“There is one other party I think my dad has to attend then unfortunately I have to go home to New York.”
“Party, what kind of party,”
“I think it has something to do with the TV networks over here, but if I said for sure I would only be lying.”
“I take it your dad is quite a powerful man then?”
“I guess you could say you that, but hey he’s just dad to me.”
“I would love to have your life.”
“What? No believe me you wouldn’t.”
“Yes I really would I could go to all the parties meet all the cool people dance all night and sip champagne, but for me as good as it gets is serving the champagne.”
“Jessica you have an amazing life here in London do you go to college?”
“That’s a bit of a long story.”
“We have plenty of time.” I say with a little smile.
Jessica fills me in about her family life and the fact they have some money issues. Jessica has to work two jobs to pay off her student loan, she lives in a small flat (as she calls it) on the eastside of town, but she is always around this area as it is easier to find work. She has two brothers who are both older so she is the baby of the family. Her mom and dad live a quiet life filled by staying in and watching the TV. She also told me that she is never been anywhere in her life, never left the UK, she does not even have a passport.
“So you see Alanna why I would trade lives with you?”
“I know that life is maybe a little sucky for you right now, however you live in the most wonderful city in the whole world, if I lived here there would be no way I would leave.” I say to Jessica hoping to make her feel a little better.
“You say that Alanna but come on would you really trade with me?”
“I wouldn’t trade with anyone your life is unique to you however you live it.” I see her press a little smile through her lips.
“You sure have a gift for making things sound wonderful Alanna it’s like you see the good in everything.”
Nine
When I arrive back at the hotel, my dad and Julian are all suited, booted, and ready for the party tonight. As for me, I am not looking forward to tonight. I do not know what it is but I feel an urge of boycott ever since I heard Jessica’s words on how hard her life is. I cannot help but feel selfish and spoilt, knowing that anything I want is just a click away. It really is not fair for a young girl like Jessica working two jobs and slaving away as a waiter on her nights off. All the while, the kind of people I am sure she is waiting on do not even have a clue she exists. I am sure; they’re all wrapped up in their own lives of plastic surgery money, and jealousy no doubt of the person right next to them. Checking out what they are wearing, where they shop, dine and what car they drive; eyeing each other up talking behind their backs, and no doubt sleeping with their best friends husbands. Jessica seems like such a nice person and she does not deserve to have the struggles she has.
“Lanna are you ready?” My dad says as he knocks on the bathroom door.
“Yes Dad I will be right out.”
After I came back from shopping, I decided to take a long bath to get all the stresses of the day away. I check myself in the mirror and open the bathroom door to see my dad there on his Blackberry talking very fast and not making any sense to me.
“I will make sure I do that Mr Jenkins see you soon.” Was all I could make out? “What was all that about?”
“It is nothing for you to worry about.”
He links his arm into mine and we head for the party. We arrive and as soon as my dad is in through the door there is a slim, grey haired man who quickly whisks him away to the back to meet some other people and, yet again, I find myself alone standing in a room full of strangers. I look around, as I always do at one of these events but the person, the only person that I could possibly be looking for, is nowhere in sight. I walk over to the bar and ask for a coke, the bartender quickly gives me my drink and immediately asks me where I am from. So I let the guy know where I’m from, what I’m doing here and that tonight is my last night and not only is tonight my last night in my dream city, but I’m here basically alone on New Year’s eve.
“Don’t you have a boyfriend or something?” The guy asks.
“No boyfriend.” I say looking down at the bar.
“How is that possible?”
“Quite easy actually”
“You must have tons of blokes after you?”
“I don’t.”
“Come on be truthful.”
“I am there are no guys after me, well except maybe Marco.”
“See I knew there had to be one, what’s he like?”
“He is an ass.”
“Ha.” The bartender laughs. “Did you date him?”
“No he is more the kind of guy that is like, let’s not do dates just come away with me to Venice with my entire family for New Year’s.”
“Wow he must really like you then if he feels the need to take you away with his family.”
“No it’s not that he likes me, it’s more of chance to show off kind of thing.”
“What?
Yeah really”
“I can’t say that I ever did that.”
“Are you single?” I ask.
“No I’m married going on two years this February.”
“What is that like?”
“Ha.” The bartender laughs again. “It’s not without its difficult moments that’s for sure but we do the best we can and hopefully that’s enough.”
“So are you in love?”
“Of course I am do, you really think I would be married to someone I didn’t love?”
“No, not exactly but where I’m from people marry for reasons in which love is not even considered.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“What reasons could you marry someone if not to love them?”
“The usual money, cars, trips to Europe the chance to feel financially safe, so they don’t have to go through life wanting for anything. Everything is there handed to them on a plate and love who needs love when you drive a Bentley?”
“Surely you don’t think like that do you?”
I take a deep breath and let out a sigh. “Actually, I am the complete opposite of that; sometimes I don’t think I belong there. I feel when I speak with all the girls I grew up with, they are all planning their life’s out like it’s been chosen for them but as for me I don’t know what I want but I know it most definitely is not that.”
The bar is soon so crowded that I feel a little uncomfortable with all these old drunk men around pushing one another out the way to get their drinks. Therefore, I take my drink and my little clutch bag and head for a wander around the party. I walk through the mass of people and I cannot help but think, although I am bored and feeling alone and am sick of waiting for midnight to happen, that this really is a lovely party. Everyone looks like there having such a good time. Laughing and joking, over by the band there are a few older couples dancing looking far more in love than anyone could ever imagine. I take a long walk round to the other side where I see some younger people. I lean back against the wall and try not to show that I am eavesdropping on their conversation. I listen to their words and I come to realize, that the conversations are the same boring, snobbishness of the parties of Manhattan, it is the same mindless concern for anyone other than themselves. I begin get bored and I walk back further towards the door and to my surprise is that? No, it cannot be, is it? Yes, it is, out the corner of my eye I can see Adrian Black. I try to shift over a little so I can see him in a clear light. He is with a dark haired man, I would say younger than he is, but what do I know I thought that Adrian Black looked much older than twenty-five. There is a blonde haired woman standing next to him not nearly pretty enough for him. He stands in all his perfection looking like he stepped off the pages of a magazine, running his fingers through his hair as he speaks to his friend. As I stare more, I can see the
woman trying her best for his attention but nothing she seems to do, even in the slightest bit interests him. She flicks her hair touches his arm and lets out little soft giggles. However, there still no interest from him. I am beginning to think that maybe she is doomed for the same treatment that Jessica received from this man. He turns to her and starts to say something I cannot make out so I move a little closer and I hear him say.
“Cara, I really think it’s time you left now, don’t you?”
The woman looks devastated and turns to look at him trying to fight back tears as she says to him in a shallow voice.
“You are messed up; don’t ever talk to me again.”
He looks at her smugly and says, “You know what don’t worry, I really won’t even think about you again I got what I wanted and you know what you are to me.”
The woman cannot contain her tears as she races out the door. I cannot help but think, who does this guy think he is? Does he care about anyone or anything? What is his problem? What is his story? I jump out of thought, as my dad rushes up to me and he says,
“Only ten more minutes.”
“What’s then more minutes?” I say looking confused.
“New Year off course, really Lanna what goes on in that head of yours, I will never know.”
“Right of course New Year’s,” I say.
“Let’s get ready come on over to the bar.” My dad says as he rushes me to the bar area.
I take a seat at the front and wait for him to order the drinks but yet again, another grey haired man pulls him to one side. This one looks as if he is in his early sixties and in need of a gym membership. I take a sip of my champagne and wait for my dad to come back over. All the while I cannot help but look around to see if Adrian Black is anywhere in sight. I look round but I cannot see him. I turn to the other side and there he is standing at the other end of the bar. He has a glass of water in one hand and a Blackberry in the other. He has huge smirk on his face as he reads whatever is on the screen of the shiny Black phone. I look over at him and I really hope that he does not see me. I do not want to have a replay of what happened the other night. With what I just heard him say to that poor girl, I really do not think that he is the type of person that I feel comfortable talking with. Whom am I kidding? I think to myself. I am so drawn to him it is like a moth to flame. As much as I try not to stare but I really cannot help it he is just too good looking, it is somewhat annoying for someone to look that good. Oh, crap! I see him looking over. He has a look of shock on his face to see me sitting there glaring over at him. He takes a sip of water and makes his way over to me. Crap! I think to myself what does he want, what am I going to do, and most of all what am I going to say?
“Hello again” He says in a cool tone.
“Hi.” I say to him trying to sound just as cool.
“What brings you here tonight?” I think of the last time I said I was with my dad and that awful are you a daddy’s girl flashes round in my mind. “I’m here for the party.” I say trying not to show the despair in my voice.
“I never introduced myself the other night, I’m Adrian Black.” He looks at me waiting for a reply.
“Nice to meet you Adrian Black"
“You are Alanna am I right?”
How does he know my name? I must have blurted it out the other night whilst he was interrogating me.
“Yes that’s right my name is Alanna.”
“You have a lovely name, it really suits you.” Is this guy for real,
“It’s just a name it doesn’t define a person.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” He says smirking. “Do you live in London?” I pause as I answer.
“N-o I am from New York.”
“I go there a lot on business.”
“Yeah, London New York there are a lot of connections between the two cities.”
“Yes and what is it that you do?”
“I am just about to start my second year at Columbia University,” I say as I think is this guy actually being nice. Is he showing interest?
“What is that you study?”
“Social studies, I am hoping to be a graduate next year and go on to become a social worker or something along those lines. I want to help the kids of the city that are homeless and have come from broken homes, one day I hope to start a private orphanage, somewhere I can help every child find a loving home.” I say with pride.
I can see his face change like what I just said was something that maybe he is passionate about also. I feel the urge to ask him but scared of what his reaction might be I choose not to.
“Alanna may I ask you something?”
“Of course” I say with absolute poise.
“Have you ever had a boyfriend?”
That is the same thing he asked Jessica but for me I have to answer truthfully, I look up into his green eyes and say
“No Adrian I have not had any boyfriends.”
I catch a little smirk on the guys face like that was the best thing he had heard all year. I feel a sudden nudge, I turn and my dad is right behind me.
“Lanna its time,” “seven, six, five, four, three, two, one.”
“Happy new year,” I hear everyone in the room shout.
“Happy new year,” My dad says and he takes me in his arms and gives me a big hug.
“Happy New Year, Dad.”
My dad’s colleagues rush over to rejoice in the New Year’s celebrations. As for me I look over to Adrian Black, where he is standing with the dark haired man he looks over at me, and mouths.
“Happy New Year,”
I nod back in agreement and let out a smile as he turns and walks away I can’t help but think that guy is such a mystery.
The next morning I wake up nice and early after all I only have a few hours before I have to start packing for home. I finish my breakfast and go over to the side table where my phone is. I slide open the top drawer of the table and pull out the two little white envelopes and the small round Black box. As I read the words, again I start to think of who could be sending me these gifts. The thing that strikes me most about this is no one knows I am here except from my mom and Sophie but they were just as puzzled by this as me. I take out the round earrings that it is clear to see is real diamonds they are white and princess cut. They must have cost a lot but who would send them? Then it hits me
“Marco.”
I cannot believe I never thought of it before. He knows I am in London and somehow found out where I am staying. It is he; he is the only person it can be. I sit on the bed and try to come to terms with what I have now found out. I sit and try think of reason for him sending me the gifts after I turned him down. It is now clear for me see he sent the gifts he simply said,
“Enjoy,”
Each time trying to fool me into thinking, it was someone else. The email, which I have never received before, the phrase
“Look what you’re missing.”
What he had said to me that night at the party
“I will take you shopping buy you anything you want.”
That is the reason for the earrings a clue for me to edge closer into thinking it was he all the time. I reach over and grab my phone I quickly start to compose a text to Sophie,
Sophie I think I know who is sending me the flowers and the earrings its Marco it has to be him there is no one else. Text back when you get this all my love Alanna
I place my phone on my lap and sit patiently as I await Sophie’s reply. I don’t know what I am feeling right now if it’s a relief that I now have a suspect someone to point all my frustrations at or am I sad that maybe just maybe I wished that on some level it would have been someone else someone I didn’t know. At least then, I would not have to see their faces every day and wonder what they were thinking. BEEP my phone, I slide to unlock and see a message from Sophie,
Alanna you are right it must be him.
I reply, but why,
It is obvious there is only one reason Alanna and that is that he cares
about you. I went into the city yesterday and I ran into Elliot. He told me that Marco is having a terrible time over in Venice. Apparently, he is lying in his room all day and did not even come out to wish his family a ‘happy new year’. Elliot, thinks it is due the fact that he is pining away after some girl: the girl is you Alanna.
I take a deep breath as I read her words for the third time. I do not understand why I have such an effect on Marco it is not as if we have any type of history. I reply,
Sophie I have no words to describe the way I feel right now. I simply just do not understand Marco at all.
BEEP! Another message from Sophie
So is your flight home today?
Yes tonight at six, I am totally dreading the packing
How was your night last night? Did you have a happy new year?
I had the event with my dad it was boring without you however I did have a little fun!
Oh, do tell!
Where do I start, I fill Sophie in on last night’s events not leaving out a single detail.
I cannot believe someone like him exists how you can stand to be around him.
Sophie if you saw him you would see my reason.
Even so, he sounds like an arrogant ass to me.
Maybe he is but I feel that there is so much more to him. When I stared into his eyes, I felt as if there was pain in them maybe a traumatic experience or something. There is more than meets the eye with this one!
Sounds like you maybe have a little thing for him Alanna.
No, I do not; I am just interested that is all.
The sheer fact that you describe him as the most beautiful, living, breathing thing you have ever laid eyes on has nothing to do with it.
I feel a little stunned by Sophie’s words she is never as judgmental as this. I feel uneasy about the way this is going so I decide to change the subject.
Any way Sophie what has been going on since I have been away any news?
No just the same old stories the same old cat fights the same old Manhattan!
Does it ever change is there ever anything going on, that is not to benefit some ulterior motive?
Three Thousand Miles To You,(Three Thousand Miles, Series, Book #1) Page 5
