Date: Tue, 08 Jun 2004 17:53:59 +0000
From: Blake Hotchin <american_english_the_story@hotmail.com>
Subject: american english part 2

Disclaimer: This story is in no way a suggestion of the sexuality of the
characters involved. Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling and Warner
Brothers.  I am in no way connected to the cast of the Harry Potter movies
and/or Matchbox 20.  Lyrics are copywright and are from Matchbox 20's
current album. This story contains a FICTIONAL character from Matchbox 20,
and involves a homosexual relationship. If this is in any way illegal where
you live, or if you are underage, please do not continue reading.


American English
Part II
At Least I Found A Friend


Laughing I grabbed a Sprite from the refrigerator in the corner of the
canteen. I was having a blast with Tom, and we really were hitting it off
as friends. We were pretty similar - same likes and dislikes, same music -
he had our album, I had the Harry Potter movies on DVD, and we liked the
same food. Hell, we even had the same fashion sense - for example - none!

I was really enjoying myself for the first time in weeks, and drew a pen
from my pocket.
Asking me what I was doing, I replied -
"Just making a note of a few lyrics that just came to me..."
I grabbed a napkin and began to scrawl...

'She got out of town,
On a railway New York bound,
Took all except my name,
Another alien on Broadway...'

Tom peered at me as though I was about to explode.
"You OK?" he asked.
"It's a song I've been working on. It's called 'Bright Lights'." I
explained. Then I
motioned for him to be quiet.

'Well there's some things
in this world you just can't change,
Some things you can't see
until it's too late...'

I grabbed his hand and ran out of the cafeteria, pulling him along behind
me. He shook free,
and walking by my side, started to speak.
"Hey Olly, you OK? You look like you've seen a ghost!"
"Maybe I have," I replied, "but I got song lyrics, and I ain't gonna stop
now."
We carried on until we reached my dressing room. I threw my sticks in a
corner and ran over
to the big Yamaha keyboard I keep with me as far as possible. I began to
play as I wrote.

'Oh baby, baby, baby,
When all your love is gone,
Who will save me
>From all I'm up against
Out in this world...

And maybe, maybe, maybe
You'll find someone
That's enough to keep you
But if the bright lights
Don't receive you
Then turn yourself around
And come on home...'

Stopping I looked over at Tom. He smiled. I smiled. I kept going.

*	*	*

A week later and I had a four firm friends. The shows were going down well,
we had hit the UK
Top Ten, and I had the beginnings of four new songs for the next album -
life was going OK.

We had just managed a whistle-stop tour of Scotland, and over the next six
weeks we played
sold out concerts across the Isles. Heading Leeds and Reading Festivals, we
felt on top of
the world, and for the third week running we had a No. 1 album and single. I
was desperate for
it to last.

Me and Tom stayed in contact, texting or phoning - and I often rang the
other guys too. Daniel
was pretty cool and Emma always had the dirt on the others, but I missed
them - I wanted to see
them. Most of all I wanted to see Tom. I didn't know why.

Sat on a bench in Hyde Park one morning, I thought about how quickly the
last few weeks had gone.
It was strange, but I had been enjoying it so much, I had barely noticed the
time go past. I pulled
out my notepad, and jotted down a few more lyrics of a song I had been
working on...

'Yes I am,
I hope you think you read me
Hope I start talking crazy
Before you understand me
Are we through?
You think that I'm beneath you
But you like the things that I do
Wrap them up and take them with you...'

It's wierd, I thought, but Tom seems to be my muse. Strange.

'I'm alright,
Hope I can sleep for one night,
If not to cool my insides
Baby, to calm my backside
Rain on me,
I got a weakness in me
I think that weakness feeds me
I don't think you think you need me...'

It came in droves - and I liked it!

'Sunshine - you're the best time
I ever, ever had
But I think I made you feel bad
A black fly
On your neck tie
Time after time...'

Well, he'd help me see a lot about my past relationships. I guess this was
my feelings wanting out.

'But when the sun
Starts sinking
On your beautiful soul
Makes you cry
Cry-baby
Makes you feel so cold
Don't you know?
It's alright,
Sometimes,
You just got to show how you feel
'Cause thats you baby!
Yeah well you're so real...'

*	*	*

It was the last night of the tour. London's Royal Albert Hall. Packed and
waiting. I was exploding
with anticipation and absolute and overwhelming horror at the fact that we
had made it this far. A
sold out show in a massive and prolific hall in a different country. My god,
that was good for the
ego. Not only that, but Tom and the others were coming. It was going to be
one hell of a night.

The show started. I sat at my drum kit and tried to ignore the thousands of
screaming people. The
noise was immense as the thunderous guitar chords began, and we began to
play. Racing through songs
as though they were made of silken velvet we played for the gods - no-one
could even touch us. Rockers,
punks, goths, alternatives, trendies, townies, preppies - all screaming in
unison to the sound of our
band. OUR band!

'And now you crossed that line
You can't come back
Tell me how does it feel now?
It's too late
Too much to forget about
You can't stop now
Oh how does it feel now?
I'm only asking because I want to know
How d'you want to feel?'

The foundations shook to the sounds of feet stomping, guitars screaming and
drums blasting. Storming
riffs, thumping bass, fast chords and twisted lyrics blasted across London,
shattering the eardrums
of hundreds of people across the city. And I loved it!

Only halfway through did I notice Tom, stomping with the others, immersed in
music and loving it. I
watched for a while before turning my attention back to my drums and the
music. I was sweating, and
stinking, loving how much fun I was having. My yellow t-shirt was drenched
in the water I kept
throwing over my head, and it was plastered to my sculpted body underneath.

With final crashing chords we closed the show, to thousands of screams and
shouts from the audience.
We had exhausted our encore list and they still wanted more. I turned to
Rob, the lead singer, and
said, "Hey, I got a song we can use - you know..."

I jumped from the drums and threw the sticks to Rob, shouting at him to do
it for me. He sat down
bewildered, and I ran down to the keyboard at the front of the stage.
Grabbing the mike I shouted
out to the audience and began to play the opening chords...

'She got out of town,
On a railway New York bound,
Took all except my name,
Another alien on Broadway...'

The guitars came in, slowly. As the ballad hit the end of the first chorus,
I looked down at Tom.
He stared back, and the drums kicked in.

'Oh baby, baby, baby,
When all your love is gone,
Who will save me
>From all I'm up against
Out in this world...

And maybe, maybe, maybe
You'll find someone
That's enough to keep you
But if the bright lights
Don't receive you
Then turn yourself around
And come on home...'

*	*	*

It was over as soon as it had begun. The audience gradually left, still
singing the songs and
shouting and cheering. Making my way to my dressing room, I grabbed a towel
and mopped the sweat
from my brow. My t-shirt looked awful as I glanced in the mirror. I carried
on walking into my
room and headed for the shower.

In just a towel I came back into my room, and heard a knock at the door. I
peered through the
little peep-hole. It was Tom and the others. I shouted for them to wait and
pulled on some clothes.
Opening the door, Tom shot me a smile, and a nice one, and the others gave
me a big well done hug.
"Hey!" I protested, "I just had a shower! You'll make me stink!"
"Oh hilarious Olly!" joked Emma, and pushed past me, grabbing a seat next to
the window.
I laughed and offered the mini-bar to anyone hungry - they raced over and
emptied it almost
immediately. Daniel went to use the bathroom and I sat down next to Tom,
asking him what he thought.
"It was great," he said, "I wish I could do that!"
"I'm sure you could Tom, if you had the right band."
"No way, I can't sing!"
"You don't need to sing - look at me - I hardly ever sing!"
"Yeah, but you can play drums."
"No I can't. No-one can. I just smack big dustbins in time to a bunch of
guys messing round with
guitars."
"Yeah but it works, doesn't it?!"
"Apparently - you saw the hall tonight!" I joked.
"Yeah I guess," he said. He turned away guiltily.
"Hey, what's up?" I asked.
"Nothing," he said, and moved off to look at the drum kit in the corner.
I got up and went and sat next to Emma by the window.
"Have I said something to him?" I asked her.
"No, probably not. He's been wierd lately anyway."
"What do you mean?" I questioned.
"Well, he was really excited about coming to see the concert tonight. But he
was looking forward to
seeing you too. He missed you loads while you were on tour."
"Yeah, I guess I missed him too. He's a good friend."
"That's the problem," said Emma.

I sat bewildered.



To be continued...

Hope you're still enjoying the story.

Sorry that there isn't any sex yet, but there will be!

I apologise about the excessive use of lyrics as well! They mean quite alot
to me, and they kinda fitted the story too. If you haven't heard Matchbox
20, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! 'Bright Lights', 'Feel' and 'You're So Real' from
the album 'More Than You Think You Are' released recently are mentioned
here - my three favourite songs in the world!

Comments and suggestions are always welcome - just don't be mean! It would
be nice to hear from at least one person - just to know someone has read
it!

Contact me at: american_english_the_story@hotmail.com