Bad Decisions - Alex Turner

26. The Mourning After

  It was the gradual pain in my head that slowly woke me up. I barely moved a muscle. Only my eyelids slowly peeling apart as I became aware of the soft pillow under my head that half my face was squashed into. My head felt swollen. Everything just felt like mush. I hadn't been this hungover in years.

How the hell did I get home? I thought to myself as my eyes adjusted to the room. Everything was dark. Is it night? No. The light was just off and the curtains had been drawn. Whoever had helped me to bed the night before must've known that sunlight and hangovers do not mesh well. I groggily lifted my head and rubbed the sleep from my eyes, blinking a couple of times and looking around my room. Only...it wasn't my room. It wasn't Christian's place either.

Please don't tell me you went home with some random, I begged internally and then my eyes landed on a chest of drawers that looked all too familiar. My suspicions were confirmed about twenty minutes later when there was a soft knock at my door and in stepped...

"Alex?" I mumbled, looking up from the pillow I'd sunk back into. He had a glass of water and some aspirin in his hands and a soft smile on his cheeks.

"How you holding up?" he asked quietly and walked around the bed, sitting next to where I was lying and putting the water and tablets on the bedside table.

"My head's killing me," I said. "I'm so sorry for last night. Fuck I'm such an idiot. How did I get here?"

"Didn't want to let you catch a cab home on yer own," Alex said. He was dressed in sweats and a t shirt that clung to his chest and no where else.

"I'm so sorry," I said, filled to the brim with regret. I felt beyond terrible. "I didn't ruin the night did I?"

"No definitely not," Alex smiled. "You were the life of the party, love. You'd just had a lot to drink and I didn't want ya alone so we convinced ya to come back with me. You weren't a problem love, just very energetic and easily humoured."

"Thank you for putting up with me," I said guiltily. He was under no obligation and did so anyway. "God, I don't deserve it. Thank you so much."

"I still owe ya remember?" Alex chuckled, looking down at me, "I think I need to make up at least another three times for every time I showed up at yer place so until then, I'm just repaying me depts."

I managed a laugh and pushed myself up to sit against the headboard. He'd given me his room to sleep in.

"Arielle did stay with ya by the way," Alex commented. I looked at him, confused. "You asked her to stay with ya and she said she would and that it would be like a 'sleepover' or summat. You two were basically joined at the hip all night," he chuckled. "She had to leave at two, but she was 'ere."

"It's passed two?" I exclaimed. "Shit."

I rubbed a hand over my face, "sorry for stealing your girlfriend too."

Alex shrugged with a chuckle, "she kicked me out into the guest room as well. You guys were laughing till about six in the mornin'."

"I'm sorry," I winced at the thought of being kept up so early.

"You two get on well huh?" he smiled.

"You were right from the beginning," I said. Alex smiled softly and then handed me the water and aspirin tablet.

"I'm sure yer head's being a pain," he said as I took the tablet and downed the whole glass of water. "You can stay as long as you need and I'm happy to give you a lift back to yer place."

"Thank you," I said gratefully. "I owe you big time."

"Nah you don't," Alex smiled and brought me in for a warm hug. "You know, despite the first time when you tossed up in the bush, you hold yer liquor well."