In Denial | Alex Turner

XXII

"Oi! She found 'im!" Nick exclaimed as soon as we entered the small room. There were four benches around the room and there was everyone sitting on them.

"Why didn't you go into the jacuzzi yet?" I questioned, tilting my head to look inside the other room.

"We thought we'd wait for yer," Jamie replied. "Although, Katie, Brea and Elle couldn't wait and are already in," he said, pointing at the glass door at the end of the room.

Alex and I huffed a laugh and followed everyone outside before we left our clothes where everyone had already left them.

It was a warm room with light-coloured walls. The jacuzzi stood in the right corner and was so big that it could fit ten people inside.

It was decorated with warm vanilla-scented candles all around and a small table stood just outside, with a bottle of expensive champagne in a bucket, keeping it cold.

"Ah!" Jamie winced as soon as he got in. "That shite's hot!"

"Like most of us here," Elle commented with a smirk, making us all laugh. 

Breana, Katie and Elle were already having their first glass of champagne and we all eventually joined with one. 

Nick and Matt both joined in, sitting on each side of Jamie's, and Alex sat next to Matt. I decided to sit next to Jamie, between him and Nick.

"Oh my God, this is so relaxing," Katie sunk in, relaxing her head on the edge of the jacuzzi.

"We should had come here on our own," Breana commented, making the guys shoot a glare at her.

"Yeh, we'll end up babysitting them," Katie chuckled with her eyes closed.

"'Ey!" Jamie next to me exclaimed and splashed some water to Katie.

"Jamie!" she exclaimed laughing as she opened her eyes and wiped the water off her face.

"They'll kick us out if you don't shut it," I warned them through gritted teeth and we all ended up laughing.

-

4am. 4am and I still wasn't able to sleep. 

I was sitting in my dark hotel room with a cigarette burning in my hand. I was observing the LA lights underneath our room from inside. I had left a small opening on the window so the smoke could leave the room, but I hadn't fully opened it so I didn't wake Elle up.

I started thinking about my childhood and everything that had brought me where I was at that moment.

I started wondering how my little cousin was doing. She'd be 18 now, graduating school in some months. I hadn't talked to her since that one incident nine years ago.

"Our father left this house to both of us, Lucas!" my mum yelled and stood up from her seat.

"Please, can we all just calm down—" my dad tried.

"No, Gabriel! No, we fucking can't calm down! He wants to take the house when it's clearly left to both of us by my father!" she snapped at my father and pointed at my uncle.

"Mon, what's happening?" my cousin leaned closer to me, whispering in my ear.

I started stuttering, not knowing what to tell my nine-year-old cousin. What was I even supposed to say? 'Your father and my mother are fighting over the house?'

"Just stay silent," I placed my hand on her thigh and she took it in both of her small hands.

"Do you even know who payed for our father's funeral?" my mum yelled even louder this time. The whole neighbourhood would be talking about us the next morning.

"You gave zero fucks about paying! You only cared about your fucking image, Lucas!"

"Alright, Aurelie, that's enough," my father stood up from his chair and placed his hand on her shoulder to try and calm her down. Wrong move...

"Oh, shut your fucking mouth!" my mum snapped at him. I felt my cousin squeeze my hand and I gulped, stroking her palm with my thumb.

"Stop yelling, please," my aunt almost whispered.

"Yes, Aurelie, lower your tone. The children are here," my uncle kept his tone raised.

"The 'children' are able to handle a bit of yelling, Lucas, aren't they?" my mum asked, turning her head back to us. I looked at my cousin and we both nodded.

"Mon, please take Coralie outside with you," my dad whispered and I nodded, gesturing her to follow me.

My cousin and I walked outside to the yard. We sat down on the fresh grass and I took a deep breath, looking at the sky.

I turned to look at my cousin. She was sitting with her legs folded to her torso and she was starting to tear up. 

"So, tell me. How's school going?" I turned my body to face her and smiled, wanting to cheer her up a little.

"G-Good, I think," she stummered a bit before wiping a tear off her cheek that had just rolled out of her blue eyes.

"Hey, hey, don't cry," I smiled. "Aurelie and Lucas always yell and fight like that, it's going to be okay," I placed a hand on her thigh and she smiled, nodding.

We could still hear voices from inside but we brushed it off, talking about her school and her new friends. I was worried, though. Their fights never lasted for more than 30 minutes and it had already been an hour since this one started.

"Out of my house, you bastard!" I heard my dad yell and open the door, throwing my uncle out. My eyes widened and my cousin turned around terrified. I pulled her into my embrace.

"Don't ever come here again. Hell, don't even come near us again!" he pointed his index finger at him. "Go back to your rich life in Canada and never ask for anything again!"

"Audrey, come on, let's go," my uncle yelled back, calling my aunt from inside the house. She ran out with her bags and started walking towards me furiously.

"Monica, I'm scared," my cousin cried. I swallowed a lump in my throat.

"Don't be, everything is going to be okay," I reassured her as I started stroking her blonde hair.

"Get away from her," my aunt demanded, refering to my cousin. "What a disappointment you've turned out to be, Monica," she scoffed.

"Excuse me?" I squinted my eyes, standing up and still having my cousin holding on my hand.

"Let go off her, Coralie!" my aunt yelled, grabbing my cousin's free hand.

"No!" she cried out, trying to hold onto my hand. 

"Audrey, you're hurting her, please let go off her," I grabbed my aunt's hand, trying to shove it away, but before I knew it, her hand had already met my cheek, slapping me hard.

"Monica!" my little cousin cried as I let go off her hand, stumbling backwards. I heard my parents gasp and my aunt scoff.

"You're never achieveing anything in your life by being this weak," she spat and grabbed my cousin, leaving me holding my red cheek with my left hand.

And with that, I never saw them again. Her parents blocked all of my numbers off my cousin's phone, making sure we never had any contact in the near future.

I had seen her once in a coffee shop back in Paris but she was just leaving and didn't realise I was standing just some tables away from her.

Her words kind of stung that day. I always thought my family was proud of me and everything I had achieved, but I guess I was wrong.

I had let my thoughts take over, so I just shook my head and put out my cigarette before closing the window and falling on the bed next to Elle.