Black Lace
Chapter 2
Chapter Playlist: Fallin' for You by Colbie Caillat
Note: The songs may not always relate to the chapter, but may just sound nice to hear while reading. I'll mention the ones I want my readers to relate to. This song sort of goes along with the chapter.
Looking out of the window at the dull grey sky of London city, Alana tried to fill the hollow feeling inside her by drinking the cheap store-bought coffee that was steaming in her mug. It had been two weeks since the incident and she was still trying to get over it. She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that it had all been a chain of lies. Alana hoped every second of the day that she would wake up any moment and it would all turn out to be one big nightmare.
It was almost time to head to work, and Alana felt too sulky and depressed to go. She stood up and poked her head out of the small window frame of the bed and breakfast situated in Turnpike Lane to breathe in some fresh air. However, her mood became worse by the sight of the large banner printed on the billboard across the road.
On the half torn banner, was the face she had been trying to forget about for the past one and a half week; the face of Louis Tomlinson and the rest of One Direction.
Alana huffed and headed to turn on the small television that was situated on the corner of the miniature room. Maybe the morning news would distract her from the disaster that her life had become and also from a particular face that had been haunting and mocking her since she had decided to hook up with him for a night.
She listened to the anchor read out the latest report about the increasing crime rate in the rural areas near London. A chill passed her at the thought of anything happening in this part of the neighborhood. Alana had been extra careful with her research when she moved out of Evan's penthouse in central London. She had sought out for a cheap and safe neighborhood which was also an hour away from work; and Mrs. Boyce, the owner of the bed and breakfast, had come in one morning at the shop as a blessing in disguise, and had offered to take Alana in.
"In other news," the anchor read with a smile on her face. "One Direction has decided to-”
"Really?" Alana exclaimed in frustration, switching off the television. Did the entire country have only one thing to talk about? Sure, they were making a name for themselves amongst the top celebrities in Hollywood. Sure, their music had been spreading all over the world like a deadly virus for the past six years. But that didn't mean their faces had to be plastered at every corner of the country.
Alana grabbed her coat off the hanger and headed down. Grabbing a toast off the breakfast table, she bid everyone goodbye and made her way to the only thing that gave her peace. Her work, her dream: Flora's Flower and Events.
"Mum, are you serious?" Louis whispered to his mother, pulling her aside. "A funeral wreath for Gran's 60th?"
"Louis...I- I don't know what happened. I remember clearly ordering a large bouquet for your Gran!"
"Mum, I gave you one job to do to surprise her. I would've done it myself if I hadn't been away for the tour! Just one job, Mum!"
"Louis, I- I swear! I am sure I ordered the big bouquet! I think they had it mixed up! I'll call them right now!
"What's the use? Gran already saw the wreath and is crying her eyeballs out thinking I'm wishing death upon her! Seriously, Mum! How could you have not checked out the flowers before asking them to bring it out in front of everyone? Now, all Gran's friends are gonna gossip over bingo how horrible her oldest grandson is! How much fame has changed him! Nice going!"
"Louis Tomlinson!" Johanna Poulston chastised, raising her voice. "You will not speak to me like this! You may have become a famous celebrity and can order other people around but I am not your assistant or any form of subordinate!"
Louis opened his mouth to argue back but before he could let out a word, he watched his mother's face crumple up and turn red, as she began to cry. Louis stood there completely stunned out of his mind at his mother's weeping. This was the first time in 6 years that she had broken down in front of him.
Louis quickly enveloped her in a hug, wiping away the tears streaming down her face. The last time she had cried had been the day Louis had left for the X-factor. It took a lot to break Johanna Poulston down, and Louis knew that it couldn't possibly be the flower mishap that was making her cry. Maybe it had triggered the weeping but there was more to the story than she was letting on.
"Mum, what's wrong? Is everything okay at home?"
"Oh, Louis! E- Everything! Everything's a m- mess! Dan and I have b- been going through a rough patch for the past s- six months." Johanna stammered out between hiccups of grief.
"For six months?" Louis asked, stroking her hair. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"What would I have said? How we fight over the d- dumbest things? How Phoebe and D- Daisy are becoming testy about every s- single thing, now that they are hitting puberty? How Lottie c- comes home late at n- night? Or how I'm a failure of a mother not being able to handle my two year old t- twins? I mean look at me, Louis! I'm in my mid 40's and I can't even handle my two year old twins tottering around all over the house and breaking stuff!"
Louis chuckled fondly thinking about the latest additions to the family: his two twin siblings. They were the apple of his eyes and Louis went up and beyond to spoil them with the latest toys and munchies.
"Look, mum, I'll tell you what. We'll search for a live-in nanny for both the twins. And now that the tour is coming to an end, I'll try to visit frequently so that you and Dan can get some time for yourselves. Okay?" Louis reassured her, giving her one last squeeze before letting her go.
"As for now, I'll go handle this whole flower situation. And also, get something to make it up to Gran." Louis murmured, annoyance etched on his face. "What'd you say the name of this flower shop was?"
Johanna sniffed before replying, "They're normally quite good. I always order flowers from them. Don't know what happen-”
"Mum, the name?" Louis cut her off mid-sentence in irritation. He didn't need to know how good they were. The point was that they had fucked up his Gran's birthday party and had ruined the entire day.
"Oh umm- Flora's Flower and Events!" Johanna informed her extremely annoyed son.
Note: The songs may not always relate to the chapter, but may just sound nice to hear while reading. I'll mention the ones I want my readers to relate to. This song sort of goes along with the chapter.
Looking out of the window at the dull grey sky of London city, Alana tried to fill the hollow feeling inside her by drinking the cheap store-bought coffee that was steaming in her mug. It had been two weeks since the incident and she was still trying to get over it. She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that it had all been a chain of lies. Alana hoped every second of the day that she would wake up any moment and it would all turn out to be one big nightmare.
It was almost time to head to work, and Alana felt too sulky and depressed to go. She stood up and poked her head out of the small window frame of the bed and breakfast situated in Turnpike Lane to breathe in some fresh air. However, her mood became worse by the sight of the large banner printed on the billboard across the road.
On the half torn banner, was the face she had been trying to forget about for the past one and a half week; the face of Louis Tomlinson and the rest of One Direction.
Alana huffed and headed to turn on the small television that was situated on the corner of the miniature room. Maybe the morning news would distract her from the disaster that her life had become and also from a particular face that had been haunting and mocking her since she had decided to hook up with him for a night.
She listened to the anchor read out the latest report about the increasing crime rate in the rural areas near London. A chill passed her at the thought of anything happening in this part of the neighborhood. Alana had been extra careful with her research when she moved out of Evan's penthouse in central London. She had sought out for a cheap and safe neighborhood which was also an hour away from work; and Mrs. Boyce, the owner of the bed and breakfast, had come in one morning at the shop as a blessing in disguise, and had offered to take Alana in.
"In other news," the anchor read with a smile on her face. "One Direction has decided to-”
"Really?" Alana exclaimed in frustration, switching off the television. Did the entire country have only one thing to talk about? Sure, they were making a name for themselves amongst the top celebrities in Hollywood. Sure, their music had been spreading all over the world like a deadly virus for the past six years. But that didn't mean their faces had to be plastered at every corner of the country.
Alana grabbed her coat off the hanger and headed down. Grabbing a toast off the breakfast table, she bid everyone goodbye and made her way to the only thing that gave her peace. Her work, her dream: Flora's Flower and Events.
"Mum, are you serious?" Louis whispered to his mother, pulling her aside. "A funeral wreath for Gran's 60th?"
"Louis...I- I don't know what happened. I remember clearly ordering a large bouquet for your Gran!"
"Mum, I gave you one job to do to surprise her. I would've done it myself if I hadn't been away for the tour! Just one job, Mum!"
"Louis, I- I swear! I am sure I ordered the big bouquet! I think they had it mixed up! I'll call them right now!
"What's the use? Gran already saw the wreath and is crying her eyeballs out thinking I'm wishing death upon her! Seriously, Mum! How could you have not checked out the flowers before asking them to bring it out in front of everyone? Now, all Gran's friends are gonna gossip over bingo how horrible her oldest grandson is! How much fame has changed him! Nice going!"
"Louis Tomlinson!" Johanna Poulston chastised, raising her voice. "You will not speak to me like this! You may have become a famous celebrity and can order other people around but I am not your assistant or any form of subordinate!"
Louis opened his mouth to argue back but before he could let out a word, he watched his mother's face crumple up and turn red, as she began to cry. Louis stood there completely stunned out of his mind at his mother's weeping. This was the first time in 6 years that she had broken down in front of him.
Louis quickly enveloped her in a hug, wiping away the tears streaming down her face. The last time she had cried had been the day Louis had left for the X-factor. It took a lot to break Johanna Poulston down, and Louis knew that it couldn't possibly be the flower mishap that was making her cry. Maybe it had triggered the weeping but there was more to the story than she was letting on.
"Mum, what's wrong? Is everything okay at home?"
"Oh, Louis! E- Everything! Everything's a m- mess! Dan and I have b- been going through a rough patch for the past s- six months." Johanna stammered out between hiccups of grief.
"For six months?" Louis asked, stroking her hair. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"What would I have said? How we fight over the d- dumbest things? How Phoebe and D- Daisy are becoming testy about every s- single thing, now that they are hitting puberty? How Lottie c- comes home late at n- night? Or how I'm a failure of a mother not being able to handle my two year old t- twins? I mean look at me, Louis! I'm in my mid 40's and I can't even handle my two year old twins tottering around all over the house and breaking stuff!"
Louis chuckled fondly thinking about the latest additions to the family: his two twin siblings. They were the apple of his eyes and Louis went up and beyond to spoil them with the latest toys and munchies.
"Look, mum, I'll tell you what. We'll search for a live-in nanny for both the twins. And now that the tour is coming to an end, I'll try to visit frequently so that you and Dan can get some time for yourselves. Okay?" Louis reassured her, giving her one last squeeze before letting her go.
"As for now, I'll go handle this whole flower situation. And also, get something to make it up to Gran." Louis murmured, annoyance etched on his face. "What'd you say the name of this flower shop was?"
Johanna sniffed before replying, "They're normally quite good. I always order flowers from them. Don't know what happen-”
"Mum, the name?" Louis cut her off mid-sentence in irritation. He didn't need to know how good they were. The point was that they had fucked up his Gran's birthday party and had ruined the entire day.
"Oh umm- Flora's Flower and Events!" Johanna informed her extremely annoyed son.
Notes
Alana's OutfitLouis' Outfit
A/N: Apologies for the short chapter, my loves! I promise I'll make longer chapter as the story continues. Thank you to all those who have been kind enough to comment, vote and subscribe! :) You guys are the best! Please keep voting, subscribing and commenting for the next update! :)
Questions: What do you think is bothering Alana so much? Do you think Alana and Louis will meet? What do you think will happen?
Important Question!!!!: I was wondering if I should change the name of the story to 'Adorned With Black Lace'? Or do you guys like it better as 'Black Lace'? Please let me know? I'll change/ keep the name accordingly when I update next!
please update soon
9/25/16