Stuck on the puzzle

Why were you late, anyway?

I kept going in circles for about 15 minutes, not knowing whether to go back to Fifi's, hoping that Alex left my book at Thalia, or if I should just wait here and come on Monday or tomorrow for it, or if I should call Thalia. After stroking Ben's hair absent-mindedly, I decided upon the latter. I dial Thalia's number and somehow pray that she doesn't pick up, so that I won't be put in any trouble with a possibly-still-present-at-our-table-that-can't-wait-for-me-to-come-back Turner. But of course she picks up, as always.

"Look, Thalia, there's a major problem." I say, trying to make myself clear while keeping fluent.

"Oh sweetie, we wanted to call you..."

We? We?! The rest of the things she was saying were just faint whistles to my ears, I started making up scenarios on how I will go there to collect my book and he will be waiting there, book on the table, shuffling pages, cigarette in mouth, coffee in hand, looking gorgeous, like a rock star usually does, even with a funny cap on.

"Phoebe? Phoebe?" The voice changes. Of course, it's his hoarse tone. I wonder how many girls fell for that.

"Sorry, I want to speak to Thalia."

"Haven't you heard her? She told you everything you needed to know."

"Sorry, I wasn't exactly paying attention." I say, looking at Ben who was sucking at his plush toy, trying to calm down his hurting cub teeth.

"Sweetheart, you wrote your address on the front page. I will come over and bring it to you, if that's ok."

"No, it's fine, really. No need to fuss about it, you can just leave it to Thalia, I'll come take it after school on Monday. I bet you're all busy with the band and you're probably having a gig tonight or something..." I kept spilling words about how there's no need for him to come to my flat-which looked as if a drunkard's party had been organised.

"Phoebe, darling, if I proposed you to come, it means I can. See you." and with that, the judgemental beep of the ending call scolds my brain for being such a mess.

Most girls would faint if Alex Turner, the god, the definition of hot, the bad boy Alex Turner would drop by at their flat. Me? I'm going to faint as well, but my reasons are different. I am the greatest introvert you have heard of, in your whole life. Maybe this is why I lost all my friends back in Sheffield. I don't go out much, because it costs me a lot of energy. I mean, whenever I go at the cinema, or clothes shopping or anything, my energy bar empties and I feel as if I am going to collapse or faint. Fifi's is so quiet and peaceful that absolutely relaxes me. After a 2 hour movie and a short trip to a restaurant or something, my head hurts like crazy and I feel like throwing up. If I am alone, things don't seem so tiring, but I still crave for a nap at the end of the session. When I'm with friends or family, I'm like a zombie. Of course, I've had medical check-ups when I was 12 or so, because I used to tell mom when we were out at the mall that I am going to fall on the floor if we don't get home faster. She freaked out then, so she had doctors check up on me. My immunity was pretty weak. Don't get things wrong. It's not that I don't want to go out and do things for longer periods of time and socialize and stuff, it's just the fact that I get awfully tired and dry. As dry as a plum in the July sun. Obviously, at 14 I started getting sick of people because of my inability of spending time socializing at the dimensions I wished for. Now, I am both tired and sickened by them.

I hope my situation is clearer to you now. After spending the afternoon at Fifi's, talking to a stranger(almost), I felt tired. And now he was 'dropping by'. I was excited, in a way. He seemed to be a very smart guy and he was, of course, handsome. He was a pleasant presence, if you forgot the cigarettes. And the fame. And the fact that he was a bit busty. I couldn't forget these...