In Denial | Alex Turner

XXXIX

(A/N; The words in Italic font are flashbacks, if that hasn't been clear yet)

Four Months Later...

Matt's POV:

"Is everyone 'ere?" I asked, looking around to gather everyone as we were about to get on the stage.

"I'm 'ere," Jamie and Nick both said at the same time. 

"So we're just missin' Alex?" Katie wondered and I nodded.

"Mon isn't here either," Kelly pointed out. Kelly was the most recent addition to our group, as Nick and her had finally made it official.

"Can someone go look for 'em?" I asked, mainly looking at Breana.

"I'll go, fine-" Breana stood up, but was soon cut off by yelling voices coming from the corridor that lead up to us.

"Just tell me what she told you!"

"It doesn't matter, really, does it?!"

And with that, two furious figures entered the room, with Alex walking angrily in front, and Monica behind him with her eyes red and swollen, just like Alex's. Had they been crying?

"It does, Alex, becuase she's most likely fucking wrong!" Monica yelled desperately, scoffing at the end of the sentence.

"What's happening?" I butted in, trying to contol the whole thing.

"Stay out of this, Helders," Alex demanded strictly and came to stand next to me as he rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"Bit impossible, mate, you're both screamin'," Jamie commented sarcastically.

"Monica, what happened?" Katie asked.

"Nothing happened, I'm sure we can solve our problems, on our own, eh?" Alex popped up his jacket's collar and scoffed, sending me a very strong scent of alcohol.

"Elle called Alex," Monica spoke weakly, ignoring Alex completely. "And he just stormed off the dressing room after that, I have absoloutely no idea what that bitch told him," she wiped her forehead with her right hand and sighed.

"Monkeys, you're out in 5-"

"What did Elle tell you, Al?" Nick asked, cutting off the staff member.

"It doesn't matter!"

"It does, for fuck's sake!" Monica cried out, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Will it change the fact that you're usin' us all, darlin'?" Alex snapped back full of anger.

"I'm- what?!" Monica replied in the same tone and took a step closer threateningly.

"The fuck you're on, mate?!" Miles and Jamie both exclaimed at the same time.

"'The fuck I'm on'?!" he scoffed. "Elle knows her way better than we do, so I think she knows better, doesn't she?" he started slurring at that point.

"You fuckin' stink of alcohol, take this," I spoke quietly and handed him a bottle of water, taking the beer off his hands.

"You won't believe me and you'll believe the one who ditched us, as a group, completely?" Monica was trying her best not to break down.

"For all I know, you might even be a crazy fangirl trying to get in me fuckin' pants!" he clearly spoke without thinking, so now all of our jaws were on the floor.

"If I was trying to get in 'yer fuckin' pants'," she mocked his accent, "I wouldn't be standing here, supporting you on your gig," she said through gritted teeth. "If I was trying to get in 'yer fuckin' pants'," she did it again, "I wouldn't have been there to calm your fucking ass down at the Olympics."

"I wouldn't be at Coachella, yelling my lungs out for you. I wouldn't have trusted you with everything I did," she spoke harshly and Alex's face fell behind his aviators.

"So, now," she cleared her throat. "I'll do you a favour, and get my ass out of here," she scoffed. "Good luck," she muttered and turned around, quickly walking away. Breana, Katie and Kelly ran after her, without even looking at Alex.

"You fucked up-" Miles spoke, but was cut of by Alex throwing the glass bottle of water on the floor, and completely shattering it with his strength, leaving us speechless.

"I have no idea what is happening here, but those people outside paid for you, and I will not tolerate any more of this childish behaviour, so get your asses out and play, for fuck's sake!" Stellar came into view, yelling, and ushered us onto the stage quickly.

I looked over to Alex, who was sniffling and trying to hide his swollen eyes behind the black shades. That gig was definitely not one of our best. Nick kept messing up on the bass, Alex's amp stopped working, and he was not lively at all. I think the crowd also understood that.

I was sure all this would end. It was just a simple disagreement...

Monica's POV:

"Do you have everything?" Katie asked as I stepped out of Alex's room after double-checking.

"Yeah, I do," I smiled weakly and wiped my right eye. "Thank you for being here for me," I exhaled a laugh. "And for, well, beliving me, y'know," I smiled and they gasped.

"Of course we would believe you, Mon, oh my God..." Breana muttered as they hugged me tightly and I chuckled.

"Here's the key, give it to him," I handed Breana the key as we pulled away and she nodded. "I'll stay a bit longer and just close the door behind me when I leave," I informed them. We said our goodbyes and they left me in the cold apartment by myself.

The apartment that was once so warm and welcoming. But now it just seemed cold, and out of place.

"D'you reckon with could change that..." he pointed on the music sheet, "...to that?" he asked and I hummed while in thought.

"It will sound better, yeah," I nodded. "Something like this, you mean?" I asked and picked up the guitar off his lap. I played the whole riff and he nodded eagerly. He picked up a pen and scribbled some new notes onto the paper.

"How are you naming this one?" I asked and smiled eagerly at him.

"You'll 'ave to wait, darlin'," he winked and I groaned, taking the paper with the lyrics beside him on my hands fast enough for him not to realise.

"'Do I Wanna Know'?"  I raised an eyebrow and he widened his eyes, taking the paper off my hands while we both laughed.

"You're really impatient, aren't you," he joked and I smirked playfully.

I shook my head, sending the memory away and walked up to a small shelf, where a photo of us was framed and put up there. We were at Miami Beach, and the photo was taken by Matt. I was sitting across Alex, both on different towels, and we were laughing while holding two shots in our hands. I was throwing my head back, laughing and Alex was covering his face with his palm as he, too, was laughing.

"Let me drink this!" I exclaimed, wiping some tears off my eyes.

"I'm not doin' anythin'!" Alex exclaimed back between laughs.

"You are!" I held my stomach and threw my head back. Alex covered his face with his hand and started laughing even more.

And then, a click was heard from my right and, with tears in my eyes, I looked at Matt who was laughing with us, snapping the photo.

"Not you too!" I desperately yelled, not being able to finish laughing, and Matt burst out laughing with us. Whoever passing by would simply think we were three crazy drunks during a Friday afternoon in Miami.

"Fuck," I exhaled and wiped some tears off my cheeks. I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote messily on it with a black pen.

"Thank you for everything, I'm sorry.

-Arabella"

And with tears in my eyes, I placed it in front of the frame, and quickly exited the apartment.

Fuck, I loved him.