The Silence That Surrounds: Screams of the Damned

Narrator’s POV:

In only an hour and a half, Sophia found herself in a beauty shop – with three huge main floors.

The first floor was a Salon – a place Louis had mentioned that they would be visiting. The second floor was a full football style boutique and the third was cosmetics. Colors of makeup for a style that every woman wants – or so said the advertisement outside the large rectangle building.

“Louis? I don’t think this is a good idea. What in God’s name will I say if one of them recognizes me? I’m wanted!” Sophia panicked, keeping her head down.

Louis waved her off.

“Not anymore. Mr. McMichaelson made it go away and besides, you’re with me, Louis Tomlinson. I’m a well-known customer around here. So trust that you are in safe hands.” Louis assured.

“Safe hands? I feel like I’m walking the green mile.” Sophia muttered, cringing when a perky, thirty-something woman ran up to her.

“Hi! Welcome to Oh Boy. A Salon, Boutique and Cosmetics store in one. What may I assist you with today?” She shrilled, very unnecessary and overenthusiastic in Sophia’s opinion.

“She will take all three services today. Plus, a body wax, shaped eye brows and after, I would like her shampooed and a treatment of deep conditioner to be added. From that, she will take a hair strip, return her hair to her natural red and cut, style and decorate it somehow. Money is no object.” Louis finished with a smile, fingering her hair, the frail bristles flattening between his fingertips.

Sophia’s eyes went wide.

“I am not getting a body wax! I don’t even know these people and – and I never waxed anywhere before! ARE YOU CRAZY?!” Sophia exploded, her arms going across her chest as if she had just been exposed.

Louis’s smile didn’t waver and his eyes were at the salespeople.

“She’ll take the whole package and if she doesn’t behave, let me know. I’ll take her over my knee,” He winked at Sophia in a serious, but sarcastic manner.

“Excuse me, I’m going to go and get myself spiffed up. We have a lot to cover today.” Louis nodded and turned away, Sophia’s mouth dropping open like a drowned shocked fish.

“Louis – “Sophia warned, but flinched when the saleswoman took hold of her good wrist.

“Your boyfriend?” The salesperson asked in a squeal, dragging Sophia away to behind a privacy curtain, a massage chair waiting for her.

“Nope. I’d as soon as strip naked and run around London than date Mr. Tomlinson. Same goes for Harry Styles.” Sophia grumbled, feeling the woman’s arm visibly stiffen.

When Sophia turned back, she was sure the woman was about to faint.

“H-Harry Styles? Damien Styles’s son?” The woman stuttered.

Sophia nodded, looking back to the ground.

“Afraid so. I’m his new trainee, Louis has taken me out today to train – but truth be told, I have no idea what I am supposed to be learning. So do with me what you will, I am at your mercy.” Sophia smiled, though frowned when the woman ran out from behind the curtain, yelling at the top of her lungs for a Patrick and screaming about someone out to kill her.

Sophia chuckled, the reaction not what she expected it to be.

“Now I see why Lou likes this place.” Sophia grinned, though dropped it to a modest smile when Patrick came walking in, a tight and forced grin also on his face.

“Ms. Styles?” He greeted, holding his hand out.

“Sophia, actually. I would never marry a man such as Harry, no offense.” Sophia replied, taking the other bloke’s hand.

“None taken to my persons, Ms. Sophia. Although, could you refrain from mentioning Mr. Styles and his son? It tends to make workers here…uneasy. You see, Master Styles, he comes here once a month and once a month, one of my girls always has to deal with him. As you can imagine, the interaction is not always pleasant.” He smiles politely and gestures to Sophia.

“I understand. Consider my lips sealed.” Sophia promised, watching Patrick nod.

“Very good. Now, what package did you get? Full package is a complete makeover. Considering you are in the waxing department – my guess is that Mr. Tomlinson has ordered you a body wax? Does that include a Brazilian?” Patrick asked, grabbing a pad of paper and writing down.

“Is Louis a frequent customer here or something? People seem to know who he is here and don’t go running screaming into the street from fear. As for a Brazilian, what’s a Brazilian?” Sophia eyed him suspiciously.

“What package did he order you, miss?” Patrick ignored her, pursing his lips and eyeing her down.

“The full package. Plus, a deep conditioning, hair strip, cut, style and to fashion it into something appropriate. A body wax included – though he said nothing about a Brazilian.” Sophia replied, making him nod with a smile.

“Very good. As for Mr. Tomlinson? He made some debts go away for me. So, whatever you hear about him, not all are always true,” Patrick responded, looking over Sophia’s face, her cheek bruised and her eyes dark from the brutal treatment the past few days. “I will be taking care of your services today, free of charge. It seems Louis is cashing in on his free day and giving it to you. Now, all that aside, will you please strip for me?”

Sophia’s eyes widened and her head instantly shook back and forth.

Patrick hummed to himself with a nod, taking his wallet out and showing Sophia a picture of him and another man.

“That’s my fiancé, Alexander. I am as professional as they come, Ms. Sophia and I am willing to do what you will find comfortable, but I in turn also need you to trust me. I won’t hurt you, not intentionally. The body waxing tends to be a little painful if your tolerance to such things isn’t high. Judging by the scars and dark bruises Master and Mr. Styles gave you, you are tougher than you look.” Patrick nodded, his assumption on her situation virtually correct.

He nodded in confirmation when Sophia’s eyes showed surprised.

“I know my people, Ms. Sophia and I promise, when I am done with you; you will shine brighter than the brightest emerald. You will be the most beautiful girl on this floor and if I can’t accomplish that, then I will personally have myself fired.” He promised, reaching his hand out for her to shake.

Sophia hesitated, but shook his hand with a soft smile.

“Alright, Patrick; make me shine.” Sophia let go, though still apprehensive.

“I accept that challenge, Ms. Sophia. Now, undress and lay on the chair, we will get the wax ready and start on your Brazilian.” Patrick hummed, putting his wallet back in his back pocket.

Sophia undressed, self-conscious about her body. Most because the scars that now littered her told an unfortunate story.

Patrick didn’t seem phrased, he simply let his eyes see through her physical appearance and get a picture to start building the foundation he would need to achieve his goal.

“You never did tell me what a Brazilian is.” Sophia pointed out, her pants falling to the ground.

Patrick eyed her up again, simply smiling.

“Ms. Sophia? If you trust me as you say you do, then trust you are in good hands and let me work my magic. Because, darling? We have a lot of stumbling to do before you learn how to dance.” Patrick nodded once, finalizing the end of her questions.

Sophia nodded, knowing that he wasn’t going to answer and let her voice rest to silence, sitting down in the chair.

“Excellent. Now, the body wax is warmed and cooled. When applied, you should feel a warm sensation, like thick molasses. It will be sticky and from there, I will place large strips upon the site that I applied this wax to and wait for it to set.” He explained.

“Alright.” Sophia agreed.

Patrick seemed happy to have a less than picky customer and Sophia for some strange reason, felt safe behind the privacy of the curtain.

“Okay, I’m about to put this on your vulva, don’t move.” Patrick warned, his gloved hands carefully dipping a tongue stick in the wax.

Sophia’s eyes shot open, but Patrick was already applying the wax over her pubic hair.

“Oh my God.” Sophia breathed out breathlessly.

“Hold very still, darling. You are doing wonderful. I promise, the pain won’t be so bad. A quick rip of the strip, maybe a brush over with another one, you will shine.” Patrick swore, using his calmest voice to soothe her fears.

“This is a Brazilian?” Sophia gasped, not liking the way the strip felt on the lips of her vagina. She hated how it sunk down into her opening, molding the hair to it and trapping it within its confinement.

“Yes, darling. It’s a premium Brazilian. I’m getting the stray inner hairs and then we will proceed to your bikini line, that’s included in the full body. Brazilian is an extra service we have, but if Mr. Tomlinson says full body, I assume he meant everything. Not that you really need your chest or stomach waxed. There’s no hair there. Your Bikini line, arms, legs and thighs I’ll spiffy up and then we can turn you over and wax the back of your legs, your back and your excuse me.” Patrick explained, patiently answering her questions.

“My excuse me?” Sophia gawked.

“Your rear end, Ms. Sophia. Can we please just try to relax? You’re stiffer than a pork roll on a popsicle stick. I promised that you were in good hands and I don’t intend to break that trust,” Patrick calmed, taking the edge of the white strip. “Okay, on the count of three, I’m going to pull this off.”

Sophia closed her eyes.

“One.” Patrick slow counted, tightening up his hand muscles, smiling at Sophia’s reaction.

“Two.” He continued, pulling the strip off suddenly.

Sophia’s eyes snapped open for the second time, a shrill scream leaving her throat.

“Fuck me Tom Hiddleston!” Was the first thing that came from the poor girl’s mouth, her broken fingers straining against the cast and her good hand gripping the arm of the chair.

Patrick eyed her for a moment, calmly resetting the strip down and pulling sparse hair from places she didn’t even know she had hair.

“I’m glad he isn’t one of my clients. To think what goes through the minds of young ladies when they are being waxed.” Patrick shook his head, but couldn’t help a small laugh to escape.

Sophia groaned, her body tense again.

“I’m kidding. Anyhow, that is the most painful place to get waxed. Louis should be very proud when he sees.” Patrick boasts, obviously excited to show off his work.

“Louis won’t be seeing anything.” Sophia grumbled, wincing when the warm wax went between her bikini line.

She closed her eyes, wishing for this torture to cease.

A half hour of waxing and many, many, many swearwords later, Sophia found herself laying on her stomach, but by then – she had come to the conclusion that her pain signals to her brain had numbed considerably.

“My skin is numb, I think.” Sophia stated, teeth chattering from the pain.

“Almost done, love. Just another tick or two.” Patrick patted her shoulder, taking care of the task at hand.

Sophia hit her head against the cushion and grunted, feeling the hair on her ass being ripped out violently.

“Fuck a pig!” Sophia swore, following it up by a rhetorical query. “And who the fuck has HAIR THERE?! I don’t just finger myself there and think ‘huh, better shave! Fuck a toaster!” She finished off by slamming her head against the chair again, fisting her poor hand into tight balls.

“I believe England has outlawed pig and toaster fucking. However, they don’t seem to mind sheep. Worth a query to the main heads.” Patrick suggested, still smiling.

“How can – “Sophia began, but her lips silenced themselves when a third person slipped between the privacy curtain.

“I’m back, Flower. Wow, your arse is red. You know, I was kidding about the whole over knee – “Louis tried finishing, but ducked when Sophia got her hand on some wax and hurled it at him.

“Get out of here!” Sophia yelled, attempting to turn around fully, Patrick holding her still.

“God in Heaven, Lady Sophia. You are, without a doubt, the most challenging customer to be waxed.” Patrick chastised.

Louis simply smiled, coming to kneel at the top where her head was.

“Listen, I didn’t take into account that Harry has our trackers. I defused mine and I need to stuff yours up, lass. Otherwise, Master Curly is going to come and ruin the party earlier than expected. So, this is me – not looking at your arse, because your goods are as useful to me as a tampon – though, they are good for nosebleeds. So, maybe I’m mistaken.” Louis chuckled, grabbing the murky shot from his pocket and moving to the back.

“Don’t tense, luv.” Louis warned, injecting the needle and pressing the plunger down between her shoulder blades.

Sophia whimpered, the liquid a sharp sting, but other than that – nothing.

“All done, Flower,” Louis hummed, kneeling down beside her head again. His hand gently wiping away the hair from her face. “He’s almost finished, hun. Just a little longer. You are doing so well – for your first time.”

“You told him to give me a Brazilian wax!” Sophia growled, gritting her teeth together.

“Actually, I didn’t. A full body wax is the bikini line and places that have hair. Believe me, I am innocent in that department, luv.” Louis defended, looking at Patrick with a pointed eye, though his lips did twitch some.

“I told Ms. Sophia that I was doing a premium special, after all, no charge today. I will take good care of her. As she is someone very special to you, is she not? New love, perhaps?” Patrick hinted, his own eyebrows moving suggestively.

Louis snorted.

“Though I would lay down my life for the lass, no. She is not mine to love, Pat. I’ve loved and lost. It’s far too painful to start again. You know that attachments get you killed or get them killed. I would rather not risk it. Even if she does make me smile in amusement way more than I should.” Louis chuckled.

“Aye, the lass was fucking everything from goats to toasters, you should be proud. Not one tear; brass balls, mate. I’m telling ya. Where did you get this one from anyhow?” Patrick asked, content in holding conversation as if Sophia was a mere ventriloquist doll.

“Former hostage. Harry gave up his position and you know the lad had everything betting on his release. Unfortunately, his head argued with his heart and they are currently in a quarrel to see which one gets the girl. So far, Harry has been a grade A bra wire. If he doesn’t –“

Louis paused, smiling when Sophia hit her head against the cushion again and screamed.

“Okay! My ass is beet red now and as they say, what’s good enough for the goose is good enough for the gander, cease and desist. Right now!” Sophia yelled, finishing her order with a pound to the side of the chair.

Patrick only hummed and started on the back of her legs.

“One more section, luv. Stay still.” Patrick instructed, hurrying with his task to expedite the process.

Sophia focused on the sea sick green that coated the wall and the chair with the mirror off to the side of the curtain for a distraction.

Louis noticed and nodded in satisfaction. Granted, he genuinely didn’t know about the Brazilian wax and he wished Patrick would have asked, but he had to admit – he’d be punching something too if his pubic hair was violently ripped from his body.

“Pat? Finish as quick as you can, Ay? We’ve a lot to cover and time really is of the essence. Though, a favor, hm?” Louis beckoned him, whispering in his ear, gesturing over Sophia’s body and nodding; his face as serious as a murder.

“I can do that, Tomlinson, but the rest is up to her. My part time job there makes even me fall off the bloody crazy stool.” Patrick agreed, ripping the strip off her leg.

“Fucking potato chips!” Sophia growled, gritting the pain through her teeth.

Louis chuckled and reached over gently to kiss the side of her temple.

“I need to go back out for a few, luv. I’ll return in about three hours.” Louis promised, standing at his full height.

“Where?! Don’t leave me with this sadist!” Sophia begged, head glancing up at him pleadingly.

“He will take good care of you, lass. This was the most painful of today, I promise,” Louis told her sincerely, nodding to Patrick. “Be easy with her. I’ve some people to take care of and I’m afraid the issue is rather pressing.”

“Good luck, mate.” Patrick told him, watching Louis disappear again.

“Why did I even NEED to get a body wax? This makes absolutely no sense.” Sophia argued.

“Louis ordered it, I did it. Now, keep still. I’m almost done.” Patrick ordered for the hundredth time in the past twenty minutes.

Sophia did as she was told and bared through it.

*

Liam had a headache. No, a blistering migraine would be the better description. If it wasn’t Harry screaming to the Gods about his car, it was their current hostage and unfortunately for Liam, he wasn’t taking his captivity laying down – metaphorically speaking.

“Listen to me you monopoly nosed fucking retard, my father will have your heads on spikes at the end of all this, ALL of you! Do you know who we are? I bet you don’t, do you? You don’t look remotely intellectual enough to know what a newspaper is! We are your worst nightmare! DO YOU HEAR ME?! WORST NIGHTMARE!” Jace ranted, struggling against his restraints, baring his teeth and growling at Liam like a rabid dog.

Liam simply stared at him, unimpressed to say the least.

“Don’t just stand there, let me the fuck go!” Jace demanded, making Liam tilt his head in amusement.

“Lad? To abduct someone, means to keep them safely hidden away. Why would we let you go after going through the trouble of taking you? As for newspapers – I know who you are, Harry requested specifically that we take extra special care of you and that’s what I’m doing. Now, open up. I need to go take care of something vital and I can’t have you waking the dead.” Liam brushed off the younger one’s insult and grabbed one of the thick scarfs that had been laid out.

“Open up? Fuck you!” Jace sassed back, his eyes lite with rage.

Liam shrugged and grabbed Jace’s dirty brown hair, forcing the premade knot into his mouth.

“When Harry has found Niall and killed him, he’ll be in to deal with you and because he’s not in the best of moods, I wouldn’t advise encouraging him further. Now, shut up; your voice gives me a headache.” Liam finished, his hands slipping under the younger gent’s head and tying the gag taunt.

“Gm – “Jace started, gagging when the fabric slipped to the back of his throat, but that didn’t stop him from thrashing around.

“Scream all you want now, mate. No one will hear you,” Liam gestured, checking to make sure the lad’s straps were tightly over him. “Excuse me, I need to go and settle a pressing matter, I’ll have Harry come in and introduce himself after I find him. Hopefully, he’s just chased Niall up a tree and has not killed him yet.”

Liam muttered, speed walking out the door to go and find Harry.

*

“I didn’t know!” Niall exclaimed, looking down at Harry from a tall tree, one that he had spent the last forty-five minutes cowering on.

“Bollocks! You knew, I should have known when you started sputtering like an idiot! Get down here – NOW!” Harry yelled, glowering up darkly at Niall.

Niall shook his head and held on tighter.

“I don’t think so. Not until you’ve calmed a tick, mate. Your face is red and your voice is deepening. The fires of hell have nothing against you right now. I’ll take my chances up here, thanks though.” Niall was quick to quip back, knowing Harry would slam him into next week.

“Niall – “Harry trailed off warningly, his eyes growing black.

“Harry? I saw them pull up and then pull out. How was I supposed to tell you Louis took your car? You’re not exactly calm about these things.” Niall reasoned, using one hand to balance and one to gesture down.

“Calm? You want to see calm? Okay, I’m calm. Now, come down. We’ll talk this over a nice cuppa and biscuits.” Harry said, forcing a smile.

“Yeah, that smirk your wearing was forged in the tenth circle of hell. I’ll come down next Christmas when it’s safe.” Niall replied, finding it better cautious than sorry, especially the murderous look Harry was currently wearing.

“If you don’t come down, I will cut this bleeding tree with you in it. GET down HERE now!” Harry emphasized, pausing to the quick coming footsteps.

“Blimey! I didn’t mean chase him up a literal tree. Niall? What are you doing up there? Harry? What…” He didn’t finish his sentence, opting to just sigh and approach the leader. “Okay, let’s not lose our heads here. Niall, mate? Come down. Harry isn’t going to hurt you.” Liam promised, earning a click of tongue from the leader to suggest otherwise.

Niall looked at Harry with distrust before looking back at Liam.

“No, I’m tired of being slammed against things. I was telling Harry, before you came to save me. Thanks for that by the way; I was telling him that Louis is the culprit to blame in this situation. Had he not stopped and had Sophia wave; I would have been perfectly ace to remain ignorant. I was going to tell H though; I swear I was – when he was asleep.” Niall rambled, hearing Harry growl.

Liam’s head was throbbing, but he rubbed it gingerly with another patient sigh.

“Okay, this isn’t getting us anywhere. Harry? You are needed in the hostage room. Introduce yourself, explain to them the rules, I’ve taken the liberty of gagging Jace Attwater. His little brother is still asleep, but should be awake soon. As you do that, I am going to talk Ni here out of the tree. When we all come back together, we will sit down at the table and run through a plan to go and get Sophia and Louis. Does everyone agree to this?” Liam spoke calmly, eyeing Harry.

Harry huffed a breath out through his nose and nodded once in agreement, his jaded dark greens alive with hell’s flame. The bloke was pissed and God help anyone that got in his way.

“Good. Now, go calm the lads inside and I’ll work my magic out here. Meet you back in the cabin in twenty, mate.” Liam said, patting Harry’s shoulder.

Harry grunted and walked off inside, Liam looking after him with a shake of his head.

“Come on down, Niall. He’s gone to terrorize the hostages,” Liam coaxed, looking up to find Niall gone from his branch. “What the Jessica Rabbit is going on?! Niall?! Niall? Where are you, lad? Harry’s gone, come out! It’s safe!” Liam called to the stilled air, looking around and scratching his head.

“Niall is either Houdini or I’ve fallen off my bloody trolley and imagined the whole thing.” Liam muttered, his eyes scanning the tree tops and surrounding area.

“NIALL?! Hey Niall! I got cookies!” Liam tried, walking opposite from the tree he saw Niall.

Niall was nowhere to be seen and Liam now had to play his favorite forest game: Find the Leprechaun. It wasn’t the first time his blonde Irish fellow gang member ran into the forest and he doubt it would be the last – especially with Harry’s temper.

“How about Nandos?” Liam continued, listening for any signs of movement.

None.

Liam groaned and shook his head.

“I suppose you wouldn’t fall for that one again, would you?” He gave the lad credit.

“No, I wouldn’t. Don’t mention food unless you can deliver, pal.” Niall suddenly appeared, stealthy and quiet like a ninja.

Liam jumped a foot in the air and spun around to face his friend.

“Toads in miniskirts, lad. Don’t do that!” Liam exclaimed, putting his hand to his chest.

Niall chuckled, leaning his body against the hard wood of a tree.

“Sorry, Liam. I’m not scared of a lot, but Harry scares the piss out of me, mate.” Niall admitted, his blue eyes going toward the cabin.

Liam nodded.

“Yeah, his charm has that effect on people. Now, we need to go back in there and help him get his car back – in one piece, hopefully and find Louis and Sophia. He’s under a lot of stress and I don’t think it’s going to be long before he bursts. So; let’s forgive him his trespasses right now and make it easier.” He reasoned and began to walk back towards the cabin.

Niall didn’t move from his spot. He opted to sitting down against the tree and clear his throat.

“Sorry, Li. I’m not going back in there. I know Harry’s temper and right now, Satan himself is probably somewhere near, in a fetal position and hiding. Be bloody stupid to assume that Harry Styles will be calm in twenty minutes.” Niall reasoned.

The other man sighed, walking back and slipping down beside his friend.

“Niall? Harry is trying, alright? He has a girl on his hands that can’t shoot a gun, a Louis on his hands that has gone off his blocker. I mean, he hasn’t stolen one of Harry’s cars since he and Zayn went out racing as teenagers. When Harry forced him to break it off with El, he began to break away from everyone and everything. He became hard, cold and distant. Sophia comes, he’s using vocabulary that will make a nun want to go deaf and he’s more open and carefree. Now? She has a month here. She has that month to either do or die and Louis, I know he thinks he’s trying to help, but Harry can help her more. I believe he can.” Liam explained, defending Harry’s actions.

“Harry isn’t helping. He’s tearing her down and she doesn’t need that. She needs trained.” Niall replied defensively, seeing the cabin door fly open and a very, very livid Harry coming down the steps.

Niall wasn’t an idiot and the black aura surrounding their leader was enough to know that he needed to hide and quickly to boot.

“Hide and seek, I’ll go first. Later!” Niall bolted up and ran into the thicket of trees, his footsteps fading away in a rush.

Liam groaned and stood up, meeting Harry at the clearing.

“Did you get Niall out of the tree yet? I really need to get into London and find my car.” Harry asked, his teeth gritting together with his hard eyes in an emotion to suggest to Liam that Niall was going to be strangled.

“Well, the good news is, yes, I did get him out of the tree. The bad news is, he saw you and he ran away again. You need to calm down, Harry. You need to think rational right now.” Liam tried coaxing, but fuck all that did.

Harry let out an animalistic growl and went charging into the trees after Niall, calling out for the blonde.

Liam just put his hands to his hips like a frustrated parent before sighing and trudging after his leader and Irish friend; because he was almost sure when Harry caught up to the blonde again, Niall wouldn’t have a leg to stand on – literally.

“Blast my life.” Liam muttered, hearing Niall let out a loud exclamation.

He took that as his que to quicken his footsteps and hurry after them.

“Louis is officially on my shit list.” Liam muttered, following the sound of Niall’s panicked yells.

*

Hours passed and Sophia now stood at the far end of the third story building, her eyes covered and facing a full length mirror.

“Are you ready?” Patrick asked, smiling at the stunning beauty beside him.

Sophia sighed and nodded, blinking when Patrick beamingly removed his hand from her face and stepped to face her. Louis was at her other shoulder, glancing in the mirror beside her.

Sophia let out a look of disbelief that greeted her. To say the transformation was astonishing would have been underlying to say the least.

Her hair had been striped back to her natural red and a small clip had been given to clear the split ends.

She gently touched one of the long curls that hung to her face, the gentle wisps of hair laying in layered ringlets brought a beauty to her that outshined everything around.

“I added light layered curls around, but left the bangs straight and just styled and laid them with the ringlets in a swoop, which brings out your blue eyes.” Patrick explained, smiling proudly.

“It’s beautiful, but I don’t know about this dress.” Sophia murmured, seeing the freshly marked scars littering her chest and what was worse, she could feel the ones at her back.

Patrick tutted, reaching gently under her chin with a finger and lifting her head up when it started to drop.

“None of that, princess. The scars are physical; nothing more, nothing less. They display a story and if you have confidence my little peach, no one will want to know that story. They will want to know you.” Patrick spoke truthfully, eyeing Louis for a little backup.

Louis nodded and placed his hand over her shoulder.

“It’s true, flower. To have confidence will take the attention off what you have and put to who you are.” Louis confirmed.

Sophia looked again, the bright glittering strapless dress glowing in the lights that shined down on them.

The style was a short Jessica rabbit inspired dress – sort of speak. It’s green silky material came down to her thighs and smothered her breast tightly with adhesive cups that were implanted into the front of the fabric, making the back swoop across loosely.

“The makeup I chose, burgundy dark lipstick and light petal pink for the blush highlights yours features. The dark purple eyeshadow electrifies your eyes, which is your predominant feature right now. As for cover, I used concealer and light powder to eliminate the bruises,” Patrick nodded, his hand running gently down Sophia’s head. “Darling? Many women come in here, but not many women can pull this off and babe? You have it. I’m not just saying that either. I’m preaching truth.”

Sophia saw the beauty in the mirror – she just refused to believe it was her. Because after all, she wasn’t that woman.

She turned and looked at Louis, sadness overpassing her eyes.

“I’m not this woman, Louis. I’m – “He shushed her, taking something out of his pocket and placing It in her hand.

“You are anything you wish to be, my lady. Now, I spent the better part of today looking for a jeweler to work some miracles and just so happen to luck out. Well, I may or may not have threatened him with death as the asshole saw me approaching and locked the door. Long story short, he owed Damien some money and thought I was coming to collect. Anyhow, not important on the details, but he did an amazing job at fixing it. Look.” Louis encouraged with a gentle smile.

Sophia opened her palm and nearly dropped the piece of jewelry from shock.

In her hand, was the necklace that Dylan had given her with the dress. The black Onyx stone had been polished and shaved a little to get rid of the crack and the parts of the chain that had been broken were replaced with identical links, making the necklace appear as if it had never been destroyed.

Louis watched a look of emotion fill the younger girl’s eyes and chuckled, using his arm to hug her body to his chest.

“Don’t forget the ones who truly matter.” He advised softly.

She could only stare as he took the necklace and put it on her, the stone falling so elegantly onto her chest, highlighting the dresses features complete.

“I – “Sophia wasn’t even sure what to say.

“Here. I spent nearly all night finding and taping this together. I think you need this, I didn’t think so before, but now that I’ve re-read it – I believe it could offer much more help to you.” Louis finished, thrusting a near-perfect taped up piece of notebook paper into her hand, kissing her temple.

Sophia felt tears slip from her eyes, the familiar writing greeting her.

“Dylan…” She felt her heart heaving, the feelings overpowering.

“His love for you, Soph, that letter says it all. He wants you to survive, he wants you to succeed. So if you can’t find a reason to survive for us, then do it for him. Because if you die, his death would have been for nothing,” Louis gently explained, wiping away the tears from Sophia’s eyes. “Good thing this makeup is waterproof.”

Patrick chuckled, holding up a pair of plain black flat heeled shoes.

“The ensemble is complete.” He announced, bending down for Sophia to slip her feet in.

She did so without hesitation, glad to have shoes again.

“Thanks Pat, you have been a lifesaver. Now, our real training begins.” Louis smiled.

Patrick nodded and followed the two downstairs.

“Have fun in London my luv, Louis will show you a goodtime no doubt.” He winked at the other male, who lightly slapped him in the shoulder.

“No like that. The first stop on our list is the local pub. We’ll be going to an upscale one after, but first, I’m giving her a crash course in reflexes.” Louis chuckled, taking hold of Sophia’s good hand and leading her toward the door.

Patrick stopped a few feet from them, eyebrows raised.

“What do you mean like that?” He asked the gang member with confusion, though he store wore a smile.

Louis chuckled.

“Well, you know what they say; misery loves company, but trouble loves a party. We’re going to the local pub to start a brawl, because how else is she going to learn?” Louis reasoned, making Patrick’s smile drop.

“She’ll get murdered!” He called, taking a few steps forward in concern.

Louis waved him off.

“Nah, she’s with me and you know the way I fight. They hurt her, I hurt them and we know what that means.” Louis trailed off.

“That you’re insane? I sort of figured.” Patrick retorted, earning him a laugh from Louis.

Patrick noticed a light green pocketbook purse hanging beside him from a display dummy and threw it to Louis as a second afterthought.

“My job is done.” Patrick announced, turning around to go back to his original task before the crazy Styles gang members came to visit his establishment.

Louis guided Sophia into the streets of London, disappearing into the crowd towards his normal pub haunt, a purpose behind his madness.

Sophia simply let him guide her, a sense of trust behind her eyes as she followed.

Notes