Exploding Heart Disorder (Fearless Vampire Killers Fanfic)

Chapter Forty-One

[Alyx's P.O.V.]

Everyone has been celebrating the "success" (hah!) of the the gig for a few hours when I hear my phone ring faintly, barely audible over the blaring, screeching sound of The Devil Wears Prada blasting out of the speakers connected to the computer in the corner. If it weren't for my phone vibrating, I probably would've missed the call. But I don't, and I pull my phone out of my pocket, seeing that my aunt is calling me. But at 11.30? At night? How odd. I slip into the kitchen, closing the door behind me as I answer the call.

"Aunt Maura. Hi. What's up?" I stick my finger in my other ear so as to hear her better.

"I have some amazing news. I've been offered a permanent placement with a new publishing firm." I roll my eyes. "In Glasgow!"

My heart threatens to stop at those last two words. "Oh. Nice. It was alright there before, I guess." Glasgow is where we stayed before my aunt and I moved here, to London. It was decent, I suppose, but nothing special. "You sure it's a permanent placement?" Every time we've moved city in the past, my aunt has promised me the work placement is permanent. But it never is.

"Yes, they guaranteed it! They're looking for Glasgow-based editors, and since I know the city well, and I have a mate that recommended me, they asked me to take a job there. They want me to start next week, first thing Monday morning!"

"So we're going to Glasgow?" My heart drops.

"Well, aye, obviously! And I know you have somewhere else to stay, and you've settled well here, so I want to give you a choice." Uh oh. A choice. The choice. The same choice she's continuously made for her full career. Now she wants me to make it. "The company I'm going to work for is a new magazine, which was formerly just a literary firm. If you're still wanting to pursue a career in music journalism and gig photography, I have a mate that can get you a job. She works in music journalism and says there's an opening, if you're interested. I thought, if you want to work with journalism and photography, you might consider coming to Glasgow with me, for financial support if for nothing else."

Crap. Crap. Crap. "I-I..." Bugger. Crap. "W-well..." Oh crap... "Wh-when do you need to know by?"

"Tomorrow morning. So I can contact my mate, and the landlord of the place I'll be staying."

So soon?! What the hell?! Why spring this on me now?! When everything's just settled down?! Why Glasgow?! Why can't she just get a permanent placement here?! That way I don't need to choose between the two things most important to me, my career and my friends!

"I-I...I'm going to speak to the others about it." I tell her. "I'll get back to you soon, okay?"

"Okay, love." My aunt hang up, and I groan, dropping my phone onto the kitchen counter and banging my head against the cold surface.

This can't be happening. Not again. I'm having to choose between my future career and my friends. Why does everything have to be so friggin' difficult?!

I'm going to have to tell the others. But what if they hate me for ever contemplating leaving?! Or if they just jump at the chance and tell me to do one? Oh crap. I can't do this. I can't come to a decision before tomorrow morning. Not when it's something like this!

I gulp, stuffing my phone back in my pocket, sucking in a deep breath and leaving the kitchen, crossing the hall and slipping into the front room. The others all look up at me in question, smiling and asking if I'm alright. I bite my lip, and Drew turns down the music.

"Something's wrong?" He looks concerned.

"M-my aunt just phoned me. She's been offered a permanent placement in a literary publishing firm."