Chapter 4

Maybe screwing a girl in the closet wasn't one of Gil's greatest ideas but it worked out well enough. He dressed after and left her there, fixing up in the men's room before going back out into the bar. He sighed upon seeing Arthur. Something about the man just pissed him off.

Arthur waved him over, and Gil walked over, reason why unknown.

"What do you want?" he growled, sitting down

"You sound happy." Arthur remarked calmly, drinking his rum.

"What do you want?!" Gil repeated, his eyes flashing darkly.

Arthur still regarded him calmly "Just a conversation, but you are pretty unfriendly. You also reek like sex, what you do, bang in a bathroom? So amateur of you."

Gil felt a major headache coming on. "Shut up, fucking wanker."

"Now, you can't insult a proper Englishman with his own insults."

Gil was getting pretty irritated by Arthur's calmness. He really wanted to piss him off. Why, he didn't know, but he wanted to.

"So this is a proper Englishman?" Gil drawled coldly, looking over the man's clothing.

"No. So it is acceptable of you to call me a git, but not a wanker. I have girls for that." He said with a cocky smirk

Gil's eye twitched and he stood up. "Alright, I am now done talking with you."

Arthur laughed and watched Gil depart.

Gil went through his usual routine of drive home, sleep, wake up, eat, and go to the bar.

Today his song of choice was 'Last to Know' by Three Days Grace. For all he knew Eliza did leave him for someone else.

Arthur was at his usual spot on stage, currently rocking out to 'American Idiot' by Green Day.

He was actually physically repulsed by the irony dripping from this set. Arthur had on an American flag t-shirt and he painted his face on his cheek with a small American flag. And he had even put some effects on his show, for he had video cameras on the stage that seemed to not be running. Yet he posed, like an idiot, before them.

"Don't wanna be an American idiot.

Don't want a nation under the new media

And can you hear the sound of hysteria?

The subliminal mind fuck America.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.

All across the alien nation.

Where everything isn't meant to be okay.

Television dreams of tomorrow.

We're not the ones who're meant to follow.

For that's enough to argue.

Well maybe I'm the faggot America.

I'm not a part of a redneck agenda.

Now everybody do the propaganda.

And sing along to the age of paranoia."

Gil sat down to watch, trying to not jeer. He was actually pretty jealous. This was a good idea, and a pretty good show. But he found it was just way to stereotypical. A Brit singing a song making fun of Americans, really unique.

Arthur popped off the stage after his song and Gil took the stage as Arthur took the table.

He looked fine on the outside, wearing his dark jeans and a black Rise Against shirt. His hair was how it always was, he had on his bandanna, he was hot and sexy as always.

But still on the inside, he was dying. He had fallen hard for Eliza. His heart was broken. It was going to take more than a few days for him to feel better.

He wanted to keep the atmosphere lively so he started to play 'Someone who Cares' by Three Days Grace. It was sad, but not dead. He then went on to 'Savior' by Rise Against, followed by a slower song, 'The Silence' by MayDay Parade.

He got to his final song, 'Last to Know.'

"She just walked away

Why didn't she tell me?

And where do I go tonight?

This isn't happening to me

This can't be happening to me

She didn't say a word

Just walked away

You were the first to say

That we were not okay

You were the first to lie

When we were not alright

this was my first love

She was the first to go

And when she left me for you

I was the last to know

Why didn't she tell me

Where to go tonight?

She didn't say word

She just walked away"

He finished and took a bow, then left the stage. He didn't feel better. In fact, he felt worse.

Life just really hated him.

He went through the dull monotony of his life for the next few weeks.

He stayed out late, playing music. He got irritated with Arthur and their same conversations. He slept. He drank. But he couldn't get over Eliza.

It was Friday night and more importantly, the Friday Night Smash. The bar hosted it once a year and this year it happened to be the Fourth of July as well. A lot of musicians came, playing from three pm to three am. Sometimes fireworks got set off in the parking lot, even though it was illegal. The point was to have a good time, and of course get smashed by the time the bar closed at four.

Then, a winner or two would be picked at around two forty five, and they would get on stage and play one or two more songs.

Gil got there about his usual time, but Arthur was not on stage yet. In fact, the British man was pretty somber, sitting alone at the table. The place was beyond crowded and very loud with music, currently being played by a girl.

Gil sighed. He didn't want to stand for the next few hours so he made his way to Arthur and sat with him.

"When do you play?" he asked

The man's green eyes stared blankly ahead. "Next. You're after me." He added

The two of them had actually gotten the prime spots, combined taking the stage from 9 to 11.

Gil didn't press for conversation and for once Arthur didn't try to make one. He sat in silence, drinking, until it was his turn.

Gil ordered a beer and sat there, most flirting with whatever girl that walked by for the next hour.

He only listened intently to Arthur's last song, which was 'Burn it to the Ground' by Nickleback.

He listened, it fit the man's persona, but not his current mood.

He left it alone and hurried onto the stage to start his set. He wanted to win, so he picked his usual rock songs, not feeling the mood, but pumping the crowd. 'Eye of the Tiger' was of course a favorite, and he played it, followed by a strong performance of 'Diary of Jane' by Breaking Benjamin. He could tell the crowd enjoyed the hard rock and he moved into 'Break' by Three Days Grace.

He was running out of time and cut into his last song, 'I Hate Everything About You' by Three days Grace. He had pretty great luck with those songs. But on the inside, he didn't feel what he sang and he hated it.

"Every time we lie awake

After every hit we take

Every feeling that I get

But I haven't missed you yet

Every roommate kept awake

By every sigh and scream we make

All the feelings that I get

But I still don't miss you yet

Only when I stop to think about it

I hate everything about you

Why do I love you?

I hate everything about you

Why do I love you?

Every time we lie awake

After every hit we take

Every feeling that I get

But I haven't missed you yet."

Everything he just sang was a lie, a huge one. He damn well missed Eliza, and he didn't need to questions why he loved her. But the song did its job, and the crowd was on its feet screaming and applauding.

He smiled and bowed then left the stage for the next person.

He joined Arthur at their table, and he was again quiet, drinking rum. Gil drank more beer and listened to everyone play with little interest. He was pretty excited though. Maybe he won it this time? It may go into the paper, he could get noticed that way.

It seemed like forever before the man manager of the show took the stage.

"This year we have two very talented men that we want to give the honor of this win to, so will Arthur Kirkland and Gilbert Bielschdmit stand a take a bow! Have your songs ready for us now, and ladies and gentlemen, give them a round of applause!"

Gil grinned, he stood with his beer glass in hand and yelled in excitement, drowning in the applause. Arthur stood, waved, and went to the stage.

His excitement didn't last too long, after a few beers and sets of sad music, seeing girls with their guys, he got pretty lonely. He missed his girl.

He got an idea. His next and final song would bring everyone to weeping. But for the moment, he turned his attention to Arthur.

The lights of the bar got further dimmed, and the bar's temporary color lights took over. A red shade got casted on the stage as Arthur started his song, first it was again, a killer rock song, being 'I Will Not Bow' by Breaking Benjamin. Then came his final song, the stage went blue.

"I woke up today in London

As the plane was touching down

And all I could think about was Monday

And maybe I'll be back around

If this keeps me away much longer

I don't know what I will do

You've got to understand it's a hard life

That I'm going through

And when the night falls in around me

I don't think I'll make it through

I'll use your light to guide the way

Cause all I think about is you

Well L.A is getting kinda crazy

And New York is getting kinda cold

I keep my head from getting lazy

I just can't wait to get back home

And all these days I spend away

I'll make up for this I swear

I need your love to hold me up

When it's all too much to bear

And when the night falls in around me

I don't think I'll make it through

I'll use your light to guide the way

Cause all I think about is you

And all these days I spend away

I'll make up for this I swear

I need your love to hold me up

When it's all too much to bear

When the night falls in around me

I don't think I'll make it through

I'll use your light to guide the way

Cause all I think about is you.."

Gil knew the song, 'Landing in London' by 3 Doors Down. It was a sad, slow song. Depressing but moving. Yet not at all like the British punk rockers typical songs.

Gil just had to ask him why his song was so different. Maybe it had something to do with the man's foul mood.

Gil went to the stage, the song now making him feel even worse. He started to play 'Best I Ever Had' by Vertical Horizon.

"But it's not so bad

You're only the best I ever had

You don't want me back

You're just the best I ever had

So you stole my world

Now I'm just a phony

Remembering the girl

Leaves me down and lonely

Send it in a letter

Make yourself feel better"

Gil nearly broke down into tears during the chorus, but as if that wasn't bad, he moved into his other song. 'Between You and I' by Every Avenue.

"Would you believe me if I said I was sorry

The question wasn't mean to hurt,

It was just my fear of losing you.

And now you're filling all the space that surrounds you

I'll soon be tucked away underneath your bed

Where you gave yourself to me.

Where I gave myself to you.

Maybe it's all for the best,

But I just don't see any good in this, no.

Maybe we'll find something better

But the lovers that leave us

Will always hold the place

Maybe it was wrong of me to think I could keep you

And maybe it's the last few drinks

Taking over my mouth and all I've been thinking

I want you to know that I am fine here without you

But I can't bring myself to lie to you.

And since we're being honest, I feel I should tell you

I've been filling up the empty space between you and I

Between you and I, she could never compare to you

Between you and I, I still keep your pictures underneath my bed

Where she gives herself to me.

Where I give myself to you.

Maybe it's all for the best,

But I just don't see any good in this, no.

Maybe we'll find something better

But the lovers that leave us

Will always hold the place, oh...

Yeah...

Maybe it's all for the best,

I just don't see any good in this, no.

Maybe we'll find something better

But the lovers that leave us

Will always hold the place

Yeah the lovers that leave us

Will always hold the place"

He did as he thought, the entire room of drunk or half-drunk people were crying. He was fairly sure he even saw Arthur brush away a stray tear. He stood, bowed, and wiped his own eyes in the corner.

Now composed, he went to the table to speak to Arthur about what caused him to sing such a sad song.

And that simple question was more dangerous than either could have ever dreamed.

Anyone got any thoughts?