Chp. 1
Ladies and Gentlemen, Nathan Sykes.
~
ALEX.
"I cannot believe I let you talk me into this! I look like a stripper! What have you done to me?!" I cried, gesturing to my body.
My friend, Becca, shook her head, her blonde curls swishing. "What do you mean? You look gorgeous! And you DO NOT look like stripper, you're practically a goddess!"
I snorted. "Thanks for the flattery, B, but I really can't do this."
She rolled her eyes. "You look great. I'm going to drag you down there whether you like it or not."
I checked my reflection once again in the mirror. I wore a white strapless dress with gold platforms and gold accessories. My usually wavy, brunette hair was ironed straight, with a purple streak clipped up to the side. Not my usual party look, but a little change is good in a while.
I guess I was exaggerating a bit when I said I looked like a stripper.
Becca grabbed my car keys. "Alrighty, babe. Let's party!"
~
Becca dragged me all the way to a club. You can spend your debut here? Really?
"Becca! Glad you could make it!" A preppy redhead greeted us. "Gosh, is this Alex? You look gorgeous!"
I gave her a smile. I didn't really know her, but she knew me. I guess I'm not as unpopular as I think I am.
"Come on in! You're gonna have a blast!"
Fifteen minutes in, a scream rose up from the back of the crowd. "OHMYGOD! IT'S NATHAN SYKES!"
Becca immediately went rigid.
I don't understand. Who's Nathan Sykes and why is everybody paying so much attention to him?
"Nathan Sykes? Who is he? Do you know her, B?" I said, nudging Becca, who was still shaking.
Her jaw dropped. "Gods, Alex! Ever heard of The Wanted?"
"No."
"So you're living under a rock now?"
"I'm not interested in those stuff, you know that."
She rolled her eyes. "British boy band. Nathan, who is standing over there..." She pointed to somebody in the distance. "Is one of them."
I took a sip of the punch I was drinking. Call me lame, but I never really liked alcohol. Becca, on the other hand, was having the the time of her life. "He looks like Sid the Sloth, don'cha think?
Becca laughed and slapped my arm. "Shut up! He's a cutie!"
I decided not to reply to that. A tipsy Becca doesn't have the best temper.
I sent a Tweet for a second, then when I looked up, Becca had pushed towards the stage, where Nathan Sykes was preparing to chug down a bottle of beer. Typical teenagers.
"CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!" The crowd chanted, whilst he raised the bottle to his lips. He downed it in less than twenty seconds.
"ONE MORE BOTTLE?" The host screamed.
Nathan grinned triumphantly.
I rolled my eyes. That guy will probably go home intoxicated.
I sat on a couch and waited patiently for this drinking party to stop. By now, he was down to his third bottle. And he invited that redhead over onstage. And kissed her. The crowd went wild, typically.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, NATHAN SYKES!" The host screamed again, probably also under the influence of alcohol.
Nathan sent out a smile. "Happy Birthday, Poppy!"
I swear, I thought I saw her faint in there.
"TWO MORE BOTTLES?"
Nathan threw up his hands. "Let's go, baby!"
I snorted. Party animal.
~
After the party, (and a mini-boxing match) I struggled to find Becca in the midst of drunk teens making out everywhere.
"Come on, B. We need to go." I said, tapping her arm. She lay face-first on a couch, and I had no idea whether she was drunk or not breathing.
I poked her a few more times. No movement.
I asked for a glass of water.
"Sorry, Becca. You made me do this." Then with my eyes closed, I tipped the glass over.
She was up in a snap.
"I'M UP, I'M UP!" She screamed, shaking water off her hair.
I fought the urge to laugh. "Good. Let's go, Becca. My eyes are already burning."
I spun on my heel, heading for the exit. Becca followed behind, swaying a little, but fine nevertheless.
I reached my car, wondering where the puddle of vomit came from. I just shrugged it off, probably some drunk person's system couldn't take the alcohol.
"Hey Alex, I'm gonna lay here in the back, okay?" Becca said, opening the back door.
She screamed.
"ALEX! NATHAN SYKES IS IN YOUR CAR!"
I rolled my eyes and ignored her.
"SERIOUSLY! TAKE A LOOK!"
I opened the back door to shut her up.
Then to my horror, she was right.
A brown-haired guy was curled up in my backseat, the stench of vomit reeking off him, fast asleep.
Judging by his clothes and the sideview angle of his face, he IS Nathan Sykes.
I knew this wouldn't end up good.
~
"Alex, please, let's just nurse Nathan for a day, let him spend the night? Your house is big enough, right?" Becca pleaded.
"He's getting blood on my seats." I muttered stubbornly.
"Let Leonora wash them. He's bleeding for God's sake!"
"Where's he gonna sleep?"
"You have an extra bed in your room."
"What, so I'm gonna face him alone?"
"Of course I'm gonna be there for you."
"What's he gonna wear?"
"I know your brother left a few clothes after he left for college."
"What about my parents?"
"Alex, your parents are always on duty, being the most famous neurosurgeons in the Nation. America always has a person needing surgery. What are you worrying about?"
I huffed indignantly. "Fine. Nursing Nathan it is."
A/N: Okay, so maybe Nathan Sykes isn't exactly a drunkard or a party animal. I'm sorry for giving him that persona, but don't rip my head off just yet, he won't stay that way for long. I know he's a really big cutie, and this has got to be the hardest thing I've done yet. And besides, it's my story, right?
Please don't kill me.