MILK [Matty Healy]

A favour

"Matty" I jumped out of my skin as I felt a hand on my arm, shaking me from my sleep and I quickly sat up in my chair, rubbing my eyes. Emily sat down opposite me, handing me a cup of coffee from the machine in the hall.

"Thanks" my voice was rough from my lack of sleep. I was finding it hard to stay awake after getting up so early for the meeting and had fallen asleep in my chair. "Where are the others?" I looked around the studio, gulping the coffee to try and wake myself up in a slightly more healthy way than usual.

"It's just me and Ross here at the minute, the others are stuck in traffic 30 miles from here-Ross is talking to his friend outside" she shrugged her shoulders and I nodded sleepily, I was the first one to get here.

"I could've slept in, had a joint even" I laughed and Emily smiled lightly but shook her head.
"And you'd drive here?" She raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair.
"I was fine last night" I shrugged my shoulders.

She'd taken her shoes off and had her knees up under her chin. I could tell why Ross liked her- she didn't take things too seriously but was sweet and positive. I'd heard them giggling about the smallest things every time I'd been with them.

I jumped up a second time, snapping out of my trance as someone burst into the room. I saw those familiar black boots, meeting Alyssa's eyes.

"You again?" I stood up, catching my breath from being so shocked. "Are you a fucking fan or something? You seriously need to leave us alone" I shook my head in annoyance as she took a step back from me, chewing on her lip and furrowing her brows.

She looked like she would collapse any minute, half dead. "W-what?" She stuttered, trying to keep her eyes open. "Where's Jai? I'm just looking for him. He said he'd be here- please" She rambled and I suddenly felt guilty for snapping at her.

I was tired and stressed but kept my stern tone, still annoyed. "He's not here yet...Why'd you need him so urgently?" I looked over her, trying to find a clue for what she was here for as Emily's phone started ringing and she quickly picked it up.

"Hey babe" She said quietly, obviously feeling awkward as me and Alyssa listened. We waited a few moments as she nodded and hummed. "Okay, see you in a min" She ended the call and looked up at us as we waited for an explanation.

"The meeting's cancelled. The guys decided there's no point sitting in the traffic for another hour" she began pulling her shoes on and stood up, sharing a smile with Alyssa. "Ross wants me to hurry- I'll see you later Matt" she grabbed her bag and briskly left.

"Do you have any of those pills Jai gives me?" She pleaded as I shook my head hesitantly.
"No... I've got some weed?" I watched her carefully, completely confused to why she was being like this. Her eyes glazed over and she looked like she was on the verge of tears all of a sudden.

"I just wanna sleep" She whispered, her head dipping and she covered her face with her hands. Swaying a little- utterly desperate.
"Here" I moved the office chair that Emily had been sitting on towards her. "Sit down- I'll see what I can do"

She practically fell into the chair as I got my phone out, dialling Jai's number and waiting for him to pick up.

"Matty? The meeting's cancelled mate, no n-"
"I know" I cut him off, feeling guilt wash over me as I watched Alyssa curl into a ball. "Alyssa's here. Says she needs pills from you? She looks exhausted" I sighed, watching her fall into and back out of a slumber.
"Fuck sake" he groaned, sounding irritated. "I'm really busy today and the traffic is shit- I don't have time" he grunted, I knew there was no way I could persuade him so ended the call.

"He can't sort you out today" I spoke softly, sitting in the chair opposite her and leaning forwards a little. "I can roll a joint if you like? Sorry, I don't know how to help you" my voice was almost a whisper and I wondered if she'd even heard me as she shifted.

"I haven't slept in days, I haven't had the money for the pills" she mumbled, her eyes closed. "It's my dad" the last part of what she said was almost inaudible, as if she was speaking to herself.

I chewed my lip as she leaned on the desk and I pulled out my ground weed and a few skins from my coat pocket.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" I put my things on the desk, getting up and dimming the light just in case she was able to sleep a little. She didn't reply so I presumed  she'd rather not and I wouldn't pry. "You work for Jai, don't you?" I began rolling a joint for her as she propped her head up to look at me.

"I just help him out but he's too tight to lend me what I need" she stared into oblivion, her eyes bloodshot. Sounded exactly like the Jai I knew.
"So they're sleeping pills? I thought it was ecstasy" I raised an eyebrow as she hummed, not bothering with a proper reply. I licked over the papers, finishing her joint and lighting the end for her.

"This might help? I might be able to find somewhere for you to nap" I handed it to her with a slight chuckle and started putting my shit away again. "Sorry for having a go when you came in... I've just got a few things going on" she smoked the joint like drinking water, looking slightly relieved.
"It's ok- but, a fan? Why would I be a fan?" She rubbed her eye, looking around the room.

We really knew nothing about each other.

"We're in a band. Me, George, Ross, Adam" I laughed softly, scratching my head. "Sometimes fans follow us around"
"That explains all the guitars in your house" she smiled awkwardly, taking a few more tokes. "Jai's never mentioned it"

I thought about it, not quite understanding why it wouldn't have even come up in conversation but quickly brushing it off as her eyes began to close again.

"Is- is it insomnia?" I chewed my lip as she lifted her head to look at me, then shook it.
"No" she hesitated for a second before explaining. "I just... can't sleep" she mumbled quietly, shrugging her shoulders and I didn't push for an answer to why she was lying.

I dropped my gaze to the floor- looking at my beaten up Vans centimetres from her equally beaten up boots. As I sat staring at the tiny sewing detail on her shoes, a roach dropped on the floor next to her chair and I quickly picked it up before looking up at her. She'd fallen asleep.

I sighed, dropping her roach in the ash tray and standing up from my chair, contemplating what to do with this exhausted girl in my studio.
"Alyssa, love" I said softly, shaking her from her seemingly deep sleep. "I'll drive you to my apartment, you can crash at my place"

I watched her shift her head a tiny amount into her body, curled up in a ball on the chair and she hummed quietly, too fatigued to reply.