Troubled | alex turner

two

alexander david turner

Grabbing my books for the next few periods, I put them in my bag as I closed the locker door, only to see Miles.

"Hey Alex!" He says excitedly, wrapping his arm around my shoulders as we walk through the corridor. Miles and I were quite close, quite close to the point that people considered us a couple. I brushed it off, not really caring. It didn't offend me. There's nothing wrong with being gay.

"What is it now, Paul?" I laugh, walking alongside him.

"Yous do kun when yous call me Paul McCartney, it does everything but bullrag me." He smiles.

Years of being friends with Miles had gotten me used to his slang.

"Yeah I know," I shrug, "You're a wannabe Beatle."

He pouts, but shrugs it off in the end. "Anyways, mate, there's a ruv-"

I roll my eyes. Miles always made me go to parties. No thank you, I'd rather be at home with a book or a pile of homework, or an urgent essay. "Come on, Miles," I groaned. "You know I don't like that kind of stuff. Take Matt, Jamie and Nick with you please."

He sighed. "They're all coming, but I'd love if yous could come too. You're me bezzie, ye know?"

Miles has Scouse written all over him. "Sorry, Miles."

"Come, please. I'll be dead grateful."

"Why'd you always pester me into going?" I ask.

"I just want yous ter have fun, lah. Both o' us kun you're going ter stay round and read a book er firkin - you're that boring," He says.

"It's not boring," I protest.

"It's dead boring, we both kun that."

"Sometimes I wonder how I know what you're saying," I laugh.

"Me slang is perfectly understandable, ta."

I roll my eyes. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Matt sees Miles and I, and greets us both. "Ayup, Alex. Ayup Miles. 'a eur theur twoa."

I groan. "Talk in normal English please. Both of your slang messes with me mind."

Matt and Miles laugh. "We're both from Sheffield, Alex," Matt remarks.

I roll my eyes. "Well when Miles is talking proper scouse, I can't understand when you both talk in slang. Miles can't help it. You can though." I groan.

"Fine. Hello, Alex. Hey Miles. You two alright?"

I smile in gratitude. "Thank you," I say, as I look down at my watch. Two minutes until lessons started. Being late for a lesson is a rarity of mine. "Listen, Lads. I've got to go. Can we meet up at yours' or summat for tea?"

"Yeah, yeah. We'll come ter mine. When do we not?" He replies with a laugh and walks away with Matt to their lesson, as I walk to mine: English. Of course, I was slightly excited. I loved English, and word was that there was a very exciting project that we were to be working on the entire year. Nothing sounded better than that to me.

My timetable told me that I had to go to room 505, so I did, and sure enough there was Mr Homme, who was my teacher last year as well. Looking through the classroom, I saw familiar faces. Jamie and Nick were there, which was good. I needed a friend in each class. Another one of my friends, James Ford was there too. I also saw Alexa Chung, one of my study pals last year, Johanna Bennett, an acquaintance of mine, Taylor Bagley, Leonardo DiCaprio, Drew Roy and Taylor Momsen just people who were in my class last year and someone I'd known my entire secondary school life: Autumn Radford.

She'd been here ever since I'd moved here. We barely talked, and we weren't even friends. I didn't know her, I just knew of her, and all the rumours around her too. I guess you could say she was a badass, as she was in the razor roses. No one really knew what they did, they just assumed things.

"Problem?" Autumn says, confidently, annoyance clear in her tone.

I rubbed my neck nervously. "Er, no. Sorry," I mumbled, as she rolled her eyes and continued talking to Taylor who was behind her.

She made me feel really nervous because that was part of her. She had such a bright, bold intimidating personality. Half of the things she said I couldn't dream of saying.

Shaking the thoughts away, I walk over to Jamie, Nick and James. They all smile at me as I take a seat on their table. "Alright?" I ask politely.

"We're all mint, mate," Nick replied for all of them, obviously wanting to skip the small talk, which I could understand. Small talk was forced and boring.

"What have you lot been up to?" I question looking at the three of them.

Jamie laughs. "Partying with Miles, mate," he says as I nod. "Wish you'd come."

"Yeah," James joins. "Why not, Alex?"

"Too busy reading books," Nick replies as I roll my eyes. I didn't understand why different age groups seemed so obliged to do things. Why would I want to drink an unhealthy amount and wake up regretting every minute?

"Nick's right," I laugh. "I'm not into that kind of shit, sorry."

Upon witnessing the arrival of a full class, Mr Homme begins to speak. "Hello, I hope you all had a lovely summer," he introduces and I make sure to listen intensively. Mum always said teachers were the wisest.

"I'm sure that some of you have heard that there is a project that you all will be taking part in," Mr Homme stated, and mostly everyone nodded, and as usual, Autumn looked as though she couldn't care less.

"I believe, along with many other teachers that students work the best whilst they're together. Whilst you all are doing this project, you will be given multiple lessons by me, of course, to help you exceed further. Before I explain the project, I will tell you your assigned partners," Mr Homme said, and I sighed. I really wanted to be with my friends, but my luck had proven to me that it was highly unlikely.

"Taylor Momsen and Taylor Bagley," He says first.

"Alexa Chung and Niall Horan."

"Johanna Bennett and James Ford."

"Leonardo DiCaprio and Drew Roy."

"Jamie Cook and Nicholas O'Malley."

"And finally, Autumn Chloe Radford and Alex David Turner," He says, and Autumn looks at me with a glare, as she rolls her eyes.

What was her problem?