Part 2
"Richard, where on earth are you taking me?" Tez asked as I hustled him away from the park, his arm linked with mine. I could see Paul walking with an entourage of four or five other people, each dressed similarly to him. I moved at a hurried pace, trying to get close enough to get a clear view of him but also keep a safe distance. I didn't want him to catch on that we were following him. I hadn't had to worry about that just yet, though, because he hadn't turned around once during this walk.
"Tez, keep it down," I hissed. "I'm trying to follow someone."
"This is silly. Anyone I know?"
"Definitely." As Paul turned around to speak to a friend who was trailing behind him, I yanked Tez around a corner into a dark alleyway, hoping that he hadn't seen us. Tez peeked over my shoulder to see the person I was following, mumbling to himself as he folded his arms, the evening chill contradicting the Summer season.
"Do you remember that singer we just saw at the park?" I asked, trying to keep my voice low.
"Richard, there's a dog romancing my leg," Tez said tactfully, ignoring my question.
"Do you remember?" I asked more insistently. "Paul. Paul McDermott."
"Yeah, so, what about him?" As Tez tried to shake the small canine from his leathered leg, he craned his neck around the corner in the direction that I was staring. Once he caught on to what I was doing, he groaned. ""Oh, good Lord, you can't be serious!"
"What? What's the matter with wanting to meet him?" I stepped out onto the footpath and continued walking once I was sure Paul hadn't and couldn't see me. Tez kept in step beside me, peeling his coat away from his shoulders.
"The fact is, darling, you're going about it the wrong way! Usually people approach someone and say hello with a smile...not stalk them out!"
"I just want to check first! I don't want to approach him if he's an egotist or possesses the temper of a tiger with a thorn in its paw!"
"He's a rockstar - they're all like that."
Before I could retort, Paul and his entourage stopped outside one of many nightclubs in the street, surveying the scene before making their way inside. I recognised the club as being an exclusive one - you could only gain access if you were on the list or were known by the staff. My name was not on the list, and i'd only visited this particular nightclub once, which didn't allow me enough opportunity to befriend members of the staff. I expressed this to Tez, already feeling defeated. If i'd known that my desire to see Paul would lead me to a virtual wall, I wouldn't have left what was one of the biggest parties in Sydney.
However, Tez curled his lips into a confident smile, draping a glistening arm over my shoulder. "Relax. I'll get you in. Come on."
As we walked towards the nightclub, I could almost hear the wheels in his head turning as he concocted a plan. I knew that he frequented this club and would therefore have no troubles in gaining access, but where would that leave me?
"Hey, Tez! What's up, man?" a young man who beared a remarkable similarity to Tez said as we approached, greeting Tez with a casual handshake. "Go straight in!" The man's eyes then fell on me and asked Tez, "Hold it - does your friend have authorization here? I ain't seen him around these parts before."
'That's it, i'm toast,' I thought, but just as i'd suspected, Tez had worked out a way to get me through the doors.
"I haven't been here for a while - things have changed." Giving me a discreet wink to signal that I should play along, he wound his arms around my waist. "I've got myself a new man!"
For a brief moment I panicked. What on earth had he gotten me into? But I realised that this would be the only way to get into the nightclub, and Tez had already told his friend that I was his lover, and so I had no choice but to play along.
"Well, well, well," his friend said, his eyes trailing down my body and back up again. "I must commend you, Tez. And you are...?"
"Richard," I introduced myself, outstretching my hand. Tez's friend shook it warmly, transferring the pool of Summer sweat from the palm of his hand to mine. I tried my best not to look bothered, especially when the man stared at me, briefly licking his lips. I'd had men attracted to me before, but Tez's friend only made me feel uncomfortable.
I was more than grateful when the man let Tez and I inside, pushing the door open for us. "Have a good time - Happy New Year," he said as we passed. I glanced down at my watch. It wasn't long to go now before it reached midnight.
The nightclub was just how I remembered it, except much more crowded. On the stage set up on one side of the room, a locally-renouned DJ was remixing Def FX's 'I'll Be Your Magick'. Glow-in-the-dark stars, crucifixes and other symbols had been stuck randomly on every wall in the arena. Mirrors had been placed on the floors and numerous disco balls hung from the roof. Tez and I became swallowed up by the pumping and grinding crowd as I observed the various walks of life that had gathered there tonight. From the die-hard electronica fans to the hippies, each category was being represented, and all were there to have a great time and celebrate the passing of yet another year.
As my eyes scanned the large area, I noticed a steel staircase leading up to a platform that was raised above over a quarter of the club. I could only see as far as the front tables towards the railing, and many people were lining the railing so this further obstructed my view. Something told me that this was where Paul would be - it was too crowded on the floor, and very few places for people to recline and recharge. I knew enough about this place to realise that the platform held some of the biggest names around Sydney - especially entertainers.
"Tez, I-" I began to say, but as I looked around I couldn't find him. I asssumed that he was elsewhere in the swelling congregation, flirting and dancing like just about everyone else was. I wasn't there to dance. I was there to find and meet Paul. I'd find Tez later.
Moving awkwardly around partygoers, I reached the staircase and stepped up to the platform, looking around carefully for any sign of Paul. The platform wasn't nearly as crowded as the floor, but there were still a fair amount of people gathered there. It made my hunt for Paul a little easier.
My compassionate side took over and I pushed the men's room door open.
Once inside I took a few steps towards the toilet stalls and could hear soft sobbing coming from the stall furthest from me. Walking slowly and quietly, I reached the stall door, reaching my hand to knock but then dropping it beside me. From the shadows he was casting I could tell he was crouched on the floor. I knocked lightly.
"Are...are you alright?" I asked softly. Paul's sobbing quietened when he realised that someone was outside. When he didn't respond, I kept talking. "Um...you don't know me. But I know you. If there's anything I can do to help you, anything at all..." I trailed off, knowing that I was probably sounding like a fool. I didn't know quite what to say to him. Maybe I was just wasting my time and his. If I were upset, I wouldn't have wanted to be bothered, especially by someone I didn't know. What was I thinking?
As I began to walk away, I heard him speak. "How do you know me?" I noticed that his sobbing had subsided, and I crouched to the floor beside the door.
"I saw you performing at the park. I was in the front row." I paused. "I thought you were great."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I've never seen anyone like you before. You draw the crowd into you, you make them feel what you're feeling. Not many people can do that, Paul. You've got a gift." I took another pause, wondering what to say next. "I know you're upset, and I probably shouldn't be bothering you when you just want to be alone, but...I just wanted to see if there was any way I could help you. Even just to talk..."
Silence filled the room. The door was remaining closed but he'd stopped crying. Was that a good sign? Was he angry that I was disturbing him, or was he considering the position? Would he want to confide in me, someone he'd only known of for ten seconds at the very most? I thought about getting up and leaving.
The stall door creaked open.
Part 3