Absolute Beginners

8. Absolute Beginners

    I slept in late and woke up with the brightest smile I'd had in a long time. I was going to see David today! The show wasn't til 7:30PM, but knowing David he'd be there at 3:30PM to make sure he had enough time to get ready. I made myself a good brunch, then got a shower. I wanted to make sure I look nice for him. I put on my makeup and smiled at myself in the mirror. "Go get 'em." I said confidently as I walked out of my room.

I walked the few blocks to the arena. The streets were pretty busy. Out of everyone, there was one person I seemed to notice, a few feet behind me. A tall, dark haired man in a dark blue trench coat. It looked as if he was following me. The couple of times I looked over my shoulder, he was there. I started to get a little panicky. I knew it wasn't Ryan, but he could've easily hired someone to track me. Just breathe and continue calmly to the arena. You'll be in safe arms soon enough. I got to the arena a little bit before David. It turns out that before he could get ready, he had a small press conference with the local media as they welcomed him back. I stood off to the side of the stage, so he couldn't see me. My breath caught when I saw him. He was laughing and talking to the press about what he'd been doing. The same captivating eyes; stellar smile. Oh how I've missed this man...
One man raised his hand and David let him ask his question. "Do you have a girlfriend?" The man inquired. David nodded. "Yes I do." David replied smiling. My heart sank. He has fallen for someone else... "May I ask her name?" The same man asked. David's eyes seemed to drift off. "Sarah. Gosh I love her." He said that last part more to himself than the press, but the microphone picked it up. My jaw dropped and my heart just about leapt from my chest. The manager of the arena came to stand beside me. "That Sarah is a lucky girl." She said. I nodded. "Yup. I am.. Uh, I mean, she is."

David dismissed the press so he could get ready. He took the backstage way to get to his dressingroom. I knew that was my cue. I picked up my makeup box and headed back to his room. I tiptoed quietly along the hallway, so he couldn't hear me coming. I peeked around the corner and saw him sitting at the vaniy, looking in the mirror at himself. He frowned and as if he was bored. I giggled softly, then walked in. I cleared my throat. "Mr. Bowie, my name is Sarah Dawson and I will be your makeup artist tod-" The last syllable turned into  squeal of surprise; as David got up from his seat, picked me up and swung me around. My laughter mixed with his. "Sarah, my Sarah; you're back!" He said happily, squeezing me even more tighter. "It's great to see you too." I said. I'm just happy to be in his arms again. He sat me on my feet; just staring at me. Like he was trying to reason with himself, that this wasn't a dream and I was really there. 

He ushered me to the couch and we sat down. I layed against his chest, loving the feeling of him beside me again. We chatted about what we'd been up to in the last six months. Then we got to talking about the day that I left. "I'm sorry I ran out on you like that. I knew that if I didn't, I would never leave." I told him. He caressed my cheek. "The marvelous thing about that day is, we never have to re-live it again. I'm with you and you're with me, and that's all that matters." He assured me. I wrapped my arm tighter around his torso. He kissed my head. "David Bowie, I love you." I said, looking into his eyes. He responded by leaning in close and dominating my lips with his. The kiss was just like the one we shared the day I left; only stronger. It felt good!
"David are you-?" Harlie came in, making David and I jump and quickly release our lips. "Sarah!" Harlie exclaimed, tackling me as I sat on the couch. I squeezed her back. She looked at David in a teasingly stern tone. "You Mister, need to get ready." "That was my fault. I surprised him." I told her. David and I stood up. She laughed. "Well, I'll let you get ready... Just please, no more distractions you two." David wrapped his arm around my waist and looked at me. "Yeah right." He replied, grinning. With a roll of her eyes, Harlie left so I could help David get ready. 

"I'm going to change clothes." David said. I started towards the door. He chuckled. I looked back at him confused. "What? I'm stepping out to give you privacy to change." "I don't want you to leave my sight. You might disappear on me again." He winked. "But seriously, I have a folding screen, so it's okay by me if you stay." He told me, smiling. I decided to stay in the room. While he changed, I wandered over to the vanity to get set up for doing his makeup. I looked at myself in the mirror. I noticed that some of my makeup that covered a scar on my face had smuged off. The scar went from the middle of my left cheek all the way up the left side of my face til about eye level. I lightly touched it as memories came back...

// Ryan and I had just gotten back from eating dinner with my parents. It was a more upscale place so, I thought I would dress a little nicer. I walked upstairs to the bedroom, took my shoes off and put them in my closet. Ryan came in the bedroom. "Hi hon. Did you have a good time tonight?" I asked. A frown never left his face. "What is it?" I asked puzzled. "You're too pretty." He said. I smiled. "Awe thank you honey!" I walked over to hug him, but he hit me. I fell on the floor. "Don't your see Charlotte? It's a horrible thing that you're so pretty. Men want you and I don't want that. So, we need to remedy this problem." He grabbed me by my upper arm and yanked me to my feet. "What do you mean?" I asked warily. He didn't answer me. He just walked us over to stand in front of my full length mirror. Ryan shook his head. "It's a shame I have to do this, but I have no choice."  Before I could even ask what he was doing, he pushed me against the mirror. "Don't worry Charlotte, it'll be over soon." I begged for him to stop, but he didn't.  "I'm doing this for your own good." Was his reply. After he shoved me the fifth time, I had passed out. Who knows what he did to me after that. But I always have this scar to remember that night by.//

I got some foundation and started to cover it up. David came up behind me and wrapped both arms around me, snuggling close. I stopped what I was doing and just let him hold me. "What are you up to?" He questioned, between placing kisses on my neck. "Nothing....just, covering up a scar." I said hesitantly. He turned me to face him. "How did that happen?" He asked concerned. "I'll tell you after the concert." I told him, resuming my task of covering my scar. Quickly, I got it covered and started to apply David's makeup. As I put blush on his cheek, he kept kissing me on the lips. I laughed. "Now how am I supposed to get you ready, when you keep kissing me? Not that I'm complaining of course but, try to refrain from kissing me til after the concert." I told him. "Did I just say that?" I asked. He laughed. "Just wait til after the concert. I'm gonna make up for lost time." He said, smiling a sexy smile. He snuck in one last kiss, then allowed me to finish his makeup. 

Waiting just behind the stage, I could hear the cheering of the crowd. I kissed David for good luck. He held my hand and lead me to the side of the stage. "I want you to wait in the wings, that way I can keep an eye on you. Just in case." He said, bopping my noes. I laughed. "The crowd wants you. Have fun." I said smiling. He waved to me as he walked out onto the stage. I hung out in the wings with Harlie throughout the concert.

After the concert, we went back into the dressingroom to collect our things. 
"So.. How'd you get the scar?" He asked. I laughed. I told him the story. He frowned. "That's why I waited til after the concert." I told him. He wrapped his arms lovingly around my neck and kissed my head. "You're too pretty." He said in a low voice. I stiffened in fear and my breath caught. I shook his arms off me and backed away. "Please don't push me into the mirror again Ry. I can't take it." I said on the verge of tears. David's slowly came over to me. "Baby, it's me David. You're safe now remember? Ryan can't hurt you anymore. It's me.." He slowly hugged me. I inhaled deeply, smelling his cologne. Then I came back to my senses. "I'm sorry. That's what He told me that night he pushed me into the mirror." I told him. He just held me ask my shaking body calmed; whispering sweet nothings in my ear. 

When I had settled down, we resumed our task of collecting our stuff. Suddenly, I remembered something. "There's more. I think I'm being followed. It's a guy in a dark blue trench coat." I added. "Are you sure?" He asked. I nodded. We got our things and exited the dressingroom. As we walked to David's car, he filled his bodyguard in on my being followed. 

Going down the road, David made sure it was just us in the back for privacy. "I still cannot believe you've been here all this time." He said. "I wanted to make sure I got far away from Ryan." I replied. Silence filled the air for a moment. "Come back to New York with me." David blurted out. I was stunned. I didn't know what to say. He grabbed my hands. "Please say 'yes'. I cannot lose you again. I nodded. "Okay." I said smiling. He kissed my lips. We parted and just got lost in each other's eyes.

Suddenly, Jones sped up, causing me to shift hard left. Luckily David caught me before I fell in the floor. "What's going on?" David asked. I looked out the back window. "The guy in the trench coat." I replied. "Get us out of here!" David said. "Don't worry sir. I know a short cut." Jones replied, turning a hard left. "I have a gut feeling that Ryan hired this guy so he could find me." I told him. I looked at him with worried eyes. "Don't worry love. I won't let him get you." He rubbed my arm, reassuring me. He covered my right hand in both of his, in hopes to calm me down. Jones finally lost 'the trench coat guy'. 

We all just sat in the car, trying to catch our breath and calm our nerves. Jones was pretty shaken up himself. David patted him on the shoulder. "Good job." "Thank you sir." Jones replied. "If I'm going with you, I guess I need to go back to my apartment and pack a few things. It's just around the corner." I said. "Jones, if you please. Take my lady to her apartment." David said, smiling at me. Jones curtly nodded and drove David and I to my apartment. 

I packed my two suitcases worth of clothes and some little necessities. David said I could send for the rest later. He wanted me to get out of London and be with him as soon as possible, so he could protect me. I looked around my apartment for the last time. "I'm going to miss this place, but I'm ready to get back to America." I told him as we walked off the steps together. "I just have two more shows here, then we can disappear to Berlin." He said as we got in his car and drove away from the apartment buildings.

"Germany?!" I asked excitedly. He laughed at my enthusiasm. "Yes darling." He grabbed my hand. "Just you and me." He added. I was happy for the rest of the day. 

That night, I stayed with David in his hotel room. It was a single room that had two queen beds. I put a robe over my pajama's because I was cold. I looked at myself in the mirror and shivered. I didn't know if it was out of fear of the mirror or being cold. "Babe, come here." David said sweetly. I layed on the bed, against him. "You okay?" He asked, wrapping an arm securely around me. "I'm happy to be with you again; so happy. But I still can't help but be scared." I admitted. He pulled me closer and put his other arm on me, squeezing me into a hug. I smiled. "That's my girl. I give you my word that I will always be your knight. Cross my heart." He told me, drawing an invisible 'X' on his heart. I couldn't help but kiss him. I yawned. He chuckled. "My maiden needs to go to sleep." I smiled. He tucked me in and we kissed goodnight. He climbed in his bed and turned out the light, leaving the bathroom light on. "I love you." I whispered into the darkness. "I love you too." Came his reply. With a new lease on life, I went to sleep; dreaming sweet dreams.