This chapter's song is Monsters by Matchbook Romance, go and listen to the song while you read along and please don't sue me. (Holding in an angry rant) Enjoy the chapter!
…
Alice woke up that morning with a skip in her step, excited that today she could finally take off her wrist brace and at last return to bash that night. Ludwig had decided to only do songs previously learned, but haven't done in a while because she couldn't practice any of their new songs the past two weeks. She also wouldn't be singing tonight for the same reasons. But none of that really mattered because the only thing she really care about was that she'd finally be able to be Alfred's girlfriend again for the first time in two weeks. Despite the fact that they only really saw each other two to three times a week, sometimes only once, before, Alice still felt lonely that she couldn't be with him in the way she wanted for two weeks. Things had been a bit awkward between them in their texts and calls over the time they've "been apart", but she was hoping to change that.
Dressing in her uniform as usual, Alice walked over to her vanity table and looked in the mirror. Her hair was still tangled and sprawled about around her head, part of it covering her eyes. Taking her hairbrush from the vanity's front drawer, she proceeded to brush out the knots and began to style it up as usual, but stopped herself before she put it up into pigtails. Her mother's words ran through her head.
Childish... daft woman… bless the world she's gone...
Over the past two weeks since she had stayed out and lied to her mother, since she's been grounded, her mother had day after day ridiculed her hair and her work ethic, telling her that she wasn't doing enough to secure her future. But more over it was the way she looked that her mother pointed out with scorn.
"With that small body and ridiculous hair of yours you'll never be taken serious and will make business deals harder because you look like an ignorant novice. You should simply cut your hair." She had told Alice in Japanese yesterday.
Alice looked at her long blond hair that reached her hips, the long hair that her grandma always loved so dearly. If her mother told her to cut it, she could do nothing but listen to her. She had tolerated her wearing her hair in that fashion throughout her childhood because she was young, but now that she was older, Alice didn't think she would take it anymore. Her mother would take up scissors herself if need be. So Alice let her hair fall back down and instead mimicked what Alfred had done at the party, styling it in a half up half down fashion. Alice looked at her reflection and smiled, this should please her mother.
Grabbing her bag from its placement on her chair, Alice walked down to join her family for breakfast. Her father wasn't there, as usual, but her mother and three of her older siblings were already sitting down, Scott and Peter had yet to arrive to the table.
"Günaydın anne." (Good morning mother) Alice greeted as she walked up to the table and sat herself down next to Dylan.
"Günaydın, Alice. Saçlarınız bugün daha hoşunuza gidecek." (Good morning, Alice. Your hair is more pleasing today) She replied with a curt nod.
"Teşekkür ederim." (Thank you)
The rest of the meal continued on as usual. Quiet. Any words exchanged were in Turkish, Friday's language, except by Scott, who refused to speak anything but English or Gaelic, and Peter, who was struggling with Turkish. When the normal awkward meal ended, all six siblings walked out of the mansion together and headed for school. Because they lived only ten minutes from the Academy, their mother thought it was a waste and harmful on the environment to drive them to and fro every day, since she was also an environmentalist among other things.
"I like your hair." Dylan complemented from her side as they walked together. "What's with the sudden change?"
"Mother said if I didn't stop wearing pigtails she have me cut my hair." Alice sighed in confession.
"Isn't that your choice though?" He raised a large eyebrow at her.
"Not really…" Alice looked down and her hands carrying her bag.
"You shouldn't let ma control ya like that." Scott butted in, slowing down to walked next to them.
"Easy for you to say." Alice chided. "She isn't constantly breathing down your neck."
"That's because I don't listen to 'er, after awhile she just gave up on me." The oldest Kirkland sibling told her.
"He's right Alice, even if it's not as extreme, you shouldn't let her have this much control over your life." Dylan agreed.
Alice didn't say anything back and continued to look at the ground. No matter what they said they would never fully understand why she can't disobey her mother, it's just too complicated to put it into simple words.
The rest of the walk to school was quite, just like their breakfast, and when they all went their separate ways they all went so silently, Dylan patting her head before he walked away. Alice walked off to the main building by herself, peering around at the courtyard for any trouble as she went. She ended up confiscating several gaming consoles and inappropriate reading materials, then went to a group of male students who were breaking the school dress code.
"Hats are not allowed, and not wearing your ties is unacceptable, remove those hats now and come to school tomorrow with your uniform in proper condition." Alice lectured the annoyed group of boys.
"Like you removed your clothes at the party." One of them remarked and the rest of them snickered. Alice felt her eye twitch and warm up in her cheeks, but she did not give into anger.
"What happens in private life is none or my, or your, concern. What is my concern is what you wear on campus-" Alice held out her hand towards them, "Hand them over." She ordered the group, but was intervened by an annoyingly overconfident laugh.
"Getting students into trouble so early in the morning, Ally? You sadist." Alfred commented from behind. The students behind her jeeringly laughed at the Americans comment, to which she just glared at them before turning around to face the root to all her problems.
"Responsibility and discipline are not sadistic." The blond Brit quipped back.
"Oh yeah, you're more of a masochist with that heavy work schedule of yours, right?" Alfred gave her another shit grin. The guys behind them laughed louder and harder, gaining unwanted attention, causing to rise her quickly growing irritated rage even faster.
"Well at least I don't give my heartburn by stuffing myself fat every day, F-A-T-T-Y." Alice countered in a low but mocking voice.
"Well I don't starve myself by working twenty-four seven, S-T-I-C-K."
And that was the straw the broke the camel's back. Grabbing Alfred by the ear as if he were a mere small child, Alice dragged him away from the courtyard, ignoring his protests and complaints, pulling him into the first hallway beyond the front doors. Finally letting go of his ear, Alfred stood up completely and rubbed the side of his head in discomfort.
"What was that?" He questioned irritably.
"That shout be my question, what was that about out there? Humiliating me outside in front of the students." She bit angrily, upset that he dared to call her a masochist in front of so many people and accuse her of starving herself. That was not a laughing matter, besides, two meals a day is a perfectly acceptable amount of food to have in one day to live, unlike a certain american's tendency to eat more than acceptable for any human being.
"The student body are already mocking me for my drunk endeavors, they do not need more material to use as ammunition against-"
"You changed your hair." Alfred interrupted suddenly. Alice stopped her rant and looked at him in surprise, then scrunched her eyebrows together, pouting.
"Don't try to change the subject." She said to him.
"I'm not, I'm just pointing out a fact." He responded, pointing at her new hair style. "I like it, but why the sudden change?" Alfred inquired, putting his hand back down to his side.
"Can't a girl just change her hair when she feels like it? Besides, you're the one who first styled my hair like this." She noted with a sigh, crossing her arms.
"I know, but it's strange for you to do it. You never change anything about yourself."
"Are you calling me boring?" Alice questioned.
"No, I like that about you. You're your own person." He smiled in honesty. Alice covered her face with the palm of her right hand and looked away as she felt blood quickly run to her cheeks in a blush. Alfred chuckled to himself as he saw her do so. "You blush a lot." He jabbed, poking her left cheek.
"Humph! You're just imagining things." She claimed and turned her back towards him.
"Awe, is it because you wove me?" He asked in a baby voice. Alice spun around to yell at him again, but froze when she saw his face, empty of any snide grin, but instead holding a warm smile and gentle eyes. Alice felt her heartbeat ring in her ears as she turned a shade that would rival Antonio's tomato garden. Not being able to look at that enchanting face of his for more than three seconds, Alice swiftly turned around again and grabbed her chest, as if to stop her heart from leaping out of it. However this only made Alfred get the brilliant idea to pull a "not funny at all" prank on her.
Coming up closer behind her he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his chest. Alice went completely rigid and straightened up like a board, if Alfred wasn't holding her she was sure she would've fallen straight on her face in that moment. Apparently entertained by her reaction, Alfred leaned his head down to her ear and breathed hotly on her neck. Knowing full well that there was now and audience around them, Alice lifted her arm and drove her elbow into his gut, successfully making him lose his grip on her and allowed her to escape.
"Please don't do that again." She said out loud as soon as she stepped away.
"S-Sorry…" He muttered taking a knee. "Couldn't help myself."
Alice didn't look back, but instead glared at the ground.
"Please help yourself." She stated, before walking away, leaving Alfred alone on the floor. Alice headed her way up to the third floor to the council room to put away the items she confiscated earlier. But she continued to look at the ground as she went, not paying attention to any of the students around her.
Alice thought she couldn't get more confused, but Alfred had managed to prove her wrong with what he had just done. If she didn't know better, she'd think that Alfred was coming on to her. Friends didn't do that, they didn't randomly grab each other and literally breath down their necks just for fun, especially when they were the one who friend zoned the other. It wasn't fair, Alfred could act like that and still put her in the "just friends" box, and what was that about mentioning the fact that she loved him, was her love just a big joke for him to make fun of? If it was, then how is it that he looked so sincere at that moment, like he somehow felt the same about her?
'He's so confusing!' Alice screamed in her head as she slammed the council door open.
"Ohayō Alice-chan." Kiku greeted as soon as she walked in. "You changed her hair."
Alice let out a verbal groan and walked over to the closet, where they keep all the confiscated items, where Alfred's skateboard once sat.
"Why does everyone have a problem with my hair?" She sighed to herself. Kiku gave her a questioning look but didn't question further, seeing her distressed state.
Later that night Alice sat in the dressing room, janitor's closet, behind the makeshift stage of the old warehouse, gently wrapping both of her wrists with bandages as a way to protect her wrist from straining, while at the same time looking fashionable so she wouldn't raise suspicion. Tonight Alice wore a too large cut up white shirt with super short shorts, which were almost completely covered by said shirt. Her pink wig was done in a twin braid style, and her black rimmed glasses were, as usual, traded in place of contacts.
Walking out of the closet dressing room, she was immediately met with a wolf disguised as a frog waiting for her outside the door. Francis smiled as soon as she appeared and gave her a once over, grinning approvingly.
"Vos jambes sont aussi délicieuses que jamais, Angleterre." (Your legs are looking as delicious as ever, England.)
"What do you want, frog eater?" Alice questioned him in annoyance and in English, since Alfred didn't know that England was bilingual.
"Just wanted to cheer you on before you go up." Francis replied.
"Well you're a bit early, we don't go on for another hour and a half." She told him, hands on her hips.
"Well then that means we have plenty of time to talk." The Frenchman noted. Alice rolled her eyes and walked away to the crowd, intent on finding her boyfriend.
"I have nothing to say to you." She said as she rounded the stage, heading into the crowd.
"Ah but Angleterre, this is important." He told her as he walked behind her through the crowd.
"Not as important as- Alfred!" Alice called out cheerfully once she saw him. Leaving Francis behind, Alice ran over to him and enveloped the American into a hug as soon as she saw him, taking joy in something she couldn't freely do as Alice.
"Hey Iggy." He greeted back, returning her hug. "How've ya been?"
"Just fine, I missed you while I was gone." She told him, keeping up with the lie that she was in Scotland.
"You too." He said simply, removing her from his body. Alice tried not to pout at this. "So where do ya wanna go after your set?" He asked.
"I was thinking we could have our date here since I don't go on for a while." Real reason being that her mother changed her curfew even earlier than before. Alfred's smile seemed to fall to a face of disappointment when she said this.
"Why?" He asked plainly.
"Well-" Crap she has to create another lie on the spot. "I have some t-things to do at home." Shit that was so painfully obvious that was made up.
"Are you lying to me?" Alfred asked, narrowing his eyes.
"No!" She said a little too rushed. "I have to help my little brother with his homework." Wait…
"I thought you were home schooled." Alfred said more as a statement then as a conformation.
FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!
Alice then proceeded to create a word vomit of incomprehensible stuttering, trying, and failing, desperately to fix her screw up, but consequently only made it worse. Alfred's face turned to one of contempt and disappointment as she continued to build upon her obvious lie, but he didn't show anger at her.
"Enough." He finally said when she began to struggle for words. "If you don't want to tell me, then don't, but don't lie to me." He told her, his gaze not reaching her eyes. Alice looked down at the ground in shame, ashamed that he had caught on to her lies, and that she had already managed to mess up their night.
The rest of their night continued on awkwardly, their conversations short-lived and strained. Francis walked by with a knowing gaze, but said nothing. The worst part was that Alfred refused any sort of body contact with her, which was unusual for him as he was usually very clingy. When she reached to hold hands he pulled his away, and if she tried to reach over he would lean away. And lastly, when Kiku came up to tell her they were about to go on, Alfred let her go without so much as a "good luck" like he usually said. Alice felt her heart sink as this happened, saddened by this sudden distance. Kiku, observant as ever, saw this and tried to comfort her, but his attempts was proven futile.
Alice brought herself up onto the stage and went to her usual spot, taking out her Union Jack printed guitar and hooked it into the speaker, turning up the volume. Preparing herself for the first song she looked into the crowd, searching for Alfred among the many faces, and found it where she had left him. He stared back at her, but his face was solemn. Alice failed to realize they were starting until Kiku tapped her shoulder. He gave her he a reassuring smile, to which she returned. Taking in a breath, Alice began the song.
[Monsters by Matchbook Romance]
Girl, what's come between you and me?
Look right through me
I won't let it go
I can't help this feeling anymore
I will go anywhere
Maybe you'll see
We are, We are the shaken (shaken)
We are the monsters (monsters)
Underneath your bed
Yeah
Believe what you read
We are, We are mistaken (staken)
We are the voices (voices)
Inside your head
Yeah
Believe what you see
It came as no surprise
You bring me back to life
Believe me
"You bleed for me, I'll bleed for you"
I caught you walking through walls
Drowned with applause
From the world that makes me crazy
We are, We are the shaken (shaken)
We are the monsters (monsters)
Underneath your bed
Yeah
Believe what you read
We are, We are mistaken (staken)
We are the voices (voices)
Inside your head
Yeah
Believe what you see
Yeah
We are the monsters (x3)
Underneath your bed
We are the voices (x3)
Underneath your bed
We are the monsters (x3)
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
We are, We are the shaken (shaken)
We are the monsters (monsters)
Underneath your bed
Yeah
Believe what you read
We are, We are mistaken (staken)
We are the voices (voices)
Inside your head
Yeah
Believe what you see
We are, We are the shaken (shaken)
We are the monsters (monsters)
Underneath your bed
Yeah
Believe what you see
Their three song set ended, but by popular demand, they played two more songs, so by the time they ended, the clock had reached 8:02. Alice hurriedly packed her instrument and help the others with theirs before rushing over to Kiku, who was helping Gilbert take his keyboard to the albino's van.
"I need you to take me home, now." She said with slight panic. Kiku gave her a quick nod in understanding.
"Okay, let me finish up here. Please wait for me at my car." He said as he continued out the door.
"Thank you, Kiku." Alice breathed and walked back inside to find Alfred and say goodbye, but it seemed that he found her because as soon as she turned around, he was standing right behind her.
"Heading home so soon?" He questioned almost cynically.
"Yeah, I'm having Kiku take me." She said back sheepishly.
"Why not me? Shouldn't I be the one to take my girlfriend home?" He shot back, his irritation becoming more apparent.
"I told you why you can't take me home. My parents might see you." She told him, still playing the lying game.
"But it's okay for Kiku to take you, right?" He scoffed accusingly.
"They know he's just a friend."
"Then why can't you tell them the same thing? Why can't I at least see your house? Is it because you've been lying to me all along? I swear England, sometimes I don't even know if I can trust you. I mean," Alfred snorted, "I don't even know your name!"
"Alfred please," Her voice broke, "I want to tell you everything, but it's too complicated." She said to him, determined to make him understand without revealing anything. Alfred let out a loud exhale of air and ran a hand through his hair in exhaustion.
"I don't know England, this is just too much for me, I need some time to think." He sighed and walked away from her to the parking lot in search of his car. "Just go."
Alice went cold and felt the ground crumble beneath her feet as she watched him walk away from her. Her heart shrinked and felt stabbed in her chest as she cursed herself for being so stupid.
Slowly, Alice forced herself to walk to Kiku's car, each step heavy as if she was slowly burying herself in the dirt, which she probably was. When she arrived Kiku was already in the car waiting for her. Opening the door, Alice sat herself down in the front seat, not wanting to be alone in the back. When her Japanese friend saw how devastated she looked he immediately asked what happened, to which she finally let herself fall in on herself and sob as she abruptly pulled him into a tight embrace. Kiku then removed her wig to pet her real hair as he whispered comfortingly to her until she calmed down enough for him to drive away. Alice stayed quiet the rest of the way but held onto one of Kiku's hands at all times as he drove.
'How did I mess up so badly?'
...
Alfred sat in the driver's seat of his car, keys in the ignition, left unturned with the car off. He felt distanced from the world around him as he stared at his dashboard. He felt a little bad about yelling and accusing England like that, but that feeling was easily outweighed by his sense of betrayal by his learning that she had been lying to him for who knows how long. Now all he could think of was everything he could remember her saying to him and wondering if it had in fact been a lie. He was now positive that her story about going to Scotland was all a farce. He had his suspicion before but know there was no doubt. So what was it that she was actually doing, what was she ever doing? It seemed like they see each other so rarely these days. At least with Alice he could be with her almost everyday if he so wished, and she didn't lie to him.
Alfred paused in his thoughts to take a step back. Where did Alice come from? Nothing about tonight had anything to do with her, she didn't even know about his relationship troubles, he had made sure not to tell her so she wouldn't get her hopes up since he still fully intend to stay with England.
But why was he?
A knocking on his passenger window brought Alfred out of his thoughts and caused him to look over at the window to see his cousin waiting outside. Alfred then unlocked the door to let him make his way in.
"Hello mon cousin, what is with that melancholy look if I may ask?" He greeted and questioned as soon as he sat down and closed the car door.
"England." Alfred stated. "She's been lying to me."
"Ah, well what are you going to do about it?"
"Not sure."
Francis let a moment of silence pass before speaking up again.
"Are you thinking of leaving her?" He asked. Alfred seemed to shrink down in his seat as he pondered the idea.
"Not really, I wanna try and fix this. Just not sure if it's worth it." Francis let out a short sight and patted him on the shoulder.
"If I may be so bold Alfred, I think you should leave England. It's obvious you don't love her." He told him with a painful slap of truth. Alfred looked at him in shock.
"I don't?" The American questioned.
"Do you?" The Frenchman challenged.
Alfred looked back at his dashboard, at a loss for words or an answer. He knows what love feels like, but he can't say that that was what he felt for England. If it wasn't love he felt for her, then… what was it?
"I can learn to love her." He murmured in a near whisper. Francis groaned loudly, looking as if he wanted to slam his head on the car door for a dramatic effect.
"Mon Dieu- Alfred, you don't have to force yourself to love someone!" Alfred looked over at his raging cousin. "Isn't there someone else you love?" He asked, almost desperately.
An image of Alice immediately popped into his head, but Alfred tried to shake it out. "No." He answered. He couldn't love Alice, or at least he couldn't tell her that he did. Not after he already broke her heart by rejecting her. If he were to simply switch from on girl to another, it would only cause pain to one of the parties, most likely to England. Even with everything she's done, or hasn't done, he doesn't want to hurt her, at least with Alice she knows they won't be together. Francis seemed to give up on him as he opened the car door.
"In the end, you're only hurting everyone, especially Alice." He said as he stepped out.
"I'm sorry." He said to Francis.
"Don't tell me that." He stated. "Tell Alice."
Francis then promptly slammed the door. With him gone, Alfred then finally started his car and drove away, wanting to leave this place and go home. When he arrived back at his house and settled down in his room he opened his phone and saw that he had a text.
Iggy: I'm Sorry.
You: Me too
You: But I still need time to think
You: I want to fix this tho
Iggy: What if I tell you one truth about me once a day until you trust me again?
You: That would help
A few minutes passed between their texts as he waited for her to say something. Right when he had decided to turn off his phone, his notification tone sounded and a new text arrived.
Iggy: I'm not home schooled.
And just with those four words, so many lies were revealed.
.
.
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Hello my lovely readers, it is I, Plains, back at it again with another chapter. I couldn't stay away from this story for long, not when the scene that I've been planning since I first started this story is coming up so soon, next chapter actually. Something big is about to go down and I am so f***ing ready! I wanted so bad to reveal that Alice was England in this chapter, but I had to stop myself in order for my planned plot to continue the way I wanted it to. Well I'll see you next week, maybe the one after, depends.
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