July 1972

POV Roger.

Isabella and I are not talking to each other. Damn, she kicked me out of her apartment to defend her friend Luke. It's okay that they are childhood friends, but, I do not like him and for me he's very fake. I'm afraid he can do something with Bella. We're on college vacation. I'm already a year studying biology, I have another year of studies and I was already and I'll dedicate myself to music, my only dream. Early in July, the boys and I returned to Trident Studios and began recording the song The Night Comes Down. The boys were asking why Bella and I were not talking and I explained.

"Dear Rog, our friend knows Luke well, even though we do not like him, we have to respect him, okay? Soon you will make peace.

"I hope so, Freddie," he said, lighting a cigarette in between the recordings of the album. "I'm very upset about the discussion I had with Bella. Damn, she's special to me.

Freddie smiled at me.

"Soon you'll make up, my dear friend," Freddie said, smiling.

Nineteen of July, we celebrated Bri's twenty-fifth birthday in a pub. Of course Bella was there. Our friends had fun and I was at the bar, drinking tequila, I was about to turn the sixth tequila followed, when I felt someone take the drink and away from me. When I look it's Bella, with her beautiful gray eyes and black hair and fleshy lips.

- Why are you here? He said gruffly, trying to get the tequila.

But Bella pushed the drink away from me.

"For that ridiculous joke, Isabella," he said angrily. "Give my tequila back, did not you realize I want to get drunk?" Keep dancing, on the dance floor, the boys are all watching you.

I was annoyed but, Bella pushed the drink even more from me and approached me and she looked at me sad.

"No, you will not get drunk tonight and do not exaggerate that it's not all the guys in the pub who are watching over me," she said, looking at me deeply.

"You're beautiful, Bella, and you succeed with men, the difference is you give yourself courage. She's a rare girl to meet. She's beautiful, sweet, not vulgar. And the boys respect you like Luke, "he said in annoyance.

- Roger, enough! - She said annoyed - I did not come to speak of Luke. I came to talk about us, about our friendship. Well, we're almost a month away from each other. Do not you miss our friendship?

"Of course I miss you, Isabella, but you kicked me out of your apartment when you were nervous, defending Luke. He said again annoyed.

"He does not talk about Luke, not now." She sat down beside me and looked at her hands in shame.

"You want to tell me something, Bella?" I asked looking at her.

- Please forgive me? I exaggerated by expelling him from my apartment, Rog. But on the day I was angry and ... I screwed up. I adore you and I do not want to be like this, away from you, without our speaking. Forgive me? She looks at me pleadingly.

I run my hand through her black wavy hair and smile. She smiled back.

"I can not say no to you, Bella. You're so sweet, lovely. - I smile and hug her - I forgive you, kitten.

Bella smiled and hugged me back and kissed my face.

"Thank you for forgiving me, Rog," she said happily.

Our friends knew we made up.

A week later, it was my twenty-third birthday and I celebrated at a pub in London as well. And the next day my mother came to London to spend the day with me, to celebrate my birthday.

August 1972

At the beginning of August, we continued to record our album and this time my song Modern Times Rock'n'Roll. Bella was on the recordings and loved the world of a music studio. During the intervals of recording my music, Freddie was prodded to record some material by himself. And Freddie recorded the version of I Can Hear Music. A friend of ours asked Freddie to record this version. Freddie recorded the song that was a success of the Beach Boys. Shortly after, Bri, Deacy and I were recording Goin Back's version of glam rock singer Gary Glitter. And Freddie adopted the pseudonym Larry Lurex. The recording was a real comedy. Everyone laughed all the time, including the girls. At the end of August we recorded another Son and Daughter song.

September 1972

On September 5, Freddie turned twenty-six and we celebrated at Kensington Tavern, which is next to Bella's apartment. It was fun to celebrate Freddie. Even on Sunday Bella made a birthday cake for Freddie.

"Bella, I'm jealous because you give Freddie a lot of attention and affection. I said feigning hurt.

"Dear Rog, it's not my fault that Bella and I are great friends, as brothers, I love Brazilian," Freddie said, kissing Bella's face.

"Freddie, I know you're friends as brothers, but, do not get too caught up Bella, I'm jealous of my friend," I said with real jealousy this time and everyone laughed.

Bella sat down beside me and kissed my face.

"You're too jealous, Rog. Relax drummer boy, you will always be special to me - said Bella smiling and I smiled back.

In September, the boys and I still recorded another song for Queen's album, the song Jesus, which Freddie wrote and composed in Brighton.

On September 18, I published an ad in one of London's top music magazines, saying that Queen would like to make presentations. The band's last performance was in March. As the guys and I are already getting to the end of the recordings of the first album we want to introduce ourselves.

October 1972

In the first week of October, the boys and I recorded at Trident Studios, just the instrumental part of the song Seven Seas of Rhye. And we finished recording our first album of the band. College classes are back. I'll have college by the end of June next year. I can not wait to get my degree in Biology. I do not dream of being a biologist or biology teacher, but if nothing works out in music, I will have to pursue this career to support myself. Bella gives me the full support, saying that she will always be by my side, supporting me in music and if by chance I do not succeed, in the future I will do Masters in Biology. In turn, Bella is loving college. She is only one year in the Faculty of English Language and Literature and has already obtained an internship as an English teacher for foreigners, in the afternoon, three times a week, in a language school. She is very intelligent and said that she already has ideas to write her first book soon. I have also given her full support for her to pursue her dreams. We promise each other that we will always be together, regardless of any situation.

Bella came into my life a year and three months ago and came to stay. She's a special friend, she's an angel in my life.

In October, after the boys and I finished recording the album, we went to a pub, just the boys, to celebrate the first leg of our dream. Bri was living a dilemma. He was finishing writing his PH D monograph on Astrophysics and showed the Imperial College professor. The professor, in turn, said that Bri would have to make some changes in his monograph. Bri was upset.

"I have rewritten this thesis several times, and the teachers never accept it," said a totally disillusioned Bri. - I showed the work to my monitor, who told me to dedicate a few more months to the thesis. No more boys. This is the point as far as I go. If I do not give it up and give the band a chance, I'll end up regretting it.

Freddie, Deacy, and I listened in silence to what Bri said.

- Wow, we finished recording the first album of the band, now we have to fight for our dream. Enough, I got tired of it! I love science, physics, astronomy, the theory of relativity, supernova, but music speaks louder in my heart. I breathe music. Said Bri thoughtfully. "I know my parents will be upset over my decision, especially my father Harold, but I have to follow my great dream of being a musician.

"My dear Bri, follow the voice of your heart," said Freddie. "And do what you think best, my dear, we are here to support you."

- I've already decided Freddie: further ahead I will also quit the job of math and science teacher. Just not wide at the moment because I need money - said Bri resolute - I had an opportunity that was offered to travel to Tenerife, to study the stars, but, I refused too.

"Look, Brian, you can study the stars, or you can become one," said Jonathan Harris, our roadie.

At this point, I was having a glass of beer and I started to laugh, spitting all the liquid, without stopping at Jonathan's speech. I laughed so hard I started to cough without stopping and I was short of breath.

"Dear Rog, calm down," said Freddie, laughing, taking a glass of water for me to drink.

"And you laugh at me, do not you, Roger?" Bri said in annoyance.

"Bri, I'm not laughing at you, but at what Jonathan said, which is true, my friend. Be yourself a star of music, "I said, still laughing.

"You're right," Brian said, smiling. "I'll be a song star. And one day who knows, in a few years, I finish my Astrophysics thesis.

November 1972

In November, Freddie, Bri, Deacy and I officially signed a contract with Trident Studios after the recorded album and arranged for us to perform a demo for the band at Pheasantry, London's trendy pub, S Road and had already hosted performances at the Russian Academy of Dance. However, in the presentation, no record-holder of the phonographic companies attended the performance. The guys and I were annoyed though, an EMI talent scout who did not go to the show said that if there was another performance for the band he would. Then a performance was scheduled for December 20, at the Marquee, as the opening show for an American band called Sparks. Now we wait.

Twenty-five of November, one month before Christmas, this year is celebrated Thanksgiving in the United States and Canada and Bella decided to make a small celebration in her apartment, to thank for the good things of the year, before the Christmas. She invited our friends, Luke and me for an evening meal in her apartment.

We arrived around 8pm at Bella's apartment. Because it was almost winter she was wearing jeans, high-heeled shoes, and a sweater with a scarf. What spoils the party is Luke's presence, but, I promised Bella I'll behave.

Mary, Veronica, Chrissy, Sue and my sister Clare brought desserts for supper and Bella had prepared the savory dishes. Before the midnight supper, we talked, drank, and had some snacks. Midnight at noon we gathered around the table and Bella said a prayer, thanking God for the food there and also for the wonderful year we had and for our friendship. I'm not religious, as I said before, but I believe in God and seeing Bella praying was the most beautiful thing I've seen this year. I smiled at the beautiful scene.

After the prayer we began to eat the supper, that there was a large turkey, white rice, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, farofa, among other things. The supper was wonderful. Bella cooks very well. I praised his food. After supper we ate the desserts and the boys and I drank wine, champagne, beer.

At one point I was going into the kitchen to get more beers when I saw Bella and Luke talking in the hallway next to the bathroom. They did not see me, but, I heard part of the conversation:

- Ok Luke, okay, I confess to you that I hate Roger Meddows Taylor and that I just pretend to be friends with him because he is an aspiring Rock Star. Bella smiled at Luke.

At that, my heart broke in pieces. As I was going into the kitchen, I went back into the living room and sat down on the couch, pensive, and lit a cigarette. I can not believe Bella hates me, that she pretends to be my friend just because I'm a future Rock Star? I never thought she was a calculator like that, self-willed. My eyes filled with tears. After I finished smoking I took the key from my car and was leaving Bella's apartment when she said normally,

"Rog, are you leaving already?"

I look at her with tears in her eyes.

"Why do you care, whether I'm leaving or not, Isabella?" You have all the friends here, there's Luke, "he said as he left his apartment.

To be continued...