The Three-Month Rule

Chapter 33 - New Lyrics

Sirens called out in the distance, their red and blue lights staining everything as the cars sped through London in the dark night.

The wind grew colder each minute, the moon pulling people into a deep sleep as the night grew closer to midnight.

"Thank you for understanding, Allie," Lucy sobbed.

"Of course," Allegra reassured her for the twelfth time as she stroked her hair.

"I need to go, but I'll see you tomorrow for coffee," Lucy said, wiping streaks of mascara from her cheeks on her sleeve as she stood up.

"Yes, of course, night Luce. And thank you again," Allegra smiled at Lucy as she left the office.

Lucy climbed the stairs weakly, surprised that Allegra had been foolish enough to believe her lies and emerged from the door that led down to the basement that she used as her office.

Lucy was so surprised by how naïve Allegra had been, that she hadn't noticed that policewoman that had walked behind her.

Something cold closed itself around Lucy's wrist, and she turned to see Allegra stroll out of the door behind her as the policewoman handcuffed her.

"Allie, please –" she begged, realising that Allegra hadn't been foolish or naïve at all, but really was a good actress.

"I like your nail varnish, Lucy," Allegra smiled, leaning to the side to admire Lucy's red nails behind her back. "What's the shade called? 'Backstabber'?"

***

Tom and Taylor stood several feet apart on the pedestrian path that ran through Primrose Hill- Tom with a sorrowful expression on his gentle face, Taylor a spiteful smirk on hers.

"Wow," she laughed. "I never thought I'd see the day that you finally saw sense."

Tom ignored her and rolled his eyes discreetly, walking a couple of steps towards her with his hands in the pockets of his dark grey trousers.

"Do you think there's any chance left for us?" he asked her, his blue eyes turning bluer under the moonlight.

"I'm seeing someone else now, Tom" she told him, absorbing how good it felt to say those words to the man that broke her heart.

"So am I," he shrugged. "Think how glorious it will be for us to come out on social media together," he grinned. "Think of the controversy, think of the uproar." He adjusted his stance slightly and his expression softened, a gentle frown nesting in his brows. "I should warn you though," he continued, walking closer to her. "It's probably safest for you to postpone your tour tonight here in London."

"Why?" she asked him, hoping he would come up with a good reason for her not to make more money.

He stopped inches away from her face and shuffled slightly, searching for the most appropriate words to form his next sentence.

"The police are looking for you," he said.

"What? Why?" she asked, anger hitting her as the breeze picked up again.

"They know everything," he said awkwardly. "Unfortunately, Lucy wasn't very sneaky, and Allegra found the emails you both exchanged. She showed the police and there's a warrant out for your arrest."

"Fuck!" Taylor screamed, her violent trills echoing throughout the empty park. 

"I told Allegra I would meet you in Regent's Park, leading the police right to you, but I snuck past them and asked you to meet me here, where you're safe," he explained, unveiling the plans that he, Allegra, Naomi and Saoirse had made just hours before. "You need to hide."

"Any suggestions?" she asked, beginning to panic as she heard sirens again.

"I don't know right now but we'll go together," he assured her with a smile.

"We should probably go now," she said as the sirens grew louder.

"We just need to wait a minute," he told her, looking at his watch.

"Wait? For what?" she asked desperately, looking over her shoulders as red and blue lights became clearer. She released a sigh of relief as the police car drove into the distance, and she turned back to him, her blue eyes unable to focus under the stress.

"5... 4... 3... 2..." Tom was counting down, one of his index fingers held up to her. "1," he said, looking up at her again with a smile on his face.

"What?" she asked.

"We just needed to wait," he shrugged as a helicopter flew above them.

"For what?"

"This," he smirked.

The helicopter hovered above their heads, lowering slightly as a spotlight shone down on Taylor and a dozen policemen and women in uniform came out of hiding amongst the trees, bushes and shadows.

Saoirse walked up behind Taylor, locking handcuffs around her wrists before she realised what was happening.

"Taylor Swift, you're under arrest for stalking and harassment. Anything you say or do from this moment onwards can be used against you in court. Any failure to comply with orders will extend your sentence. Let's go," Saoirse said, beginning to drag her away.

"TOM! WAIT! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND -" she screamed, deafening all that were in close proximity to her.

He strode towards her, hands in his pockets, a grin on his face.

"Look on the bright side, Taylor," he smirked, inches away from her blue eyes. "At least you've got something new to write about."