Book 3: You Don't Want My Love (Slash FanFic)

Ch. 22: I Heard Your Heart

When I awoke again, there was no light seeping through the curtains, so I guessed that it was either really late at night or really early in the morning. Heaving a sigh, I lay there in the darkness for a moment, combing my fingers through my hair and debating on whether or not I felt like getting up to get a glass of water. It only took a moment of me lying there with an uncomfortable cotton mouth and pounding head ache for me to finally decide that chugging some water would probably be my best course of action.

Heaving a sigh, I reluctantly rolled out of the bed and headed out the bedroom door. I shoved a cigarette between my lips, haphazardly lighting it as I stumbled down the darkened hallway and towards the staircase. Somehow, I managed to get down the stairs without breaking my neck, and I crept into the kitchen to get my drink.

"Oh! Fuck!" I nearly leapt out of my skin as I turned the corner to see Al seated on a bar stool at the marble island, drinking a glass of wine and staring into the dim halo of light that hung over the stove. "Jesus Christ, what the hell are you doing sitting in the dark like that? It's kinda' creepy."

Al rolled her eyes at me and chuckled to herself. I was surprised to hear her laugh, and wondered if it was the wine or the recent shift in her attitude towards me that made her react in such a positive way. Whatever it was, it was a little weird to have Al suddenly smiling around me, though I didn't totally hate it.

"I've been trying to relate to you a bit, you know? Try to see the world the way you do," she explained slowly, her eyes falling to her fingers as they danced along the rim of her cup. "I can't say that I get the appeal of all of the wine, but I heard you playing the guitar...."

Great...so she had heard all of that. I sneered as I sauntered passed the island and headed for the pantry to grab a glass. "Oh yeah? You and everyone else in the world."

I went to the sink and turned on the water, waiting a moment for it to get cold enough for my liking. Al and I watched in silence as the steady stream of water cascaded from the tap. She waited until I'd completely filled my cup and switched off the water before she spoke again.

"I think I get it now," she murmured softly.

"Get what?" I demanded, quickly chugging some water down before going back to the sink for more.

"I think I had this idea of you," she began, and it was then that I realized her eyes were pretty out of focus. I already figured that she was buzzed, but now I wondered if she had managed to get herself very drunk whilst trying to 'understand me'.  "But you're nothing like how I wanted you to be," she finished.

"Sorry to disappoint," I replied with a snort before sipping some more at my cup.

She shook her head, furrowing her eye brows in pain as if shaking her head so suddenly had caused the whole world to start spinning. Yup. She was definitely drunk.

"Don't be sorry. I'm the one who's sorry. I tried to push you to...to be somebody else. I thought that would make you feel better, but that's not how you work, is it?" It was more of a statement than it was a question. "I heard you playing earlier...and that was when it finally hit me. You're the 'strong, silent type', right? I heard it when you played." She was nodding vigorously now, her eyes still squeezed shut as she jabbed at her chest for emphasis. "I heard your heart."

I gulped, but this time it wasn't because I was swallowing water.

"So, I'll stop bugging you about it, okay? I'll stop trying to get you to talk about it," she continued, her words getting quieter and quieter. "But, in return, I think you should play more often. I really think you should play more."

I watched her with wide eyes from behind my curtain of curls, unsure of how to respond. Through half-closed eyes, she finally turned to look at me with an attempt at a smile. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of it, and I rushed to rid myself of the feeling.