The window unwound, “You’ve not seen the last of me!” Lezzy Lex shouted out. “I promise you that!”
The van pulled off and drove away from them with its engine roaring.
“Oh, my God, look!” Gareth shouted waving his finger with his free hand, as he helped to cart Tony around. He laughed as he pointed at the rear side of the VW camper van. They all looked over to see what he was laughing at and saw emblazoned on the side of the van a huge picture of the Phantom still dripping with wet paint.
Chapter Twenty Five
“Good morning my nearest, dearest and queerest,” Ben said, as he danced into the room. “How are you all today?” He put his man bag down and turned to face the class, “And have our hockey stars come down from cloud nine yet?”
“We’re still flying high. I keep pinching myself to prove I’m not dreaming. I just can’t believe we did it,” he grinned broadly. “I can’t believe that I scored the winning goal,” he said, with a special emphasis on the word ‘I’.
The class let out a groan.
“Ja, ja. We know, Hugh. You scored the winning goal, you are our saviour,” Uwe muttered sarcastically.
Hugh’s grin disappeared in an instant, “But ... ”
“Okay, okay!” Ben said, clapping his hands together, “let’s not spoil the moment. We have something new for you all to sink your teeth into.”
Their expressions changed, and they sat upright on their cushions, their interest piqued.
“As you know, we’re fast approaching the end of the year, and now we need to start working on the show to welcome next year’s students. I am sure that you all remember the breathtaking performance that was put on to welcome you.” He allowed a moment for their minds to wander back to the welcome party at the beginning of the year. “Well, you will need to do the same. We’ll invite you all back to show next year’s students how much they can learn.” He smiled wryly and pointed at Tony, “That means all of you.”
Tony rolled his eyes and tutted.
“You will come back for one night only, after you’ve graduated, won’t you, Tony?” Ben said.
Tony shrugged his shoulders in a non-committal way, “Yeah, maybe.”
“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’. You have to attend, you’re proof that we can work miracles here. You’ll be the star of the show.”
“As I said ... maybe.”
“And as I said … I’ll take that as a ‘yes’,” Ben said, before declaring loudly to the class, “you heard him folks. All present today shall bear witness.” He marched over to the curtains and began to draw them shut against the spring sunshine. “So, I think it’s time that we watched some videos of the ideas that I have for this year’s performance.”
Once all of the curtains were drawn, he made his way across to the front of the room and took his laptop from his bag. He pressed the button to power it up and connected the project cable to it. As he made his preparations he chattered excitedly.
“This year has to be our biggest and best performance.” Ben stepped back and picked up the remote control, he pointed it to the projector and switched that on too. “I think you’re going to love this.” As the projector began to warm up he reached up and pulled the projector screen down. As it unravelled a large dark blot appeared in the centre of the screen. The class squinted to see it in the darkness. Moments later the projector finished warming up and shone a bright, white light onto the screen to reveal a large, bold Phantom grinning back at them.
The class gasped, as they stared up at it.
Ben took a few steps back in disbelief, “Oh, shite!” he shrieked. “This has gone too bloody far, I’m sick of this shitting phantom. This has got to stop.” He put his hands on his head, “If any of you know who is responsible for this you need to speak up.”
The whole class sat in silence staring back up at Ben.
“Do you know how much these projector screens cost?”
Again, no one spoke.
“I’ll tell you how much. They cost a bloody fortune and this is ruined now.” He lifted the remote control and switched the projector off then wandered over and pulled the curtains back.
“What about the video that you were going to show us?” Gareth asked, disappointedly.
Ben sighed. “There’s no point trying to watch it on that. All you’ll concentrate on is that bloody, stupid Phantom. It’s a waste of time. Class cancelled.” He put down the remote control, collected his bag and laptop and walked out of the room.
For the longest time nobody spoke, then Tony stood up and made his way towards the door. “Well, I guess that gets me out of performing in the big show then,” Tony declared, pulling the door open. “See you guys later, I’m off to the gym.”
Later that day, Tony returned to the Larry Grayson Boudoir. He kicked open the door with his foot and sang to his room-mates. “Macho, macho man. I want to be a macho man.” He flexed his biceps at his room-mates as he sang. They stared back at him in silence.
Tony stopped singing and lowered his arms, “What are you lot looking so miserable about? Have you just found out that Wham! have split up?” He chuckled to himself as he kicked his trainers under his bed.
Hugh nudged Bruce and whispered, “You tell him.”
Bruce shook his head, “No! You tell him.”
Tony looked across at them, “Tell me what?”
Both Bruce and Hugh looked down at the floor.
“Well...” Tony said impatiently.
“I don’t know how to say this,” Hugh started weakly.
“Oh spit it out man.”
“For God’s sake,” Uwe said. “I’ll tell him.” He stood up and stared at Tony. “It seems that Ben reported the latest incident with the Phantom to the Head and he was not a happy bunny.”
“What’s that got to do with me?” Tony frowned.
“If you let me finish, I will tell you,” Uwe replied irritably. “It would appear that the Head is deeply upset that the culprit has not yet been found and has taken his frustration out on Louise.”
Tony’s face changed to a scowl, “What’s he done?”
“Apparently, he has lost all faith in her after she failed to track down the person behind the Phantom, so he has fired her.”
“He can’t do that!” Tony bellowed.
“Yes, he can. I believe her failure to apprehend the Phantom, coupled with the relationship she had with you, was all too much for him and he has fired her.”
“We’ll see about that!” Tony growled angrily. He quickly put his trainers back on and stormed out of the room.
“Oh, good God, don’t do anything stupid,” Hugh called after him.
“Don’t get involved Hugh,” Bruce said, “it’s not your battle to fight.”
The Head almost fell off his chair as Tony burst into his office.
“I want a word with you,” Tony shouted.
“Evidently,” the Head replied, composing himself and straightening his glasses. “I suppose you’d better take a seat.” He gestured at the chair directly in front of his desk.
“Now, what can I do for you, Mr Horwood?”
“You can give Louise her job back.”
“Hmmm, news travels fast I see,” the Head said, with a frown. “And why should I do that?”
“Because I know who the Phantom is.”
“Oh, really? Do tell.”
Tony stared the Head straight in the eye and spoke defiantly, “I’m the Phantom!”
The Head sat bolt upright in his chair. “Think carefully, Mr Horwood, about what you are saying here. You need to consider the consequences,” the Head said solemnly.
“Think carefully? Are you asking me to conceal the truth, just so you can show the world how you’ve made a changed man out of me? So, you can show me off like a prize poodle? I’m nobody’s bitch.”
“I’m just saying ... ” the Head stammered.
“What you’re saying is, that you don’t want the Phantom to be me. You don’t want to lose me, I’m l
ike a show piece here.”
“I don’t believe that it is you. I think you’re doing this because of the feelings that you have for her.”
Tony raised his finger and pointed jaggedly at the Head. “Think about it, the very first incident of the Phantom was on my bed. Wherever I am, a Phantom surely appears. Just look at today for instance, I was there when Ben discovered it on the projector screen.”
“This is all very well, but I see no motive.”
Tony sat back in his chair, “The motive is simple. I did it to spend time with Louise. You asked her to track down the person responsible, so I daubed more and more Phantoms about the place so she’d have to spend more time investigating this.”
“But, how would you know that she’d have to track this person down?” the Head asked desperately.
“It’s obvious. She’s the facilities manager, that’s her job isn’t it? You weren’t going to get off your fat arse and do it now, were you? No, no. You just spend your time sat up here in your ivory tower letting other people do the hard work.”
“It’s too late now, what’s done is done. I can hardly bring her back now, can I? I don’t see what the problem is, now that she’s no longer staff there is no reason why you cannot start dating again. If anything, I’ve done you a favour. Think about it! And as long as you don’t do any more of this wretched graffiti, then I think that we could just forget about this.” He got to his feet and gestured for Tony to leave.
“It’s not about me, it’s about her. You need to give Louise her old job back or I’ll go to the press with this,” Tony said slyly.
The Head froze in his steps.
“Are you threatening me, Mr Horwood?” the Head said angrily.
“I am simply saying, that the press might hear from a credible source how you fired an innocent woman, and then refused to reinstate her. Just think of the field day the press would have with that. Think about the tribunal that Louise could start.”
“I’ve just about had enough of this from you. I never should have let you come here!” the Head snarled. “I gave you a chance and this is how you repay me.”
“A leopard can’t change its spots and you were a fool to think that you could change mine.”
The Head walked over to the door and held it open for Tony. “I think you had better pack your bags. I’ve got a call to make to the courts, I’ll arrange for you to be escorted off the premises tomorrow at noon.”
Tony stood up and walked to the door, just as he was leaving, he spoke, “You’ve got a call to make to Louise too.”
Tony walked back up to his dormitory and wandered casually back over to his bed.
“What happened?” Hugh asked.
“I’m leaving,” he replied stoically.
“Leaving for where?”
“I’m leaving for good.”
“What?” they all gasped.
Gareth walked over to Tony and put his hand on his shoulder, “Are you serious?”
Tony nodded as he threw his clothes into his old sports bag.
“But you can’t leave,” Bruce said.
“Really?” Tony said curtly, cramming the last few items into his bag. “There’re coming for me tomorrow at noon. This will be my last night here. I’m going down to the changing rooms to collect my hockey kit, now that I won’t be on the team any longer.” He walked towards the door and silently left the room.
The news of Tony’s departure had spread like wildfire; everyone was discussing whether he’d be going to prison now and their shock at who the man behind the Phantom was.
Tony peered at his watch, almost noon. He looked up at his room-mates, “So, guys, this is it.” He stood up, “Are you coming to see me off?”
They all nodded.
“Here, give me your bag,” Gareth said. “Let me carry that for you.”
“And I’ll carry your hockey stick,” Uwe said.
Tony handed them over, “You might as well keep the hockey kit. I guess I don’t really have use for it anymore, now that I am not on the team.”
Uwe shook his head, “No. You must keep that. It’s yours and yours alone.”
Tony turned and made his way out of the room, his friends followed silently behind him.
He descended the grand stair case for the last time, closely followed by his disciples. He ran his hands over the wooden banister and enjoyed the smooth feeling of it under his palm for the last time. Looking up at the pictures on the walls in the foyer, he sighed.
When he got to the bottom of the stairs, he stopped and paused for a moment. Tony walked over to the newly erected trophy cabinet and smiled as he saw his own face reflected in the recently acquired hockey league trophy.
Finally, he made his way to the main door. As he approached, he turned and looked back, it was eerily quiet.
“This can’t be,” Hugh said to the others. He ran over to the doorway and grabbed Tony. “I’ll come with you,” Hugh said.
“Thanks, but, you should stay here,” Tony said trying not to betray any emotion. He took his belongings from them. “I’ll take it from here.”
“But, what about us? What about our friendship? What about ...” Hugh said, before Uwe grabbed his arm and held him back.
“A man can be himself only so long as he is alone,” Uwe said solemnly.
Tony nodded at them sadly before stepping outside. He squinted at the brightness of the midday sun. As his eyes adjusted from the darkness of the building, he saw hundreds of his fellow students stood there silently waiting. He nodded at them in acknowledgment and they all silently bowed their heads in response.
At the main gates, a police car began its approach up the long, gravel drive way. Tony walked down the steps and waited quietly, as it pulled up and the policeman got out.
“Don’t go without a fight, Tony!” someone shouted from the crowd.
“Yeah!” many voices chorused.
Tony just smiled and shook his head. He handed his belongings over without a word and the policeman opened the door for him to get in, but before doing so, Tony took one last look back up at the building that had been his home for all these months. “Ad augusta per angusta,” he whispered reading the inscription above the door before sliding himself into the back seat of the car.
The door was slammed shut, his bags and hockey stick were thrown into the boot and the engine started. The gravel crunched underneath the tyres as the car turned and began to drive back out. As the car moved off, the students occupied its space and waved goodbye.
Tony looked over his shoulder and gave them one last wink before the car took him away from them forever.
Chapter Twenty Six
Tony bent down and tied the laces of his running shoes tightly. He looked at the electronic tag on his left ankle and shook his head. He couldn’t believe he had to wear this ridiculous thing, but supposed it was a much better option that going to prison. He should be grateful for all the overcrowded prisons, he thought, since it had given him some form of freedom. He slid his finger under the tag and toyed with the idea of ripping it off, but there was no way it was coming off without using wire cutters, and what would be the point of removing it? Instead, he cursed at it, and began to stretch his legs out. He’d decided to go for a run to burn off some testosterone. He was horny as hell, but what could he do? He couldn’t really go out on the pull wearing this. Nothing killed passion quicker than the moment a woman laid eyes on his electronic tag. Tony imagined the panic on their face as he undressed and they spied his ankle. What would they think they’d come home with? Also, all he could think about was Louise, no one else would do.
He hadn’t seen or spoken to her since he’d been kicked out of the school. She’d tried to get in touch, but his pride couldn’t bear her seeing him like this. This frithing tag is so degrading, he thought, feeling like a caged lion. No, don’t let it get to me, the tag will be off soon and I’ll be able see her again after that, on my terms.
He finished his stretches and opened the door of h
is flat, the warm night air felt satisfying. He breathed in deeply and concentrated on the faint smell of flowers, or pollen, or whatever it was. He loved running in the evenings, the pavements were quiet and his alone. Tony took a few long strides forward and loosened his legs. He glanced into the windows of other people’s living rooms, the flicker of their TVs attracting his attention. Then Tony cricked his neck and began his nightly run, he looked at his watch and noted it was dead on nine o’clock.
In the centre of town, two figures emerged from the Pink Moon gay club.
“I don’t understand the problem, is it me?” the first man said, his voice quivering.
The other man sighed, “Look, I just need some time to think about things. Can you give me a bit of space?”
“No, I can’t. I need to know this relationship is going somewhere,” he placed his hands on the other man’s face. “I love you.” He waited for a response, but the other man hesitated. “Did you hear me, I said that I love you.”
“I know what you said, I heard you.”
“Well?” he folded his arms and tapped his foot impatiently.
“Look, I’m just not sure, that’s all.”
“You’re not sure?” he shouted, his voice cracking. “How can you not be sure? You either are or you aren’t.”
“How many times do I need to say this? I just need some time.”
“You mean you want to sleep around with some other men to see if you can do better than me, don’t you?”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying,” his shoulders sagged. “You know, I’m too tired for this. Let’s talk about this another time, I’m going home.” He went to kiss him on the cheek, but his boyfriend turned away. “Alright, suit yourself.” He turned and quickly walked away.
“Yeah, that’s it, walk away,” his lover shouted at him.
On the other side of the street a group of young men watched on with interest.
“Take a look at that old queen,” the largest of the men stated. “Dirty fucking benders, I hate ‘em.”
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