Stuck On The Puzzle

New Years Eve - Chapter 10

The last day of 2012. What a year. I'd nearly finished my course at uni, and work was going great. My photography was becoming more successful, people were emailing me daily for slots at the studio. Perhaps I should open my own business up. Matt and Alex came round for tea last night and we had a few drinks and watched some films. Matt decided to book a ticket too to come to Sheffield as he wanted to see an old mate and my family and check up on his Mum. From what my Mum's been telling me Matthews Mum's been getting on quite well recently. She's been seeing someone new, and he takes care of her and they've been out for a meal or two. Things have been going quite well for Matthew too. He asked out Leah and she said yes, and they plan to go on a meal out on Friday the 4th. He was so happy, he'd been calling me every night after their days out and giving me a lowdown on what happened and who kissed who first. It was quite funny. Thinking about it I didn't really speak to him that much about Alex. Maybe if he was brought up in conversation. I kept it all to myself, even if I don't say anything or fangirl to Matt about Alex secretly inside I am whenever I'm not around him.

It was mid afternoon and I was thinking of things to do whilst me Alex and Matt were all in Sheffield. Perhaps I could take Mum and Dad out for tea with them. I could just imagine Dad and Alex right now talking about rock and roll, cars and guitars. Dad wouldn't exactly be upset with me dating a rock star. I decided to go out and take some photos for my website. Alex was at work today, in the studio with his band. He'd text me through the day and told me he'd pop round tonight before we joined Matt and Leah tonight for the New Years countdown.

I head outside, the ground was covered in snow now and it had been heavy for the last couple of days. I didn't mind it when it was fresh but that icey slushy mixture you get afterwards is the stuff I hate. Especially to drive in. I'd got my camera with me Matt gave to me at Christmas and my phone just incase Alex texted me. I decided to go down to Memory Lane and sit up at Alex's little hide out. I took a few pictures of the view, New York City looking quite dull even after Christmas. I suppose it was the weather. Everywhere I looked was covered in a shimmery layer of snow. The sky was a dull grey and it was slightly misty. There were a few lights scattered around various buildings. I took my earphones out form my coat pocket and plugged in some Arctic Monkeys. I smiled instantly hearing Alex's voice. I knew some of the words to the songs and I began singing absentmindedly along with him. I decided to walk back round and down to the town centre to take some photos of the snow a bit more.

As I wondered round people were in shops looking at sales. I wanted to shop in the sales too but something told me I didn't have the money to at the moment. I had just spent a bit on Christmas and various trips out. I did know how to be safe with my money, but sometimes I would go on a night out and blow a load on various drinks in bars with my friends. Not forgetting the upcoming trip to Sheffield.

As I walked along the street a girl walked up to me grinning. "Hiya!" She says. What caught me first was the outfit she was wearing. She had some denim overalls on and a green coat, some ripped black tights and some doc martens on. "Hi love." I say smiling. Wow. Now I sound like Alex. I guessed she was an Arctic Monkeys fan. "Is Alex with you?" I laugh and shake my head, "I'm afraid not." I say. I felt bad, she may not have seen him before and I was the one person who she'd possibly be able to see him with. "Oh, that's a shame." She says taking her phone out of her coat pocket. "Just saying I really like your outfit!" I say smiling. She looks up surprised. "Thank you! That means a lot! You're one of my idols at the moment Natalie. I look at your Instagram everyday getting outfit ideas." She says laughing. Now I was the surprised one. "Aw thanks!" I reply. "Do you mind if we take a selfie together? There's a couple of my friends who really like Arctic Monkeys too, we all ship you and Alex so hard." She says laughing. I giggle, "Sure! That's so sweet of you." I say. She holds the phone up and we smile and take the photo. She thanks me again and I look down at the bag she was holding. "Is that a camera in there?" I ask. She nods opening the bag up, "Yeah I just bought one from that shop over there. It's a Polaroid." She says smiling. I hold mine up, "I think I have the same one! That's crazy!" I say laughing. She laughs too, "I didn't realise you were a photographer!" She says. I nod, "Yeah! I'm actually in uni at the moment." I say. She holds my camera looking at it, "Yeah that's the one I've just bought." She says. We're interrupted by my phone ringtone. I take my phone out - some random number. I decline it and apologise. "No don't worry! I like your ringtone, The Strokes." She says grinning. "You do? They're awesome!" I say nodding. "What's your name?" I ask. "Hannah." She replies. "Do you mind if I get a photo with you too Hannah?" I ask. "Oh my god really? Of course!" She says excitedly. I ask a passerby to take the photo and we stand next to each other, our arms around one another. "This will go on my Instagram tonight." I say. I thank the stranger and we look at the photo. "With a caption, 'Best fan in the world.'" She says laughing. "Okay, sure." I say. We both laugh. "It was lovely meeting you, I would have loved to have met Alex too, but meeting you is just as good." She says smiling. "It was nice meeting you too, especially someone that doesn't hate me." I say jokingly. "Ah, ignore all those comments Natalie. They don't know what they're on about." She says. She sounded exactly like Alex. We say our goodbyes and I walk further down the street feeling a hundred times better than I did a few minutes ago.