No Buses - Alex Turner Fanfic

I Suppose, Nerves 2/2

important AN real quick!!!

Okay, so something really weird happened with the last chapter.  Firstly, I accidentally uploaded the rough draft??? So, I went back and edited it, Monday afternoon, to its final draft that I was originally supposed to post and it has a little more dialogue and detail of things, so feel free to reread it if you read the chapter early Monday! Secondly, I did this thing that I am terribly prone to doing where I upload the chapter, click save, and think I've clicked publish when in reality it is still a draft!!! GAH. So, thanks to the person who commented and was like "wheres the new chapter?" or something on Sunday because I would have never realized. Anyways, that's all!! Sorry everyone! Here's the next part. :-))))

---

I took three deep breaths before turning and walking back out into the bar.  As I looked around, Alex seemed to have left his previous spot.  I bit my lip anxiously, figuring his disappearance was because of my recent stupidity.  I walked over to his band mates wondering if they had a clue.

"Hello boys. Just wondering-"

"EFFY! 'AV ANOTHER DRINK WITH US!" 

They slammed two shot glasses filled with a dark liquid on the table in front of me that I knew was no good. I shook my head.

"Oh no, I'm fine."

They all picked up their own glasses, raising them in anticipation for me to join. I sighed.

"C'monnnn," they all said.

"Well...fuck it, alright," I said, picking up my glasses.  I knew it wouldn't lead to any great outcome, but I might as well have done it while I could. They all cheered and began a loud, obnoxious countdown.

"Three, two, one!" 

I looked around at them as they all proceeded to dump both shots of whatever into their mouths at once. I winced dreading the what was to come to me.  Before they could see that I hadn't yet done anything, I tipped back both shot glasses.  It was a horrible mixture of bitter, sour, and completely painful tastes.  I made a face that could probably be equal to one that had just eaten a hundred limes.  I could hear them all yelling about the aftertaste.  It was all that I could not to spit it out at that moment.  

"YEAAH! EFFY!"

I felt a few thwacks on the back as they congradulated me on practically consuming an acidic substance that burned my throat.  My eyes watered as I managed a smile at them.  They chuckled at me, as they discussed "washing down" the shot with their pints of beer.  Jamie handed me his pint, explaining that it really did help 'cool things down'.  I didn't think twice, wanting any relief possible and taking a huge gulp of it.  I wiped my mouth, and already felt the buzz kicking in.  There must have been something seriously heavy in those shot concoctions.  Fancy drinks never settled well with me.

"Anyways, I was gonna ask..." I started.  "I was gonna ask.."

What was I going to ask? 

They all looked at me as I stuggled to remember what I was doing there in the first place.  I squinted at them as my vision blurred slightly.  I regretted all of it.

"You were gonna ask us...?" Andy said, trying to get something out of me.

I thought hard, but still nothing came to. 

"Haven't any idea actually.." I said, frowning.

"ANOTHER ROUND THEN!" Matt shouted happily over at the bar tender. 

When I found out that I was yet again included in this, deciding to just get it over with, I acted like it was no big deal. I was always a sucker for peer pressure in school.

I sufficed the next two shots followed by another chug of beer, before I still had the mindset to stop myself.  I walked away from the three riotous boys and realized how unstable I was, swaying back in forth a bit.

"Shit," I muttered with coherence.  I sprinted (as best as possible) back to the bathroom as I suddenly felt rather unpleasant. I discovered that all the beverages that I had just downed in the last twenty minutes were making their way back up.  You can guess what happened next, and it wasn't pretty. Sticking my face over a toilet was a feeling I had forgotten. Although it did allow me to feel incedibly better and collect more of my senses, with a few splashes of cold water I was already on my way to sober recovery.  It was then, being once again in that god-awful bathroom, that my intital thought came back to me. 

Alex. Of course. 

But, I wasn't sure I wanted to talk to him until I was completely level-headed.  I wasn't sure how long it would be.  There were so many things going round and round in my brain.  

Gathering my things, I felt it was definitely just time to leave.  I said my goodbyes to his band mates and a few of the studio guys, and made my way out of the bar.  Stepping out into the damp and chilly air, I walked to the corner, waiting to call a cab.  Hearing a few voices behind me, I looked around down the side of the dark pub building to see several people smoking, making the air hazy.  But then I saw Alex, farthest away.  And a girl with him.  I watched as they spoke closely to one another, passing a cigarette back and forth.  My heart sunk.  I knew it was my fault, though.  I did have the ignorant ability to enforce that 'we were just friends' to everyone tonight, didn't I? Wasn't he allowed to go on his way? I made it horribly unclear if our kiss meant anything, didn't I? 

I walked home that night, and didn't mind the cold.