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| AUSTRALIA by Sioux Jacki walked into the bar, it was about 2 in the morning, and nothing was different from all her previous Friday nights. She had been out clubbing with her group of friends, each of them had met a guy and left, leaving her on her own. After all her friends had left, she always retreated to a quiet bar to drown her sorrows. Jacki grabbed her drink from the bar and sat alone in the corner table. It was a trendy bar in the city of Sydney, and considering it was a Friday night it wasn’t very crowded. She paid no attention to what was going on around her, but turned her head to see what all the fuss was on the table nearby, it was a table of guys and a few girls, drinking and laughing really loudly. She couldn’t believe who was sitting amongst the table, it was James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore! Her mouth dropped. Luckily they didn’t see her do that! She was shocked, she thought James was the sexiest guy in the music industry, and releasing he was 10 times sexier in person wasn’t helping her nerves. She calmed herself and kept drinking- she didn’t have the courage to speak to him while he was with all those people, and those damn females, plus she knew she wouldn’t be able to speak, so she saved herself the embarrassment and paid no more attention to the fact that was there. As she sat alone she couldn’t help but notice out the corner of her eye that James was watching her. Jacki got up and decided to use the bathrooms, that involved walking past James, but she managed to walk past without looking nervous. She could feel his eyes on her. When she came out of the bathroom and headed back to her table she couldn’t help but get a closer look at James, but when she looked at him he was already looking at her, so she smiled and he smiled back. It almost made her melt - he was gorgeous. She sat down, and within a minute James was sitting down next to her. “Hey, You don’t mind if I sit here do you?” he sweetly asked, “No, not all” Jacki said, her voice slightly shaky “I noticed you sitting here alone - I can’t tell whether you’re upset or bored! So if you’re bored come back to my table - if you’re upset I demand you to blurt out your problem to me!” James said cheekily, with a hint of sincerity. Jacki didn’t want to explain her pathetic reason for being there alone, but she certainly didn’t want to go back to his table - those females looked positively bitchy and didn’t seem to impressed that James was sitting with her. So she had no choice. “Hmmm you don’t want to hear my problem! It’s stupid!” she laughed. “Yes, yes I do - out with it!” he jokingly demanded. Jacki went on to explain her problem, she was a bit tipsy, so she said a few things she would of normally left out “my friends don’t give shit about leaving me on my own in the city ever Friday night to leave with a random man. I just want to go out with my friends and have a good time, but they take home a new guy every night and here I am as usual, at my usual table - alone. I’m more confused about what I feel - am I pissed off at my friends for leaving me? Am I offended that guys never come up to me? Am I jealous of my friends? Or am I disgusted by them for fucking everyone they meet? And what am I complaining about! If a guy came up to me, I wouldn’t go him with him! I wouldn’t be able to live with myself!” James wasn’t expecting all that, he didn’t know whether her last comment was a hint to suggest she’s not going to leave and have sex with him. He wasn’t quite sure what to say, so he laughed. “You don’t need to get so worked up!.. All I can say is, your friends seem a bit slutty, and you have class and act like a lady. You seem very elegant and glamorous which is why I noticed you, that’s why guys go up to your friends and not you - they know they are going to get laid if they go up to your friends, they know they have no chance with you, because you can tell that you have class” he paused, then went on “ plus, you’re stunning - and that would scare a lot of guys off- they’d either think they have no chance or you’ve already gotten a boyfriend” he said a little nervously. Jacki smiled and couldn’t help but blush - it was the nicest thing any one had ever said to her. James ordered more drinks, they talked away - about everything, like why the hell was James and Sean in Australia when they weren’t touring! “I’ve always wanted to come here- I’m glad I did, Sydney is beautiful” he smiled “Yea, I love it here, although I do have plans to go to England soon, and I especially want to see what Wales is like!” Jacki said “Well make sure you visit me! And I can be your tour guide!” “Yea?… that would be lovely!” Jacki laughed at how his face lit up when he got an idea. She was so glad she had been drinking- she was completely calm and having a great time. “Actually no I won’t show around” he suddenly said, Jacki looked a little confused. “How come?” she asked. “You have to do me a favour! You have to show me around Sydney!” he smiled, “pleeease?”, she couldn’t resist how cute he was, she wanted to get up on the table and start cheering, but she settled for a calm “Sure, when would you like me to show you around?” “How about tomorrow, at 11, at the coffee shop across the road?” he then began to pull a pen his phone. “Yea, that would be fine” Jacki smiled, “well give me your number, just incase I’m a bit late or something, and I’ll give you mine if you need to call me” The next day… Jacki’s alarm had woken her up, she lay on her bed thinking if what happened last night was real. *BEEP BEEP* she got a message from James “wake up jacki! 11’ o clock, coffee shop, see you soon! James xo” It suddenly hit her, she felt so nervous- she didn’t want to go- she was a little embarrassed about what she told him last night, plus she was nervous! And the Manic Street Preachers poster above her bed staring at her wasn’t helping. She knew she would regret not going, so she typed a message saying she’ll be there and sent it, before she had time to change her mind. After a few minutes she became exited and started jumping around her apartment, then got ready. It took her hours, but she looked great. She arrived at the coffee shop and James was already seated. He ordered her a coffee and their day had begun. ”Hello Australia!” James greeted her; Jacki smiled and was a bit confused, “Australia?” Jacki asked, James laughed “Yes! I’ve decided to not call you Jacki anymore, I’m re-naming you. Australia is your new name!” Jacki laughed at his cuteness; “Australia, it is then” she smiled. They went all over Sydney; they even had lunch at the top of the center point tower. James was enjoying being with her- she had a great personality- smart, funny, sweet and a little bit crazy and gorgeous- he was mad about her, he didn’t want the day to end. He even bought her a rose from the old lady in the park. Jacki felt the same way about James, last night all that was running through her head was “oh my god- James Dean Bradfield is in front of me, THE James Dean Bradfield” now, she’d forgotten he was famous, she enjoyed his company and didn’t want the day to end either. When the day did end, they had dinner on the harbour, the city lights twinkled on the ripples in the water, everything was so romantic and she couldn’t believe how she was feeling about James. James was happy, until it occurred to him that he had to leave tomorrow morning to go back to Wales to record their new album- he felt his heart sink. Jacki was disappointed, it didn’t even occur to her that James wouldn’t be around for long. It saddened their night a little, but continued to talk and laugh all night. After awhile they got into a cab and stopped out the front of Jacki’s place. “Here’s my address, when you come to Wales you have to visit me, and you’ve already got my number, so I except to be hearing from you very often, ok?” James grinned, but the sadness in his eyes was evident. “Of course I’ll come and visit you! Don’t forget you’ve got my number as well!” Jacki smiled, her eyes watered a bit, but James didn’t notice as it was dark, she didn’t want him to go, she found it completely typical that she felt something this strong and this good for someone just when they were about to leave. James thanked her again for showing him around and Jacki got out of the cab and went to her door, she watched the cab drive out her street, and broke out in to tears. She tried to reassure herself “Everything will be fine, you’ll get over him, it couldn’t of been love anyway, you’d only known him a day, you idiot!” it didn’t help her. Meanwhile James was still in the cab going back to his hotel, he just stared at the sky as the cab drove along- he missed her already, he knew he was driving further and further away from the most incredible thing and may never find it again. He knew she’d liked him too; they would’ve kissed if she hadn’t left the cab so quickly. But Jacki knew she couldn’t kiss him cause the tears would’ve fallen down her cheeks. *BUZZZZZZZ* Jacki woke up to the sound of her door buzzer, it was 5am, “who the hell could that be?’ she wondered, as she got out of bed, she could barely open her eyes. She opened the door, she was shocked… “James?…What are you…” she didn’t even get to finish, his lips were pressed against hers, she let her hands wander over his masculine shoulders, and they kissed passionately for what seemed like hours, but it was only 30 seconds or less. James pulled back, “Come with me” he hurriedly said, “WHAT!” “Come back to Wales with me, please” “Oh James… I can’t! I can’t just leave here, all my family is here, and I just got promoted at work. I really can’t, but believe me, I’d fucking love too, but I...” she looked down at the floor, her eyes filled with tears, “I’m so sorry James, I’ve never felt what I feel with you before, but I can’t go with you” she couldn’t hold back the tears. James wiped her tears away and kissed her again, “I feel the same way about you, but I do understand, promise you’ll keep in touch and come visit me soon”, James eyes were lightly filling up with tears, he kissed her on the forehead, “I’ll miss you” and he walked away. The following week, all Jacki could think about was James, she regretted her decision, she knew she had just made the biggest mistake and let the guy she loved walk out her life. Everything she did, every time she laughed, she could still feel that heavy sadness inside her. Everything in Sydney reminded her of James. She had considered going to Wales immediately to tell him she had just made the hugest mistake of her life, but she knew she wouldn’t have the courage too and she thought it would seem like something out of the movies, and that things like that don’t really happen, but she couldn’t stand how she felt. She decided to work as much as she could and save up to go to Wales and surprise James. A few days later, Jacki was walking home one night, when all of a sudden she heard something behind her, it was someone running closer and closer towards her, she was pushed to the ground, the person grabbed her bag and kept running. She sat on the ground in shock. Her phone was in that bag. All that was running through her mind was - James number and address was gone. A month had passed, she given up and gotten over the idea of going to Wales, without being able to contact James, it would be impossible to find him. She missed him like crazy, but blocked him out her mind; she took her posters down- they just made her sad. She often wondered whether James missed her too, whether he had even tried to call her old number, whether he even cared anymore, whether he still liked her. One Saturday morning she turned on the music channel and all her questions were answered, there was James, looking sexier then ever, singing their latest release, her jaw dropped when he sang the line “Australia”, she thought she was mishearing it, until the title came up on the screen, “Australia- Manic Street Preachers”. She couldn’t help but smile; she remembered that morning at the coffee shop when James insisted on renaming her, Australia. She knew this song was for her. She knew this was a sign to go to Wales. She began to think how dumb it would be to go there, she didn’t know where he was. “FUCK IT” she declared at the top her lungs, “I’M GOING”. She got dressed and applied for her passport that morning. A few weeks later her passport arrived in the mail, by then she had saved more than enough money to go to Wales and planned on living there. She was so excited and a little scared, but more than anything she was sure she was doing the right thing and got her suitcases ready. A few days later, she was opening her hotel door. Everything was lovely. She immediately fell in love with Wales. Before venturing out on her James hunt, she got settled into Wales, she found a job, luckily it was the same sort of job she did back in Australia, so that made it very easy, she found an apartment and was adapting quite well. She was completely clueless on where to find James, all she could come up with was going to their next gig and hoping James would see her, or that she could get backstage. She got ready for the gig, she made sure she looked good, she wanted to impress James plus she was well aware she may have to do a little flirting with the security guard to get back stage as a last resort. When she got into the venue it was hopeless of getting up the front, so she just enjoyed the show, and went to plan B. Jacki approached the security guard, “typical!” Jacki mumbled, it was a woman. She begged the security guard to let her go back, but the guard was barely listening to her. “Fine then, can you just SOMEHOW get this to James, or give it to someone who can pass it on.” Jacki pleaded. “Oh yea, right, I’ll get straight on to it” the guard sarcastically said, but she still took the paper out of Jacki’s hand, that had her number on it. As Jacki walked away, she turned back and saw the security guard scrunch up the paper and drop it on the floor. The following weeks Jacki didn’t give up, she went to many bars where she thought James may go, but she didn’t find him, she didn’t even see anyone who even slightly resembled James. Life went on… she was coping fine, this wasn’t due to the fact that she had accepted that she’d never find James, it was due to the fact that she was still hopeful she’d run into him. Jacki went to clothes shopping in Cardiff, and walked past the record store, their was a huge sign in the window “INSTORE SIGNING - MANIC STREET PREACHERS: TOMORROW NOON”. She couldn’t believe it, she stood staring at that sign for ages, when she noticed the people working in the store looking at her in an amused way, she went home. All night she was so excited, this was it. She was seeing James. Jacki arrived at the store, it had taken her so long to get ready she was late, the line was pretty long, but she only had to wait about 20 minutes to reach the table, everyone placed the album on the table to get signed. James simply signed the cd and didn’t really look up. She could feel her palms sweating and her heart beating erratically, she was next, she didn’t place a cd on the table, in front of James she put down a book, “Tourists Guide to Wales”, James still hadn’t looked up, his forehead wrinkled, he was damn confused. “So are you going to show me around as promised, or do I have to read this stupid book?” Jacki said cheekily. As soon as James heard that Australian accent, he looked up immediately, his eyes sparkled and he had the widest smile on his face, “JACKI! I can’t believe it, you’re here!” James was so excited “Oh so you’re the one James still doesn’t stop thinking about!” Nicky gave a friendly grin and tapped James on the shoulder, he was delighted for his friend, he knew how much he missed this “mystery girl”. “Hey, I remembered you from the bar that night, you were sitting alone” Sean said. James laughed, “Yea that was her!” Jacki didn’t want to hold up the line any longer so she gave James her number and left. James signed everyone else’s cd in the most cheeriest mood imaginable, it amused the rest of the band how easily he went from grumpy-hangover-James to cheery-love-struck-James. That night James took Jacki out to a lovely restaurant and the way the felt that night in Sydney instantly came flooding back. James admitted to being quite depressed the past few months, “I’d tried calling you and your phone was off, and you didn’t try and call me. I thought I’d never see you again” James sweetly said. Jacki explained how her phone was stolen, and that not going to Wales with James that morning was a decision she had regretted everyday. That was just what James wanted to hear, those words meant so much to him. “I can’t believe you’re sitting in front of me, I can’t believe it. I’ve missed you so much, I can’t believe you’re living here! Everything is perfect” “And I’m not going anywhere” Jacki smiled, as their hands met in the middle of the table. They walked through the park, James stopped. “I haven’t seen you in so long, and I haven’t kissed you yet!” James smiled and so did Jacki. James stepped in closer and wrapped his strong arms around her, and kissed her gently. As the night drew to an end, they made their way back to James’ place. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other, they stopped kissing as James opened the apartment door, and then immediately resumed kissing, as they made their way to the bedroom, they stripped each other clothes of and began to have sex on the bed. Jacki woke up that morning to James stroking her face, “Morning my love!” James grinned Jacki smiled, “Thanks for the tour by the way!” James laughed, “That just wasn’t any tour! That was the FULL tour!” THE END. <<< Sioux's stories |