Doing My Best
Chapter Seven - Lucky Star
Now that Linda has her driving license, all of Basingstoke lives in fear of the "Lady
with the Red Car". She's enjoying all the new possibilities these four wheels can
provide her. So, on a bright and sunny morning, she's out for her daily drive, but this
time not for touring. She is on a mission.
She parks the car in this huge driveway and makes her way to the front door.
"Is John there, please?" Linda asks, trying to be as formal as possible.
"Yes. Who should I announce?" The lady replies with a puzzled look on her face.
"Linda, Linda Hurd."
Then John appears at the door.
"Hi, John!"
"Hi! Have we met before? You look familiar, but I can't figure out why and
where."
"I'm Linda. You may have seen me at school on Prize Day. I'm a friend of Steven
Carter."
John's face turns pale at the sound of Steven's name.
"I'm here to give you this. It's a little present from me."
John takes the box that's handed to him.
"You can open it. It won't bite!"
John is not sure if it's funny or scary. He remembers Linda now, but he doesn't know her,
so he doesn't know what to expect. Inside is a teddy bear with an envelope.
"What is it? What for?"
"It's a teddy bear, a gay teddy bear, and it's carrying a message for you."
John smiles at the memory. The first time he spoke with that strange boy, attractive but
mysterious, the boy he loves. He opens the envelope and reads it carefully.
-"Here is a friend to comfort you while you're going through rough times. If you want
to get Steven back, do so; but don't hurt him again or I'll have to kill you!"-
-Linda
John looks at the strange girl with a strange sense of humour or a very bad aptitude for
terrorism. Why?
"You read the note? Good. He really likes you, in spite of what I can say to him. He
doesn't know I'm doing this. I just thought it would be an occasion to get to know you, in
a case you do get back with Steven. And it gives you a chance to know me, as well; I'm the
next door neighbour of Steve."
"Should I say thank you?" John says, unsure of what's happening.
"If you feel like it. Just do the right thing. You will both feel better
afterwards."
Another day of school passes. Steven avoids John again, though he doesn't know why. He's
just too shy to talk to him. John must make a move he thinks. He wrote me a letter. Is
that a move? I should speak to him then? It was secondary priorities, as the sky fell down
on him today.
It is tea time at the Carter's when Steven decides he should talk to his parents.
"I've got bad news from school, from Mr. Alcock."
Graham is concerned. He knows it must be related to the speech, but he doesn't know how to
talk about it.
"He wants me to write an article in order to apologise to the school for my behaviour
at Prize Day, for the damages to the school's reputation. If I don't do it, he might
forbid my presence at the final exams."
"We'll see who won't be there for the final exams!" shouts an angry Sarah
Carter.
"Steven, I'm sorry! I don't know how to act around you, and I sure don't know what to
do about this. Are there any teachers who could help you?"
"No."
"Jess is on the magazine staff. Maybe she could do something for you," Sarah
suggested.
"I'll have to talk to them. But I don't want to apologise; I've suffered enough like
this! Did you see me on that stage? Was I happy? No! I don't want to go back to where I
was, nor do I want to be in a middle-of-the-road position where everybody would be
satisfied but me…"
Graham seizes the importance and the gravity of the situation.
"Was John Dixon the Head Boy? Maybe he can talk to the headmaster on your
behalf?"
--"Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit restless and I dream of
something wild
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit helpless and I'm lying like a
child in your arms
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit angry and I know I've got to get
out and cry
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit terrified but then I see the look
in your eyes
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart."-
"I'd have to talk to him first. I haven't seen him since…" Steve's voice
trails off.
"Did I say something wrong the other night?" Raymond Dixon asks his son.
"No. Maybe it's something you've done." John pronounces every word with a bit of
sarcasm, hurt.
"John, blame me as much as you like, be angry with me if it makes you feel better,
but I was just trying to understand the whole story, your story. I might have made a
mistake. If so, I'm sorry, really. You told me you're gay. Fine, so far. At the same time,
I also learn that you had a lover, boyfriend or…I don't know. It's quite something
for a parent all in one day! I've decided to accept it, but in order to do so, I need to
understand it, to know how much it means to you, how much he means to you."
"Dad…" John is losing his anger and is feeling like a right twat for
getting down this way on his father, considering that he only wants to help.
"Let me finish first. One thing I also learned during this conversation with Steven
is that his father is having hard times with the whole concept. And I thought I noticed
some sadness on his face. His father doesn't even know what to say around him. I don't
want to see this sadness on your face, John. You'll feel sad for other reasons, but not
that one. Again, I'm sorry if I hurt you. I didn't mean to."
"Thank you. I should thank you instead of being mad at you."
"Do you have any news from Steven?"
"No, but I'll call him later tonight to make sure he received my letter."
Sarah Carter picks up the phone and passes it to Steven.
"Hi, Craig! How are you?"
"Fine, thank you!"
"Did you tell your best friend-Philip, isn't it?"
"Yes…"
"And?"
"It went pretty well. I mean, he's not excited with it, but says it's okay with
him."
"Great then! One step at the time is fine; you don't have to rush. Look who's
talking!"
Both boys start laughing at the same time.
"Steven, I wanted to ask…"
"What?"
"Well, ummm, would you like to have lunch with me tomorrow?" Craig is now very
nervous.
Steven doesn't know what to answer. Is this a date? He's not over John yet. He received a
letter from him! But he's mad at him. What is the right thing to do?
"Okay! We'll meet at lunchtime. I have to go now; my mum needs the phone again."
"See you tomorrow, then!" You could feel the excitement in Craig's voice.
The "Alcock's case" is now back on top of priorities. Steven will see Wendy,
Mark and Jessica tomorrow. He will also see John, but it would be better to call him
first. He wants to talk about the letter and Mr. Alcock.
Steven's parents will support him, but it would take other parents, other students, to
show Mr. Alcock how vicious is his position. Maybe, hopefully, John can help him, will
want to help him.
Steven finally finds the nerve and the courage to dial John's phone number. It's ringing.
It's ringing again.
"Hello?" The voice finally answers.
to be continued...
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