ''

''Oh… so no food here?''

''Nah, mate. Say, I could fix you up a lil' somethin' if you keep an eye on the door.''

''That would be absolutely and positively the best thing of today.''

''Did you actually said 'absolutely and positively'?''

''No Cloe, I'm trying not to make this mess of a story more of a tosh as it is.''

Byron spent the night at the door waiting for his new 'mate' to bring him a snack. When said friend came back, Byron was unconscious in the snow. As he woke up, a band was surrounding him with hot packs and a few treats. They claimed to be called: ''Velvet Voltage'', a new-wave inspired rock band that could be mixed up with Queen. The team took good care of him as he played therapist with all of them (naturally). A few chatters here and there and Byron was now owner of the club.

''How…''

''You ask a lot of questions for someone who is supposedly driving. Alright, this was their last night before the city would destroy the building. My depression was strong enough that I stayed in the damn thing until the city came to expel me. Turns out I was 'too violent' to be messed with. Also, drag queens are scary when pissed.''

''So… a group of drag performers adopted you?''

''Correction; a group of drag queens adopted me for a night then I lost my mind in a dive while completely hammered.''

Yasmin took his frail hand, realizing the dreadful reality her friend must have come through. Being homeless isn't funny business for anyone, but for Byron fucking Powell? She would have never guessed him being put in this situation. This explained entirely why he and Roxxi were so close before her death. This also explains why the Pinz got to exist in its way; the gay flags backstage, the community partnership, all those nights of talking with him about her mother not accepting differences, so many sleepless nights of her venting to him about it while he was dating her mother.

''Well, I guess that puts the bi in Byron.''

''Jade, for fuck's sake.''

Byron was laughing. That was rare.

''Pretty Princess, are you… crying?'' Cloe was shocked, she always is but her sister? Her sister from another mother?

''It's just… I- I would have never guessed you had to go through this. I would of understood better why you threw us under the bus during America Rocks.''

''Yasmin, darling, this has nothing to do with you all. I… I was forced.''

''I'm sorry. I was so angry at you and to suspect you were the one stealing those jewels and that time you replaced us with Bradley…''

''This doesn't erase my shitty behavior. Nothing will excuse how I treated you four. Especially you. I… Well, my life hasn't always been lucky. I've been well in it. However, no amount of fuckery excuses me replacing you girls, using you for clout and jamming you in a dangerous TV show against Burdine who I knew damn well planned on murdering your asses. This doesn't include the whole ESA thing nor my association with the CIA. I'm a grown man, the four of you were just kids. I said it yesterday and I'm saying it again, I'm planning to apologize to as many of you as possible for my ignorance. This includes Burdine.''

The car stopped abruptly again.

''Burdine?''

''Yes, girls, Burdine. I need to make myself on good terms with her. I made her feel bad about herself. I thought we were fucking around but turns out it actually hurts what I said. As much as I hate to admit it, I was in the wrong.''

''Have you lost your mind? I know you two had so much 'bickering' in the past years, but you weren't in the wrong. She tried to kill us, remember?''

''Bunny Boo, I'm sure there is some good explanation here. I mean…''

''Pretty Princess, where are you going with this?''

''Yasmin, are we all talking about the same Burdine? The same Burdine who tried to brainwash us, the one who sabotaged our slumber party? The one who followed us to Paris to get a scoop story making us nearly dying on a cliff while Nicole was trying to kill us in the deepest forest on the french country, leaving us dehydrated and starved in a car completely on our own due to us drinking this strange poison liquid-''

''Cloe, you're yapping again.''

''-forcing us to get physical therapy and dealing with what seemed to be an eating disorder but wasn't, living what that poor Monique had to go through before her everlasting death as she was struggling with her own self worth as a model which would mean Burdine also was struggling with her own mental issues and- Oh.''

''Whoops, there it is! Okay crew, I'm- I mean we are driving to Burdine's to make UK dude apologize for his shitty behavior!''

''Hell yeah!''

Byron was quiet, smiling in the void for the neverending support of this group. Burdine better be ready for one amazing sorry.