Arctic Monkeys had been on tour for a few months when Luna and Katie managed to organise a trip to Los Angeles, where Breana was currently residing. As expected, Alex had told the girls that they could stay at the house he owned there since it was just collecting dust at this point.
As soon as they reached the house, they threw their stuff down and got themselves ready to go and see Breana. They were both jet lagged and exhausted but they couldn't waste any time. Breana had already been dealing with this for too long without their support.
She didn't live that far away, clearly Alex and Matt had discussed what neighbourhood they were going to live in before both buying their houses. In a situation like this it was rather helpful as they decided they would just walk there and uber back.
"I know she has friends here, do you think they have been checking on her and taking her out. She hasn't posted anything on Instagram." Katie said as she looked down at her phone.
"I don't know." Luna was slightly nervous. She didn't know how to approach this situation, it had never happened to her or anyone around her before. After sending a brief text to Alex to tell him they were on their way to the house, they saw it at the end of the road.
"LA is still as hot as ever." Katie commented, fanning her face that was starting to sweat. Luna wiped some from her forehead and agreed.
They pressed on the doorbell located next to the large white door Luna had admired so many times. It was such a surreal moment, knowing they were about to discuss how Matthew Helders had cheated on someone.
Breana opened the door moments later, shocking the life out of them. She stood in a tight colourful swimsuit, a drink in her hand. Her hair was now bleach blonde and grown out so it was longer; long enough to curl it. Her eyes were covered by large black sunglasses, hiding any emotion she felt by the presence of the two girls. She looked beautiful.
"Oh my god." She burst in her American accent. The sight of the girls in front of her shocked her. "I wasn't expecting you this soon!" It was delight that sprung from her voice, thankfully. She opened her arms and the girls huddled into her.
"Bre, you look amazing." Katie complimented, looking her up and down again once they parted.
"Come in. Amelia's at her grandma's but I've invited a few other friends round for a pool party since the weathers so amazing." She informed them. Luna looked at Katie as they followed her into the house.
"So, how are you?" Katie asked. Luna looked around the house for any sign of Matt remaining but it seemed to have been wiped off the face of the earth. Wow.
"You mean after my husband cheated on me? Better, I suppose." She said nonchalantly. All they could do was nod in response. "At first, I was a wreck obviously but numerous phone calls with you two and my friends over here helped massively. Amelia helps as well, I just spend as much time with her as possible." She explained while making a drink for them both.
Luna had so many questions but she didn't know whether to ask or not. Breana seemed so over it already, maybe she would ask later.
"That's good, that you're not letting it affect you too much." Katie sympathised. Breana nodded.
"Well I know he hardly batted an eyelid at it so I can't be the one that loses it." She laughed slightly. Luna didn't know why she suddenly felt so defensive over Matt. He had done a terrible thing of course.
"That's not true." She finally spoke. "I think the guilt is eating him up." She admitted. It seemed to soothe Breana slightly, her shoulders relaxed an inch.
"Good. The worst part has definitely been not knowing what he's been doing or feeling. In my head he's frolicking around with every woman on the planet." She shrugged, sliding their drinks over to them. "Of course I know that's probably not the case but I can't help it. Come outside." She ushered them to her back door where the sun was penetrating.
There were a few more women outside, clearly American. Luna didn't like it here she decided, not without Alex at least. She was thankful Katie was there, someone who understood her language. Breana seemed a completely new woman so she was off the table.
"Guys, these are the other halves of Matt's bandmates, Katie and Luna." She introduced them. It kind of stung that she didn't just say friends of hers, as if she had removed herself completely from the life they live. "This is Margie and Tate, my friends from modelling." She motioned to the very leggy women sat in swimsuits with large hats on.
"Nice to meet you." Luna and Katie muttered between them as they sat down.
"I haven't seen them since the divorce." Breana said to the other women.
"Oh, isn't she just divine now?" Tate asked the girls. "Really came into her own after the divorce." Margie nodded while she spoke.
"Definitely different." Luna agreed, sipping her drink.
"When did you guys find out? I didn't hear from you for a while." Breana wondered.
"Earlier this year, Matt told Alex." Luna answered. Breana nodded and relaxed onto her garden furniture.
"Alex is your husband?" Margie asked Luna. Luna looked the woman up and down, she was flawless and very intimidating. How could Breana be friends with her? She was so cool and down to earth, the antithesis of this woman.
"My fiancé." She corrected her. Breana perked up.
"And your weddings in April, yes?" She double checked. Luna had wondered whether Breana would come because Matt was definitely going to be there.
"Yes. You're coming right?" She asked nervously. Breana looked at her model friends.
"Don't worry, I'll be there." She winked. Luna just nodded uneasily.
They moved on from the topic of men, discussing the weather, each other's outfits and swiftly moving to drinks which led to anecdotes of wild nights out in LA and Sheffield.
"Can I use your bathroom?" Luna asked. Breana turned her head quickly and nodded.
"Of course, you know where it is" she smiled and Luna got up to make her way in doors.
She walked around the house, taking the long way to the bathroom. Pictures had been taken down, items removed, it was if Matt had never lived here which was unbelievably sad. As soon as Luna walked into the bathroom, she pulled out her phone and called Alex hoping he would pick up no matter what time it was wherever he was.
"Hello?" His sleepy voice rang down the phone.
"Sorry did I wake you?" She winced. There was a groan from the other end.
"No, it's fine. What's up?" He asked. Luna sat on the toilet seat and put her head in her hands.
"I'm at Breana's, she's a completely different person. She's so put together and blonde now." Luna rambled. Alex found it hard to follow.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"How would you describe Breana?" She asked, hoping he would prove her point. Alex sighed as if he didn't want to answer.
"I don't know, funny, wild, pretty I guess." He attempted to give her what she wanted.
"Well she's even prettier now and completely lost her wild side. Also, she hasn't cracked a joke since I've been here unless it's a sarcastic one about Matt. It's mental." She whisper shouted just in case anyone else was in the house.
"Well I guess divorce changes a person." He answered as if it were obvious.
"I'm gonna go I've been in the toilet too long but I swear to god if you divorce me, I will kill you" she threatened. Alex chuckled.
"That's fine. Text me when you get home. Love you." He said sleepily.
"Sleep well, love you." She ended the call and walked out of the bathroom.
As she was about to walk back outside she saw Breana in the kitchen and took the opportunity to ask some questions.
"Alex just called." She started. Breana jumped slightly at her voice. "He sends his love." Luna leant against the kitchen counter and watched her carefully.
"Oh, I miss him. He was a good one." She smiled. They stood in silence for a moment. "Whatever you want to say Lu, just say it. I know you've known Matt a long time, it must be hard for you to process." Her voice became flat. Luna shook her head.
"I just don't understand." Luna's voice was a lot softer than Breana had expected. She scoffed in response.
"Join the club." She commented. "One minute you have a husband and a child, a great family maybe ready to expand you know, the next minute he's coming home telling you he's had an affair." She wrapped it up in a nutshell. Luna was stunned by her words.
"It just doesn't sound like Matt and that's what's scaring me. It must've been such an awful shock." She sympathised. Breana looked down at the floor and nodded.
"I really hope it doesn't happen to you, Lu or Katie. It's such an awful feeling to know someone you trusted with your whole heart betrayed you like that. A lot of women would have stayed but I just couldn't look at him the same. I didn't have it in me to forgive and forget." She went further. Luna nodded with a sad expression. The Breana talking now sounded like the one she knew.
"I thought that, which is why I'm so shocked to see you so strong and beautiful now. Maybe I'm not as strong but if Alex ever did that to me I don't know if I could ever get over it." Her heart ached at the thought. Breana nodded.
"I think with Amelia, I just have to be strong for her because she doesn't understand. Like I said, I was a wreck for months but it's just not practical as a mum." She shrugged. "I just have to surround myself with good people and my therapist." She chuckled. Luna smiled.
"I wish I could be with you. I wish I was with you for the first few months. I felt helpless." She told her.
"Your phone calls got me through some of the hardest times. You did what you could and I am so thankful. We just have to move on now." She sighed. "It must be hard for you to see Matt the same now." She added. Luna felt that hard.
"He told Alex, who told me. I couldn't look at him for a while, it hit me quite hard that someone so lovely could do something so..." she didn't have the words. "Horrible." She decided weakly.
"Everyone has their reasons and everything happens for a reason. We weren't meant to be." She shrugged. "I believe we were together to bring Amelia here, she is what we have to put our energy into now." Luna nodded.
"Will he see her?" She wondered. Breana nodded.
"While I question his love for me, I know he loves her with his whole heart. I would never restrict him from seeing her. Whenever he is LA he can see her so I expect he'll be spending time here from now on." She explained.
"How did life get so serious and complicated." She stressed. Breana let out a chuckle.
"You have no reason to stress, Lu. You have a man who would run across the world to get to you if he had to. Someone who you're only just starting your journey with." She nodded to her ring. "Just appreciate it." She advised. Luna smiled.
"When did you get so fucking wise?" She laughed which Breana joined in with. She shrugged.
"Divorce." She joked, leaving them both laughing.
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Next chapters the last one and is going to be very very long, just a warning.
Stay safe, wash your hands, don't touch your face.