January 2013
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Surprisingly, Sheffield wasn't that rainy tonight. One day of a break, which was great. Tonight, the local pub would be packed, and it would be a little party - The owner's birthday or summat. Not that it was entirely a huge deal... It would just be a nice social event, offering free drinks... Pizza and cookies. Great way to spend a night like this.
There were many pros and cons to being single. For one, it gave you the chance to focus on yourself, which was so important - Being a young adult was far from easy, but choosing to focus on yourself, and make solid choices and friendships. But hey, maybe you could dip into the dating pool again?
Shrugging, you paused the music playing on your phone, the album Born To Die by Lana Del Rey. You entered the bar, lights flashing and the noises loud. The air smelt like fried food and ale. The door opened again behind you, and you quickly cleared out of the way for someone else to come in. You took a deep breath, careful to not get overwhelmed. You sat down at a booth, and opened Tumblr as you waited for the lines for free food and drinks to clear up a bit.
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Across the bar, a group of four men we're just trying to enjoy a night in their home city, and wanting to take a deep breath, take a night off. Be normal, almost, for a second.
The four men were in a band:
Arctic Monkeys.
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Alex Turner was just trying to enjoy a night in his home city, Sheffield. After spending nights awake trying to write new music, and not think about his heartbreak, not think about... Much of anything.
He slammed down a shot, and laughed at a stupid dirty joke his best friend, Matt Helders, the drummer of the band made.
The bar was far from ornate, but it was home-y, which is exactly what the band needed. They sat at a booth in a clandestine corner. Jamie Cook, guitarist for the band had ordered a glass of Scotch, and Nick O'Malley, the bassist, was slowly sipping away at a Guinness. Matt was drinking an IPA, and Alex was slamming down shots of vodka.
"What shot was that, mate?" Nick inquired.
"Doesn't matter." Alex muttered.
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Alex's eyes couldn't help but flicker around the room - The walls stained with sweat, the lights on the floors, the girls having a good time, the patrons, generally. Alex couldn't help but people-watch. The blushing, the shrugs, the couples, the snapping pictures, the romance in the air...
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Finally, the lines had calmed down, and you trapped your free drink, and scooped up some pizza and a cookie or two. Putting aviator sunglasses on top of your head, and soon adjusting your lipstick... Lipstick that looked like a cigarette, how sly. You threw away your empty plate and adjusted your leather jacket collar, the black piece one of your favorites from your closet. A person you vaguely knew came up to you, smiling, and making surface-level jokes, which you feigned laughter at.
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After another shot, Alex started listening closer to the music playing in the bar and tuning out his friends. Lots of loud music that some couples were dancing too - He supposed if it was a party, they'd want to play anthems for such an event, cultural mainstays for fast times. But no slow songs to approach anyone. Not that he cared. Romance had been rough ever since the last album he wrote, glimmers of hope turning to dust. Meaningless hookups or people coming after him for his fame. His friends had reached out, but... In a lot of ways, he found getting high and drunk easier. He thought he had found the love of his life... And he didn't want to think about that. And besides, smoking cigarettes and drinking pricey alcohol was good for his image.
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Your eyes were glazing over. The nice thing about Sheffield was that most people were quite sweet. And you didn't mind. Whilst you longed for deep connection, it wasn't like the person you were talking to was an awful piece of shit. They complimented your unique style, and the makeup that you clearly put effort into. They made some jokes, but it was difficult for you to register such things - Social cues weren't your strongest suit. You would laugh at imaginary jokes, and thank God the other person - Some 20-something white lady that you already forgot the name of - was a few drinks deep. Or else you'd be more self-conscious.
And that's not what parties are for.
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Alex took out a cigarette and lit it, his friends following suit. His eyes flicked over, until his eyes caught something in their visage.
You.
Does one believe in fate? Alex couldn't help but ask himself. The girl that he once saw a glimmer of in a crowd of a show, so beautiful that he wrote not one, but two songs about, here, in this bar. Right when he needed her. He was trying to get drunk and high, yet this young woman swept in.
He didn't even know your name, but he was so deeply entranced and felt a deep internal connection to you.
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As your eyes continued to glaze over as the nice lady introduced you to some of her friends, which were a nice group to talk to for tonight, and '22' by Taylor Swift came in the speakers. Yeah - The bar was loud, but you'd recognize that beat anywhere. Excusing yourself, you walked over to a dirty dancefloor that other couples were dancing on. You started dancing on your own, even singing. And it didn't matter if they judged you - This town would be a different town tomorrow, and no one would care.
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"You look like bad news, I gotta have you, I gotta have you!"
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You boldly sang along, and after spinning around, your eyes met with someone.
Alex Turner.
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"You don't know about me, but I'll bet you want to!"
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Alex couldn't help but look you in the eyes - It was like your eyes were inviting him to come over and talk. Or was he projecting? He couldn't help but take in your gorgeous form... Your radiant smile, the leather jacket with the collar popped like an antenna, and the sunglasses atop your head... You were, in fact - That same girl. A piece of his heart had been stolen by you, and he wanted you to take more...
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You saw your idol, and locked eyes with him! You kept contemplating if you would go up to him, going back and forth in your mind on if you should go up and talk to him. He then turned his head and sat back down at his booth with his bandmates. Wow, the whole band was here!
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But... You were too nice a person. You didn't want to disturb this man... Didn't want to approach someone who was probably just trying to have a chill night, probably not needing some half-drunk coming up and begging for an autograph. Glancing at the clock, you excited the bar into the cold bite of water and wind that hit your face.
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Alex turned back to the dancefloor, and saw your were already gone... His heart couldn't help but sink slightly. Were you just a figment of his imagination at this point? The alcohol and desperation were getting to him, which was far from a good combo.
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He sighed, and told himself that if he saw you again, nothing would stop him from talking to you. Taking yet another deep breath, he started writing his drunken ramblings onto a small napkin, until something that looked like a lyric started to form.
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"So you're on the prowl wonderin' whether she left already or not..."
ns 172.70.130.80da2
and then Add to home screen.