Learning Curve- Chapter Twenty
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
The first problem that they were faced with was that of where everyone was going to sit. Sue and Dee opted for the edge of the bed, Matt was on the floor and Russell was in an armchair opposite the bed, with Noel perched on the arm. He had attempted to sit in the chair and pull Russell onto his lap, but Russell had objected shyly, mumbling that he didn't want to squash Noel. Sue looked around expectantly at everyone. Everyone looked expectantly back. Sue sighed exaggeratedly and moved to the other end of the bed, digging in the bedside cabinet and pulling out a packet of cigarette and a lighter. She lit up impatiently and took a long drag. Russell looked at Noel in panic, who looked at Matt, who sent furious expression messages to Dee.
"Er, Sue, can you put that out?" She said, taking hold of Sue's arm. Sue scowled, breathing out smoke clouds.
"Why?" She asked, doing no sign of obeying.
"Just please, put it out." Dee repeated. Sue laughed.
"Why?!"
"Listen, Sue," Noel said angrily, "There are things about Russell that you don't know, and there's a reason more important than my life that you put that fucking cigarette out."
"What, is he asthmatic?" Sue asked dryly, waving the cigarette in Russell and Noel's direction. Russell subconsciously crossed his arms over his stomach. Sue looked at him and raised her eyebrows. Dee snatched the cigarette out of her hand and smashed it down onto the ashtray on the cabinet. "Jesus, chill your bean," Sue muttered. Russell turned to Noel, and whispered in his ear,
"Should we tell her?"
Noel shifted himself so he could murmur back,
"Certainly not now, I've never known her like this... and sorry, but could you stop touching your tummy? As far as she's concerned, that bump is too many cakes and too much of Kerouac's peanut butter, so try not to look like you've got an emotional attachment to it, okay?"
"You know," Sue said loudly, "I can't see the point in us all being here to talk if no one's going to do any talking."
"Alright then," Dee said, "We've got some sort of mix up here. Like a love triangle, but with more sides. A love polygon. I've all got conflicting emotions and attractions and messed up hormones, agreed? We need to get it all out into the open. Russell- who here would you have sex with?"
Noel spluttered with laughter, and Matt clapped his hands together.
"Who here has a heartbeat?" Russell asked with a grin. Dee wasn't smiling.
"Alright, if you can't be serious, Noel then."
Noel paused.
"Russell, obviously," He said, "And... that's it."
"What if they other person involved in this mess was included?" Dee asked softly. Noel swallowed.
"If I wasn't with Russell, and Russell wasn't... I mean, if I wasn't with Russell... then yes, I would."
"What if I was with him?" Sue demanded, knowing full well that they were talking about Chris.
"No. I wouldn't."
Sue snorted. "What do you want me to say?!" Noel exclaimed, "Can I help who I find attractive?! I know you and Dee are doing something or other, and I knew you did fuck knows what when I was still with her! So, Sue," He hissed, "Who here would YOU sleep with?"
She looked around.
"Just Dee," She shrugged, "You're being a cockface, Fielding, Dee's one looks like a tramp-" Russell let out a laugh, not because of the insult, but because of the similarities between Matt and tramps that he had jokingly pointed out in the past. Matt grinned too, meeting Russell's eyes, but they were both silenced as Sue continued, "And I used to find Russell vaguely attractive, but now he's, and I don't mean down there, doubled in size-"
"Sue!" Dee shouted, "Why are you being so horrible?!"
"I've got a lot on my mind!" Sue shrieked, "The man I love just left me, can't you understand that?!"
There was a long silence.
"You need-" Dee started. Sue shook her head, saying hushedly.
"No, no, I can't..."
Dee held out the phone. Sue shut her eyes and raised her hands to her head. Dee took hold of both her band member's hands and lowered them, switching on the phone and putting it into her hand. She swallowed, and slowly, with shaking hands, keyed in Chris' number and raised the handset to her ear. Noel looked at Russell, and was shocked to see that his eyes had welled up with tears. He gripped his hand and whispered in his ear,
"Do you want to go in another room for a minute?"
Russell nodded. Noel stood and led Russell out into the hallway, gesturing to Dee quickly that he needed to speak to Russell alone. Once out there, he gave Russell a hug. "Hey," He said comfortingly, wiping Russell's eyes, "It's okay, darling... she doesn't understand what she's saying,"
"I know," Russell sniffed, "But how can we tell her, Noel? What'll she say? And there's still so many people to tell... just these months have gone so fast already, soon I'm going to have to hide... and I... I don't want to, Noel," He gripped at his fiancee's jacket desperately, "What am I going to do with myself? No work, no company... I'm going to go crazy, Noel!" Noel opened his mouth to respond, but then heard Sue's voice getting louder and shriller in the other room. He froze as she let out a scream, then dashed back into the room, dragging Russell by his hand.
"I don't believe you!" She wailed into the phone, jumping to her feet as Dee tried to calm her as much as possible, "You're not, you can't be!" Tell me why you broke up with me! Chris!" She shrieked, stamping her foot and tossing her head, her hair flying wildly across her face. "Tell me that you hate me! Tell me that I'm not pretty enough!"
Noel could just about make out Chris' words as he replied.
"I'm sorry Sue, my darling, my Sue... I'm telling you the truth."
"No, no!" Sue sobbed.
"The reason I'm leaving you Sue... is because I'm dying."
* * *
To be continued.