No. 1 Party Anthem// Alex Turner

20 Courage

Arabella's pov
For days, I tortured myself with the thought of Alex and his song. I made a conclusion: If I wanted that song to be about me so bad, I couldn't stop thinking about him and I enjoyed every second I spent with him, I might have probably liked him, but I wasn't sure and those questions were hunting me; although, the real question I kept wondering was if he liked me back.
My obsession with thoughts was clearly visible, since Chase came to my house, just to talk to me. We sat on the couch and my dog reached us to lay on my lap and sleep. «What's wrong with you lately?» he asked me.
I didn't know if I should have told him the truth or just pretended like nothing was wrong. «Why?»
«You've been acting all weird.» he said bringing his right ankle to his left knee.
«Weird how?» I asked, petting my dog.
«Like- I don't know, you never go out, when we rehearse I don't see your energy and you don't look as exited as usually for the European tour.»
I slowly nodded butting the inner of my cheek, avoiding eye contact looking at my dog. «I'm just a little tired.» I lied.
«Tired? Okay, I get you don't wanna talk about it, but I noticed.» he said. I frowned and he raised his eyebrows. «I've seen how you stared at Alex during the music video and how you looked at the girl and how interested you were about her.» he said. I pressed my lips onto each other not knowing what to say, but I knew my cheeks were red. «Did something happen between you two or you just like him?» he asked.
I sighed. «I don't know... I don't even know what to do.»
«Let me tell you this,» he said, fixing his posture. «If you like him, tell him, instead if something happened, tell Jess and he'll beat the fuck out of him.» he said.
I softly giggled for the last sentence and then, my smile slowly disappeared. «What if he rejects me? What if he's dating someone else?»
«Nothing will happen, if he rejects you, besides being an asshole, there might be some awkwardness, but that's it. If he's dating someone else he'll tell you and that's it. If he rejects you, you can always tell Jess and he'll beat the fuck out of him.»
I smiled. «Right, maybe I should tell him.» I waited a second to think and Chase petted my dog. «But what should I tell him?»
«...That you like him?» Chase said more as a question. «Go there and say: "Alex, I like you.".»
I shook my head and looked at him. «It's not that easy.»
«We could invite all the Monkeys for a drink to celebrate the new single, if he rejects you, it won't be so awkward since there's everybody else. Go out for a smoke and if I see you coming back without your bra I know what happened.»
I smiled again. «Right, but I won't be the one to call... and what should I wear?»
He shrugged. «Ask Evie, not me.»

I looked at the reflect of the mirror in front of me. «I look like a whore.»
«You always dress like this on stage.» Evie fought back.
I turned around to face her. «On stage,» I repeated. «not daily, I'm scared he'll think I'm a whore.»
«Stop it, you look amazing.»
She made me wear an outfit I wore in a gig in America: Black leather flared jeans, that only made catch a glimpse of the Destroy red boots, from a vintage store, I was wearing; and a black corset-top in leather, with a fixed halter neck, a plunging neckline, silver-toned eyelets and a pointed hem.
«Come on, you got some great boobs, show 'em to the world.» she said, seeing me not fully convinced
I sighed. «We're late, we have to go.» I said.

It was already dark outside when we arrived in front of the pub. It was a colder night than usual, so I wore my cheetah print coat.
The Arctic Monkeys arrived, Nick with his girlfriend, as well as Jamie and Matt. I let out a sight of relief when I saw Alex alone. We found a free booth that could fit all of us and we sat down, with a beer each. «Song's great.» Jess said.
I was sitting between Chase and Evie, facing Matt and his girlfriend Breana; I occasionally glanced Alex, who was sitting between Breana and Jamie, that had Katie on his side and she had Jess. «Also the video,» Chase said. «whose idea was?»
Matt spoke before the others. «Mine,» he proudly said. «Focus Creeps gave us a camera and told us to film, so I thought it was cool to film in a car.»
We started talking about anything and I saw Alex unusually on his phone. He couldn't take his eyes off of it, which was weird, he barely used it.
I was so stressed since I didn't know how and when to tell him, so I stood up. «I'm going out for a smoke.» I announced.
Alex looked at his phone and then at me. «Uh, I'm coming with you.» he said.
Chase and Evie smiled at me trying to contain their excitement. I forgot my coat, but I thought it would have been too awkward if I got back inside to take it. I could resist though, I wasn't in New York anymore.
I lit a cigarette, so did Alex and I looked at my boots, trying to find the courage to talk to him. I cleared my voice. «Alex, I- I wanted to tell you something.» I started. My mouth was drier than ever, I could barely swallow. I took a big breath and let my throat spit all the words. «Alex I like you,» I said. «I- I don't know what I want, but I wanna be with you Alex.» I said, forgetting all my insecurities.
The moment those words left my mouth, a taste of iron filled it.
A beautiful, beautiful brunette girl stepped next to Alex, putting her arm around his shoulders. A pearl-white smile glowed between her full red lips. Her green eyes smiled with her mouth. «Hey.» she said to Alex, he then laid her gaze on me. «You're Arabella, right? From Major Mess.»
I was still shocked. I thought she heard me, but clearly she didn't and I swallowed the lump in my throat, to then nod.
«I love your band.» she smiled.
I tried to fake a smile, but my face seemed paralysed.
I prepared myself to that kind of situation, but I still felt like shit.
«Oh my God you're corset is amazing... and look at your boots, ugh I love your outfit.» she said.
I swore in my mind and pretended like I didn't with a smile on my face. Alex was staring at me silently.
«I'm Arielle by the way.»
«Well, I should go now,» I said. «it was lovely to meet you.»
I then walked away, with my phone in my hands, texting Chase and telling him to take my coat before leaving. "I'm sorry, Bel" he wrote. He understood what happened.

As soon as I got back home, I let myself cry and with a bottle of red wine, I did some researches.
It didn't take much to find an article that said:
"Alex Turner greeted by new girlfriend Arielle Vandenberg at LAX
Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner was greeted in the arrivals hall of LAX airport by his girlfriend Arielle Vandenberg. Vandenberg planted a big kiss on the rocker after jumping into his arms and wrapping her legs around him. The couple were first photographed together in September 2011."

I looked for some pictures of Arielle and it just made me sadder. I wondered if she knew we kissed. I felt angry, disappointed and sad, he kissed me while he was dating someone else.
I didn't want to speak to him again, the first time I did, he ruined my reputation, the second time, I found out he cheated on his girlfriend. That was it.