Colder Than My Heart

Lisa tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She’d woken in Alex’s bed in a mood to busy herself. She lifted a photograph from ledge of the living room window not bothering to look at the picture but rather focused her attention on the dust gathering beneath it. She swiftly removed the dust and put the frame face down without taking a single glance at the picture of her and Alex grinning atop a cliff face. She shifted over to the shelves in the corner of the room, lifting her hand to shift an ornament just in time for a faint melody entering his ears. She listened carefully, recognising the tune she dropped her hand and turned, her eyes zeroing in on the device flashing brilliantly from across the room. She took a quick glance at the shelf, frowning before she crossed the carpet. Reaching down she picked up the phone in her slender fingers. She glanced at the caller idea: Unknown. Lisa furrowed her eyebrows but flipped the device open nonetheless.

“Hello?” She asked softly into the receiver.

“Hey, this is Lisa isn’t it?” The voice which she recognised to be male asked on the other end of the line.

“Yeah it is,” she replied with a hint of curiosity to her tone. She slumped down into one of the crème sofas Alex owned.

“Thank god I got the right number,” the voice on the other end of the line sighed. “It’s Max,” he replied before Lisa had a chance to question him.

“Oh! Right, hey,” Lisa greeted feeling a grin spread across her face.

“Hi,” he chuckled from the other end of the line. “Sorry, I didn’t have much time to call you before.”

“Oh don’t worry about it,” she replied, swatting her free hand as if he could see. Although he couldn’t physically see her gestures he could hear the smile in her voice.

“Well, I was wondering if you were doing anything today or if you wanted to...” he paused to take a breath. “Hang out?” He asked. The line was quiet for a minute. Lisa broke out into a soft, genuine smile and tilted her head to the side.

“Yeah, that sounds fun. What did you have in mind?” She asked lying on her side and resting her cheek on her elbow.

“Well I thought we could just decide as we go along,” he replied, she could almost hear him shrugging.

“That sounds nice. Just come pick me up from where I’m staying,” she replied sitting back up. “Do you have a pen?”

“It won’t matter which one of us leaves here first,
‘Cause you know that I’ll end up right back with you anyway,
You’re my emotions, desire and you know it best,
You take one part of me,
You demand all the rest,” Sarah sang into the mic, shutting her eyes momentarily as she leaned against the amp. Her eyes snapped back open and she looked back out to the crowd before her. “I tried to grow immune but nothing’s my cure
You can’t pretend that you haven’t let this happen,” she finished the chorus cutting herself off at the last word as all her band mates lurches forwards. Alex watched by the side of the stage, his arms folded and a grin subconsciously playing on his lips. He watched the way she moved, the way she held herself, despite how much she was swinging herself around he found her incredibly gracious. Despite how damp her hair and body had grown with sweat and water he admired the way her clothes clung tightly to her body. After one final lunge all the band members played more gently on their instruments, almost silently as Sarah began to sing the bridge. The crowd caught on, turning their full attention to the stage before them. People kept the beat as they slammed their hands together, only fuelling Sarah’s energy further.

“I’m training my addiction,
Memorising every detail,
The way those words roll off your tongue,
That I wish I could retell,
I’m training my addiction,
Memorising every detail,
The way your name rolls off her tongue,
There’s some things I won’t retell,” she began before repeating, getting louder. All the instruments grew louder with her until right at the end when everyone, including the audience let their energy get the better of them. Sarah almost screamed the chorus, hitting every note perfectly. Alex couldn’t help but tap his foot subtly at the music he was hearing. He hummed along to the tune under his breath. Nick and Blake repeated the chorus into their microphones as Sarah continued. “And your glances open the wounds,
Her touch keeps walking me to the grave,” she began swinging herself around only to have her eyes lock with that of Alex. She was confused at first, her eyebrows rising slightly. Alex grinned, sending the brunette an approving look that made her break out into a grin. “And I’ll stay your secret,
Your secret spreading like her hate,” she sang extending a hand into the air only to have the crowd do the same. “Denver I love you!” She yelled one last time with her last breath before dropping the mic and running off stage with the rest of her band.

“You were amazing,” Alex complimented as she ran towards him.

“Why thank you,” she smiled wiping a wet strand of hair from her face. Alex smiled into her bright eyes before quickly shaking himself; thankfully she didn’t pick up on his stare. “If you don’t mind me asking, how come you’re here anyway? Jersey told me you guys played the Hurley stage?” She asked out of pure curiosity.

“Oh yeah we are,” Alex stumbled. “I was just wondering if you wanted to come and see our set. The rest of your band too,” he added for fear of seeming as if he were begging her. Sarah looked behind herself at the guys who had gathered around her. They all sent her smiles and approving masks which she returned.

“Sure, I think we’re just gonna go cool off for a bit first though,” she nodded silently asking for his approval.

“Oh yeah that’s fine, I mean of course,” he stumbled sending her a bright smile which she returned. “Just get there before three o’clock, come and hang with us before the set,” he nodded. She did the same out of understanding.

“Okay, well, we’ll see you then,” she agreed. With nothing more than a small smirk he walked away, not another word being exchanged between the two.