Curtains Closed

Chapter Four

The smell of sizzling bacon and pancakes woke me up. I sat up quickly, but regretted it as soon as I did. My hands ached and I leant on them, my whole body felt tired, and a banging sensation was in my head. "Fuck" I whispered. I pulled myself up and out the bedroom.

"You're finally up!" Matt laughed, then looked back to the stove
"Yeah but" I said quietly "shhh" I put my finger up to my mouth and leant on the kitchen counter with my elbow.
"Oops, I forgot. Sorreh mate" he looked to me
"Nah, nah I'm sorreh you had to come and help. I just, got meself a bit, outta hand and shit"
"You would'a done the same" he want back to the stove "go sit down, the foods nearly ready"
"Ta" I said tiredly, then sat down at the table.

I looked down at my hands, they were covered in plasters. I could see blood in the middle of some of them. I turned my right hand to see the skin on the burn had rubbed off, probably some time throughout last night. I sighed, I was such an idiot. "Just'a sec" I said to Matt. I went into the bathroom and put some cream on it then went back and laid my head on the table groaning.

"Up you get" Matt said, he put down some pancakes and bacon with a puddle of syrup on the side.
"I feel really bad"
"You'll feel better tomorrow, it passes" Matt said, then put a drink and a berocca dissolving tablet next to it, then sat down
"No, not physically - well yeah physically, but like I'm so sorreh mate. I'm such a twat" I put the berocca in the water and let it fizz. I swirled the cup round to make it go faster
"Mate, you've 'elped me on tour though" I had another bite "remember when," he laughed "when I got so drunk that I persuaded everyone to go to nandos, and I was the only one who ate anything-"
"Oh and you threw up on stage in, ugh what song?" I continued
"Re-, it was re- something"
"Red right hand!" I shouted, hurting my throat doing so
"That's it" he laughed again "that was terrible"
"It was on beat though"
"Still disgusting"
"Yeah pretty horrible" I agreed
"But look, you 'elped me after the show, got me all cleaned up and shit"
"Well I 'ad to"
"See me point?"
"Aye I guess, still feel bad though"
"You'll be able to laugh about it one day, I wouldn't worreh if I was you"

We finished our breakfast then went out to sit on the balcony. I pulled out a cigarette from the box on the table, rolled it then lit it, and threw the lighter and the packet to the ground. Matt shook his head with a smile
"You really shouldn't smoke Al" he said, I rolled my eyes and blew out "you're the bloody singer, I know you think it makes you look all 'rock'n'roll'" he said, "but you need to calm down with them."
"Matt, don't worreh about it" I said trying to finish the conversation
"Do you know how fucking many I 'ad to pick up last night?"
"Nah, how many?" I felt like a child being told off
"Thirteen of them, and I know you never smoked when your girl was around"
"Matt please"
"No Alex, you need to get over her." He pulled the cigarette out of my mouth and stubbed it out in the ash tray "look, you 'ad you're breakup night, it's time to forget about it all"
"I can't just fuckin' do that!" I shouted in annoyance, hurting my own head
"Alex-" he put his hand out as if to tell me to calm down
"It's not that fuckin' easy Matt! You don't get it, I thought she was the one"
"I'm gonna head home and get some proper sleep. You should too" he got up,
"Matt, I'm sorry I'm just ugh I'm just angry at everything" I moved my hands with each word, trying to express how I felt
"Don't worry, just have some time to yourself or something whatever. Just don't make shite decisions, please. I don't want to come back in the middle of the night to see you covered in blood.
"Aight" I sighed "sorreh, you must've worried"
"Yeah I thought you fuckin' finished yourself off, or was trying to at least"
"Shit really?"
"Well you was fuckin' distraught on the phone" he trailed off
"Sorreh mate" I pulled him over and hit his shoulder slightly "won't 'appen again"
"No big drinks and smokes"
"I won't don't worreh"
"No 'ard drugs either"
"I won't" I said shaking my head and laughing a bit
"No Al, seriously. Promise me"
"Okay, I promise" I said, looking him in the eyes
"Good, aight bye"
"Bye" I said to him as he walked out the door and down to his car