After Hours

Overthinking

February 11, 1971

During the band practice the previous day, Denise and Jane decided to schedule to have dinner the next afternoon. Jane was dying to hear the update about hers and Roger's relationship and Denise wanted to try to pry as much of what the hell was going on with Jane and Brian out of her.

They picked one of their favorite restaurants, an Indian spot that was near both of their flats. Jane arrived first and got a table for them, Denise got there soon enough. They greeted each other with a hug and settled in their seats.

"I feel like I never see you anymore." Denise spoke first.

"I know, I've been a terrible friend but this year has been more hectic than I ever could've expected."

"I thought about that earlier today, you've certainly had some interesting developments that were unexpected. Your best friend coming back into your life and.. I actually ran into Roni last week and she said she hadn't talked to you in a while."

"Yeah.. I'm trying to.. get away from all of that."

Denise smiled at her, "You're done with the fancy lifestyle? Done with lying to yourself?"

"I think so.. I think being around Brian again kind of made me wake up and realize that I don't belong there, no matter how much I wanted to."

"So what he said to you when you saw him at that gig really put it into perspective, didn't it?"

She nodded, "I didn't think I'd miss him as much as I did. When we hang out, it's so easy. I can just be myself and we can geek out over the things we used to."

"Jane, how do you really feel about him? Don't bullshit me and tell me that you're just friends, there's something between you two."

She looked down at her menu, before looking back up at Denise, "I knew you were going to ask me this.." She rubbed her eyes, "I don't know.. it's been so confusing the last month or so. I always want to see him and spend time with him or always want to talk to him on the phone. The more I think back on our relationship, I think I've liked him the entire time and I was just too much of an idiot to realize it or I was too scared to face it."

Denise chuckled, it certainly wasn't the reaction Jane thought she would have, "Roger owes me five quid then."

"For what?"

"I bet him that I could get this out of you today."

Jane laughed a little, "I can't believe you're all making bets about my personal life."

"Makes it fun for us too."

"I have to ask.. has Brian said anything to Roger about me?"

"Not that I know of."

Denise was lying, Brian had come over to Freddie and Roger's flat last night and she just happened to overhear their conversation they had.

"Bri, what's going on with you and Jane?" Roger sat on the couch, handing Brian a bottle of beer and taking a drag of his cigarette.

"We're just friends." He began running the edge of his thumbnail over the corner of the label, peeling it off little by little.

"You want to fuck her?" Roger smirked.

Brian chuckled uncomfortably, "Oh no, it's not like that.. I mean.. I do think she's very attractive but.. oh nothing it's silly."

Roger nudged his shoulder, "Oh c'mon, let it out."

"I may have a bit of a crush on her."
"Really? It's not like you haven't made that painfully obvious. Everybody knows that, neither of you have made a move?"

"We almost kissed one time, a long time ago but no, nothing's happened."

"Why don't you go for it?"

Brian smiled a little, "A girl like that would never go for me. I'd rather have these feelings for her and never tell her than have her know and lose her."

Roger shook his head, "You're overthinking this way too much. You need to just go for it, I've seen the way she looks at you. Now, I haven't had many female friends but the ones I did have certainly didn't look at me like that."

Brian hoped that Roger wasn't saying that to get his hopes up, "I've been crazy about her for years, Rog. I don't even know how I could tell her something like that."

"You're into all of that sappy shit, I figured you of all people would know the right words to say."

"It's different though, I've had this moment built up in my head for years and I don't want to disappoint her."

"For god's sake, I don't think you'll do that. You better hurry up and do something about it or you'll miss your chance. Some other bloke will come sweep her off her feet and you'll be in this same situation again."

Brian took a deep breath and sighed, "You're right.."

"Is she the reason why you don't want to go out with the girls that Mary's tried to set you up with?" He took another drag of his cigarette.

"Maybe."

"You're too far gone, mate, you gotta make a move. You really think she'd freak out and slap you if you tried to kiss her?"

Brian sipped his beer, "No, I don't think she would."

"We've got that gig right before her birthday right? She'll probably get a little more than tipsy, you take her home being the gentleman that you are, snog 'er at the door and then.. see what happens after that." He smiled at Brian.

"I'll have to see if the time is right then."

"And how long have you been telling yourself that?"

He took a deep breath and sighed again, "A long time."