𝐴𝑑𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑| 𝑅𝑜𝑔𝑒𝑟 𝑇𝑎𝑦𝑙𝑜𝑟 ✔

XXXII

I don't know how long it had been. Maybe an hour? I was sitting against the wall, inside my bedroom, one of my knees up, holding onto it with both arms, as the other one was just lying on the floor, a cigarette dangling from my lips, using my lips to lift it back up, when it was close to falling.

I heard the front door opening, Roger announcing his presence, when he walked in. Sighing, I took the cigarette out, walked to the other side of the room, and placed it in the ash tray, that was set on the nightstand, close to the bed.

"Al?" Roger called out. I opened the bedroom door and walked out, my posture lowered, since my back was sore from leaning on the wall all that time.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, placing a hand on my cold cheek. I didn't say anything, I just threw myself towards him in a long embrace, nearly knocking him over. He wrapped his arms around me, murmuring something into my hair. I buried my face into his shoulder, sighing in frustration.

"What's wrong?" he asked, stroking my hair with his hand. I angled my head to the side for air and so I could talk.

"My mum came over early, and brought my sister" was all I really needed to say.

"Over here? At the flat?" he asked, in a slight panicky voice, but tried to cover it, pulling back, to look at me, he placed his hands on my shoulders. I nodded. "Shit" he muttered. "How did they find out where we live?" he asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine" I shrugged.

"What happened? What were they saying?" he questioned me, taking one of his hands from my shoulder and sliding it up to my neck.

"Not much. Just said they were staying in a hotel near here for a few days. Trash talked the flat, my new smoking habbit. Basically anything they could to talk me down" I explained, sighing.

"They have absolutely no right coming in here, unannounced and start mouthing off whatever they can to make you feel like this in your own home" he stated, a mixture of anger and frustration in his tone.

I smiled at the last part of the sentence. His voice and words always seemed to calm me, and make me forget all about my worries. He was one of the top three things that could have that affect with me. The other two being cigarettes and booze.

"I doubt this'll be their last unannounced visits. It's fine. I'm fine. I've been dealing with them for year's." I shook my head, and kissed his cheek.

"We have a gig tonight. You'll be there?" he smiled.

"You know I will" I said, my mood lifting, as I picked up my bag and left the flat.

⚜︎

I had arrived at the pub, Ashley, Vicky and Fate had agreed to meet up at, and walked in through the poorly-painted door with a window on it.

I saw two already sitting at a booth. Surprised for once it was Ashley and Fate who were the first ones here. I walked over and sat across from them.

"Where's Vicky?" I asked, shifting over to the end of the leather seat, setting my bag on the ground and taking my soaked cost off.

"She's with River... I think her and Ash swaped roles" Fate joked, causing Ashley to roll her eyes, good-naturedly.

We were chatting for a while, when finally, Vicky came in, fixing her hair, sitting next to me.

"About time" Ashley said, mimicking all the times Vicky told her that.

"Listen to you" Vicky paused to look at her with her eyes squinted.

"So, you're not gonna share any details with us?" Ashley asked.

"Erm no? Because I'm not you" Vicky replied, setting her bag on the ground, next to mine.

"Anyways, moving on. How are you and your current love life?" I asked, directing the question towards Fate.

"Good. Her names Adele and I think she's into girls too" Fate lowered her voice down, but failing to mask the grin creeping upon her face.

"Good! So how often do you see her?" Ashley asked, sharing a smile, her elbow leaning on the table with her chin resting in her hand, intrigued.

"Quite a lot, actually. Neither of us have really made a move yet, but I'm thinking of asking her to my flat for dinner. Since we can't really go on a public date without being judged or called out" the excitement suddenly disappeared and was replaced with a frown.

"Don't worry about that. Just focus on the fact that you're both clearly interested in each other. And that if you're happy then don't worry about other people. Society is a shit hole" I said, bluntly, shrugging, causing her to laugh slightly.

"Yeah, okay" she said, ignoring her previous, negative thoughts.

"By the way, Mickey, when is your mum supposed to be coming up?" Vicky asked, pointing her questing to me.

"Well, actually.. She was here earlier today... along with Catherine" I announced, taking a long, overdue, sip of my alcohol, ignoring the nickname.

"What? I thought she was supposed to be coming over in a few days, alone" Ashley's eyes widened.

"You're not the only one" I scoffed, looking up and shaking my head, in thought of the shock I was in when I saw her car.

"Why the fuck was Catherine with her?" Vicky said, rolling her eyes at just her name. She had never been a fan of Catherine, due to Catherines absolutely bitchiness towards her and all of my friends. But she was worse to Vicky for having Sara at a young age. But even before that she was such a bitch, and I think Vicky was probably the only one who would put her in her place any time they were in the same room.

"I don't even know. I hardly know anything, just that they showed up, and then trash talked me the entire time" I said.

"Who the fuck do they think they are? You should've set about them" Vicky stated, starting to get annoyed.

"Thought yous could do that for me" I shrugged, grinning, jokingly.

"With pleasure" Vicky said, taking a swig of her vodka.

We talked for another hour, trying not to get too drunk, so we were sober enough to get to the pub for the gig, then afterparty, then get more drunk. Our lives on a daily basis.