CHAPTER ELEVEN: DRIFTING APART

August 19, 2005

 It’s been several days. No Rules are heavily promoting their single, Drive, while living in London. They’re taking a break from their tour.

 The members have been noticing that Alex and Sophie have been drifting apart a lot. Erica decided to set up a date for the two, but she had to convince Alex that she was going to meet him at a restaurant. Sophie was easy; just tell her to meet with Alex.

 Alex arrived at the restaurant first. He was expecting to see Erica, but then he saw Sophie. She noticed his surprised expression. Alex asked nervously, “S-Sophie, what are you doing here?”

 Sophie replied, “Erica set up a date for us. Why? Were you expecting someone?”

 “Erm, no. Just you. Look, forget what I just said. Let’s just eat.”

 After a few minutes of awkward silence, Sophie spoke up: “Alex, I don’t know what’s going on with you. You barely talk to me, let alone kiss me.”

 Alex asked coldly, “So what are you saying?”

 “I miss you. I miss us. I want us back. I still love you. Don’t you love me?”

 He muttered, “I don’t know.”

 “What?”

 Then he answered angrily, “I said I don’t know! I don’t know about us, or if I have any feelings for you. I just don’t fucking know!”

 With that, Sophie’s voice wavered, “You don’t know? You don’t know that you love me? You don’t know that I helped you come out of your hooded jacket? You don’t know that I defended you when Charlie bullied you non-stop ever since No Rules was formed? You don’t know that I saved you from yourself? You don’t know all the things I did for you because I loved you since the day I met you?”

 Alex said nothing, then Sophie stormed out of the restaurant, crying.

 A few minutes later, Erica saw Sophie arrive in the NR house. She was upset, so Erica asked, “Sophie, you’re back soon. What happened? Why are you crying?”

 Sophie answered as she cried, “I think Alex dumped me. He said he doesn’t know anything about us.”

 Then Erica gave Sophie a hug, and ran off to talk to Ashley and Edward. She told them what happened between Alex and Sophie. They weren’t surprise since Alex has been becoming obsessed with Erica.

 Edward said, “This is not good. Is he still at the restaurant?”

 Erica said, “Maybe. I haven’t texted him.”

 Ashley said, “If Alex’s not at the restaurant, then he might try to pick a fight with Evan.”

 With that, Erica ran out of the house, and got a cab. (She’s currently taking driving lessons.) She went to Evan’s home. She knocked on the door, and he opened it.

 He was surprised to see her, so he asked, “Erica, what are you doing here?”

 She told him sternly, “Let me in, and I’ll tell you.”

 So Evan let her in. Erica told him everything that’s been going with Alex, and what he used to be like before and after he joined NR.

 Just then, someone knocked on the door harshly. Erica looked out the window, and saw Alex! Evan asked, “Who is it?”

 She answered, “Alex. You, stay here. I’m gonna talk some sense into this bloke.”

 So Erica went out, and pushed Alex away from the door. Then she told him sternly, “Listen here, bloke; go back with Sophie. You need her, not me. I’m with Evan, who happens to be my boyfriend. Sophie has known you since No Rules was formed, I just joined this band earlier this year. Sophie has saved you from yourself, not me. I did wanted to be with you, but I’ve moved on. But as for you, you need to be with Sophie. She loves you very much, and you need that from her. She’s your lifesaver.”

 Then Alex became teary-eyed, and went to his black BMW. (Alex’s the youngest member, so far, to have a driver’s license.) Then he drove away.

 An hour later, Alex arrived at NR house. He ran up to Sophie’s room, and kissed her hard. Then he told her as his voice wavered, “Sophie baby, I’m so sorry. I did a lot of thinking, and I do love you. You defended, saved me, and opened me up. No one’s done that to me, except you. I don’t wanna lose you. I love you too much.”

 With that, Sophie and Alex passionately made out.

 An hour later, Erica returned to the NR house. Ashley told her that Alex patched things up with Sophie. Erica was relived.