In Denial | Alex Turner

XLI

I walked up the front stairs, looking at all the name tags on the board over the bells. Searching a bit, I finally found the tag 'Jones' and pushed the small yellow button underneath it. They opened the door without asking for my name, and I walked in, immediately being faced with a strong scent of multiple perfumes mixed together. I started coughing, not being able to bear the extreme amounts of perfume, and got in the elevator.

The elevator was pretty small, considering the whole building looked so luxurious and fancy; just a small box decorated in brown and red striped wallpaper and a half-length mirror in the back. 

I stepped out of the elevator and emotionally prepared myself for what was next. I didn't even know what I would tell Elle, I was just waiting for a valid explanation.

"Hello, come in," a woman opened the door, showing me inside with a wide smile I tried returning. "What can we do to help you?" she closed the door behind me and I started looking around the office.

"I'm looking for Elle," I replied. "Elle Brown?" I added and she nodded.

"Have you made an appointment over the phone?" she sweetly asked.

"No... No, I haven't..." I grimaced and she pushed her lips into a line. "But it'll only take a minute or two, I really have to talk to her," I added. 

"She's working, let me just go get her," she smiled again and I nodded, looking around the office once again. 

"Hello, how can I help you?" a door opened behind me and I turned around, facing a smiley Elle. Her face soon fell once I took my sunglasses out and she realised who I was.

"How can I help you, Elle?" I shot back, making her roll her eyes and close the office door. "What the fuck has got into you?!" I added as she made sure no one could hear us.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Monica," she sighed, getting out on the balcony. I followed her outside and closed the big glass door behind us.

"Please, tell me you're lying," I laughed, watching her take a cigarette out of her sleeve.

"I just wanted to protect my friends," she shrugged, lighting her cigarette.

"What friends, Elle?" I spat. "You completely ditched us, stopped picking up our calls," she clenched her jaw after exhaling some smoke and turned to look at me with a bitter look.

"I'm guessing you're not a thing with Alexander anymore, are you," she quietly laughed humiliatingly and I clenched my jaw, looking away. "See?" she spoke and I turned to look at her again. "If you two really felt something for each other, you'd make it work," she shrugged, taking a drag from her cigarette.

"What?" was all I could manage. I thinned my eyes at her, confused and completely lost. She was right. 

"You heard me, Mon," she smirked. "You might have felt something for him, but, c'mon, Monica," she laughed. "He's known everywhere. He's a fucking rockstar, for God's sake," she shook her head.

"The fuck do you mean?" I could feel my heart starting to race and tears starting to form in my eyes.

"You don't remember how he was before you?" she asked, exhaling smoke in my face. "Jamie and the others themselves told you he was always at a random house. A new one every night," she went on. "Why would you change him, Monica? Are you the 'special' one?" she thinned her eyes at me.

"You're jealous," I calmly spoke, "you were always jealous. From the moment I first got the job at the record store and you didn't, or when I got a raise at the bar..." I explained, watching her roll her eyes.

"You're unbelievable, Monica," she shook her head, quickly taking another drag from her cigarette. "What would I be jealous of?" she turned to look at me. "The fact that you and a rockstar worked out but I didn't?" she squinted her eyes, acting confused.

"Look, Elle," I sighed. "I really don't know what you thought you'd accomplish by doing whatever the fuck you did," I paused, watching her get nervous, "but it didn't work," I shook my head, speaking quietly now.

"Get out of my office," she demanded, getting angrier and angrier by seconds. "Get out of my office and never get in touch with me ever again," she shook her head. "You and I can't communicate, we can never be like before," she let her cigarette fall down and faced me again.

"Listen," I cleared my throat, "I came here to receive a valid excuse for your behaviour," I paused. "I'm not leaving until I receive that," I shrugged.

"You're not receiving any excuse, I just told them the truth," she shrugged. "Everyone deserves some truth," she said. "I saved your ass, honestly," she scoffed. "Imagine having to tell sweet Alexander and his annoying mates you don't actually like them."

"What the fuck is wrong with that brain of yours?" I shook my head.

"Nothing is wrong with my brain, Monica, I'm telling you the truth," she explained, completely calmly. "In fact, everyone knows the truth now. Even Alex," she shrugged.

"You're not who you used to be, Elle," I shook my head, opening the glass door and getting ready to leave. "I never chose to hang out with a selfish motherfucker like you," I turned around and started walking towards the exit.

"Did you get a valid excuse from me then?" she yelled from behind me.

"Yes, darling, I did," I turned around, looking at her. "Thank you for sharing your insecurities and jealousy with me," I smiled sarcastically, making her face drop. Without waiting for a response, I opened the door and got out quickly, shutting it behind me with force.