Maybe It's Been You All Along - Alex Turner

4

  Alex sat back picking at the strings on his electric guitar that sat on his lap. It wasn't plugged in so failed to make any sound. Across from him was Jamie sitting laid back on a parallel settee and adjacent to him was Nick. Beside Alex sat Matt, twiddling his drumsticks between his fingers. They were in the middle of some pointless chatter, tossing jokes between them, snarky comments, whatever it be to keep them entertained.

  They were having a kickback at Matt's residence, called to discuss the direction of their upcoming album. The 'meeting' did start with the topic of album then slowly dispersed into other unrelated topics.

  The band loved Alex's songs once he finally gave in to showing them. Each adding their own flare when it came to putting together the music behind the lyrics.

  Alex limited himself to one beer whilst his friends downed their second bottles. He was being strict on himself and everyone around him noticed it and respected him for his decision. Still, with the absence of alcohol, Alex was having a good time, laughing over and over, the smile never quite leaving his face.

  They were now playing a game of Pictionary, Alex and Matt on one team with Jamie and Nick on the other. Matt wheezed every time it was Alex's turn as he wasn't the best artist—he had the ideas, just not the drawing ability.

  "How is that Titanic?" Matt laughed as Alex tried to explain his drawing to them.

  "It's Leonardo DiCaprio, see with his arms out on the ship," Alex pointed to the pieces of the work he was describing.

  "Al that's a fucking rock with sticks on either side of it," Nick said, sending the boys into a fit of laughter.

  "Ah fuck off O'Malley, that's the best drawing I've ever seen," Alex joked.

  "Alex that thing doesn't even look alive," Jamie said.

  Alex hung his head and laughed, dropping his pen. "You're all wankers," he chuckled.

  Matt whipped out his phone, "you've got to get a photo with it before you walk off and sulk."

  Alex rolled his eyes and lifted the piece of paper with his artwork next to his face and looked at Matt who snapped a photo in between heaves of laughter.

  "I don't want that anywhere but," Alex said, pointing at Matt.

  "Too late, Sunshine," Matt smiled and sent the photo to Rosanna.

  Matt's phone sounded and he opened it up to see that he'd received a message back from her. "Rosanna said she's getting it framed," Matt laughed.

  Alex groaned with a smile and slumped back into the settee. He grabbed his half-filled bottle of beer and lifted it to his mouth. He licked the taste of liquor off his lips as he lowered the bottle and put it back on the coffee table by his feet.

  Rosanna was out with Andy doing something or other. He'd driven over from Manchester that afternoon and had her in his arms ever since.

  Alex wasn't going to lie to himself. Seeing his best friend in such a happy and stable relationship made him a little jealous that he didn't have the same. He was still undoubtedly happy for her but it still made him feel sorry for himself. Especially seeing that she was with a guy like Andy out of anyone. She could do so much better, he thought. Andy couldn't, or wouldn't, give her half the things she deserved but she would offer him the world.

  He wanted what they had-minus the long distance separating them. He thought he had that with Alexa but everyone knew how that turned out.

  He mentally punched himself when in came the thought of "I could treat her so much better than he can." He stopped drinking the beer after that. It freaked him out really, made him a little unsettled. Where the fuck did that come from?