Still Take You Home// Alex Turner

5

Salty tears ran through those rosy cheeks, burning and tingling their way.
She ran to the point where the soles of her feet felt numb, her Converse were being smashed on the floor at every of her fast and rude steps.
Her heart was pounding in her throat, and her lungs seemed to be about to collapse in any moment.
She stopped right on her stop, as her feet fizzed, to take some air. She was by the fence that surrounded her garden.
With blurred eyes, she looked at the expensive villa, with fear, anger and sadness, all at once.
Just one wipe from the back of her hand, was enough to take off the makeup from her face, ready to pretended like nothing happened.
Two weeks, the "love story" with Murdock lasted just two weeks, starting with stealthy flirts and sweet glances, and ending with Fiona's worst nightmare:
«We could do something else other than this.» she said, fixing her tank top, in Murdock's car.
After skipping another class, just to see him; everything was going the same way as it did for two weeks straight.
Murdock looked at her raising an eyebrow. «And exactly what else would you like to do?» he asked her, with a cold tone that sent shivers down Fiona's spine.
«I don't know,» she said. «maybe talk.»
«Talk?» he asked her surprised. He even let out a soft chuckle; she stared at him with a serious look, that made him realise she was being serious. «Let's be honest, who would actually wanna talk to you?» he asked her. Before she could even react, he spoke again. «I mean you're a great shag, but that's it.»
Inside her, in her chest, protected by her rib cage, her heart started racing, until it broke into millions of pieces, that fell off, giving her a fastidious and unusual stomachache.
Of course the last thing she cared about was the tears covering her sight. «Oh God,» Murdock sighed. «don't cry,» he said. She was so dumb to think that he didn't want to see her cry. «your brother'll beat me up.»
«You're a fucking wanker.» Fiona said, storming out of the car.
Afraid of Ryan, Murdock tried to make up for the mess he had just make. Still in his car, he followed her, rolling down the window. «Get in so we can talk.»
«Get away from me.» Fiona answered, with her arms folded to her chest. «I don't wanna talk to you.»
She started speeding up, and so did he, until she was properly running away. Obviously she wasn't faster than his car, but at the first traffic light, he bumped in, he lost her.

As it wasn't enough, Fiona had to step in her house, with red and puffy eyes, after the millionth school's cut and with emotions exploding inside her.
With the excuse of a shower, she ran to the bathroom and called Julia, as the running water covered her voice. «Tell me.» she said said, answering Fiona's call.
Shamefully she explained everything, she was ashamed because she knew he was right, which hurt her even more.
«So Murdock is free now?» Julia asked.
Fiona froze on her spot, staring at the white wall. She needed a moment to process what she said. «Did you even hear what I said?» Fiona asked maintaining the calm.
«Yeah,» she carelessly answered. «so is he free?» Fiona didn't answer, she didn't want to, she didn't even know what to say. «Hello? You still there? Is he free?»
She peeled off the phone screen from her cheek and hung up, still shocked.

At supper, everybody was too quiet. Janice kept refilling her glass with red wine, something she did only when she tried to forget about something, perhaps her life; Kevin avoided vegetables, to not "make the day worst"; Ryan was completely numb, with red eyes and a lost look.
«Have you studied for your test?» Kevin broke the choking silence. «Your teacher told me it's very important, and that he expects more commitment from you.»
Fiona shyly looked up from her full dish. «Yeah, I did.» she lied.
Nobody was in the right mood that night and Kevin seemed to know how to make it worst. «Yeah well, we'll see. You're doing real shite at school.» he spat.
Fiona bit her lip, he was right. «Today Mr. Byrne told me my acting improved remarkably,» she said. A soft smile crept on her lips, as she was talking about something she really liked. «We'll do Mamma Mia!, and I got the part as Sophie and-»
«Stop it already,» Janice cut her off harshly. «I have a headache and you're making it worse.»
The smile that lightened up Fiona's face faded as soon as her mother's words hit her.
It was really too much for her in just a day, she stood up and walked away; the thing that made her even sadder, or anger, was that nobody cared that she left the table, perhaps they were happy about it.
She quickly wore her shoes and left the house with tears colouring her eyes.