Match Point

Chapter 15: Houdini

I'm not here for long,
Catch me or I go Houdini

- "Houdini," by Dua Lipa

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Lettie

The lights went down in the venue, and I was happy to be at the back and too far out of sight. As Alex took the stage, my heart pounded in my chest, a mix of anticipation and anxiety swirling within me.

The drums thundered, and then the lights illuminated Alex as he began to play the guitar. The riff was infectious, oozing with a seductiveness. I was transfixed as Alex played, his movements a perfect harmony of rhythm and sensuality. He dominated the stage with a magnetic presence, every eye in the audience following his every move. As he began to sing, his voice was velvety, soothing the nerves that fluttered in my stomach.

It seemed everyone else knew the lyrics, but I hadn't heard the song before. I really tried hard to avoid anything, Arctic Monkeys and Alex.

I could feel Niamh's gaze on me as the music washed over me. She leaned in and whispered, "This feels...very about you."

I scoffed, trying to mask the flurry of emotions churning inside me. "Why would he write a word about me?" I replied, my voice laced with a mixture of disbelief and self-preservation.

Niamh and Kiara exchanged knowing looks before Niamh spoke up, her tone gentle but firm. "You should just accept he likes you instead of trying to force a false narrative so you can cope."

I knew she was right, but admitting it felt like opening Pandora's box of feelings, and I wasn't sure I was ready to face them. It was easier to pretend, to build walls around my heart and keep the pain at bay.

"Babes," Kiara said bluntly.

"I'm not the only woman in his life. He had Anna."

"Wait-- had?" A huge smile took over Kiara's face.

"Don't," I laughed, knowing she wanted to make a bigger deal about Alex and Anna's separation.

"Do I wanna know if these feelings flow both ways, Lettie? Come the fuck on now," Kiara shook her head at me, singing along to the chorus of the song.

"Not about me," I pushed back. It couldn't be. Alex knew how I felt.

As the set progressed, Alex seemed to really be feeling it tonight, and it was impossible not to feel the connection, even from the back of the arena.

The last chords of their set rang out, and the audience erupted. Alex stood there for a moment, basking in the adulation before he and the rest of the band exited the stage.

"Alright, let's go," Niamh said, nudging me gently. "We should head backstage now."

My heart hammered in my chest as we made our way through the throng of people and navigated our way backstage. It took us a bit to make it to the checkpoint to get backstage, but Miles was there, waiting for us with a reassuring smile.

"You lot like the show?" Miles asked as he took Niamh's hand. Niamh glared at him, but he shrugged and kept a tight hold on her hand.

"Oh my god, they were so good!" Kiara gushed and wrapped her arm around mine as we walked.

"Do you know anything about their new songs?" Niamh changed her tone to be flirty, as she wanted to know about the song she thought could be about me.

"Whatcha mean, love?" Miles asked.