Hearts at War (A Lesbian Story).

Chapter 6

Alex's POV

"Come on babe... Come in, I'll help you release the tension from this week..." Emma attempts to bribe in a seductive voice whilst kissing my neck as we sit in my car outside her door.

"Not tonight, Em." I say sternly, beginning to get a little irritated with her constant pushing, she'd been going on at me like this for a good ten minutes. I'd usually jump at the idea of her helping me 'release the tension from this week' but tonight I just want a little time to myself. Apparently, she doesn't get that.

As she continues her ministrations down my neck I lightly push her off and give her 'the look' as Nicky calls it. The one where I mean what I say and I'm not in the mood to play games.

She sighs and exits the car in a teenage strop as she storms up to her door and slams it behind her without so much as a goodbye. I simply sigh and roll my eyes at her child like behaviour.

I rev the engine of my beloved car back to life as I put a cigarette in-between my lips and light it. As I inhale the sweet taste of the nicotine into my craving lungs I pull away and start my drive home. The traffic light is red as I approach it so I take the opportunity to blast out 'Smoke on the water' as the iconic and familiar riff from Deep Purple crashes over me at a high volume. I smile at the memory this song holds as the traffic lights proceed to green and I pull away and race home.

I pull up to my apartment complex as the last few notes of the song play out my speakers. I turn down the sound system and flick my cigarette out the window before collecting my things and exiting the car. The lock on the car gives an audible click as I walk in to the lobby and take the elevator to my apartment - too lazy to trek the several flights of stairs up to the top of the complex to my apartment. After a minute upon entering the elevator, I arrive at the top floor.

'Home sweet home.'  I think to myself.

I insert the key into the lock and unlock the door. I shut the door behind myself upon entering and rest against the smooth wood whilst releasing a long sigh. As I slowly exhale I feel all my aching bones and muscles relax and my mind stop swimming with everything relating to business.

I walk further into my open planned apartment and take an ice cold beer from the fridge and take pleasure from the satisfying noise of the cap being removed as the pressure from inside the glass bottle is released. I take a long, well deserved gulp from the heavenly (and much needed) beverage to then place it onto the black and white, marble island counter in the middle of the kitchen.

I stroll into my large bedroom and take out a pair of comfy jogging bottoms and a plain black cami top before changing into it. As I discard my work clothing into the washing machine in the kitchen I grab a hold of my beer and a take-out menu, deciding against cooking this evening.

I take a seat on my large, 'L' shaped, white leather sofa adorned with black pillows and allow myself to fall further into a relaxed state. I look out at the far wall that is made completely of glass and look at the busy streets of New York below me as night descends on 'the city that never sleeps'. I briefly tear my attention away from the beautiful sight to turn on the radio for a little background noise and call for some take-out, only to return my gaze to the window a moment later.

For the first time in a long time, I think about how much things have changed. If you told fourteen-year-old me that in ten years I'd be pretty well off, living in a high end apartment, Diane would have her own place and be living comfortably and I would be running my own software company and be well known and admired, I would have told you to fuck off. After all, when I was fourteen, Diane was working four jobs and I was working two of my own, we could barely scrape enough money together for bills and food, I never paid attention at school and I was constantly getting bullied for my clothes and overall appearance.