Still Take You Home// Alex Turner

14

September arrived and between Fiona and Alex, there was a weird relationship: they were either shouting or shagging.
Fiona was always stressed due to her parents: «I've told you so many times that acting is not as important as school.» Janice yelled at her daughter, still holding the fashion magazine she was reading, before she started reprimanding Fiona, for failing her classes.
«But that's what I like to do and I wanna do.» Fiona argued back.
Kevin, Fiona's father, stepped in. «Your mother's right,» his deep voice said. «you won't go anywhere.»
Fiona was fighting herself to hold the tears in her eyes. «If you just payed for an acting school I could-»
«Oh my God Fiona,» Janet said irritated, with her hand on her forehead. «you're so immature, stop being so childish and go study to actually do something in your life, instead of changing from a boy to another like a whore.»
Fiona's breath was cut by her mother's sharp words. Swallowing the lump in her throat, and biting her lip, she stormed to her room. Her parents didn't know about Alex, it was already three months of their relationship, an achievement she never actually reached, but they didn't know and it was better that way.

Alex struggled between his new work, school and rehearse: Ryan walked in the pub where Alex worked. In his usual confident walk, he reached the stools at the counter and looked at Alex, whilst one of his friends whispered something in his ear. Ryan smirked, a smirk that froze Alex's blood. «You're the one shagging my sister, aren't you?» That question scared him even more, he didn't know what to say. «They told me.» Ryan said, pointing his friends. «Give me a whiskey, the most expensive, and I'll decree if you can date my sister.» he said and every of his friends laughed. Alex proceed to make his order, when then Ryan spoke again. «Or I could just knock you out, I'm feeling like it.»
Alex didn't say a word as he placed the glass on the counter. Ryan smirked again, a vicious smile.
«You're a good lad,» he said, but something in his face seemed like telling otherwise. «don't be so scared, you can stick your little friend inside my sister.»
He was clearly high or drunk or drugged, perhaps all of them, but Alex was still afraid of him, at the point that he asked his colleague to cover him, as he went outside for a break.

All these things, mixed up, made Fiona always angry, Alex stressed out, and together, they couldn't bear each other, which gave birth to many, and mostly stupid, arguments.

October started and Fiona was so upset with her parents, telling her once again that her dream was just daft, that she went to Alex's house.
«You know I used to say being an actress one day was just a daft dream?» Fiona asked Alex, as she was sitting on his bed and he sat in the chair, turned towards his girlfriend. «Well it's not, that's what I wanna do in my life, I'll drop out from college and-»
«Wait,» Alex stopped her. «you wanna leave college?»
«Yeah?» Fiona said surprised by his reaction.
«You can't just leave and hope to make a career in acting.» Alex said.
His words annoyed her. «So you can dream about your band, leave college, but I can't dream about acting?» she asked him. «Great, not even you believe in me, if you loved me-»
Alex decided to stop her there. «I do love you and believe in you,» he said. «I just think it would be better if you finished school first.»
«Yeah sure.» she said sarcastically.
Her attitude was nowhere near what Alex wanted to hear that day. «Okay listen, I'm being polite and understanding,» he said, slightly irritated. «you're not the only one going through an hard time.»
«Jesus,» Fiona exclaimed. «I never said that, don't put words in my mouth.»
«But you do think it.»
Fiona frowned. «What's wrong with you?»
«I'm not the problem here.»
«Exactly,» she nodded. «it's us, our relationship.»
Alex stared at her for a second. «What?»
«This is all wrong, and for how much I love you, I prefer if we break up now and remain friends.»
«Are you serious right now?» Alex asked, as his eyes got heavier, and his breathing harder.
«I'm sorry, Al.» she just said.
Fiona sighted and with the strength she didn't know she had, she stood up and approached Alex, who also stood up. She hugged him and he squeezed her in between his arms. He wanted one last kiss, but she pulled away before he could. She left him there, standing alone in his room, with slow tears marking his burning cheeks.