In Denial | Alex Turner

XVII

I drove my car to Matt's with Alex on the passenger's seat. We hadn't talked since his house as he was writing random stuff on his notebook. He looked focused in what he was doing and I didn't want to be the reason he lost his train of thought and everything that came into his mind.

"Mornin'!" Elle exclaimed after she saw us on the other side of the door.

"Good morning," I smiled at her and she pulled me in for a tight hug. 

Alex mumbled a 'good morning' to Elle and walked past us, sitting on Matt's settee, still looking inside his brown notebook.

"What's with him?" Elle questioned, looking at Alex and then back at me.

"I played a random riff this morning on his guitar and he came rushing into the living room asking me to tell him how I played it. After that, we haven't talked at all," I shrugged.

Elle laughed. "You stayed at his?"

"Not this again," I rolled my eyes, taking my black coat off and throwing it on a chair next to the door.

"Sorry," Elle apologized while chuckling. 

"Where's everyone else?" I asked, walking inside the house.

"In the kitchen, preparing the food and all," Elle closed the door behind me. "Nick and Jamie are outside in the yard."

"Why? It's freezing cold."

"They have a bet or something. Whoever lasts longer in the cold without a coat wins 20 from the other," Elle rolled her eyes and I laughed.

"Fucking children," I shook my head.

-

"Where are you off to next?" I asked, refering to their tour.

We were seated on a big rectangle table in the dining room. We were just finishing the last plates and we all looked full. Breana's and Matt's food was unbelievably tasty.

"Los Angeles," Nick replied with a mouth full of salad. 

Elle and I looked at each other with widened eyes and a half-smile on our lips. "We are planning on visiting next month!" Elle eventually exclaimed with joy.

"You should come a month earlier then! We will pay for the stay and all," Matt interfered.

"Oh, no, that wouldn't be right," I chuckled awkwardly and looked at Elle who was looking at me with a worried expression.

I felt Alex's leg nudge mine with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it, really. We can cover everythin'."

"Come on!" everyone continued. I turned my head to Elle who was laughing and she nodded at me.

"Fine, fine, alright!" I raised my hands, telling them to shut up. "But only if we pay half of it," I raised my index finger at Matt and he nodded with a smile.

"Thank God Katie and I will have some women company," Breana groaned and made the guys shoot a glare at her.

"It's like we babysit a bunch of babies," Katie added and all the gazes fell on her, making Elle and I laugh.

"Don't tell them these, they might change their mind," Breana yelled-whispered for us to hear and we all bursted out laughing.

Breana and Katie rose from their seats, gathering all the plates, so Elle and I rose from our seats to help them. The guys left the dining table and moved to the living room, all taking a seat on the settee and armchairs.

"How is the writin' goin'?" Matt asked Alex as he collapsed on the big armchair by the settee, where Alex and Jamie were seated at.

"Good," he replied dryly. "Finally found summat to write about," he rolled his eyes in exhaustion and sunk in the couch.

"'Summat' or 'someone'?" Jamie sitting next to him nudged his shoulder with his elbow and made the other laugh.

"Anyways," Alex cleared his throat and rolled his eyes. "I 'ave some of 'em ready but I need to perfect 'em before showin' you. I believe we'll be able to start recordin' by August," he shrugged.

Katie, Breana, Elle and I came back from the kitchen, having heard everything. Breana climbed on Matt's lap, Katie sat on the armchair next to Nick's and Elle sat on the arm of Nick's chair, leaving me the only option between Jamie and Alex.

"Scoot over, morons," I demanded as I walked over to the white settee. They scooted over without any words and I caught Alex smiling at me. 

"Any plans for tonight?" Katie got more comfortable in her seat.

"Not really," Alex shrugged and looked at all of us. "I was thinkin' of just stayin' inside. Been exhausted all week," he rubbed his forehead with his right hand while the ther one was holding a glass of wine.

"Same 'ere," Nick and Jamie agreed.

"Oh, you all are boring!" Breana exclaimed dramatically. "Mon, Elle, girls night?"

"Why the hell not," I shrugged and looked at Elle who was nodding.

"How about we get a room in that expensive hotel in Times Square that has this stunning view?" Elle suggested.

"Yes!" we all exclaimed and sat up straight on our seats.

The voices faded around me. The guys were talking about a pub they used to visit, thinking of visiting again, the girls were planning about tonight and I was just zoned out, looking at my black boots. I felt a nudge on my shoulder. I looked up and found the pair of honey-painted eyes looking at me with a smirk.

"Smoke?" he suggested and I nodded, rising up from my seat with him. We took our coats and walked outside at Matt's yard.

I took my pack of organics out and offered one to Alex who accepted it without any hesitation. He took his silver lighter out and lit both our cigarettes before shoving it back in his coat pocket.

We sat watching as the sun was slowly going down, painting the buildings around us a light orange colour. It reminded me of spring, depite the cold weather.

"D'yer think forever is for everyone?" Alex asked out of the blue as I knocked the unwanted ash off my cigarette.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "I believe that if one wants forever to be for them, they'll make it work," I added.

He smirked at my response and looked away from my eyes. "What about you?" I asked, now facing him.

"I think that everythin' ends at some point," he turned his body to face me as well before blowing out the smoke he had in his mouth.

"True," I looked away from him and smiled before looking at him again. "What we need to do, is acknowledge that and make the most of it while it lasts," I added to his thought.

"I like your answers," he chuckled. I watched as he rose his hand to his face, taking a drag of the cigarette between his thumb and index finger. His messy hair danced around his face as he chuckled and sent shivers down my spine. 

"Thank you, Alexander," I smirked, walking closer to him. He pushed a strand of my hair out of my face with his left hand, placing it behind my ear gently before moving his hand slowly to my neck and then my shoulder, making me swallow as he started rubbing his thumb on it.

"Arabella with 'er organics," his gaze fell on the cigarette between my index and middle finger and he gave me a wide grin.

"Alexander with his Malboros," I joked, mimicking him and making him huff a laugh.