Suburban Riot

CW: Brief sexually inappropriate content

I am sitting at the classroom table. Chris my friend is next to me.

“Check this out,” Chris says. He hands me his phone and I see photos of the school formal from last weekend. In one of the photos Chris is standing beside a few girls, with his hands on his hips. He is wearing a suit jacket but is otherwise shirtless underneath.

“Nice look you got going there,” I say.

“Yeah, girls like it.”

Looking at Chris’s photos of people from school, I see Audrey in one of them. She’s with her friends. My first thought is, what on earth is Audrey wearing, I could have picked her a better outfit. It is a high-necked black dress, and is fairly plain-looking. She’s wearing a shawl, it looks like something a grandmother would wear. I can tell she didn’t really want to be there. I’ve known her long enough to be able to tell from her expression. I didn’t go, I just sat at home, and stared at the wall, like some loser. Chris went, but he went alone, to try and ‘pick up some girls.’ Even though a couple of weeks ago, Shanae, another friend of mine, practically seduced Chris, laying across the classroom table in front of him, proclaiming “I’m all yours” as she motioned with her hand, across her body.

I finish scrolling through the photos and hand the phone back. “So, did you actually pick up at the formal or are you and Shanae an item?” I ask.

“Both bro, but yeah we are. I’ll see how it goes with her.”

“Both?” Chris simply shrugs and winks at me.

Everybody seems to be in a relationship now. I’m far too pre-occupied with the subject load this year. Like how the teachers insist we do copious hours of homework every night. But as if anyone actually does that.

Anyway, back to my friend Audrey. She had a pact, between her and her friends. They agreed not to go to the formal with anyone. I overheard this from an acquaintance. Classroom gossip, I s’pose. What can I say? I don’t understand girls. I see one of my friends Felisha in the hallway.

“Oh hi. I got a ticket to Suburban Riot. My cousin has one too.” I point to the poster on the wall opposite of the American punk rock band, Suburban Riot.

“Did you? We should go together,” Felisha says. She joined the school earlier in the year. We really only started chatting, because we both like Suburban Riot. Felisha and I also share a few classes together. At the bottom of the poster are Australian tour dates, their Melbourne show is this Friday, five days away.

“That is an expensive bass, must be a preci-”

“That singer is so hot, if he even looks at me in the audience I’ll faint,” she says. I don’t know, with girls like Felisha, I think it’s less about the music for them, and more about what the members look like. It reminds me of my sister, Ally, who has her bedroom walls adorned with music groups she idolises, but knows nothing about the music. Felisha walks away, down the hallway. In the same direction, I see Audrey, she’s just come out of one of the music rooms, carrying some sheet music. She’s wearing tights, as it’s her sports day. I secretly watch her from a distance. The curve in those legs, tightly compacted by the material. She looks so good.

“Hey Brian,” Audrey says as she passes me, I manage to cough a weak response.

“Hi.” Audrey and I have been friends for a few years. When Year 11 began, we made sure our classes and timetables matched as closely as possible. Audrey turns to me,

“Hey I got a free period, if you’re not busy we can hang out.”

“Sure thing.” There is a spare music room, Audrey walks in, leaving the door ajar, I follow. There is an upright piano, over by the window. Audrey goes over and sits in front of it. She starts playing a melody, her thin fingers dance across the keys. Her long brown hair falls by her shoulders. Sunrays stream through the window, brightening her face from one side. While it is a natural colour, the sun creates lighter strands. I pick up a nearby acoustic guitar, and start playing soft arpeggios. Plucking the thicker strings with my thumb and the remaining strings with my other fingers. Audrey lifts her head and smiles. I get the warmest feeling inside, sharing this moment with Audrey. This goes on for some time, with no words spoken. She’s so pretty, I wish I was taking her to the concert, I wonder if she’d even go.

“Do you know the band Suburban Riot?” I ask.

“Yeah, I know a few songs.”

“They’re playing this Friday.”

“You’re going?”

“Yeah, and um, Felisha asked if I’d go with her.” Audrey’s face drains of its warmth. Her hands stop playing, and she shifts uncomfortably.

“You know, actually. I have to get to the theatre, I’m in the, the, backing band for Romeo and Juliet, yes, I best go.”

“Thought you had a free-?” Audrey does not respond, and is nearly at the door, leaving the room. I stay in the music room by myself for 10 minutes but it’s not the same, I miss her already.

I try to catch up with Audrey later, but I can’t find her. So, I end up going home. We’ve both got the morning free the next day, so I decide, that is the time I’ll try again.

It is not until eleven the next day, when we have English class, that I see Audrey again. She is standing outside, clutching her study text and leaning against the wall.

“Where were you yesterday?”

“Well, we’re partnered together today, so I figured we’d see each other now,” Audrey says. As I file into class, with the others, I catch sight of Felisha.

“So does my cat, I always find him sleeping in different locations,” I hear Felisha say to someone, as we all take our seats.

The lesson begins by reading the text as a class. Mr Peterson chooses different people to read different sections, before we partner up, and work in our individual groups. I converse with Audrey, as we, discuss, and write about, the book’s different themes. This feels different compared to other times though. Audrey is not saying, but I can tell something is bothering her and it’s bothering me too. I try to cheer her up. I tell her about a movie I watched the previous week.

“It’s a romantic comedy, you should watch it too.”

“Last week? I was watching another movie actually, but I did see ads for that one. Why should I watch it?”

“I liked it, you like the same things…...so yeah.”

“I’m sorry I left yesterday,” Audrey says.

“That’s okay, as long as we’re good. I’d like to play some music again sometime,” I say smiling.

She smiles back but her head is down as she says “I would have liked that.”

Would did she say? Why would?

At the end of class Audrey says a quick bye to me and everyone makes their way to the exit, I see Felisha again who stops me.

“Bet you’re exited aye? For Friday?” Felisha beams at me. Then, she stops moving towards the door and faces me, she pulls up her skirt, revealing pink undies underneath. I feel awkward. A couple of guys who are walking out, glance at Felisha then look back at me and raise their eyebrows. Luckily Mr Peterson has left the room already. I figure humour is the best response.

“When you mentioned your pussy, I thought you were talking about your pet cat.” She is grinning at me, she puts her skirt down, and turns around and leaves, without saying anything. There are still people walking past me, girls are laughing, they must have seen that too. Audrey has slipped back into the classroom without me noticing, she must have been retrieving something she left behind. Gosh, I hope she didn’t see that. Then I see her face, she has an expression of disgust. I can’t think of anything to say as Audrey rushes past me. The classroom is empty now. A feeling of shame washes over me. I feel upset, as I think back to our brief time in the music room.

To feel Audrey’s eyes on me, only me, I am longing for that feeling again. I realise now, I’m in love with Audrey. I hate the fact she saw what Felisha did, it’s not like I asked Felisha to do that.

In the canteen line at lunch, Chris pushes in next to me. He is already holding a can of soft drink.

“I can see you’re charged up on sugar.”

“Yeah bro. Now I need my fuel. Anyway, I’m going out wit er on Satday night.”

“With Shanae?” I ask.

Chris nods, “You need to find a gal mate.”

“Yeah, maybe I have. I’m working on that,” I respond.

“Who might that be? Audrey? Oooooooo,” he says. The canteen lady interrupts our chat and we make our food orders.

I roll my eyes at Chris as we walk away, “C’mon let’s just get a table.”

It’s 1:30pm when I’m walking down the corridor to my media studies class. I see Audrey coming towards my direction but she’s with her friends, Chloe and Jane. I’m eager to talk to her so I try and get her attention. “Hey Audrey, can I talk to you?”

Audrey does not acknowledge me, she just keeps walking by. Chloe looks back over her shoulder at me. Audrey definitely heard me then. She’s clearly upset. When I’m in maths class I text her because Mr Gregson is really lenient about mobile phones in class, and I know he’s not going to mind. We arrange to meet up. Audrey’s reply text says okay. Great, I can clear the air.

We meet up after school at a park that is close to both our homes. We have had a few walks in this park together, mostly after school.

A few dogs are playing in the background, when I see Audrey walking up to me. She looks nice, wearing a white t-shirt and black tracksuit pants with a white stripe.

“Hi,” I say. “Thanks for showing up, I was hoping you would.”

“Well I said okay didn’t I? So, what is it?”

“I know you saw what Felisha did, I didn’t want you getting the wrong idea about that.”

“The wrong idea? Well, she made it pretty obvious! You haven’t gone to the concert with her yet, and she’s already acting like that with you. What a weirdo.”

“I didn’t like seeing that. I mean for crying out loud, she came onto me.” Audrey and I don’t speak to each other like this, I want to say how I feel about her. Maybe she feels the same way about me, given her reaction.

“I never said I was going with Felisha, I didn’t say that to her either.”

“Really? But you both like that band.” A couple of dogs come up to us with a ball in their mouths, and Audrey pats one of them.

“Audrey, seriously, I’m not interested in her. I never have been. I love you, Audrey. I’ve always loved you.”

“What?” She pauses. “Really?”

I think my face has gone red. What if she doesn’t feel the same way? “Yeah, it’s true.”

Audrey is looking at me and a smile is creeping across her lips. “I actually got asked by James to the formal. But I said no.”

“Oh. Right.” So, she liked that caveman James. I thought she wasn’t in on all that macho bullshit. So, she only said no to him because she had the pact with her friends to go alone.

Audrey continues, “And no, it’s not because of the silly pact. I know you heard about that. I’m not interested in James.”

The very thought of Audrey being with anyone else, makes me long for her.

“Brian, there is someone I definitely would have gone with.” Audrey’s face lights up and she gently reaches for my hand. Oh my gosh, can this be real? I take her outstretched hand and she says,

“Your hand is so warm. I would have gone with you. I don’t want to be just friends with you anymore. I love you too Brian.”

We are both beaming with joy.

“So, we could have gone together if it weren’t for that pact you made. Though we probably would have been too shy to ask each other.”

“Yeah. Chloe went to her deb last year with a guy, now she’s like dating him. So she went to the formal with him. And Jane who doesn’t have anyone just said that her and I should just go alone. So that neither of us would be the odd one out.”

“I still don’t really understand that logic, even hearing it directly from you but eh, you like me, that’s the main thing.”

“The formal was boring anyway,” she says.

“Come with me to the concert on Friday. My cousin can’t make it anymore. That’s why I was asking you if you know the band, I wanted to know if you’d be interested if my cousin pulled out.”

“What about Felisha? What will you say?”

“She’s going anyway, I’m not going with her. If we see her there, so what?”

“Okay let’s do it,” Audrey says.

I take Audrey’s hand and we head out of the park, towards the setting-sun. The sky casts a vibrant orange over us. Audrey’s brunette hair seems to cascade around her shoulders, as we head under some trees and to a nearby street.

It is Friday night and Audrey and I are in the crowd at the venue to see Suburban Riot, getting a good spot. People in band t-shirts are walking around us as the loud thud of the bass drum and distorted guitars of the support act is all we can hear.

“Hey isn’t that, Felisha?” Audrey shouts in my ear. It’s so loud though, I can barely hear her. It is Felisha. She is walking past and sees me. She stops, sees that I am with Audrey and raises her middle finger at me, then walks away.

Audrey rolls her eyes and we both laugh. We find a good spot and I take out the packet of ear plugs from my pocket. There is a short gap between songs.

“You’re going to need these, Audrey, this will stop your ears from ringing for days.” I pass her a pair. I take my own pair and rub each between my fingers quickly then push it into my ear, waiting for it to expand, giving each a light tap on the top of my ear, to ensure it’s in properly. Audrey is at a loss of how to place her ear plugs. I gently tilt her face towards me, and place her hair behind her ears so I can do it for her. She gives me a thumbs up.

It’s in between the support act and Suburban Riot starting. It’s a bit quieter now, easier to talk.

“It all worked out my cousin couldn’t make it,” I say to Audrey leaning towards her ear. She looks at me and smiles then kisses me on the cheek. I get the warmest feeling inside. Is that our first kiss? I suspect she’s shy about that stuff, and I am too. There will be plenty of time for that, now that we’re together.

********************************************************

It is three weeks later.

There is an upright piano in a room at Audrey’s house, over by a window. Audrey goes over and sits down in front of it. She starts playing a melody, her thin fingers dance across the keys. Her long brown hair falls by her shoulders. Sunrays stream through the window, brightening her face from one side. The sun creates those lighter strands in her hair that I’ve noticed. I have my acoustic guitar from home and I start playing. There are no words spoken, there doesn’t need to be. We are just enjoying the moment. Audrey lifts her head and smiles at me and I smile back at her.