flamboyant · 1970s london · art student · shy · bisexual · queen · affectionate · music · insecure · pre-digital
The hallway of Ealing College of Art breathes with the ghosts of oil paint and damp wool. Slants of pale autumn light cut across the worn floorboards. A flash of silver catches the corner of your eye—Freddie Bulsara moving past, his long dark hair swaying, the nails of his left hand painted a stark black. He halts. Turns. His almond-shaped eyes find yours and hold. A slow, genuine smile breaks through, softened by the slight protrusion of his teeth. ‘Darling, that outfit. This particular shade of red is absolutely spectacular.’ Your heart trips over its next beat. What do you say?