privacy - shawn mendes

Prolouge

"Jaylani over here." Paparazzi, surrounds me from every side as I push through trying to get inside the building. Once I enter security keeps them outside. I look forward seeing the receptionist desk, large gold letters saying the companies name, Rose Fashion Industries. The reception sees me, she rushes over. "Your mother is upstairs, you could just head up. Do you want me to tell her you're here?"

"No thank you, Ericka." I wave goodbye heading to the lift. I go up to the top floor, I walk up to Sam, my mom's assistant. She hugs me, "Hey Jaylani, what are you doing here?" We separate from the hug, "Just brought my mom lunch." She nods walking to her desk, "Well she is on her lunch break so you could walk right in."

I walk into my moms office, her not even noticing that I had just walked in. Her eyes were focused on the screen right in front of her. "Hey mum," I kiss her cheek then place the bag of food on her desk. "I brought you your favorite."

She turns to face me, "Thank you, now what do you want."

I put my hands up in surrender, "Can't I just bring my mother lunch without her accusing me of wanting something." She looks at in disbelief, "I know you Lani, and I know you're supposed to be at a meeting right now."

I sigh, looking out to the view of London. "I hate this mom, all the attention, I hate this, I can't go anywhere anymore knowing that there's always someone following me. I don't have privacy anymore, I can't do this, I just want to be normal again."

My mom stands up, "Sweetie, there's nothing I can do about it. You just gotta ignore them." She stands by my side, turning me to face her. "Can't you just tell them to leave me alone. That I quit. I don't even want the fame anymore."

She sighs, "I can't do that, you worked so hard for this, did you not? You said you wanted to be known as the Jaylani Rose, not as the daughter of Lilliana Rose. Do you just want to let this go, all your hard work?"

"I don't know mum, I don't know." I grab my bag, walking out.

-

I entered the train with my head down low, trying my best not to get noticed. I look around trying to find a place to sit. I see an empty booth at the corner, I make my way and sit down still unnoticed.

Taking my hood of and fixing my hair, someone sits across from me. I look towards him, he was a tall, brown haired boy, who's probably a year or two older than me.

"Is this seat taken?" He ask, I slowly shake my head unsure on why he would want to sit with me when there was clearly many free seat surrounding us. He then realises my uncomfortableness, "I'm sorry, I just saw that you were sitting alone and I thought I could keep you company. I could leave if you want."

He stands up to leave but I quickly grab his hand, "No stay, I would love your company." He then sits back down, my hand still on his.

We sit in silence, an awkward silence as I go on my phone seeing multiple messages from my mom. I turn it off, placing it on the table in front of me.

The boy breaks the silence, "Where are you heading?"

I look down at my hands, not knowing how to answer his question. I myself didn't know where I'm going. "Nowhere in particular, I just wanna get away from reality, my mom mostly." He nods his head.

"I know how you feel, sometimes everything just gets a little too much and you just want to get away from it all. Was that your mom?" He points to my phone.

I look at him confused on to what he means by my mom. "Your mom, the reason why you turned off your phone." Suddenly it clicks in my head on what he means, "Yeah, like I said I just want to get away from her for a while."

He gently licks his lips before asking another question. "Why's that? Why do you want to get away from her?"

"You sir ask to much questions, especially since you're a stranger to me." I point out and he quickly apologizes, "Sorry, okay how about we get to know each other?" My smile grows big as I nod.

-

I laugh loudly as he tells me the story behind the scar on his cheek. We've been talking for an hour or so. "Stop laughing, I didn't mean for it to happen, I just thought I saw hair so I decided to shave," He pouts.

"I'm sorry but that was just so funny. I thought I was becoming a man so I decided to shave." I mock him. He then pretends to be mad, crossing his arms and leaning back into the seat.

"Okay, I'm sorry, I'll stop." I sit up straight, "Now tell me about this sister of yours. She sounds sweet."

"She really is the sweetest. I miss her." The look in his eyes changes, showing that he really misses her.

"Sorry for asking, but where is she, why would you miss her?" I then regret asking, if it was like I was forcing him to answer the question. "It's fine, I live in Canada, she lives there too, I've seen her a few weeks ago, but we didn't really had the chance to sit and talk. I miss talking to her."

"Then why are you here? In London?" I then realized that I've been asking to many questions than needed but he didn't seem to mind. Once I asked him that question he becomes uneasy as if he was hiding something from me.

"Because." He stops as if he wasn't sure on what to say. "Because I'm traveling, wanted to do some traveling before I settle down and all." He looks around not wanting to look me in the eyes. "Oh okay." I simply reply leaving us in an awkward silence as we were in the beginning.

Suddenly someone speaks from the loud speaker. "This is the last stop." My eyes widen as I realized we've been talking for hours. The train then stops, the doors open. He stands up, putting his hand in front of me to grab. I grab his hand as he leads me off the train.

"Let's get lost." He pulls me towards the crowd of people coming and going.

----

Had this story in my mind, but didn't really had the time and didn't really feel the need to actually write it, but once I actually started write I couldn't really stop. It's gonna be a short story, a really short story. I'm excited for this story. Sorry if its short and if I had some mistakes. It's the first chapter so bare with me. I have a lot in store for you all! Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter. Many more to come!

-A 🌻