Match Point

Chapter 29: Fake Happy

I know I said that I was doing good and that I'm happy now
I should've known when things were going good, that's when I'd get knocked down

-"Fake Happy," by Paramore

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The next morning, we stayed in bed as long as possible. There were no early alarms or wake-up calls, just Lettie's soft breathing and the warmth of the sheets. I draped my arm over her just to touch her; Lettie was on her stomach, facing away from me. These moments were my favorite when the world outside didn't matter, and it was just us.

"Do we have to get up?" she mumbled sleepily, her voice muffled as she buried her face into her pillow before rolling over closer to me.

"Not yet," I whispered, running my fingers through her hair. "But we've got soundcheck in a few hours."

She groaned and stretched, her body arching against mine in a way that made me wish I didn't have any responsibilities at all. Eventually, we had to drag ourselves out of bed and head to the venue for a soundcheck and then the show.

The Melbourne show was electric. From the moment we stepped on stage, the crowd's energy was a force. We were on fire, running on exhaustion and whisky, the music flowing effortlessly, the lights flashing in sync with every beat. The roar of the audience was intoxicating, and I kept stealing glances at Lettie by the side of the stage. I was so happy to see her there.

As soon as the show ended, we were whisked away to the airport. We boarded the plane to Adelaide, Lettie leaning her head on my shoulder as we settled into our seats. I was already looking forward to another day off, imagining us exploring or just lounging around; we'd have a few days between when we got back from Australia and playing Finsbury Park.

But as soon as we landed, everything shifted.

Lettie's phone began buzzing incessantly. It was only an hour-and-a-half-long flight, and there were so many calls and messages. I could see the worry in her eyes as she glanced at the screen. I watched her face change from confusion to panic, her eyes welling with tears as she tried to process what was happening.

"Lettie?" I asked softly, but she didn't answer, her fingers rushing over the screen.

"Tom... I just landed in Adelaide and saw you had called and texted-a lot of messages."

Her voice was shaky as she listened to whatever he was saying. My chest tightened as I saw her eyes well up with tears. What the hell had happened?

I watched her carefully, trying to decipher the conversation. Her silence was deafening, and I could feel the tension rolling off her in waves. She was pale, her hand trembling slightly as she ended the call.

"Sorry, let's keep walking. We have the van picking us up," she said hurriedly, staring at her phone. She looked up at me, her brows furrowed, and let out a shaky breath, her voice barely above a whisper. "A woman turned herself into the police in connection with the robbery and attack at the store... she said she'll identify the man who stabbed Simon, but she wants to meet with me first."

I blinked, trying to process what she'd just said. "She wants to meet with you? What the fuck?"

"... Tom said they are holding her, obviously, but... I won't be back for five days. I don't want her to take that back. I just-" Her voice faltered, and I could see the internal struggle on her face.

"I know... we will be back soon enough, and they'll catch that guy too... give you some peace," I told her. I didn't even ask if she wanted to leave early; I didn't want her to. I wanted her to enjoy her time away from it all, and with me, I wanted to keep her as far away as possible from the chaos.