Hello Adrian, that was not so hard now was it?
You have no idea, are you surprised.
Yes I am, how did you know where I lived?
I have contacts and that type of thing is not that hard to find out.
I never expected it to be you, but I was kind of hoping it was.
Why would you want it to be me?
I do not know, there is just something about you, I cannot explain it!
I am bad Alanna, if you had any sense you would not even be talking back to me.
You keep saying that but unless you give me a reason then no I will not stop.
I cannot I care about you too much and for my own selfishness I do not want you to know.
Then let us forget about it and if in your own time you want me know then you will.
I would not be so sure Alanna.
Okay then tell me about your day?
My day,
Yes, I want to know what you do.
I have my own company; my days mostly are at the office.
Okay what else.
There is nothing more to tell.
What is your family like?
When I was twelve, I went into foster care.
I did not know I am sorry.
Do not be.
Did you stay there long?
When I was fourteen, a man called Mr Jenkins adopted me.
Mr Jenkins? Where have I heard that name before?
I think I saw you talking to him at the Gala that night in London.
Really, that was your adoptive dad.
Yes, his wife and he were so good to me, he showed me the business and by the age of twenty-one, I had my own company I really owe everything to them. Alanna I have never told anyone this before so please can you keep it to yourself.
Off course, I will what happened to your biological parents.
My father left when I was two and my mother, although she was around more she never wanted me.
That is awful; I could never imagine such a thing.
Alanna I do not want your pity. I have had to grow a thick skin and accept the fact the some children do not have what most do, a loving family. I do not wish to discuss this further okay.
Okay, can I ask what your life is like now?
Yes, ask me I would love you to know more about me.
Do have any passions?
I do.
What are they?
Besides you,
Yes, I want to know about you.
I spend a lot of time in France.
I love Paris I have always wanted to go.
Paris is nice, but I spend most of my time in the South.
Tell me more.
I own a property in St. Tropez; I stay Monday to Wednesday in London and the rest of week in France.
Do you not like London?
I do, however, I would not stay there all the time.
That is how I feel about New York.
Yes you have the little house in the Hamptons am I right?
Yes, it is not a luxury house but it does for when I need away from the bubble of the city. I am supposed to be asking the questions.
Go on then.
What type of things do you do while you are in St. Tropez?
I am on my yacht most of the time, I love being out on the water and some days, I stay on the boat and do not return to the house. No one knows whom I am when I am there. I do not have to answer to anyone and I can put the business out of my mind. I crave that feeling every time I go back to London and when I do, I just take off once again.
Its sounds wonderful - being able to leave like that whenever you want.
It is a different life for me over there, I do not have the pressures of the company instead I have the calmness and the freedom to do whatever I want. Now that you are here, I am even more thrilled about it because now I have someone to share it with, if you would let me.
I would, but what about Mr Jenkins and his family do you not share it with them?
I do but it is not the same as with you.
Why,
They are people who came into my life when it was bad and made it good. They have shaped me into the person I am and I will always be grateful for that. However, no other makes me feel the way you do.
I do not know how to respond, I never really expected all this from you. We only had a brief meeting in London, so I do not know what to think.
I understand that it must seem strange, but that first meeting I knew how I felt about you and it was that I wanted you. Thinking of you with another is like a dagger to my heart, I freeze and the pain stays every time that thought enters my head.
I feel that I was drawn to you it cannot explain it.
Do not try to, now is it my turn to ask the questions?
Go ahead,
What is your life like?
You already know I got to college at Columbia I stay in the dorms when I am not at my house in the Hamptons. My parents are Jack and Belle Hart I have a little sister called Penelope and my best friend is Sophie. Anything else?
Yes, do you have many friends?
Yes, I have many friends.
Are any of them male?
Yes,
Would you say you are close to them?
Yes, I guess so.
Did you ever date any of them?
No, I have not dated anyone before and especially not one of my friends.
Okay is there any blokes that are after you?
What do you mean?
Well do any other men like you?
I think there could be one.
Who is he?
His name is Marco.
Tell me more please.
He goes to the same college as me.
How old is he?
He is twenty-two, why do you want to know all this.
I am just curious, it is a little hard to believe that someone like you has never had a boyfriend and it is even harder to believe, that no blokes are after you.
The only person that shows interest in me is Marco.
What kind of things does he do?
It is hard to explain, because he never showed his feelings until before my trip to London.
What did he say?
He came over to me at a party and started talking to me about why I hate him so much. Then out of nowhere he asks me to go to Venice with him and his entire family.
Do you hate him?
No, I do not hate him.
Do you have feelings for him then?
No, it is not like that.
Do you have feelings for anyone?
Maybe just you,
Do you like me?
Yes,
I there anything you wish to ask me?
How do you feel about me?
I feel like I cannot live without you.
Are you just saying all this or are you being truthful?
This is my truth, I feel like I love you.
I sigh as I read his words again, how do I reply to something like that. What do I say I do not want to offend him in anyway, but I still want him to know that yes I could feel the same way? Biting my lip, I reply,
Adrian, one day I will love you too.
Fourteen
Adrian and I now talk on a regular basis, every day in fact and mostly at least five or six times each day. The new semester at Columbia has now started and Sophie and I have moved back into the college dorms. I find it so easy to slip back into college life. Sophie is still unaware that I have a mystery man and definitely does not know I am talking to Adrian Black. Chace and Chelsea are still going strong and Sophie now has a boyfriend, therefore he now takes up a lot of her time. As for me, I love my life right now. I have an amazing guy that I talk to you and do not have to worry about all the pressures of everyone knowing about him. As for Marco, after countless emails with Adrian over the subject of whether or whether not Marco is into me, I have decided to stay well away from him. He still makes a fuss whenever we are in class together but I
just try to ignore him, I really do not need him in my life. Now where do I start on Adrian Black? He is without a doubt the most interesting person I have ever met. He has really lived; he told me all about his trips around the world helping underprivileged kids. I cannot help but think of how wrong I was when I first met him. He told me he has stopped going out and looking for girls as he says he has found the one he wants. Although we are not officially together, I feel a sort of beholden to him. The gifts I still receive but it has shrunk to only one or two per week and not a daily occurrence like before. Although he says that there will be one arriving shortly that is not like the rest. He still talks of this dark secret he has and no matter how hard I try to get it out of him there is no way he is ever going to let me know what it is. I try the best I can to put it out of my mind and not think about it because if I did, would that be enough for me to stop caring about him? Care is what I cannot help but feel for him. I also cannot help but wonder if the texts and emails are all I am going to get from him. Although, he always says that one day soon he will come to New York and make me his wife. It is so hard to be so far away from him. I cannot help but feel a little obsessed with what he is doing. Even though I have only ever seen him, twice I feel like I know him and trust him. He opens up to me as he does with no other. I cannot explain him and he consumes me. Night falls on New York City and I lay on my bed, waiting for the little beeping sound that gets me so excited every time I hear it, a new message from Adrian. I think of how I wish to tell Sophie and everyone around me of the amazing thing that is going on in my life. I so desperately want to share this with someone and tonight, I may just do so. I will wait until Sophie comes home. She is out tonight with Dan, so I expect it to be late and then, I will tell her. I really hope she doesn’t get mad, I really want her to understand all this and hopefully she can be happy for me that I have found someone, that makes me feel like I am the most special thing that has ever walked the planet. That is what Adrian does; he has a way of compelling me, treating me as if I am the air that he breathes and without it, he would die.
Sophie comes home and she looks like she really could not be happier. “Good night tonight?” I say as I give her a little smile.
“Oh Alanna it was amazing.” “I think I am in love.” I give out a little giggle.
“You know I owe it all to you, you were the one that got me out of bed every day, and you were the one that showed me that there was more to life than Chace. I really could not have done any of this without you.”
“What are friends for?”
Sophie rushes over and gives me a hug. I pull back a little from her and she suspects something is wrong.
“Are you okay Alanna?”
”Yes I am fine but I do have something I need to tell you.”
“Okay,”
“Do you remember when I went to London?”
“Of course,”
“Do you remember the flowers and other things I was getting?”
“Yes Alanna, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, do you remember that we were sure that Marco was the one that sent them?”
“Yes Alanna, you are starting to scare me please get to the point.”
“It wasn’t him.”
“Who was it then?”
“When I got back to New York I didn’t tell you this but I was still getting the gifts.”
“What?”
“And I found out who it was that was sending them.”
“Then who is it?”
“Do you remember that guy I saw in London?”
“The unbelievably gorgeous one,”
“Yes Sophie it was him it was Adrian Black.”
“How did you find out it was him?”
“He sent me a Blackberry and we began texting and he told me it was him.”
“This is too much Alanna, what are you going to do?”
“What can I do?”
“Are you still in contact with him?”
“Yes, every day.”
“And what is he like is he weird?”
“No Sophie, he is kind and generous and caring.”
“Are you with him?”
“Not exactly, but I don’t want to be with anyone else.”
“Alanna, if you feel that way about him and you feel the urge, to text or whatever you do with him and he makes you happy, then I am happy for you but please be careful.”
“I am, I always am.”
I cannot describe the feeling I have; it is as if a weight has now been lifted off my shoulders. Now that Sophie knows I do not have to hide any more, I can be free to carry on my little thing with Adrian Black!
How did your friend take the news about us?
Adrian says when I instant message him later on that night
Alanna: She understood, but she did warn me to be careful of you.
Adrian: I am glad she did, what kind of friend would she be if she hadn’t?
Alanna: She is the best friend anyone could hope for I did not feel right keeping this a secret from her.
Adrian: How was your day my love?
Alanna: It was great but even better now I am talking to you.
Adrian: Did you see Marco at all today?
Alanna: Yes, he was in a few of my classes today.
Adrian: Did he talk to you again?
Alanna: no it is the same as the other day, I walk into a room he walks out and I know that he is talking about me behind my back. However, I never thought he would carry this on for so long.
Adrian: I do not trust what you are telling me about him, Alanna please stay away from him.
Alanna: Adrian I do not go near him it is just class I cannot avoid him there.
Adrian: Why, do you not ask to move classes?
Alanna: Adrian I cannot.
Adrian: Okay then, do you have any plans for tomorrow?
Alanna: Just studying why,
Adrian: I have something for you tomorrow and please when you see it try not be freaked out by it, Okay?
Alanna: What is it?
Adrian: There is a person coming to visit you tomorrow.
Alanna: What who, is it you?
Adrian: I wish it was but no, it is not me.
Alanna: Then who is it Adrian?
Adrian: My stepbrother Michael,
Alanna: Why would your stepbrother come to visit me?
Adrian: I fear for your safety Alanna, I want him to look after you.
Alanna: I do not need looking after.
Adrian: Yes, you do.
Alanna: Adrian why are you like this?
Adrian: Like what.
Alanna: Overprotective,
Adrian: I just care about you.
Alanna: No Adrian there is more to it than that.
Adrian: I could never live with myself if something happened to you.
Alanna: But what is going to happen to me?
Adrian: I have enemies’, dark people you do not even want to know about. If they found out about you, I do not know what they would do.
Alanna: Adrian you are making no sense what so ever, what kind of enemies do you have.
Adrian: Alanna it is not for you to worry about but please let Michael, look after you and protect you.
Alanna: I guess there is no point in me trying to get the truth out of you, so okay then what time will he be here.
Adrian: Around twelve is that, okay.
Alanna: Yes, I suppose but where is he going to stay?
Adrian: I have arranged for him to stay in your dorm, do not worry I have sorted everything.
Alanna: And Sophie, what will I tell her?
Adrian: Tell her the truth Alanna; you care too much, what other people are going to say.
Alanna: I do not, but Sophie is my friend and I am just glad she handled finding out about you the way she did. However, as to how she will act about Michael I am not so sure.
Adrian: Do not worry my love, now its late go get some sleep.
Alanna: Goodnight Adrian Black,
Adrian: Until next time baby,
The next morning, I wake to a loud knock at the door. I rise up wondering if Michael is early. I open the door to find Katharine staring down at me.
“Alanna come quick you have to see this.”
Without hesitation, she pulls me out the door and into the hallway.
“What are we looking at exactly?” I say.
“Wait you will see.”
“There,” I look around puzzled trying to see what she is fussing about and then I see him. The tall guy wearing a dark blue shirt and jeans, his are eyes piercing blue, and he has thick, black, straggly hair. He looks annoyed as he carries numerous bags and he struggles as he tries to nudge the old tired door of his room open.
“Michael,” I say.
“You know this guy.” Katharine says folding her arms.
“Yes I know him, he is the step brother of,” I pause. “Someone I know from London.”
“I like.” Katharine says with a huge smirk on her face. I let out a giggle and we go back into my room. Katharine starts to tell me about her Brother Leo’s latest conquest.
“She has zero class,”
“Katharine you never like any of your brother’s girlfriends, what’s so bad about this one?”
“For starters she is a slut and I think half the guys in the dorms have gone out with her.”
“You don’t know that for sure and come on Leo is no saint.”
“Far from it, but he’s my brother and I frankly don’t care what he does, but that doesn’t stop me from not wanting to see him get hurt.”
“I love Leo but come on; he cheats on every girl he dates.”
Leo is one of those people that are so lovable you can forgive him anything, and that is exactly what everyone does. I became friendly with Katharine and Leo when I started college. They are from Brooklyn; therefore, it is not hard to see why we never met. Our social paths did not exactly cross before college. They do get a lot of stick for it from the other students and that is horrendous why should they judge, why should they think themselves better? Katharine is one of the most beautiful girls I have ever laid eyes on. Five foot ten, shoulder length strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes, she really is a stunning girl. She has her admirers but none of them is good enough to claim a stake on her. As for Leo, he shares some of Katharine’s looks but not as blessed, I would say. He is also a tall and has very blonde hair, with blue eyes but with a nose that is a little big for his face. Still the girls around here think that he is a god.
Three Thousand Miles To You,(Three Thousand Miles, Series, Book #1) Page 8
