24 DW = Dylan + Wind. (1/2)
”It's not right!They said that I can have the place around the beginning of September! Why's it fully booked 'til the end of the year now?” Dale took a bite on his sandwich. He had been complaining for almost half an hour.
”It's a big hotel.” I said and Sonnia nodded understandingly.
”And we've been talking about it since January!” Dale went on ignoring me and Sonnia. ”No, last December!”
”Others may be paying more.” Michelle remarked and this time Sonnia and I nodded understandingly.
”But we are a charity concert!” Dale stopped eating. ”We're not doing it for ourselves! We do it for the sake of people, this town, the beach, the sea, the world!” Dale's voice went louder at each word.
This time Michelle and I repeated what we said earlier while Sonnia added, ”And we haven't got much money.” Our voices laid on each other that it could hardly make sense. But it did not matter because Dale still paid no attention to us.
”We're holding the concert next week!” Dale almost shouted now. Michelle put her face back behind a book. ”But now we have no place! Mr. Johnson's--” That's our music instructor. ”--been calling every hotel and stadium for the last hour. And everywhere is full. Full!” It seemed he was talking more to himself. ”What are people doing at hotels and halls in September?”
”What did the hotel said it was for?” I managed to cut in.
”Weddings.” Dale said. ”For a VIP. Everyone in America seems to want to get married next week! Cake prices will rise, just you wait!” He babbled on other irrelevant subjects. ”And it's a very good time to open a flower shop now. Just because we couldn't tell the exact number of the attendances doesn't mean nobody will come! What're we going to do with all the leaflets? And do you know what I don't understand most?”
Dale piped down at this. He fixed his gaze expecting one of us to answer. We looked about timidly, but Michelle had already left our world.
”What I don't understand most,” Oh, well. He doesn't really want us to answer. ”is that why this guy is here?”
Dale, Sonnia, and even Michelle reappeared from the book, turned to the guy sitting beside me. I put my face in the palm of my hand, did not know what to answer as well. He had been gluing himself to me since the wind this morning, no, since last night. That Dylan.
”You know.” Dylan's jowl drew into a smile. ”It's very hard for me to live in this school when everybody is saying I'm gay.”
He's talking to me. That demon!
”I had no more friends left but Leigh and Sonnia.” He ended with a wink.
”It's okay Dylan. No matter what you are, you will always be my friend.” Sonnia said very understandingly again. I was wordless.
”Are you?” Dale challenged him giving a quizzical look. ”Are you really a gay? Like they all say?”
Dylan's smile broadened. ”That's what people say.”
”And ARE you?” Dale emphasized his question.
”I'm not denying it.”
Dale, Michelle, and even Sonnia who seemed to totally believe the rumors one hundred percent just now, gaped and gawked at the demon. I just looked away with remorse.
Dale, as if the gay conversation never happened, carried on with his gripes. He put the sandwich down and covered his head in both hands, moaning. ”What are we going to do?
Where are we going to hold the concert? I'm so useless, I wanna hang myself!”
”You can do it in the gym, you know.” Dylan interrupted. Sonnia, Michelle, and I eye-wided with shock. What a cruel advice! The gym was a terrific dying stage, especially hanging. Unlike the normal classroom, everyone will get a good view of it. You would be the center of attention and you would stand….float high above others and making it hard for people to get your body down. A very dramatic hanging place.
Dale went white, probably had the same thought as us. But Dylan started giggling. ”I mean the concert!” He said. ”Not the hanging, of course.”
From perplexity to shock, now everyone had an enlightenment kind of thing wore on their faces.
”I'd never thought about that!” Dale beamed and stormed out of the cafeteria. He must be going to Mr. Johnson.