Stay | Arctic Monkeys Fanfiction

Fourteen- I Heard That You Fell In Love, Or Near Enough

"Are you okay?" Luke asked me.

I snapped my eyes away from the spot where Alex had been. "Huh?"

"You look worried," he said. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," I said, looking back toward the door. "Just... hold on a second. I'll be right back."

I moved past him before he could say anything else and went straight for the door, pushing my way through the crowd. I quickly shoved open the door and stepped out into the street, my eyes scanning every empty space for Alex.

But he was gone, vanished somewhere into the night.

Huh.

Why had he even bothered coming at all if he was just going to leave? I'd told him on the phone earlier that day that I was going to be here, so surely he'd come to talk to me about what happened. So why had he left as soon as he'd found me?

I was still trying to figure it out as I made my way back into the pub, finding Luke standing where I'd left him.

"Everything alright?" he asked me.

"I don't know," I answered truthfully, pulling out my phone.

"Well, this might not be a good time, but I've gotta hit the road," he said. "We're playing a show in London tomorrow. But I think we'll be back this way within the next few days."

"That's nice," I said, scrolling through my phone to find Alex's name in my contacts.

He laughed, causing me to pull my eyes up to him. "What?"

"I'd like to see you again, Emilia," he said, grinning. "I was kind of trying to hint at that."

I just looked at him for a moment. "Why?"

He shrugged. "I guess I just have a soft spot for broken hearted girls in love with soon to be married men."

I glared but was unable to help myself from laughing.

"But really," he said, "You seem like you need a friend. One that understands whats it's like to love someone who doesn't love you back. Because trust me, Emilia, we're in the same boat right now."

"Really?"

He nodded, and even though I saw a sadness pass through his eyes, he kept a smile on his face. "But mine's a bit worse. She got married back in October. I mean, I was even at the wedding, but yet I still can't find it in me to let go of her."

"Shit."

"Yeah," he said. "I never told her how I felt, never tried to make a move. And now my chance is gone."

"I'm sorry," I told him, and I really meant it. Luke had been nothing but a genuinely great guy to me so far, and he didn't deserve to feel the same shit I was feeling.

He shook his head dismissively. "Don't worry about it. The heartbreak gave me some good writing material."

"I know what that's like," I said just as the guy who'd been on stage with him earlier approached.

"We gotta get going, mate," he said to Luke, smiling a bit shyly at me as he handed Luke the beat up guitar he'd been playing on stage.

Luke motioned for me to give him my phone. I handed it over and he punched his number into my contacts, then gave me his to put mine in.

"I'll give you a call when we're back in town," he said as I finished putting my number in and handed it back. "If you're down for a drink or more horrible dancing or something. Or if you just need someone to talk to."