alexander- a.t

4. saturday, september 2003

"Alexander! You made it." Luna grinned as she opened the door. "Hey Matt" she waved over Alex's shoulder and let them both in.

"Thanks for having us, Luna." He told her. She seemed extremely excitable, he couldn't decide whether it was because of the gathering or something else.

"No problem! I'm so happy you're here" She squeezed Alex's arm as they walked through her house and out into the garden. "Do you guys want a drink?" She walked over to the big table of drinks.

"Beer, thanks." Matt said, Alex mumbled a yes and she passed them two beers.

On the lawn chairs were Brian, Jamie, Nick, Andy, Joanna and Katie. Matt sat next to Jamie while Alex looked for a space. The only available space seemed to be next to Joanna so he sat there.

"Hey, Alex. Need me to open that for you?" She asked. Alex looked down at his beer and then up at her.

"Uh, you have a bottle opener?" He assumed. She shook her head, taking the bottle from him and placing the cap in her mouth. His eyes widened as she snapped the lid off with her teeth.

"Party trick." She shrugged, giving it back to him.

"You terrify me." He laughed, she laughed back as he placed the beer to his lips.

"Babe can you start the barbecue please?" Luna asked Brian, who was smoking and talking to Andy. Alex watched as he rolled his eyes but smiled at Luna, agreeing.

Joanna started to talk to Katie so Alex just watched his new found friends talk amongst themselves. Matt seemed to get on well with Jamie, they had a lot in common. Luna was standing next to the barbecue while Brian ran her through what to do, Alex could tell she was pretending to understand.

Suddenly, her head snapped towards the inside of the house and her face lit up. Alex sat up in his chair, tapping his bottle in anticipation of who was going to come back with her. It ended up being Harry and a boy around their age with the same haircut as Alex.

Harry went straight to Brian and corrected him on what he was doing on the barbecue, which entertained Alex. Luna told him to leave Brian alone so he smirked and raised his hands as if he was surrendering. He caught Alex's eye and smiled, making his way over with his friend.

"Hey Alex. Fancy seeing you here." He held out his hand as Alex stood up and took it, doing some weird bro hand shake. "This my mate, Miles. He's from Liverpool." He motioned to his friend with the hair. They did the same handshake.

"Nice to meet you." Alex said politely. "How do you guys know each other?" He wondered. Harry and Miles smiled at each other.

"Met at a strokes concert not long ago." Harry replied. Alex had never seen Harry in this environment. Usually he was the kid who never spoke in Psychology and now he's the laid back cool guy that goes to concerts of bands that Alex had never heard of.

"Oh I don't know them." Alex admitted, earning a loud cry from Miles.

"Mate, you have to listen to the strokes. Look, I'll give Harry my CD to give to you. Have a listen, your mind will be blown" Miles was very animated, using his hands a lot when he spoke. Alex liked it, it made him laugh.

"Okay, I will." He grinned. A hand was thrown over Miles' shoulder and Luna appeared.

"What you talking about?" She asked, holding a beer in her hand. Miles rested his head on hers.

"We're trying to get Alex to listen to the Strokes." Harry recalled. Luna's eyes lit up.

"Ah, Alex they're fucking mental!" She beamed. Alex grinned wildly. "You what Al? Get a leather jacket and some gel in that hair and you'd be the fittest lad in Sheffield" she flirted. Alex didn't know how to react so he just laughed with Miles and Harry.