One World (Part One)

Rob stepped of the bus with a casual, "thanks," to the driver. He flicked his dyed red hair out of his eyes and  glanced around him. The sun was setting just behind the houses in front of him, and the gig lay before him... But first, he had to find Gary.
            He shook his head, as though berating himself. Why had he arranged to meet up with Gary again? "Because you don't want to look like an idiot walking into the gig alone," the voice inside his head answered. It was right as well.
            Still, he hadn't seen Gary since Monday, and this was Friday now. He meandered vaguely along the High Street, with the plan of going to Gary's house. 
            Rob was a quiet guy for the most part. Tea towels were more aggressive than him, and though he'd never admit to it, he was a psychologically insecure person. At least, he suspected he was. He was convinced that his confidence was a mere façade, because it looked moody and depressive on his LiveJournal account...
            A call from across the street caught his attention. He looked up, and there was Gary.
            Rob ran across the road. "I thought you were at home?" He said.
            "Nah," Gary replied, "gotta go to Nana's first." Rob grimaced; Donna Dixon, Gary's grandmother, was a very nice old lady, but she was very ... overbearing. She had an opinion on everything, and it was normally the same opinion every time.
            She had complained when he and Gary were watching an action movie with a sexy heroine in it. "No woman would ever be as tough as that Gary, don't be stupid." Then there was the time she'd tried to force feed them a meringue pie. "Come on now, it's good for you. Don't be stupid." There was even the time when Rob had been on holiday with Gary and his grandparents. Nana had suggested that they go swimming, "you'll can go and get a nice scrub," she'd said. When Gary pointed out that the pool wasn't for taking baths in, she'd replied, "take your soap with you Gary, don't be stupid."
            Yes, she was overbearing to say the least. Rob glanced up, and sighed. They were outside her house...

Rob and Gary stood in the hall of Gary's grandparents home. Gary's papa came to see them. "Hello, I thought you were going home?"
            "No..." Gary replied.
            "Hello Rob, haven't seen you for a while." Rob smiled. Gary's papa, he liked. A sensible man with no preconceptions about anything. Also, slept in a different bed from Nana. Yes, Jim Dixon was a very sensible man.
            "Hello Mr Dixon." Rob replied.
            "How's work going?" Papa asked.
            "At the supermarket? It's great, yeah. The pay keeps me going anyway." Papa chuckled, and went into the living room.
            "Is that Bob?" Came a female voice, dry with decades of berating people. Rob fixed a smile on his face and went through. He hated the way she couldn't even be bothered to remember his name.
            "It's ‘Rob,' Mrs Dixon, how are you?" He asked, smiling. He hoped it wasn't too fake.
            "Oh I'm sorry Rob. We never see you anymore." It wasn't an observation, it was a complaint. Rob tried to defend himself ... politely.
            "Well, I've been busy, you know?" Nana licked her lips, a mannerism which always made Rob slightly uncomfortable around her.
            "And how's your job going?" She croaked. Rob smiled even harder. He knew that the woman was a touch deaf, but she must have heard Papa and himself talking in the hall...
            "Going great thanks."
            "And is the pay good?"
            "Keeps me going anyway..."
            Gary walked through and didn't acknowledge her presence. He grabbed some rented DVDs from by the TV and then walked back across the room.
            "How much are they going to cost you then?" Nana asked.
            "A fiver." Gary replied bluntly.
            Nana looked at Rob. "Isn't it terrible? He's going to waste all his money." Then to Gary she said, "It'll be gone before you know it!"
            "It's just a fiver Nana, it's not gonna break the bank."
            "Oh don't be stupid Gary."