alexander- a.t

45. saturday afternoon, june 2014

Matt walked to the only place he could think that she would be. He needed to talk to her even if they hadn't spoken in years. What a way to reconnect, ay?

Sure enough there she was, in the bakery in conversation with someone he assumed to also work there. Carla noticed him first and knowing Arctic Monkeys let out a small "oh shit" as he walked with purpose to the counter.

"Luna, I need to talk to you." He demanded. She turned to face him and he saw the same look on her face as he had just witnessed on Alex's. What the fuck had happened between these two?

"Do me a favour, Matt and go fuck yourself" She spat. Matt brushed it off, knowing the circumstances.

"I understand that you're angry, Luna and you have every right but I really need to talk to you." He said calmly. Luna looked at Carla who nodded and she sighed.

"Fine." She sighed.

Walking with Matt reminded her of the night her and Brian had argued and he bought her a packet of cigarettes. As she smoked one to calm herself, she felt somewhat at peace with that wholesome memory.

"Look, what you said to Alex was fair but Lu I think you broke him." He said it lightheartedly which threw her off somehow.

"Good." She stated. "I hope he builds himself back up into a better person." Matt sighed and sat on a bench on the side of the road.

"I only know a brief outline of what happened between you two, given to me shall I say this morning." He confessed. Luna snapped her head at him, realising Alex had never told them what had happened. "But, Alex is going through such a rough time right now. You probably don't care but I thought I'd just enlighten you on the situation." He paused for a moment to see if she would object but she didn't.

"I'm not going to feel pity for him, Matt." She pointed out.

"I'm not asking you to" he replied before continuing. "Look, when Alex returned to Sheffield those years ago he really just wanted to be alone. The break up with Alexa shook him and ripped him of all feelings he had. When he broke up with Joanna, he was sad yes but he got over it healthily. With Alexa, we had to force him to go home and remember who he was as she had basically ripped him of everything by leaving him. He came back a new man, I'm assuming that was thanks to you."

Luna scoffed.

"Anyway, he had that same look in his eye as he did back in the boardwalk days. Back when we were just teenagers jamming in your back garden." He paused, thinking where to go next. "But, he never mentioned what happened between you two. He always said he was going to go back soon just for a weekend but then one day he showed up with Arielle on his arm."

Luna looked away. She didn't know whether she could handle hearing another story about someone breaking Alex's heart.

"Alex decided not to come back to Sheffield. We don't know why but then he started to see Arielle more and eventually they started dating. They were good together but then Alex fucked it up." Matt rolled his eyes.

"How?" She asked.

"Not sure. They were so good for ages but Alex started to...well...never be sober. It was all fun and games when we went on night outs but he would be the one to go too far and ruin it for everyone. Anyway, Arielle didn't like it and he told her he couldn't do it with her anymore because it wasn't right or some bullshit." He explained.

"Basically, Alex is seriously fucked up in the head right now when it comes to girls and I believe that if Arielle would have stayed away for a bit, he would've come back to be with you." He stated.

"But, he didn't come back. He didn't call or explain or anything." She pointed out. Matt nodded.

"I think we've established that his judgements aren't all hat great" he noted. "But, Luna I know you feel guilty for creating this Alex but you didn't. It's the industry, it's crippling and Alex is so talented that it's eating him alive. All these high profile girlfriends didn't help either." Luna looked away. "It's hard to understand when you're not living through it but you just gotta cut him some slack once in a while. Everyday is hard enough for him at the moment."

Luna wiped a stray tear.

"Fuck you, Matt." She laughed, he smiled slightly. "I was really mean to him." She pointed out.

"I know" he laughed. "And that's fair but you did completely shatter him. I've never seen a grown man cry that much." His lowered his tone. Luna let out a sharp breath.

"He just hurt me, is all. I just wanted him to feel how I felt." She explained.

"I'm not saying what you did was wrong I just wanted you to know how it affected him. He didn't get the chance to see how his words or lack of affected you and look where we ended up." Luna wanted to hit Matt because he was right but it didn't seem at all fair.

"This may be out of order but...I think you should give him a shot." He sat back slightly. Luna raised her eyebrows.

"Why's that?" She wondered. Matt chewed his lip, looking away.

"He's been hung up on you since we were sixteen. It's clear that he's in love with you, just give him a chance." He seemed to beg. Luna absorbed his words but her face was sad which couldn't be good in Matt's eyes.

"I can't, Matt." She sighed.

"Sorry. I forgot you have a boyfriend." He leant back on the bench, deflated. She stared at her lap.

"No...thats not it. Adam's not my boyfriend anymore but...that's not the thing." She stumbled over her words while Matt tried to decipher what she was saying. "I'm moving to Paris, in two weeks." She confessed. Matt snapped his head to her.

"What?" He asked rather loudly. All he could think about was how Alex was going to flip when he found out.

"I got into a culinary school over there. I'm planning on expanding my bakery business." She explained. Matt didn't know what to say.

"Well, congratulations! That sounds good for you." He smiled, patting her on the leg. She smiled, knowing that he would rather her stay and be with Alex.

"Matt, I love Alex too. Unfortunately he won me over all those years ago and I haven't been quite able to get over him. The phone calls over the years haven't really helped either but i won't let anything get in the way of my dream. I broke up with Adam because of this, I can't stay because of Alex, it wouldn't be right." She explained. Matt nodded.

"Can you do me a favour and talk to him?" He asked.

"Tell him to meet me at Dazie's Cafe tomorrow morning. I promise I won't go off on him." She demanded. Matt nodded and they both stood up.

"Okay. He'll be there." He smiled. "If I don't see you, good luck with everything and have an amazing time in Paris." He held out his arms and Luna collapsed into them. "And if he doesn't say it then I'm sorry that he treated you this way."