Page 72 of When We Fell Again
The roads around the stadium were packed with gig-goers leaving, and I didn’t want to get caught up with them. Finding the guy who had driven us there in the minibus, I asked him to take me back and then return to pick up the others. He wanted to argue, since the traffic was horrendous, but I slipped him a twenty, and he agreed.
When I arrived at the hotel, I checked out the bar first, only to find it empty apart from a couple who were very obviously at the end of a date, and a group of half a dozen people who were loudly discussing the merits of the university open day. I went back to my room, only to find it in darkness. Jordan’s bag lay untouched on the floor, the flowers he’d brought me propped in the sink in the bathroom. I refilled the water, then checked my phone again.
Nothing.
Sitting down on the bed, I pulled my knees up to my chest. I dialled Jordan’s number, and it rang and rang before eventually cutting out without going to answerphone. I tried again a few minutes later, getting the same result.
Alexis: Where are you? We need to talk x
I waited and waited, but no reply came. Pulling the sheets around me, I closed my eyes but couldn’t shake the feeling something was very wrong. I must have drifted off because I was woken by the sound of my phone ringing. When I looked at the screen, it was Levi’s number that came up.
“Lex, thank God.” Levi sounded relieved.
“Levi? What’s going on?”
“Um, Jordan’s been in a fight or something.”
“So, he’s with you? In London?”
“Yeah. I know he was with you, but I have no idea how he ended up back here. He got here about twenty minutes ago, blood all over his face and clothes, but he refused to tell me what had happened.”
Panic gripped me. He’d gone all the way back to London… for what? And he’d ended up in a fight? Had he gone after Arlo? He couldn’t have. I would already have known if the two of them had faced off again.
“I know this is a big ask, Lex.” Levi paused. “But is there any chance you could come home? I’m worried about him and he’s refusing to see a doctor. God only knows what damage he might have done. He might listen to you.”
I very much doubted that after the way I’d spoken to him. But I couldn’t deal with the thought of him being in pain. Of him being introuble.
“Let me check the train times. I’ll get there as soon as I can.”
“Thanks, Lex. I really appreciate it. Keep me posted on your travels, yeah?”
“Of course. And Levi… thanks for calling me.” I ended the call, then checked my schedule. The next day was a travel and rest day before the final gig in London the following evening. I could get back to see Jordan without making too many excuses, maybe even go home and still be back for the last show.
Firing off a message to The Dicers tour group chat, I briefly explained what I was going to do, citing a personal emergency. I was sure it wouldn’t take Arlo long to work out what that meant. But I didn’t care. I had to do this.
The first train out of Bristol to London left shortly before five the next morning. I barely slept, tossing and turning as I mulled over my argument with Jordan. I shouldn’t have dismissed him as easily as I did, guilt creeping over me. The journey seemed to take a lot longer than the hour and a half they promised. I stared out of the window, not really taking in the scenery as the world started to come to life around me. Debating whether to drag my suitcase on the underground, I decided to take a taxi to Jordan’s place instead. When the taxi driver told me the cost, I tried not to wince, tapped my card on the payment device and headed up the path towards the door. Levi was already at the door, as I’d kept him updated with my progress. He took my suitcase inside, and as he hugged me, I clung to him.
“How is he?” I asked.
“Hasn’t come out of his room.” Levi shook his head, drawing away from me. “I’ve checked on him a couple of times, heard him snoring, but he hasn’t spoken properly yet.”
“Do you think it’s a bit early to wake him?” I checked the time.
“Hey, he woke me up at whatever time he got in, so I say go for it.” He grinned. “I’ll make some coffee.”
“Perfect.”
I climbed the stairs to Jordan’s room, a sense of dread falling over me. I had no idea what I would find in there. Tentatively, I knocked, hearing a muffled noise that sounded like ‘come in’. I did and instantly wished I could turn around and head back out.
The room smelled of sweat and weed, and I wrinkled my nose against it. Jordan was curled up in a ball on the bed, but I could see the bruising on his face and the dried blood around his lower lip.
“Lex,” he croaked. “Are you really here, or am I hallucinating?”
Given the drugs I could smell, it could easily have been the latter, even though I knew it wasn’t. “It’s okay, I’m here.” I went over to the bed and sat down, the dipping of the mattress causing Jordan to groan. “Hey, look at me.” I placed a gentle finger underneath his chin and tipped his face towards me, watching as he screwed his eyes up in pain. “Who did this to you?”
He jerked away from my touch. “It doesn’t matter,” he mumbled. Rolling out of my way, his shirt bunched up and I could see the purple and red marks on his back and ribs.
“You need to see a doctor.”
