Page 42 of The Reboot
‘You really want to go back to singing those throwaway pop songs? Doing those cheesy dance routines? Having little girls screaming at you and perving over your arse?’
‘Our fans are all grown up now. It’d be twenty-somethings perving over my arse.’ He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. ‘You’re just a musical snob.’
‘I’m not! I just thought you might want to … evolve. Do something different. You really want to be in a band called Oh Boy! at your age?’
‘Yes. I really do.’ He sounded annoyed now. She should back off, be more supportive. She was just a little shocked that this was what he wanted. But he was right – it was his life, his goals, and she wasn’t going to be responsible for taking his dreams away from him a second time. Maybe she could even atone if she helped him get back what he’d lost.
‘I just wanted you to think it through and be sure these goals are what you really want – not just what you think youshouldwant, or what you wanted ten years ago. I mean, you were only in Oh Boy! for three years. Maybe you have a slightly rose-tinted memory of what it was like.’
‘You sound like Charlie. He said I was lucky I got out when I did, before it all got too serious and wasn’t fun anymore.’
‘That is such bullshit!’ Ella said, her hackles rising. Some of her old college friends had done the same to her – people who had the career she’d wanted trying to tell her she was better off out of it, because it turned out the meetings were boring or the in-fighting was relentless or the hours were longer than they’d hoped. ‘Be careful what you wish for,’ they’d say ruefully as they complained about difficult students and rigid bureaucracy. Hazel had never pulled that crap on her. She didn’t pretend that she found academic life a bed of roses – she’d had her share of disappointments and frustrations, and she was honest and upfront about them. But she also never tried to convince Ella she’d had a lucky escape.
Roly smiled. ‘Yeah, that’s what I said.’
‘Sometimes things are just shit, and you’re allowed to think they’re shit. You don’t have to find some silver lining in everything. Beside, just because that was his experience, doesn’t mean it’d be yours too.’
‘Yeah, I’d rather find out for myself.’
‘I presume Charlie’s up for the reunion?’
‘Of course.’ He rolled his eyes.
‘Okay, sorry.’ She held her hands up. ‘If that’s what you want, then go for it.’ She really wanted it for him now. Fuck Charlie and the rest of them!
‘It may not even happen. There are no firm plans yet or anything. But I want to be ready if it does.’
‘So how are you going to go about getting back with the band?’
‘I’m going to work on some new stuff. Record a few songs and send them to Charlie, maybe even release a few tracks. Plus I’ll get back in shape, of course.’ He patted his belly. ‘You need to be fit for those cheesy dance routines.’
‘And in the meantime, you should sign on for Jobseeker’s Allowance.’
Roly sighed. ‘Okay, I’ll make you a deal,’ he said eventually. ‘I’ll sign on if you call Andrew.’
Ella chewed her lip, considering. Itwouldbe interesting to see Andrew again. And she really wanted Roly to sign on… ‘Okay. Deal.’
‘Yes!’ Roly high-fived her.
‘What about Pippa? What are you going to do to get her back?’
‘All the other stuff on this list, basically – get fit, be famous, have money…’
Ella raised her eyebrows, but said nothing. She didn’t want to seem judgey. But she was totally judgey.
‘Pippa wasn’t so bad, you know,’ Roly said, as if he felt the disapproving vibes coming off her. ‘I know you never liked her, but—’
‘I only met her once. I didn’t know her. But I didn’t like her foryou,’ she said defensively. ‘I thought you could do better.’
‘Me?’ He gave a hoot of laughter. ‘I was totally punching with her.’
‘No you weren’t. That’s ridiculous.’
‘Come on. I’m not an idiot. There’s no way she’d have been with me if I was just some Joe Bloggs.’
‘And you’re okay with that?’
‘Why shouldn’t I be? She was an underwear model,’ he said, as if that explained everything.
