Bigger Boys & Stolen Sweethearts - Alex Turner

24. Too Much To Ask

Matt didn't even have to ask me what was wrong after we left that gig, he put the pieces together himself that something about Arabella had set me off into wanting to leave, even though I don't think he knew she was there, nor what I had found out. That was until the following Friday, when Amy visited us at lunch to invite us over to her place for some drinks that night. By us I mean literally everyone but me.

"My parents are out so I'm just having a little thing, you can drink and smoke and whatever just be gone by the morning," she was saying as we all stood around in our usual spot by the smoke screen that I was leaning against because I knew I wasn't included in this conversation. Amy did not like me. For valid reason too.

Jamie had his arm around her. They worked well together. "What about me? Can I stay over?" he asked her, a goofy grin on his cheeks.

Amy grinned, "of course you can."

"What time was this again?" Nick asked.

"Any time after like seven thirty," Amy said, her blonde hair sitting in her signature Dutch braids that ran down her shoulders.

"Aight, I'll just be a bit late I finish work at eight so I'll come after then," Nick said.

"Easy," Amy smiled.

"Ay, Ames, can Al come too?" Jamie asked for me. God I felt like a criminal under her gaze. She didn't look happy about it, she and Arabella had in common that they didn't care if you knew they didn't like you. They were both open about it.

"Yeah fine," Amy said with a sigh, "but don't even think of talking to her Turner or I will literally kick you out."

I swallowed the hard lump in my throat and nodded. "Okay," I said quietly. I hated being the villain. It was like I was never going to live it down. I didn't even want to go anymore because I knew I wasn't welcome but Matt, Jamie and Nick wouldn't have it.

"It's fine Alex, I mean it, you're welcome to come," Amy said upon seeing my guilty expression. "But I really don't think she would want you to talk to her, she doesn't know yet okay so just keep yer distance."

I nodded again.

But I felt ill at the idea of being at the same place as Arabella again. School was different. She avoided me. I rarely saw her in the halls anymore. Only first period. But at a place like Amy's house we'd be stuck in close vicinity. And I'm not sure either of us were ready for that.

"I don't want to go if I'm not wanted," I was saying to Matt as he drove me home that afternoon. "I'd rather stay home."

"You are wanted," Matt said, "yer just nervous cause Arabella is going to be there but you two don't even have to acknowledge ya. You'll know everyone there anyway so it's not like ya won't have anyone to talk to."

"I know but..." I sighed and shrugged. "Just feels a bit shit."

"I know man," Matt nodded. "Obviously you don't have to but it'll be more fun if yer there. It can only go so wrong."

"Arabella could kill me," I stated.

"She might do yeah," Matt nodded. "Have you two spoken since...you know?"

I shook my head, "don't think she'd ever want to. She'd found someone new anyway..."

Matt nodded as I confirmed his suspicions. "Don't beat yerself up over it Al," he said softly as he pulled into my driveway. "I'll come round seven twenty."

"Aight, see you then," I said and got out of the car and made my way inside my miserable house. I just felt like pure shit really. It was like this constant depressive episode I was stuck living every day. I felt like my arrival would ruin everyone's fun and I could already imagine Arabella taking one look at me and storming out.