Chapter Two

"WE MIGHT STILL BE IN LOVE IF YOU WERE A BETTER MAN," the crowd bellowed along with Alice and Leonard. "YOU WOULD'VE BEEN THE ONE IF YOU WERE A BETTER MAN!"

Alice jumped on the spot as the song finished, her excitement overwhelming her. She was right outside the stadium with Leonard, along with about a hundred or so people. They were on the pavement and wearing Taylor Swift t-shirts and other merchandise. Some even had Taylor's face painted on their own faces.

Alice had wanted to attend one of her concerts for a very long time but she always lacked the funds to. When she heard that there was another tour going on, she decided that she would save up to get a ticket. She worked hard at a part-time job all summer and saved up enough to finally get some great seats. Unfortunately for her, the sales would start on a day where she had an important test. Hearing this, Leonard offered to get her their tickets. She agreed, and on hindsight, she shouldn't have.

Because Leonard overslept and forgot about the tickets entirely. So they ended up with no tickets and now, they were along the pavements with other fans who failed to get tickets. Their energy was infectious and she reckoned that they had more fervour than the fans who were inside the stadium.

"See! I told you it wouldn't be so bad!" Leonard beamed at her. She nodded yes and soon, the next song blared from the stadium.

Dating Leonard was fun. He was reckless and wild, and she tried many things that she normally wouldn't have considered when out on dates with him. She dined and dashed once with him and they had ordered the most expensive dishes on the menu. On another occasion, they took a taxi to the next state to have fun, but realised halfway that they did not have enough for the fare, so they escaped the moment the cab reached. The old man was fuming mad when it happened and yelling curses at them as they ran, and to this day, his expression remained firmly in her mind.

"It's not too shabby," Alice said as the rest of the crowd sang along to Taylor. She looked down at Leonard. He was sitting on a foldable chair that he had borrowed from the people who were standing nearby. The concert had begun some time ago and now, her legs were aching. "My legs are tired, could I sit for a while?"

"But I'm tired," Leonard protested. "I stayed up late all night playing games."

"Then it's okay, you have the seat," Alice said, relenting. The time ticked on and on as the soles of her feet grew numb and when the concert ended, she was both happy for a night well spent and for the rest her feet were about to have.

"Do you want to grab something to eat?" Leonard asked her.

"No, my feet hurt. I want to go home."

"What? The night has just started!"

"I think I'll go home," she said, shrugging. "Sorry."

"Don't go home. Come over to my place and rest there. Let's have supper. There are leftovers at my place."

"What leftovers?" Alice asked, her stomach growling. She could really use a hot meal right now.

"Spaghetti."

"Okay, I'm sold. Let's go," Alice said.

They hailed a cab since it was too late for public transport. Since there were hordes of people coming from the concert, it took them close to an hour before they finally got a ride, and by then, Alice could tell that she would have sore feet for the rest of the week. And the week had only just started.

When the cab reached his home, Alice shot out the side of it and rushed as quickly as she could manage into Leonard's home and crashed on his couch. She pried her sneakers from her feet and threw them to the side. What she wouldn't give for an ice bath right now!

"You're such a couch potato," he said as he walked in after her.

"Hah," she said, slightly annoyed that he had said that after putting her in the situation she was in. Was it that hard to let your girlfriend sit down for a few minutes?

"Do you want to drink anything?" Leonard asked.

"Sure, some water would be good."

"I have a better idea actually."

She stared blankly at him. 


"My dad has this alcohol cabinet," Leonard said. "He thinks I don't have a clue, but I know where he keeps the keys. Let's have some drinks."

"I don't drink," Alice said.

"Well, time to start then," Leonard said, disappearing down his hallway. When he re-emerged, his hands were both holding onto huge bottles of alcohol. She knew nothing about drinks since she was underage, but he seemed to be rather familiar as he poured them for himself. He offered her some but she declined and it didn't take long before he was passed out on the couch, smelling strongly of drink.

"I guess I'll show myself out," Alice said to herself finally as she put her sneakers back on. As she was tying her shoelaces, she heard the grind of a lock turning and she raised her head to look at who was coming in.

A man in his mid thirties stepped into the house. He was dressed in a grey shirt along with dark pants, and he also had a windbreaker on that looked incredibly comfortable. There was scruff on his chin and he nodded at her as he walked into the living room. He stared at the coffee table and Alice looked between him and his line of sight, a slight panic creeping into her. A frown formed on his face in the next instant and he shoved his keys into his back pocket.

"Alice, right? Leonard's girlfriend?" he asked her.

"Yeah," she said cautiously. "It's not what it looks like - "

"It's exactly what it looks like. My son doesn't know where I keep the keys to the alcohol cabinet and he told me you have a lockpicking hobby. I've always wanted to meet the girl Leonard was dating, but I can't say I'm impressed."

"That's not - "

"I'd rather you not influence my son negatively. He's too young to be drunk as he is now and you're more than welcome to drop by, but please don't go putting bad ideas in his head."

"But, but," Alice said, stammering. She tried to explain the situation but the words wouldn't form.

"But what? Was I not right when I said you broke into the alcohol cabinet for him?"

Alice paused and glanced at Leonard, who was snoring on the couch, completely oblivious to her predicament. She knew that Leonard was never really fond of his father even though she had only heard good things about him and at that time, she was utterly unwilling to sour their relationship further. It wouldn't have been ideal for Leonard.

"Well?" Leonard's father said. "Was it not you?"

Alice hung her head in shame. "Yeah, it was me."