15th July 2013 – Landing In London (3 Doors Down and Bob Seger)

I woke up today in London
As the plane was touching down
And all I could think about was Monday
And maybe I’ll be back around

If this keeps me away much longer
I don’t know what I will do
You’ve got to understand it’s a hard life
That I’m going through

And when the night falls in around me
I don’t think I’ll make it through
Ill use your light to guide the way
Cause all I think about is you

Well L.A is getting kinda crazy
And New York is getting kinda cold
I keep my head from getting lazy
I just can’t wait to get back home

And all these days I spend away
Ill make up for this I swear
I need your love to hold me up
When it’s all too much to bear

And when the night falls in around me
I don’t think I’ll make it through
Ill use your light to guide the way
Cause all I think about is you

And all these days I spend away
Ill make up for this I swear
I need your love to hold me up
When it’s all too much to bear

When the night falls in around me
I don’t think I’ll make it through
Ill use your light to guide the way
Cause all I think about is you
I did it.
I sold my belongings.
I packed my bags.
I said my goodbyes.
I did it.
This morning I woke up as the pilot came over the PA announcing that we were landing at London’s Heathrow Airport.
I fucking did it.
No one thought I would. And in reality they still could be right. I could give up and come home. I could get scared and not make it. But I don’t think that’s going to happen. This is the most confident I’ve ever been with a decision. I spent time thinking about if going to London was going to be the right thing. I truly believe it will be.
I debated for a while whether I should do this. Whether I should just drop everything and go. It wasn’t the safe decision. Or the logical one. Or honestly the smart one. But it was the one Jason would’ve made.
Jason was a lot of the reason I felt inspired to do this. He jumped at opportunities and adventures in a way I only wish I could. I sat talking to CJ for hours. We were debating my decision to go. She’d been home for a few days visiting her Dad. He didn’t care we sat in his basement and didn’t sleep all night. There were tears, laughs, hugs, and cupcakes. We watched Sex and the City for hours upon end. And when we were both in the middle of a sugar coma she looked and me and said ‘He’d tell you to get off your ass, get on a plane and live.’
She was right. He would’ve. If it was possible to come back from Heaven just to kick someone’s ass for being afraid, Jason would’ve done it. This fall will be three years that he’s been gone. But there hasn’t been a single day that I haven’t thought about him, wished I could hug him or ask him if I was totally fucking up my life. And it was CJ’s words to me, telling me that I needed to get my ass on that plan and live because Jason would’ve wanted me to do it, which convinced me to sell everything, book the ticket and go.
Jason was never afraid of anything. Even death. We didn’t realize how sick he was. We didn’t realize that he was going to be taken from us so quickly. And I still don’t understand how someone so generous, loving, caring and special was taken. But he was and it would be wrong for me not to live by the example he set. To take life by the balls and just live. So that’s what I’m doing. I said my goodbyes at the airport. I cried hugging my parents, brother, sister-in-law, niece, and the few friends that came to bid me farewell. And I got on that plane.
I met Kim in Chicago and we settled in for a long flight that brought us to our new home. We started to unpack some of the things that were shipped here to our flat before we arrived. But now we are realizing that for us to get tired at a reasonable time we might need a few drinks. So welcome to my blog and my new life in London.

xx Annie

Oh and just because I swore I was doing this to showcase my photography. Here’s the first shot of my brand new neighborhood, Camden Town. I promise to post more after I have a chance to explore more.

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“Are you ready to go?” I asked Kim as I closed my laptop. We hadn’t even been here 12 hours and I’d already posted my first blog. I was excited to be able to take my new camera around the area and take pictures. The buildings and culture were so vibrant and amazing. My world back home would be so excited to see it.
“Yeah, I’m ready. Let’s go,” Kim called. It was still early enough that we could get dinner but late enough that we could get a few drinks and come home to pass out and try to stay ahead of the jet lag. We headed down to the street. “So there’s a couple pubs right over there.”
“Yeah I researched before we moved. The World’s End is closest to us. But I think we should walk around for awhile. See if we can find anything that jumps out at us.”
“I’m cool with that.” We walked for a bit longer. I was stopping to take pictures almost constantly.
“This is it,” I said as I stopped in front of a pair of ominous black doors. They had intricate hand carving, gold door handles and frosted glass in the top half of the doors. In intricate gold lettering it read O’Brien’s with a shamrock beneath it. I giggle to myself. My Dad would love this. Of course this is what happened. I came to London and the bar I found that I wanted to go on the first day was an Irish Pub. I opened the door and Kim followed me in.
I wanted to cry when I walked through the doors. It was like being transported home, only also transported to Ireland. The bars I loved back home were so varied but my favorite near my house had always been the Irish Pub. Even my favorite in Kansas City when I went to stay with my godparents was an Irish Pub. Both closely resembling this. Wood tables spread throughout. A large variety of beers on tap. And an ode to Jameson behind the bar. I walked straight up to the bar and sat down in two empty seats.
“Hey beautiful, what can I get you?” the bartender asked. He was cute, in the scruffy way. I could see sleeves full of tattoos, even a few sneaking up on to his neck. His dark hair was kept shorter on the sides but I could tell if it wasn’t slicked back that it would be chin length. There was a platinum blond streak that fell in his face as he moved around. His beard was giant, not something I was normally attracted to but it complimented his features well.
“Well we just moved here today.”
“And you’re American. Let me guess you want to order some shit American beer but are embarrassed?” he asked.
“Not embarrassed. If I really wanted a Coors Light I’d ask for one. But I don’t want one. I want to expand my tastes. Get me what you think I should be drinking now that I’m a London girl,” I said batting my eyelashes.
“Alright. And for you lovely?” he asked Kim. She was looking at the beer menu kept behind the bar trying to find something that she’d recognize.
“I’ll do a Corona with lime. It’s like the start of a vacation, only it’s a lifelong one. Right?” I nodded.
“Can I get her a shot of Bacardi Limon too?” I asked.
“Sure, what for?” he asked.
“You’ll find out.” He got our drinks ready and sat them down in front of us. He got me a Stella Artois. Kim pushed the lime in her bottle and took a few drinks. Once the beer was past the neck I took it and poured the shot in. I put a cocktail napkin over the mouth of the bottle, pushed it against the flesh of my palm and tipped it slightly to mix the shot in.
“Okay I’m trying that now. I’m Cameron, by the way.”
“Annie, this is Kim.”
“Nice to meet you ladies.” The crowd was relatively quiet tonight so it was as if Kim and I had our own personal bartender.
“Cam are you drunk?” another man asked. He was hot. Dark hair, green eyes and an Irish accent.
“Nah, but this little girl just taught me a new trick. Drink part of a bottle of Corona, fill the bottle back up with a shot of Bacardi Limon. Just the citrus kick you need and more booze.”
“I convinced some bars back home to offer it that way. Charge an extra couple of bucks for the shot and it’s a delicious change on the Corona.”
“I like that idea. Did you work in bars back home? Where is home?”
“Home is Iowa. And no. I had a lot of friends that were bartenders, knew a bunch of bar owners. I did more of their social media and only ventured behind the bar for hugs and to fill my own water back up.”
“Well Iowa, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Frankie, I own this place with my Dad.” I glanced down at his hand, there on the left ring finger was a simple gold band. Married, of course.
“I’m Annie. This is Kim. We literally just moved here today. We live over by the tube station. You were the pub we decided we wanted to try night one.”
“Well I’m glad you did,” Cameron said. He was a flirt. I wasn’t going to say I didn’t like it. A few minutes later a gorgeous blonde woman walked in with another man on her heels. She looked about my age and the man with her looked a few years older, though his style of dress wouldn’t show that. Jeans with a few strategic rips and a white t-shirt so tight you could see every muscle. I noticed that Kim definitely had seen every one because she was staring at him. He smiled at her and winked. I swear I heard her choke on her beer.
“I am too. I like this place. You may see a lot of me until I find a job.”
“You don’t have a job?” Frankie asked.
“Nope. Kim has a fancy new job at The Roundhouse. I just moved to move. New adventures and all. Plus what girl doesn’t dream of a man with a British accent.”
“That one,” Cameron said pointing at the blonde.
“Hi, I’m Lizzy, Frankie’s wife.”
“Hi, I’m Annie. This is Kim. We are about 14 hours old to London.
“That’s awesome,” Lizzy said. She sat down next to me and I saw Tight Tee Boy sit down next to Kim. “That’s my cousin Nathaniel. Call him Nate.”
“Nice to meet you ladies,” he said shaking our hands. He definitely held Kim’s longer.
“So would you want to work in a bar?” Frankie asked.
“Yes,” I said smiling. “Would you let me do social media for you?”
“Of course. It means I don’t have to. When can you start?” I couldn’t believe it. The first night here and I had a job already! The night continued on much later than Kim and I had originally planned. She was however mesmerized by Mr. TTB; I think I’m going to name him that. I need to remember to tell her when we walk home. Cameron kept flirting with me while Lizzy and I talked. She was amazing. We bonded quickly. She owned a bookshop in Hampstead Heath. She told me I needed to come see her shop and the Heath. Evidently they lived close to it and loved the park and she just knew I would when I mentioned that I was an avid photographer. Kim and Nate exchanged numbers part way through the night. He evidently lived in one of the flats about the pub and was a drummer in a local band.
“Okay, I’m starting to get tired. You ready to go?” Kim asked.
“Yeah, I’m so glad we came here. It was great getting to meet all of you,” I said turning to our new friends. Lizzy hugged me.
“I’m so excited that you start Thursday night. I will come in and be your test table,” she said.
“Wonderful. It was nice to meet you Cam.”
“You too. I will see you Thursday night.”
“Cameron, stop being a pussy. Ask for her number,” Lizzy said. She’d had a few drinks. Said that her Dad and Step-Mother had her kids tonight. He handed me a cocktail napkin and a pen.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. But I’d like to take you out on Wednesday, I have the night off.”
“Sounds like fun,” I said picking up the pen and scribbling out my name and e-mail address. “Okay so I don’t have a phone number here yet. But I’m going to the Apple Store tomorrow to pick up a new iPhone. Until I have it the iMessage on my phone from the US will work. So text me and I’ll send you my number when I get it tomorrow and we can make plans for Wednesday.”
“Sounds great,” he said as he started to enter my info in to his iPhone.

Message with Cameron
I will pick you up at 6:30 Wednesday. It was nice to meet you. You’re fit as hell.
Oooo. Testing my British lingo. You’re fit too Cam. I’m excited for this week already. Thanks for making my first night in London special.
Thanks for letting me.

This night turned out nothing like I expected. Maybe London wasn’t just going to be a fresh start for my life. Maybe London would bring me love. Something I didn’t think was possible. Maybe the man of my dreams will walk in to work and make me believe in all of the fairytale shit that Disney tries to tell me is real. If nothing else this new beginning was making me think it might be possible. I looked up at the sky and saw a shooting star.
"Thanks Jason," I said quietly. I felt a tear sneak out and run down my cheek. Shooting stars had always been his way of telling all of us that he was with us. That he was there watching to make sure we all made it out okay. It had been a long time since I'd seen a shooting star. But tonight was just what I needed. It was Jason telling me that I'd made the right decision. And that it was okay to be scared, but only for a little five seconds, then I just had to dive in.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.

Notes

As you all may know I lost access to my original account that I published London Calling and Always In My Head with. So I'm reposting the original three along with everything new here.

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Annie and Kim's first night in London. The first time they met Cam, Nate, Lizzy and Frankie. The night that started the change in their life. Without walking in to O'Brien's that night she never would've met Lizzy which never would've lead her to the bookshop and Harry wouldn't be in her life. Though he may not be present yet she's already dreaming of the possibility of someone to change life.

These standalones will not necessarily follow a strict timeline. They will be some of the important moments of Annie and Harry's lives that lead them to that snowy weekend in January that begins their love story in London Calling. Don't forget to check out London Calling if you haven't already! http://www.harrystylesfanfiction.com/Story/62134/London-Calling/

What part of their beginning are you excited to see? Let me know and maybe I'll write it! I hope you like this addition to the story of Annie and Harry. As always let me know what you think and thanks for reading!!