Maybe It's Been You All Along - Alex Turner

3

  Both left the meeting with Alex's publicist fairly unhappy. Apparently, photos had risen of Alex drunk off his arse on countless occasions. It wasn't something that was easily taken care of either. Once drunken pictures of a celebrity rise, every piece of press they do, anyone they encounter will question if they are an alcoholic. Rumours of being an alcoholic were hard to diminish, especially with photographic evidence.

  Alex could care less about the public opinion on him. It was only when Rosanna expressed her concern for him that he began to feel guilty. Sometimes Alex wished he could just produce music and play for those who enjoyed it on tours without the keychain of becoming a 'celebrity' and everyone sticking their noses in his business. It was easier to live his life when no one gave a shit who he was. Now he had a 'reputation' to uphold and honestly, he couldn't think of anything more boring.

  Alex was in a fairly sour mood as they left his publicist's building, he hated being told what he could and couldn't do because it would "taint his reputation". It made him feel like shit that his self-destructive actions were now not only affecting him and his friends, but now his professional life and was becoming a problem all round. He didn't want to be consistently drinking himself rotten every time he went out but then Alexa would find her way into his mind and in those moments, drinking her away seemed to be the only way to get rid of her. He knew everyone was fed up with his behaviour and he didn't want to be reminded of how irresponsible he was being as of late. So to be given a lecture about it by his publicist really tainted his mood.

  In an attempt to cheer him up, Rosanna suggested they stop by his favourite diner to grab something to eat. So they sat there, one sitting on either side of the table pushed against a tall window. The light was slowly dimming outside, casting orange and pink stripes across the cloudy sky that had parted just enough to give the citizens of Sheffield one half of a beautiful sunset.

  The neon signs crackled inside the diner, shining pink and blue reflecting off the tiles and red PVC covered booths. Alex sat slouched over the table with his hand balanced under his chin. Rosanna sat with her phone in her hand, typing away at something that illuminated her face with a bright white light.

  Alex lazily lifted a chip off his plate and chewed off one end of it and flicked his eyes up to meet Rosanna's.

  "Are you done with that now?" Alex asked, mentioning her phone. "'Cause when you have it out I feel like you don't wanna talk to me."

  Rosanna shut off her phone and put it face down on the table. "I was just telling Jamie how the meeting went."

  Alex nodded his head with a chuckle, "right. Not tellin' them how hopeless I am?"

  Rosanna gave him a look and he nodded an sat up, running his tongue along the inside of his mouth. She took a sip of the Mexican cola she ordered and sat back in the booth.

  "Yer not mad are ya?" Alex asked, chewing on his lip.

  "Mad about what?" Rosanna asked, crossing her legs under the table.

  Alex let out a forced laugh, "I dunno, fuck, everything?"

  Rosanna softened her eyebrows at him. "You're gonna have to define 'everything', Al."

  "So you are mad at me?" Alex asked a little more seriously.

  "No," Rosanna started carefully. "I'm just-"

  "Don't say 'disappointed'," Alex interrupted, "I can't fucking bare that word."

  "I'm not mad Al, and I'm not disappointed," Rosanna said.

  "Then what are ya?" Alex asked, picking at the skin around his fingernails nervously.

  Rosanna shrugged and looked to the window at the passers by as if to collect her thoughts, then looked back at Alex. "You're going to hate this," Rosanna said carefully, "but...Al...I'm just worried."