DJ Dave
1
CHAPTER 1:
Dave sat in the Pub and watched the people milling about laughing and joking, many of them were from his school and really shouldn’t be there. But a lot of them had piled out of school after Prize day all buzzing from the extraordinary events of that occasion. Dave smiled to himself and thought back to when he was fifteen when he, Kevin and John used to sneak into the pub. John being the tallest went to the bar while he and Kevin hid their faces. But the landlord didn’t really mind, their money was as good as anyone’s so long as they didn’t get rowdy…
Anyway, that was centuries ago, as John would say. Dave spotted Kevin coming out of the gents, his face was red and he looked angry. That was Kevin’s problem: He couldn’t hold his beer, they’d only had two pints and already he was swaying and it looked as if he’d picked a fight in the toilets. What a great day this has turned out to be, he thought ruefully.
“Can you fuckin’ believe it?” Kevin yelled at Dave.
“What’s happened?” Dave asked, dreading the reply.
“Some cunt just asked me if I’m a friend of Steven Carter!”
“Who was it?”
“I dunno, some bloke in the bogs. I fucked him off. Another queer bastard, I reckon just cos I’m at his school he thinks we’re all poofs! Bastards!”
“Kevin” Dave said.
“What?”
“Get the beers in. It’s what you went for in the first place, remember?”
“ Oh, yeah, right.”
Dave watched Kevin lurch to the bar. Steven Carter, He had to admit that the guy had guts, the Prize Day Speech was all anyone could talk about. He didn’t like Steven Carter, but now he hated him. He had loved John and John had loved him! Dave banged his fist down on the table making the empty glasses rattle. It had all became clear like someone switching on a light.
“It’s not fair!” He said to himself. “I love John, I’ve always loved John. Since I was ten, I’ve loved John. Everything I do is because I love John. Then that mincing little poof comes along and snatches him from right under my fucking nose. It’s not fair!”
Two glasses were dumped unceremoniously on the table the contents slopping over the sides. Dave leapt up trying to avoid the rivulets that were running off the table edge right where he was sitting.
“Sorry mate,” Kevin apologised.
“If I’d wanted a half, I’d have ordered a half!” Dave complained.
Kevin grunted then said, “Where’s John? I thought he said he was coming.”
“I dunno.”
“I bet he’s gone back to Christina’s. I bet they’re at it like knives. The lucky devils…”
“Shut up, Grainger.”
“What? I only said…”
“Just shut it!” Dave ran out of the door
“Fuck me!” Kevin said to a man standing nearby. “Just cos I slopped some of his pint over. Oh well.” He picked up Dave’s glass and drained it before starting on his own.
Dave walked. He walked and walked. He didn’t know where he was going, but he just kept on walking his hands pushed deep down in his trouser pockets and his shoulders hunched. Then he realised that he was heading back towards the school. To the place where his life was shattered with just one look from a schoolboy standing on a stage giving an acceptance speech. He saw the look that Steven Carter gave John Dixon and he saw John’s reaction to that look. Then he knew. He kicked a waste bin as he passed it and he felt tears welling up behind the ever-present dark glasses. That was partly why he wore them-so no one can see where he was looking and to hide the tears.
“I bet they’re together now” he said aloud to a lamppost. “Together, holding each other, making love!” His voice had risen to a shout. “I HATE YOU STEVEN CARTER!”
He turned a corner and found himself on the road that leads to the back of the school sportsfield. He was so lost in his misery that he almost failed to see a lone figure sitting on a bench. As he looked over the figure turned away and tried to hide his face. Dave narrowed his eyes and looked harder. It was John!
“What’s he doing still sat there?” he thought aloud. He decided to find out, he turned and headed across the turf to where John was sitting.
“Alright John?” he tried to sound breezy. John started paying very close attention to his cup. “John?”
“What?” John didn’t look up
“What you sitting here for?”
“Just thinking.”
“What about?”
“Things.”
“Oh. Can I sit down?” John grunted noncommittally. “Look, John I know.”
John looked up quickly “Know what?”
“About you and Carter”
“His name’s Steven and there’s nothing to know.” John was past caring and he just wasn’t bothered about secrets any more.
“What do you mean? I was sure you and him were… you know. I saw the look he gave you from the stage and suddenly it all made sense.” John looked at his friend and searched his face for a clue. He was sure he saw tear tracks running from behind the dark glasses. He felt even more confused now. He couldn’t fathom out where Dave was coming from.
“He dumped me, I don’t blame him and I just want to die.” He said. Dave brightened up a bit at this news but he tried to hide it from John.
“I’m so sorry, John. I really am.” Dave actually wanted to turn a few cartwheels but he kept up the pretence. He put his hand on John’s shoulder, John looked puzzled but the attention was welcome, slowly Dave’s hand crept around John’s neck and he slowly pulled him over until John’s head was on his shoulder. John went with this as the tears started to flow again. Dave rested his head on John’s and gently stroked the hair on the back of John’s head. Oh god, it felt so good. The realisation of a dream he’s had since he was ten: To hold and caress John Dixon.
To Be continued.
1
|
