After Hours

Bulsara/Taylor

January 15, 1971

The rest of the week went by quickly, it was the first week of the new semester so it was introductory materials for the first few days. Friday afternoon seemed to creep by painfully slow, what felt like half an hour go by was simply a few minutes. She was teaching her final class of the day and funny enough, the teacher was more anxious for the day to be over than the students. Jane had let them talk amongst themselves for the remaining few minutes of the day until the freedom bell finally rang. The weekend had started, Jane had packed her things up and ran out the door quicker than her students. She had been looking forward to hanging out with Freddie, Roger, and Denise all week. A simple get together would be nice after a confusing and emotionally exhausting week.

Brian still managed to burrow himself into her mind, there were small things that started to remind her of times with him. A song on the radio, a book that was talked about in class, or watching a program on TV that he would be interested in. She knew it was silly because she was more than likely the furthest thing from his mind, they would more than likely never see each other again socially and definitely never converse again, or so she thought.

Denise insisted on getting ready at Jane's flat again, it was closer and Jane had better clothes. The buzzer sounded and Jane let her in, they exchanged hellos and hugged before Jane asked the question that she had been dying to ask her friend all week.

"So how is Roger in bed?" She smiled widely at Denise, who is turn smirked.

"Pretty damn good." The two giggled.

"I told you he was your type." The two walked back into Jane's room where they began to go through the process of choosing what outfit they were going to wear tonight. Jane decided to wear something a bit more elegant than revealing. Freddie always seemed to dress extravagantly and she decided to match that. She envied his sense of style and how he pieced together his outfits to create elegant ensembles.

"Speaking of that.. have you talked to Brian since your little incident with him?" Denise held a blouse up to herself as she looked in the mirror.

Jane couldn't help but laugh, "Oh no, absolutely not. You saw the way he reacted." Denise turned around and looked at Jane, telepathically asking Jane if it looked good. She shook her head and Denise threw the blouse back on the bed, the two repeated the same routine several times.

"Maybe he reacted that way because he still has feelings for you." She turned around to look at Jane again, but Jane couldn't focus on how the blouse looked.

"No, he couldn't, not after all this time.. and if he did, he sure has an odd way of showing it. He pretty much said I'm a horrible person without saying it. He called me a sham.." It had hurt her hearing him say those things more than she let on, she always admired Brian and it never stopped.

"You are a sham, aren't you?" Denise raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh shut up, whose side are you on anyway?" She smiled slightly, gently throwing a hanger at her friend, but deep down Jane knew she was right.

"Brian probably just misses his friend, but it angers him that physically she's here but.. emotionally or.. soulfully she's not here? I don't think that's the right way to use that but you know what I mean." Denise found a blouse that she liked and turned to Jane, who gave the nod of approval.

"No, I do know what you mean." Jane sat on the bed, clasping her hands together and setting her elbows on her thighs. "Am I selfish for living the way I do?"

Denise joined her on the bed next to her, putting her arm around her shoulders, "The person you're being selfish to is yourself. I know the fancy dinners and the expensive champagne is fun but is it worth not being your true self?"