Chapter Twelve: The Unexpected Part One

The Unexpected

Part One

I woke up, but kept my eyes closed. I wanted to go back to sleep, the bed was so comfortable… I stared at the ceiling. It was…

Red?!

I sat up quickly. Wait a second, my bed is definitely not comfortable; it is made of wood. I looked around the room. To my left was what looked like a closet, empty. Directly n front of me was a dark mahogany dresser and to my left was a book shelf. Parallel to the wall which the dresser rested against was a white door which probably lead to a bathroom. I lay back down on the comfortable bed again. I panicked, realising that my picture of the Beautiful Man was gone, too.

Okay. NO ONE messes with the Beautiful Man!

I jumped up off the bed and froze when I saw I had bright green skinnies on, bright against the red socks. I fell back on to the bed as memories and flashbacks suddenly attacked me.

Ailis smiled at me.

“Thank you for helping. I think you have just saved me a broken back!” She laughed.

“You are very welcome, any time!”

“I have to go immediately, but it was nice meeting you. Thank you for being my aeroplane buddy!” We laughed. “Thank you! I was close to all alone back there.”

I rubbed my aching head, desperate to stop the pain.

Before I had a chance to fall over dead I doubled back, desperate to be anywhere but here. I was relieved to see I had walked right into the lavatory hallway and opened the women’s door. I walked quickly to the sinks. I held on to the counter to steady my dizzying head. I closed my eyes and the face… those eyes; they were all too familiar to my torn heart.

Just impossible, I thought. Only in a dream…

No, my dear, the little angel on my shoulder said quietly. He let down his crossed arms and sat down. That was quite real and you were not dreaming at all. Open your eyes.

He was right.

I was staring into the eyes of Matthew James Bellamy.

I gasped with the effort to keep breathing.

Suddenly Matt smacked his head with his hand. “Am I the only one who sees something wrong with this picture? I told you my name, now you tell me yours! What are you called?”

I tried to hide the panic on my face. I was sure as hell not telling him my real name. “Look… Matt…” I rubbed my face. “If I told you my real name you would end up stereo typing me. It happens to be something unavoidable.” He looked confused. “My name would connect me to something I wish not to be connected to. I am starting out in a new country, a new life, and I will not have anything else come back to me. You will have to learn about me some other way, preferably by talking to me.” I paused and looked back up. “That is, if we ever meet again.”

The entirety of the warmth inside me was turned ice cold with the realisation that I would never see Matt again, my dear, dear Matt. This was a meeting that could only end in saying goodbye, never, ever to see those beautiful eyes again. I tried to control my emotions, using all my will power not to let my eyes well up in front of Matt. Then I would just look pathetic.

I felt stuck, staring at my plate, leaning on my arm which was on top of the table. I went numb, my fear building. Keep talking, cry later.

I was about to look back up and change the subject when I felt a fierce, but incredibly wonderful fire cascade up my arm. I looked up quickly at my hand and then at Matt’s hand, wrapped tightly around mine, then up in the icy blue ocean of his ponderous eyes. He was looking straight at me, and in the most earnest way he said the words that changed my life.

Forever.

I clenched my fists with all my strength.

Matt on his knees, happiness, joy. Dom on a coffee table screaming a song, Chris gaping at me, yelling, sleeping…

I snapped open my eyes. The flashbacks ended.

I smiled.

I threw myself on the bed and screamed for pure joy in the pillow so as not to wake Matt. I LIVE IN THE BEAUTIFUL MAN’S FLAT!! I LIVE IN THE BEAUTIFUL MAN’S FLAT! THE BEAUTIFUL MAN WANTS TO KNOW ME!

I jumped off the bed to go tell JoAnn what had just happened and froze.

Oooohhhh shit.

I had completely failed to call JoAnn.

I raced out the door and into the hallway where I had dropped my back pack. I ripped my cell phone out of my pocket and slid it open.

Twenty seven missed calls.

Fifteen text messages.

And they were all from JoAnn.

I immediately called her, impatient with the seconds it took to hit speed dial. It was not fast enough. I needed to talk to JoAnn. Now.

The phone barely had time to ring before I heard JoAnn’s anxious voice on the other end.

“INGO?!” she said, sounding drained but urgent.

“JoAnn, thank God, I am soooooo sorry! I can not believe I forgot to call you! I got in the airport and then I wanted to explore London and then I got in this taxi and the driver was like Cal’s twin brother but with a British accent and then he took me to this wonderful place called the Blackthorne and OH! You would not believe what happened there!”

I ceased my raging torrent of explanation. “JoAnn?”

“Guess what I did all night?” she asked flatly.

“Were you looking for me?” I asked quietly.

“YES! Do you now how long I have stayed up? I have stayed up for like twelve hours! And you never called! Never, never, NEVER! WHERE ARE YOU?!” She gasped for breath.

“Twelve hours? JoAnn I am so sorry! I am wonderful actually, I am at…” I paused and a smile crept on to my face. “JoAnn, I know that right now proberly is not a good time, but I think I can repay you for all the shit I have done if you can just take the train from Bath to London. I will explain when you get in.”

Silence met my ears. Then I heard her sigh. “You do know that the train is like two hours, right?”

“Mmhmm. And it will be all worth it if you come. I promise. I will even pay you back for the train ride.” I thought about what I had just said and started laughing. “That does not work too well considering we are sharing the money, does it?”

I was pleased to hear laughter from the other side of the telephone. I smiled, glad to have my best friend back.

After we had hung up I realised that my stomach was grumbling uncontrollably. I patted my tummy.

“Shush! I am going to eat right now!”

I laughed at myself for talking to my stomach and set about to finding the eggs in the refrigerators.

I opened the first one, scanning the multiple shelves for an egg carton. Luckily it was staring me right in the face so my morning brain was not much of a problem.

I found a pan and turned on the stove. I pulled my sweatshirt over my cold hands and searched the cabinets for PAM or something. I had no idea what they called it in the United Kingdom.

I found a bottle that looked similar to the one I had used back in New York and sprayed a bit in the pan. I then realised how pointless that was seeing as it was a non stick pan. PUH, I am thick.

I found a small bowl and cracked the egg in one hand. I dumped it in the trash can, which I found to be conveniently in the door directly under the stove. I searched the drawers for silverware. This was also placed right next to me.

I poured my scrambled egg into the pan and quickly sprinted to the fridge to find some tomatoes and other vegetables. Last minute I had decided I wanted an omelette. Nice going Ingo.

I quickly found the vegetables and suddenly found myself making a gourmet breakfast. I hope Matt does not mind me tearing up his kitchen a bit.

I dumped in the vegetables and let the egg simmer a bit. I found a plate and flipped the omelette on.

“Perfecto”, I said to no one in particular as I observed the fluffy stuff. I poured myself a glass of milk and sat at the bar. As I sat there alone it struck me that I had absolutely no idea where Matt had gone. I stuffed the egg in my mouth, chugged the milk, and tip toed down the hall way.

I saw that across from my bed room door was another door. I opened it anxiously and was annoyed to find it was only a linen closet. I huffed and moved on to the next door.

It was a frosted glass, frosted enough that I could not see to the other side. All I could make out was a big glob of black and other random shapes. I huffed again and looked to the next door. It was already open and was quite obviously a bath room, complete with a shower and everything. This was getting ridiculously boring. Then I remembered that it was Matt’s flat. *Butterflies*

I came to a small opening to my right, holding a black iron spiral stair case. I slowly tip toed up the rusty thing, staring in awe out the small window in the wall. We had a magnificent view of the city. The streets below were busy, cars flashing in the sunlight.

I widened my eyes and realised that it must be late. I pulled up my sleeve deciphered the clock. Eleven thirty. Not too late, actually.

I continued my mission and came to the top of the stairs, peaking over the cut out ceiling, turning into a carpeted floor. My eyes stared through the metal bars at a large black lump on the bed in the corner. I suppressed a giggle and crept back down the stairs. So this was where the Beautiful Man was hiding out.

I went back into the kitchen and washed my dishes, restoring them to their former places. I remembered my bags and my guitar and shuffled into the hallway. I lifted everything up and shimmied through my small door way.

I set my things down and debated whether or not to unpack my clothes. I decided against it, still not believing that Matt was serious about the whole boarding for free ordeal. Instead, I decided to merely freshen up in the bathroom before going to get JoAnn at the train station. I would have to figure out where that was, too.

I picked up my make up bag and opened the door to my bath room. I doubled over in laughter when I saw my reflection in the mirror. My head band was quite askew, forcing one side of my hair to stick up in all directions. One eye had its eye liner all spread over my cheek bone and the other had created a large, round black circle around my eye, like a raccoon. The only thing in regularity was my glasses. They were perfectly balanced on the ridge of my nose.

I quickly wiped off the black disgusting-ness and applied light black eye liner and eye shadow. I brushed my tangled hair and readjusted the shoe string. I straightened my clothes and looked at myself in the mirror once again. Satisfied, I returned to my bedroom and slipped on my Chucks.

I sat on the edge of my bed and slipped my cellular phone out of my pocket to text JoAnn.

Where are you? Which train station?

I waited for a reply. My cell phone screen lit up in a matter of seconds.

Half an hour left. I am heading to the London Railway Liverpool Street Train Station. Text me when you get here.

My fingers flew across the little key board. Thanks. I shall see in there. Cheers!

I stuffed my cell phone in my pocket and grabbed my back pack. I walked into the kitchen and slipped it off of my back on to the counter. I found a piece of paper and a pen in the depths of my back pack.

Going to the London Railway Liverpool Street Train Station. Should be back before two o’ clock. Call me if you need anything.

I scribbled my number down and stuffed the pen back in my back pack. I pulled out my laptop and found directions on Google Maps. I then remembered I had no printer. Oh great. How am I supposed to find that thing? I stealthily searched every single freaking drawer in the apartment for a printer. I ended up at the bathroom in the hallway and gave up. I walked back to the kitchen. I sighed and put my elbow on the counter, resting my chin in my hands.

Suddenly I found myself gaping at the small wooden table adjacent to the kitchen. A small printer was sitting on top of it. I whacked myself on the head and hooked the printer up to my lap top. With a few key strokes I printed out the directions.

I zipped up my sweat shirt and opened the door, making sure to lock from the inside before I shut it. I raced down the stairs for the first time and arrived in the lobby in no time. I stuck my beautifully awesome earphones in my ears, Sennheiser CX300s. I clicked on Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles and stepped out in to the wonderful, sunny world of the city of London.

Here comes the sun,

Do dun do do,

Here comes the sun

I say,

It’s alright,

Little Darling,

It’s been a dog gone lonely winter

Little Darling,

It feels like years since it’s been here

I suppressed the urge to sing randomly in the street with a dance routine and all. I stared in wonder at the beauty of the architecture. Though it was like New York City, it felt new and wondrous. I enjoyed seeing statues and such. New words were plastered everywhere. It was great.

I soon arrived at the train station. I made my way through the bustling crowd, feeling a bit odd being one of the few Americans there. It was cool hearing something like a different language buzzing around me.

I saw a man in an official looking uniform and summed up all my courage to ask the buff man for directions.

“Where can I wait for a friend coming off of…” I looked at my phone with its latest text. On train Red B42. I looked back up. “On train Red B42?”

The man directed me to a platform and I sat on an empty bench, waiting for the train to come. I remained inconspicuous as usual.

Before anyone else did I heard the train rumbling on the tracks. Seconds later people were gathering at the platform to greet their new comers.

The train sped into the platform and a wave of people crashed into the now chaotic place. I looked for JoAnn in the crowd, soon finding it impossible to spot a short person.

Where are you? I tapped in to the phone.

I am near the pole that has a yellow stripe on it. I will stand on a bench.

I flipped my head around, my eyes scanning every detail in the surroundings. I soon spotted the pole. A tiny woman hung to it, waving frantically in my direction.

I waved back and pushed my way to her. I heard JoAnn squeal and she threw her arms around me.

“INGO! I have missed you so much!”

I laughed and looked down at JoAnn’s beaming face. “How are your aunt and uncle?”

She followed me through the maze of people. “They are doing awesome as usual. Their house is really cool. And they have like no closets! Apparently Brits are not big on them.” She laughed and suddenly poked me in the stomach.

“Okay, tell me why I am here! I want to know why my fourteen hours looking for you were not wasted!” She glared at me. “And those two last hours were hell.”

I laughed, rubbing my stomach. “Okay, okay, come off it!” I side glanced her. “But I am not telling you. I will show you.”

I smiled slyly and she hit my shoulder with the back of her hand. “That is so not fair!”

“I am sorry, but I think you will like the surprise better this way.” I smiled and looked down at the map.