Your Love Is Standing Next To Me

Chapter 29 - I don't wanna miss a thing

The after show party was about to start. Jamie came and kissed Elyse lovingly. Our drummer was in love!

"Awww" I exclaimed in unison with Evelyn and Karina.

"Stop it, girls!" Elyse blushed, obviously bothered by our silly reaction.

"But you two are adorable!" Karina continued.

"Who's adorable? Me and O'Malley?" Matt asked ironically hugging his bandmate.

"Of course! Where's Alex?" Evelyn asked suddenly concerned by the miss of my fiancé. Boyfriend I mean.

No one knew about me getting married. It was still our dirty little secret.

"He's changing his outfit. You know, to make impression..." Jamie rolled his eyes and everyone started to laugh.

Alex was way more fashionable than me. He would spend hours in the bathroom whilst I'd apply my mascara in a hurry in my phone's front camera. If we were going to get married, live together and stuff, we'd have to build two bathrooms in the bedroom because with a person like Alex, you hardly get any chance to a proper shower or makeup time in the morning.

I could feel him getting closer, the whole room filled with his delicious aftershave. Alex eventually showed up wearing a perfect ironed smart grey suit, his shirt half unbuttoned. Damn, he looked so hot. And he wanted to marry me.

"Hi darlin'" he said sexily.

"Bloody hell, Al, you really want to kill me?"

"Not before the wedding, love"

"Shhh, quiet! It's still our secret!" I whispered. "I always knew you were a serial killer"

"You busted me, honey"

How many nicknames could he come up with in less than a minute?

"Too many unbuttoned buttons for you people?" Alex asked gulping another shot of vodka while looking demandingly at Evelyn, who was staring at my fiancé's toned chest.

"We should ask this young lady over here, shouldn't we?" Matt nudged me and I poked my tongue out at him.

"Matt, get a proper girlfriend, dude!" Nick teased him. "Or boyfriend if you find it more appropriate"

Jamie was laughing his head off. Matt was visibly not amused by our little remark, like we'd touched a soft spot, but he still faked a smile.

"Oh, you'll see..." He announced proudly.

That was the moment I realised it, as Karina was giggling behind Nick, thinking no one could see her.

"Can we have a word, K?" I tried to separate her from the crowd.

"Sure, I just need to..."

"Now?"

I cut her off, not giving her the chance to refuse.

"Okay. Go ahead!"

We were now in the bathroom, Karina fixing her hair and smiling to herself in the mirror.

"Why didn't you tell us?" I asked after making sure than we were alone.

"Tell you what?"

"Oh, c'mon! You and Matt. Do you think I'm blind?"

"Is it that obvious?" she asked guiltily blushing.

"Well, yes. For me"

"Sorry... I intended to tell you but you know, I just wanted to make sure everything was okay between me and him..."

"I understand! And... Congrats!"

"Thanks. Wow! Do you think we should come clean about it?"

"It's up to you, K. But if I were you, I'd be proud of it. Matt is adorable, funny, smart and..."

I made the "hot" sign and she started to laugh.

"I know"

"Whenever you're ready, girl!"

"Thank you. For everything."

I gave a her a bear hug and I heard her sighting over my shoulder.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier"

"It's ok, Karina. You were right. I shouldn't have found excuses for being late"

If she only knew...

"I understand. You and Alex have such a beautiful relationship... I guess I was just jealous."

"You shouldn't be anymore. Now you have your own monkey, don't you?"

"Yeah we should take care of Evelyn and Nick now" She winked at me.

I nodded happily and we went back to the party.

"Whiskey and ginger, love!" Alex handed me a glass.

I quickly swallowed the liquid and could already feel it in guts. It was strong.

"Any news from Miles?" I asked, trying to hide my discomfort from the drink.

"He's still on tour. Laura is doing great, she's the center of attention, the band love her."

"I'm happy to hear that. I kinda miss them, don't you?"

"Darlin', of course I miss them, but I'd miss you even more"

"Stop it, Al..." I whined as he was placing small kisses all over my neck and shoulders.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

"I don't know, why don't you say it again, just to be sure"

"You're such a tease, love. I love you so much, Marie"

"Okay"

"Okay?! Is this all I get?!"

I started to laugh nervously as Alex pulled away.

"I'm being serious, love" He said in the most serious voice he could make, but I could capture his amusement. I decided to keep on playing.

"Okay"

He did it. He did 'the face'. His huge puppy eyes and his puckered lips, God, how much I wanted to kiss them! He knew it was the only thing in the world that could break me down and make me melt to my knees.

"Oh, just, don't! Okay, okay, Al. I. LOVE. YOU. Okay?" I felt the need to articulate each word to seem more convincible. "But now please stop making that face! You make me feel so guilty and miserable!"

"I'm sorry darlin'!"

Now I was the puppy-eyed one.

"Ohh, come here"

He pulled me into a hug and stroked my hair lovingly.

Unlike for an after party, Aerosmith's "I don't wanna miss a thing" started to play in the background. I threw a glance at the place the dj was supposed to be and spotted Karina, who smiled playfully to me while Matt was hugging her.

"I don't wanna close my eyes, I don't fall asleep 'cause I'd miss you babe, and I don't wanna miss a thing..." Alex sang the chorus of the song in my ear. "I really mean it, honey" He added.

"I know, Al. I know. You'll never miss a single thing because we'll be together..." I stopped before the word 'forever', but Alex said it first.

"Forever"

I didn't want to say it, it was scaring me. Forever... It seems so long!

Alex approached his lips to mine and soon my breathing was speeding up and my heart was pounding in my ears. I wanted to believe it was the whiskey's effect but in fact, the only thing in this world who could give me those chills was standing right next to me.

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Hello hello!

I've just realised how much I've been missing writing.

Thank you for your support and stay tuned for more updates!

Have a great day, my little monkeys! ^.^