In Denial | Alex Turner

XV

I woke up from a light nudge on my right shoulder. I slowly opened my eyes, facing the TV that was now just a black screen. The lights were still on and everything was scarily quiet.

It didn't take long for me to realise that I had fallen asleep on Alex's chest. I looked up from where I had just lifted my head from and met his tired eyes looking at me with a wholesome smile planted on his lips.

"Didn't mean to wake you, darlin'," he whispered so he didn't wake everyone else up.

"It's okay," I yawned silently as I ran a hand through my hair, putting it back in place.

"D'ya want to get out of 'ere?" he asked with his warm smile still painted on his playful lips. I wondered if they tasted like tobacco.

"Sure," I shrugged, smirking at him.

-

"So, how'd yer end up here in New York?" he asked full of curiosity as he leant back on his seat.

We were sitting at his balcony, smoking and talking, while the cold January breeze hit our faces gently. His balcony was surprisingly small and narrow and could barely fit a table and two chairs.

The view was breathtaking and romantic. All of Manhattan's street lights were flickering and the city's high buildings were lit up in different colours.

"Well," I let some smoke out, leaning back on the cold black chair. "I left Paris when I was around 18," I started explaining while looking at all the buildings. "I left because I wanted a new and fresh start, you know? But living here on my own is much harder than I had expected," I admitted, forming a straight line with my lips.

"Yeh, I get that," Alex's look was fulled of empathy and every question he asked was a genuinely curious one, which made me happy.

"What about you?" I asked, knocking the unwanted ash off my cigarette.

"I initially visited as a part of a tour, but then fell in love with the city," he smiled, looking away from my eyes and meeting the city's vivid lights.

"It's true that the city is captivating," I admitted, taking a drag of my cigarette and feeling the sweet toxins filling in my lungs.

"When are you guys planning on releasing a new album again?" I asked again after some moments of silence passed. It was a comfortable silence as we both inspected every detail of the image laid in front of us.

"We'll probably be done with it by September of next 'ear," he explained, pressing the cancer stick in the grey ashtray on the table between us.

"Have you started writing it yet?" I did the same with mine before blowing out one last puff.

"I've' ad ideas," he chuckled softly, looking straight into my eyes. The sight of his honey-painted eyes made me crack a smile which I tried hiding with a cheek bite.

"I'd be delighted to hear them then, Alexander," I stood up from my seat.

"Who said you'll be 'earing them any time soon, love?" he stood up from his, walking over to me.

"Me," I smirked and turned my body to face him as he walked dangerously close to me.

"You'll be the last one to 'ear, darling," he put a hand on my shoulder as our faces were now inches apart once again.

"Oh, will I?" I placed my hand on his exposed collarbone and then ran my cold fingers along it, enjoying his reaction.

"What?" I chuckled innocently as he bit his bottom lip, gazing down on me with a smirk.

"You're also bad at pretending, aren't ya," he laughed softly as he started rubbing my shoulder. We were whispering, feeling each other's breaths on our skin.

"Oh, fuck off, Turner," I giggled and turned around, breaking the tension we had built in the past few minutes. 

"Yer wearing me shirt," he pointed out as we stepped back in the warmth of the flat.

"Don't flatter yourself," I rolled my eyes as I watched him close the balcony door.

"You take the bed," he took his coat off.

"And let you sleep here?" I scoffed. "'Course not, Alexander," I rolled my eyes.

"Are you sure?" a smirk found its way up in his lips.

"Yes," I rolled my eyes. "You need to give me clothes, though, I don't have any."

"Sure thing, darlin'," he led me up to his bedroom after I had left my coat on his settee.

He pulled out a pair of black sweats and a white plain t-shirt, asking me if I was okay with them. He let me change, leaving the room and then came back in his pyjama pants and a grey t-shirt. It was nice seeing him in comfortable clothes. 

"Goodnight, Bella," he was almost whispering as we got underneath the bedsheets.

"'Night, Alexander," I smiled as I whispered back, half asleep. I could feel him grinning on the other side of the bed.

At that point I froze. Why was I staying at his? We had never agreed on me staying overnight, had we?

What really mattered, though, was that he wanted me to stay.

-

I was awakened by three bangs on the front door. I jumped at the sound of them and swallowed a lump that had formed in my throat.

I looked at the clock on the nightstand; 10am. I looked to my left, searching for Alex's figure under the bedsheets but he wasn't there.

"Alex, if you don't open up the fucking door!" 

Oh, no, this is bad.

Oh, fuck, this is bad.