The Pros And Cons Of Being In Love With The Lead Singer Of A Rock And Roll Band

Chapter Six

Nothing from Alex. You’d think he’d have the courtesy to reply to my text!

*

Still nothing.

*

Someone knocked at our door on Sunday evening. This might not seem like an unusual occurrence to you (people probably knock on your door all the time. But they certainly don’t knock on ours!)

I lay on the sofa, listening to Mum attempt to make her way to the front door while knocking over every possible ornament.

“Coming, coming!” she cried. “Oops…” CRASH!

“You OK, love?” Dad asked, casually.

“I’m… oof!… Fine! Thanks…” BANG! We could hear her struggling with the keys in the door lock.

About an hour later, she finally got the door open.

I sat up, and leaned on the back of the sofa to see who was at the door.

I nearly fell off my seat when I saw who it was. Standing, one arm resting on the door frame, was Alex. His leather jacket flapping in the wind and his flared jeans a little scruffier than usual.

“Is Morgan in?” he asked.

I ducked down behind the sofa.

“Uh, yeah… She’s…” Mum gestured vaguely. “Somewhere around. Wait here. I’ll see if I can find her.” She clattered out into the hall, tripping and slipping. “Morgan!” she cried.

I stayed where I was, behind the sofa. Maybe Mum would think I was in my room and go up there to look for me. Then, I could maybe crawl into the kitchen and hide in the pantry.

Because, the last thing I wanted to do, was see Alex Carter. Under the circumstances. I just wanted him out my life. Not that he had ever been in it.

Mum bumbled upstairs, muttering: “I’m sure she’s here somewhere,” to Alex.

I couldn’t stand it any more. If Alex didn’t think I was completely crazy already, he certainly would by the time Mum was finished.

I got up from behind the sofa. “Hey…” I walked over to Alex, fiddling with my top. “You OK?”

“Why are you not going to the dance?” he demanded.

I shrugged. “Changed my mind.”

“No, Morgan, there’s much more to it than that.” He caught hold of my wrist. “What’s going on?”

I blinked. “Nothing!” I insisted.

“Don’t lie to me, Morgan!” I had never seen Alex this angry. His eyes were like twin fires, burning with rage.

I was still trying to play it cool. “You know what, Alex, just forget it. You didn’t even ask me to go to the dance with you, so what does it matter?”

He paused, and swept his black hair out of his eyes with one large hand. “Then I’m asking you to come with me right now.”

My heart leapt. Then sank again, as I remembered. He was just using me.

“Sorry, Alex,” I replied. “I’m not going.”

I slowly closed the door, but he jammed his foot in between the door and the frame. “That’s not good enough, Morgan,” he said, quietly. He gently eased the door open. “There’s a moon up there,” he remarked, pointing. “And it’s a quiet night. Fancy a walk?”

I hesitated.

“Come on,” he insisted. “We need to talk.”

I thought about it.

“What have you got to lose?” he whispered.

I shook my head. “Everything.” My heart. My life. My world.

(OK, one of my faults is that I’m a huge exaggerator. But that is seriously how I felt at the time. Like my whole world was just slipping away from me.)

I turned back and yelled up the stairs: “Mum! I’m just going for a walk with Alex.” I closed the door and turned to look at Alex. “I’m here.”

He smiled. “So you are.”

“Well?”

“Let’s walk.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me down the garden path and into the street. The street lights were gradually flickering on, one by one. The moment Alex walked under a dark one, it turned to light. It was as if he was lighting up my whole world.

“Well?” I repeated. I wasn’t going to let him break my heart. Again. So, I was still playing it really cool. Bordering on rude.

“Morgan, I can’t fix the problem if you don’t tell me what it is.”

“Huh?”

“Whatever I’m supposed to have done, just tell me what it is.”

I shook my head. “There’s no point.” What was he going to say when I told him? “Oh, no, that’s not true.” Of course that’s what he would say! And I couldn’t possibly tell if it was the truth or not.

I was only wearing a thin top, and I shivered suddenly. The north wind was icy.

“Oh, no, you’re cold.” Alex pulled off his leather jacket and draped it round my shoulders, zipping it up for me. “Better?”

I nodded, submitting with delight. I snuggled into the warm, leathery folds that smelt of Alex and sighed happily.

“So, tell me.”

“Are you using me so your band can win the competition?” I asked, looking him straight in the eyes.

He stared at me, looking shocked, bewildered and angry all at once. “Of course not!”

I believed him.

But then I’m in love with him. So I’m probably not the best judge.

“Look…” Alex raked a hand through his jet black hair. “Did Orlando tell you that?”

It was my turn to look surprised. “How did you know?”

“It’s common knowledge he’s always had a thing for you. He’s probably trying to split us up.”

“He can’t split us up…” I whispered softly. “Because we’re not actually together.”

Alex frowned. “I asked you to the dance!”

“Yeah, and that was all you did ask!”

“Morgan, how am I supposed to…” He let all the air out of his lungs in one long sigh. “Will you go to the dance with me?”

“No,” I replied, sharply. “I won’t!”

He looked at me, his swirling golden eyes holding my gaze for a long moment before he turned and walked away. “Fine, then.”

I got all the way home before I realized I hadn’t given him his jacket back.