Alex Turner
I can't stop staring at her.
It's frustrating.
She sits in front of me as the group surrounds us in seats around the white-clothed table.
I'm not really sure why we're here. Breana and Matt suddenly insisted that we should all go back to Sheffield for the weekend and unfortunately, I had nothing else to do, which means I'm now following everyone around whilst they catch up with family.
However, tonight Matt and Breana decided to be fancy and drag us all to a posh restaurant in the centre. Stupidly, Matt invited his Mum, who refused to come unless my mum and dad tagged along, so I'm now sat at a table with my Mum and Dad, Matt's Mum, Breana, Jamie, Nick, Kelly, Katie, Bowie, Matt and thankfully, Brielle.
My mum hasn't stopped fussing over Brielle's outfit, repeatedly telling Brielle how 'gorgeous' her choice was. Although we've only been here for the most of ten minutes, my Mum has already mentioned how 'flawless' Brielle looks about twelve times. Quite honestly, I don't blame her. I'm just as obsessed with the way the sage green, fuzzy cardigan hangs loosely from her shoulders, revealing the white vest top beneath the baggy cardigan. I'm also just as obsessed with the way her denim jeans cling to the top of her legs in the right places before they flare slightly at the bottom, almost covering her dirty, white platform converse.
I'm just obsessed with her.
''He's absolutely beautiful.'' Matt and Brielle's mum coo's over Bowie as she rocks him in her arms.
''Yeah, beautiful when he's not bloody screaming the house down.'' Jamie jokes and Jill just rolls her eyes with a shake of the head.
''Brielle, love.. where is the cardigan from? I love it, you look amazing!'' My mum compliments Brielle for the fourth time tonight and I turn my head to them. Amazingly for my mum, Brielle is sat right in between her and Brielle's mum, giving my mum the perfect distance from Brielle to chat her ear off all night.
''It's from the charity shop! I'll pick you one up if I ever see one similar!'' Brielle chuckles nervously and I smile at the way her cheeks redden at my Mum's constant compliments.
''You better, I can't bloody get over it.'' My Mum sighs adoringly as she sits back in her seat with a pin straight posture- something she still nags at me to perfect.
When my Mum's attention is being dragged away by Bowie, Brielle sighs in relief as her chest lets out a big puff. I smile at the way she almost looks like she's sweating and she catches my smile, automatically upturning her lips when she looks my way.
''Hello.'' She smirks with a breathy laugh- this being the first time we've gotten a chance to speak to each other tonight.
''Bye.'' I reply and she just rolls her eyes before scanning the table.
''Why are we here?'' She says to me, keeping her voice down so not to let anyone hear.
''Not a clue.'' I shrug before she finally lays her eyes upon me again, my cheeks, like expected, reddening beneath her gaze.
''Hm... I feel like something's gonna' happen.'' She hums suspiciously and I nod in agreement.
It goes silent between Brielle and I as each of us watch the ongoing conversations across the table, neither of us engaging ourselves into any of the three conversations happening.
''What was it like getting here?'' I ask Brielle when she looks back at me from across the table.
''It wasn't too bad, traffic was alright. I'm just shattered now.'' She tells me and I nod.
''What about you? What time this morning did you set off?'' She asks.
''God..'' I try to think. ''I think.. about six in the morning?''
''Six!?'' Her eyebrows raise in shock. ''And to think I'm bloody tired!''
''Yeah but I know you and I can almost guarantee that you went to sleep late last night.'' I tilt my head questioningly and she silences herself almost instantly.
''That's a good point.'' She hums in agreement and we both smirk.
''Are we ready to order?'' A broad, northern accent comes from a tall man who stands at the end of the two tables we've pushed together to make enough room for our big group.
All of us look around the table, each of us nodding before Jill tells the man that we're alright to order. It takes fucking years for everyone to actually tell the poor man what they're wanting, but finally, he completes the order and it isn't long until our food is actually on the table in front of us.
''Are you taking the piss? Don't fucking take my food.'' Kelly says about fifteen minutes into we've actually tucked into our meals, instantly snatching the big chip that Nick just swiped off of her plate.
''You said I could have one!'' Nick exclaims as he raises his hands in question, his brows furrowed.
''I said a small chip, you greedy cunt! They're mine, you should've ordered them if you wanted them.'' I laugh as she furiously squabbles with Nick, who is now sitting with a sulky face on him.
''It's one bloody chip.'' He huffs with a shake of the head and I can see the way she prepares herself to rant.
''It's my last chip and I saved it til' last for a reason!''
''It's a bloody chip!'' He points at it as she scrapes the last piece of food from her plate.
''Yeah and it's mine, get your own.'' She places the chip into her mouth and Nick watches with a dropped jaw as she does so whilst he sits with an empty plate in front of us.
The whole table is silent with smiles as we watch the whole ordeal.
''Don't even.'' Brielle shakes her head when Nick turns to her whilst obviously eyeing up her last few remaining chips on her plate- the ones she's eagerly shuffling into her mouth.
''You're actually all fucking tight.'' Nick huffs with a shake of the head before his eyes scan every other plate on the table- all of them being empty. ''All I want is a chip.''
''Bless.'' Katie coos sarcastically and instantly, Nick is sticking the middle finger up to her. I'm sure she'd return the gesture but with her hands being full with Bowie, who lays asleep in her arms, she just sticks her tongue out.
''You're all like a bunch of bloody children.'' Jill shakes her head disappointingly, but humor present in her tone.
The rest of the table smirks like we're all a bunch of teenagers getting told off.
''I know, right? They're all gonna' have to grow up if there's gonna' be another kid around here soon.'' Breana sighs in sarcastic disappointment and I laugh along with my Dad and Nick, who are clearly missing some sort of memo because everyone else is dead silent.
Wait, what?
''Bre, what?'' Brielle asks as her head peeks around my Mum so she can see Breana, who sits at the end of the table.
''You bloody what?'' Jill seconds Brielle's shock and it's only then, when Breana and Matt each share massive, gleaming smiles, when I finally understand what Breana means.
''Surprise!'' Breana smiles nervously and I almost fucking jump out of my skin when Jill squeals and jumps up in excitement, drawing the attention of the whole, entire restaurant.
''Oh my god!'' Brielle gasps as she watches her Mum run up to Breana, her hands coming to her mouth in shock.
''Wait, you're pregnant?'' Kelly asks Breana as soon as Jill finally stops shaking poor Breana everywhere in a hug.
''Yes!'' Breana exclaims proudly and I smile at her excitement, that is until my smile is wiped away with something else.
''No fucking way.'' Nick breaks out into a fit of laughter.
''I'm bloody pregnant too!'' Kelly announces and again, the whole table gasps at the news.
This has got to be a joke.
I look over at Brielle, who still sits with her hand over her mouth in shock.
By now, everyone is up out of their seats congratulating both Kelly and Breana and of course, all I can do is smile.
''I'm going to be an aunty?'' Brielle is the last one up out of her seat to approach her brother as everyone surrounds Breana and Kelly.
''Yep.'' Matt responds with a prideful smile and again, I can't stop smiling at the clear happiness I can see him feeling at the moment.
''Oh my god!'' She squeals before throwing her arms around his neck.
I must admit, seeing Matt and Brielle hug is one rare sight.
''I thought you'd be a virgin forever.'' Brielle smirks as she hugs Matt tighter and he groans and unhooks her arms from his neck, removing himself from the hug with a sigh of disappointment.
''Prick.'' He shakes his head but I don't miss the smile of amusement on his face.
Finally, it comes to my turn to congratulate Matt, Breana, Nick and Kelly. I do have to say, it seems surreal as I stand with my best friends congratulating them on literally having their own kids. It feels like two weeks ago we were all sat on the carpet in primary arguing over pencils and now they're all starting their own families.
''You're gonna' be the babysitter when all the parents need a night off.'' Katie smirks as she walks over to me with Bowie, who's now wide awake, in her arms as everyone else talks about Kelly and Breana.
''Piss off.'' I shake my head as Katie passes Bowie over to me.
''You will, it's true.'' She shrugs as she adjusts Bowie in my arms, moving him slightly so he's more comfortable.
''I bloody won't.'' I tut as my eyes search for Brielle. I soon find her and watch as she talks to Breana. She has a huge, enthusiastic smile that graces her lips perfectly and I can't even manage to tear my eyes away from her as I watch her.
''It's so disgusting how in love you are with her.'' Katie sighs from beside me as she crosses her arms and I roll my eyes with a sigh before unwillingly dragging my eyes from Brielle.
''Shutup.''
''Have you spoke since everything?'' She refers to our 'breakup'.
''Yeah.'' I don't go into detail. Brielle and I are still agreeing to keep our 'friendship' to ourselves for now.
''She loves you back, in case you didn't know.'' Katie tells me and my brows furrow.
''How do you know?'' I ask with a frown. I already know, but I'm curious now.
''I can tell, you daft sod! It's so obvious, and you two are the only ones who don't see it.'' She spits it out as though it's something she's been wanting to say for centuries and I just stand with my eyebrows raised.
''Sorry.'' She apologizes for her random rant and I just nod before my eyes almost instantly try to find Brielle again.
It's not even something I can control. Whenever I'm not busying myself, I look for her. It's always her.
''Just saying.. if you don't steal her soon, I will, because she looks so cute tonight.'' Katie sighs and I nod.
''I don't blame you.'' I shrug in agreement and she smirks. I almost try to hide the fact that I've just blatantly called the girl I'm supposed to be broken up with 'cute', but there's no point in even hiding it anymore.
I'm so obviously in love with her.
''Are we gonna' get going?'' Jamie wanders over to Katie and I and she nods.
I hand Bowie over to Jamie, to which he, like usual, makes a joke about how I'm supposed to hate kids. I pretend to laugh like I usually do at his jokes.
Not long after, everyone slowly scatters off until there's just my Mum, my Dad, Jill and Brielle left in the restaurant. I pay for the tab we've all used tonight before all five of us resort to outside.
''Are going Bingo tomorrow night, Jill?'' My Mum asks Jill and I sigh at the fact that they're probably gonna' be stood outside for another twenty minutes talking amongst each other, so I approach Brielle.
''Where are you staying whilst you're in Sheffield then?'' I ask as we lean against the cold, brick wall of the restaurant, each of us watching our parents talk in the distance.
''I'm going back to Mum's for the weekend.'' She tells me and I nod. ''What about you?''
''My flat.'' I tell her and like myself, she nods too. ''Where's your car?'' I ask when I notice that her car isn't parked on the reasonably empty car park.
''Oh, I came with my Mum. I was planning on having a drink but got a tad bit distracted when Kelly and Breana decided to announce their pregnancies.'' Bri jokes dryly and I smirk at her joke.
It takes me a while to think through what I'm planning on next saying. At first, I figure it's too much. However, the more I think it through, I decide to bite the bullet.
''Do you want to come back to the flat for a drink? I've got gin in.'' I offer and although it's windy outside, I can quite literally hear the tiny gasp that leaves her throat.
''Alex..'' She almost whispers and I already know what she's thinking.
''Brielle.'' I respond and for the first time since we've been against this wall, I turn my head to look at her.
''You know I can't.'' She responds gently with a shake of the head and I feel like letting out the most chest-rattling groan of annoyance.
''It doesn't have to be like that.'' I reply as I pull out the pack of cigarettes in the pocket of my leather jacket.
''I know, but it will be like that if I do.'' She makes a point, and although I agree to some extent, I also disagree.
''It's just a drink, we're adults.'' I shrug as I slide a cigarette out of the box, soon placing it between my pink lips.
''It won't just be a drink.'' I hold the box out to her and almost straight away, she takes a cigarette with a small nod of thanks.
''It will.'' I slide the box back into my pocket before exchanging it for a lighter. Quickly, I light my cigarette before I light Brielle's. Although it's cold outside, I see the way her cheeks heat. ''I promise.''
''You promise?'' She asks before smoke leaves her mouth forcefully, disappearing into the dark air.
''Mhm.'' I nod.
''Just a drink?'' She asks for clarification as she pinches the stick of tobacco between the middle of her ring and middle finger, taking it from her lips.
''Just a drink.'' I clarify with the cigarette hanging from one side of my mouth whilst smoke drips out of the other side.
''Fine.'' She finally gives in as she taps away the ash of the cigarette with a sigh of defeat.
''Brielle Helders! Get that thing out of your bloody hand.'' Jill exclaims as soon as she sees the cigarette in Brielle's hand and my eyes widen in amusement at the lecture I know Brielle is about to get.
''I'm a twenty six year old woman, Mum.'' Brielle groans as her Mum comes storming over and I sigh when I see my Mum stalk over to me too.
''Nasty, nasty habit.'' My Mum shakes her head disapprovingly as she leans up onto her tip toes, placing a kiss against my cheek. ''Don't you be giving Brielle those silly cigarettes, she's too pretty for that. You're older, you should know better.''
You'd think we're teenagers with the way they treat us.
''Mum, give it a rest.'' Brielle sighs before unwillingly putting her cig out against the brick wall, soon dropping it on top of a bin next to the lamp post near us. ''I'm going to Alex's for a drink, I'll be back later.'' Brielle tells her Mum as she approaches me and her Mum just sighs.
''Don't let her drink too much!'' Jill tells me and I just smile. ''Of course not, Miss Helders.'' I lie.
''Are you ready to go?'' Brielle asks.
''Absolutely.'' I sigh in desperation to get away from the parents.
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IM ALIVE
new 1975 album today and the car in exactly a week!!!! its like xmas