7. London

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.   LONDON

 

     WE’RE ALMOST IN LONDON AND YET, I’M STILL BORED YET EXCITED, and I have no plans on going back to sleep, even though it’s five in the morning.

     My memory was improving a little, though I’ve been out of the hospital for only a few days. I remembered some songs I’d composed back in Boston, some important events like my sixteenth birthday, graduation party, and Shane’s birthday but still no part about Adam.

     I got some bonding time with Kyla, since the boys are rehearsing, though, most of the time, throwing paper balls to each other. Kyla and I planned to have a shopping spree in London as soon as we got off the plane and continue are bonding moment.

     Finally, we got off the plane as the bodyguards surround us. I smiled and waved to the fans as we got in the limousine. I can see that there are a lot of photographers around taking pictures, though I tried as much as possible to ignore the flashes.

     “So, when’s the first concert?” I asked.

     “The next day after tomorrow,” Nate answered.

 

 

♦65♦

 

     “Okay,”

     We checked in the hotel�"which I didn’t notice what the name is�"though we were greeted warmly at the reception and shown around the hotel in a friendly and relaxed way.

     Its location is wonderful, it’s very close to Knightsbridge�"which means one word, shopping�"yet in a very nice and quiet street. We were showed to our rooms�"I and my mom shared a room, Ashley and Kyla shared another and the boys as well�"which is by the way amazing. Our room was tastefully decorated, comfortable and equipped with all of the amenities.

 

 

     I quickly went to sleep after rehearsing and doing some sound check and eating dinner. But I’m sure that Adam and the others stayed late that night, parting in their hotel room.

     I woke up the earliest, I guess, since it’s pretty serene from the hallway, just like before, when we haven’t stayed here yet. I decided to do some workout first, then called for room service and turned the TV on. There’s a movie�"that I don’t know what the title is�"though it seems interesting.

     I stood up and headed for the door when I heard a knock. “Come in,” I murmured.

     “Morning,” Adam greeted.

     “You’re early,”

     “You’re earlier...” he sat down the couch the same time I did.

     “What are you doing here?”

     “Just bored, Shane and Nate are still asleep,” he sighed, “So, why did you wake up this early?”

     “I slept earlier than you guys,” I continued, “So, why are you awake this early? You slept almost three in the morning, if I’m not corrected...”

     “How did you know?”

     “I woke up, and then heard you singing...”

 

 

♦66♦

     “Oh, sorry...”

     “Didn’t security warn you or anything? I mean, there are other guests checking in this peaceful hotel...”

     “Right, and they did, actually... but it’s a long story on what happened...”

     “And I have no plans on knowing...” I looked at him. “Are you really bored?”

     “Yah,” he breathed, “You’re going out later, right?”

     “Yes... why? Wait; please tell me you won’t come....”

     “I won’t...”

     “Good,”

     “But your bodyguards will,”

     “What?”

     “C’mon, fans will�"”

     “No they won’t... Shane told me that we go to malls without getting recognized nor my fans gathering for autographs... besides, making the bodyguards come with us wouldn’t help, it would only make people notice...”

     “But�"”

     “You’re not my father or my husband...”

     “Yet...”

     “You don’t own me for crying out loud...”

     “Alyson,”

     “Go,” I flickered to the door.

     “Hey, I’m bored...”

     “You can find something to do in your own suite,” I pulled him up and pushed him out.

     “Can’t I stay a little longer?” he said, trying to push me not to close the door.

     “No,”

     “Why?”

     “I’ll take a bath, besides; my mom will wake up sooner or later,”

     “So? She doesn’t hate me like your dad,”

     “He doesn’t hate you... just, dislike...”

 

 

♦67♦

     “That’s what you think...”

     “Yah sure, go out now...” I finally managed to close the door.

     “Don’t forget, general rehearsals, four pm sharp...” he reminded as I heard his footsteps slowly fading away.

     I took a bath as soon as he was gone then straightened my hair, since I have nothing to do and my mom is still sleeping.

    It took me two hours to have perfection, but it’s worth it. My now straight hair cascades smoothly down to my shoulders, shining brilliantly. I remembered having straight hair before, though it’s still not the same. I brushed it gently as I wait for Kyla.

     I heard another knock on the door. It’s probably her, since it’s already eleven in the morning.

     “Hey,” she said as I opened the door. “Nice hair,”

     “Thanks, c’mon...”

     I decided to bring my camera, since this moment can’t always happen, since I know that after she give birth to her child, she can’t hangout that much anymore and of course, when the tour continues again, with the movie adding up to my list. Thinking about it makes me both exhausted and excited already.

     We headed to the oxford street and nobody even noticed us. Great. That means no autographs, though not sure about the paparazzi.

 

 

     We went to almost every store, from H&M, Marks and Spencer, and Jigsaw. We also stop into the Flagship store of Topshop�"they say it’s the world’s largest fashion store. Of course, we went to Harrods and Selfridges�"which by the way carries everything trendy, including a vast array of top and more quirky designer labels. We also went to Harvey Nichols, Liberty, Bond street�"home to all big designers, jewellers, and aution houses, from Prada to Southerby’s, Cartier to Loius Vuitton, Aspery to Hermes... though we didn’t finish it all, since we always saved the longest time to visit St. Paul’s cathedral.

 

 

♦68♦

     We were both exhausted when we finally decided to eat for lunch. We tried a very famous restaurant here in London, according to some of the guests in the hotel�"not that I eavesdropped, they just spoke too loud.

     The decor was a mixed of modern and classic�"felt sumptuous without being overdone. The service was attentive but unpretentious. My lobster taglionini melted in my mouth, while Kyla’s scallop salad was surprisingly fresh. We had the duck for mains, and chocolate truffles that were sent to end our meal.

     “Okay, you didn’t tell me that you’re a shopaholic,” I said.

     “Then now you know... it’s one of the things Nate and I have in common,” she chuckled.

     “What time is it anyway?”

     She looked on her watch, “Three pm,” from those two words, we know that it’s already time to visit St. Paul’s cathedral.

    We took another cab and headed to the cathedral and as soon as we reached it, it’s like all I ate was gone. We climbed a gazillion stairs then I got scolded three or four times�"I lost count�"for taking my camera out, but all in all, it was really enjoying. Well, at least I didn’t got kick out while Kyla just laugh lightly at me every time I got scolded.

     After we went out, some fans recognized me and kindly asked for my autograph and a picture. It didn’t really bother me; it even helped me remember some parts of my life.

     Poor Kyla, though, she became an instant photographer, though she said that it was fine. And I guess she also have no choice anyway, when you are handed by a hundred cameras, can you say no? I guess not.

     After the hundredth sign, we finally got finish and had the chance to go back to the hotel. We sat completely drained on the couch as I looked at Kyla’s watch. It’s already six thirty. Suddenly, I remembered what Adam said this morning. Don’t forget, general rehearsals, four pm sharp... Great, I’m late, and I guess they’re totally going to kill me. But c’mon, I can’t just run from the fans, right?

 

 

♦69♦

Maybe I can to the paparazzi, but not to the fans. Shane said that they’re one of the reasons why we have this fame and they are our inspiration.

     “Where are they?” I asked.

     “I guess in the coliseum, you said that you’ll have a rehearsal, right?”

     “Yah,”

     “Well then, we shouldn’t waste time, let’s take the bus... again...”

     We headed to the coliseum where I guess, they’re almost finish. I just hope they’re not mad at me. Okay, maybe I’m already expecting them to be mad, but not too much.

     “Hey, I’m very, very, very sorry I’m late!” I mumbled.

     “It’s fine, we’re already finished...” Adam said nonchalantly. There’s no doubt that he’s mad.

     “I’m really sorry but... it’s just... the fans... they’re all great and... I just can’t ignore them...”

     “Stop, it’s done...” he took a bottle of water and took a sip, “Just, don’t mess up tomorrow,”

     “I won’t, I promise... if you want, I can rehearse by myself,”

     “Whatever; do what you want like you always do...”

     “What? Please, forgive me, I never meant to be a burden�"”

     “You’re not a burden to us; it actually seems that we’re the burden to you...”

     “What? What are you talking about?”

     “You can’t even make time for little things like rehearsals anymore... you don’t even care about our career, I know that you’re becoming the new sensation, but�"”

     “What do you want me to do? Ignore the fans? You yourself told me that they mean a lot to you...”

     “I care about our fans and you should too... if you care about them, you should have thought that this concert meant a lot to them, and if you mess up�"”

     “I won’t mess up!”

     “Whatever... and stop being a diva�"”

 

 

♦70♦

     “So now you’re calling me a diva? I am not a diva!”

     “You’re acting like one, and you sure sound like one,”

     I closed my eyes. I wanted to control my temper, but I can’t. “Then fine! You want me to be a diva? Then fine! I quit!”

     “What?”

     “I won’t do the concert... I’m a diva, right? Well then, I’ll go back to California tomorrow, first thing in the morning,”

     “What?” Shane muttered.

     “You heard me, besides, I’m not that important in the band anyway,”

     “Are you out of your mind? You’re ruining everything! You already missed the tour in Las Vegas, and now you’re missing London too?” Adam yelled.

     “Right, I haven’t done anything great lately, been in an accident, lost my memory, missed the tour, and now, ruining your concert... you’re absolutely right...”

     He took a deep breath. “Fine, have it your way!”

     I turned around and walked away as Shane blocked my way. “Hey, you can’t quit” he said.

     “Watch me,” I walked straight ahead again. I didn’t mean to hurt Shane’s feelings, but I don’t know what to do in this situation.

     “Wait,” he caught my wrist. “You’re not serious, right?”

     “I’ll talk to you later,” I shook my hand away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

♦71♦

 

Reviews

[elyza0926]

yah, i kinda agree to blackrose24..it's quite confusing actually, with the double quote and everything.. but no worries, it's still good.. the readers of this write just need a lot of common sense..

[blackrose24]

i though for a second on why there are some double quotes (") after another.. it's a good thing you placed the note that it was an em dash (—).. :)