Chapter 34

Perrie's POV

Since our first date, Alex has been driving me to work. He would wait for me in front of my flat and then drop me off to the studio. He has been such a nice guy to me and I really appreciate his efforts. Today is just like those passed days, he's waiting outside and so I grabbed my bag, shoved my phone and keys inside it and walked out of the flat. After locking the door, I walked to his car and he opened the passenger door from the inside.

"Hi, Perrie!" he greeted me.

"Hey, Alex." I smiled at him as I sat down the seat and he drove off.

"Hey, do you know that there's a new bar opening tonight?" he asked after a while.

"Uhh, no. I don't." I replied.

"I was thinking maybe we can go. Only if you're free, of course." he said glancing nervously at me.

"Well, I don't have plans for tonight and it's the weekend anyway. So yeah, why not?" I shrugged, looking at him.

"Really?" he questioned, grinning like a child.

"Yes, let's go to that bar tonight." I confirmed.

"Alright then, I'll pick you up at seven." he stated and looked back to the road.

"Okay." I said and smiled.

~~~

When I arrived at the studio, Jesy was already there and she was on her phone talking to someone. When she saw me, she immediately said goodbye and hang up.

"Hey, Pez." she greeted me with a hug.

"Hi. Who are you talking to?" I asked as I hugged her back.

"Oh, uhm... That was just Leigh-Anne." she said and turned to sit on the couch. Leigh?

"Really? What about?" I asked again, intrigued.

"Just wanted to say hi." she shrugged and immediately dismissing the topic.

I looked at her confused, but decided to drop it too. I sighed. I miss us four.

After a while, she briefed me about the schedule and the things we need to do. We are almost finished with the album and I can say I'm really proud of it. But still, this is going to be a long day.

~~~

After a long day at work, I went straight home and changed. Alex arrived at the exact time he promised and then we went to the opening bar. When we arrived, we were welcomed by a faint sound of music, people chatting, and eyeful amount of liquors. It looked like any other bars. It has a long liquor bar with bartenders attending on it. A few pool tables on the other side, and dart boards hanging on the far corner wall. Alex led me to a group of men and women sitting on a round couch on the opposite side of the liquor bar. He introduced me and vise versa, apparently they were his teammates and this bar was owned by one of them.

Minutes passed, even hours, we just talked and talked. They told me stories about Alex being in the team and how it felt to play in the field. They asked me about my album and what are the plans for it. Alex was trying to be funny, he kept saying jokes and some punchlines to me. And he's quite good at it, he actually made me laugh. But eventually, I got bored, and so I excused myself to go to the restrooms. Thanking the heavens there was no line, I quickly do my thing.

When I was on my way back, I stopped mid-step at the sight I found in front of me. Jade. She was standing a few meters away from me, looking gorgeous as always, and she's looking back at me. Why is she here? Is she following me? No! Of course not! She wouldn't do that. I shook my head to dismiss the thought. She kept staring at me, just like I keep staring at her. I can't look away. My heart was pounding and for that moment, it's like the whole place muted. All I can hear was my heartbeats. Suddenly, her expression changes. She smiled at me, not the usual smile that I used to know, but a weak smile. It didn't even reached her eyes. Then she averted her gaze away from me, and started to walk away. I was about to follow her but was stopped by a hand wrapped around my arm. I turned around to find Alex holding me.

"Hey, where were you? I was looking for you." he said.

"I-I.. uhh.. I was just-" I stammered.

"Come on, they are waiting for us." he stated and started pulled me through the crowd.

I looked back to where I last saw Jade, but there's no more signs of her. Then I wondered. Was that really her? Or just my imagination? I mean, why would she be here? Of all the places she could be at this exact time. Nah, maybe it's just my brain playing tricks with me. I groaned. Ugh! I'm in too deep.

--

Jade's POV

A week later...

"Are you sure about this?" Leigh asked for a millionth time.

"Yes, Lee. I am sure." I replied

"But... Do you really have to do this?" she asked again, flailing her hands.

"Yes, I do." I said and laughed at her.

"I just don't get it. Is it really necessary?" she pouts and slouched down the back seat of the car.

"I have to do this Leigh. It's my way of..." I trailed off, and then took a deep breath.

"Letting go." I finished.

We are on our way to a radio station to where I'm going to release a new song. I wrote this song a week ago and then decided to finally release it. Like I said, it's my way of letting go. The past few weeks has been so difficult, but I managed to get through it. I need to move on and continue with my life and this song is the start of it. I am thankful to Leigh-Anne, she was with me and she never leave me. I mean, she's my best friend and she really never leaves me. But during those time, she was my rock. And I am so grateful to have her. She always make me believe that everything will be alright and that I'll be okay eventually.

~~~

We arrived at the radio station, we went straight to the studio and started the interview. I wanted it to be as quick as possible because I knew once the song was released, the press will go crazy as hell again. And I wanted to get out of here alive. So when the interview was over, the dj asked me to introduce the song before playing it.

"Hi everyone, Jade Thirlwall here. This is my new song, and it's called 'Happier'." I said to the microphone and the dj pressed play.

Walking down 29th and parkI saw you in another's armsOnly a month we've been apartYou look happier

Saw you walk inside a barHe said something to make you laughI saw that both your smiles were twice as wide as oursYeah you look happier, you do

Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt youBut ain't nobody love you like I doPromise that I will not take it personal babyIf you're moving on with someone new

Cause baby you look happier, you doMy friends told me one day I'll feel it tooAnd until then I'll smile to hide the truthBut I know I was happier with you

Sat in the corner of the roomEverything's reminding me of youNursing an empty bottle and telling myself you're happierAren't you?

Ain't nobody hurt you like I hurt youBut ain't nobody need you like I doI know that there's others that deserve youBut my darling I am still in love with you

But I guess you look happier, you doMy friends told me one day I'll feel it tooI could try to smile to hide the truthBut I know I was happier with you

Baby you look happier, you doI knew one day you'd fall for someone newBut if he breaks your heart like lovers doJust know that I'll be waiting here for you

When the song ended, we said our goodbyes and I immediately went out of the studio. We got out of the radio station, paparazzi and media reporters swamped us. Fortunately, we got inside the car and soon left.

As I looked outside through the window, a certain blondie crossed my mind. I closed my eyes remembering everything that we had together. How she made me happy in such small amount of time. How she broke my walls down and made me fall in love with her. I missed her though. But sometimes, things are not meant to be. The agreement we had, although it brought me heartache, I never regretted agreeing to it. This was the best decision I have ever made and she was best thing that ever happened to me. Perrie Edwards. I wish that this could be real. I wish that you and me, we could be real. I wish that we could have everything. But all that we have is... a fake love.

-END-