A/N: Hello !!! Happy New Years !! Sorry for not updating. Holiadys were quite busy for me with family things. Hope your holiday celebrations were great and relaxing. Anywhos. I just wanted to say thank you for reading. I am almost at 3K readings! :O That's so amazing and I'm thankful to you all for reading and keeping interested in my writing. This is my first fanfiction, well story in general. So thank you. :D And to thank you for reading my fanfiction, I'll try to put up another update later this week.
Like always, let me know what you think by voting and commenting your thoughts on the chapter and any suggestion you might have the story. I'm all ears, or eyes. Lol..
Happy reading :D
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Your POV:
I searched through the entire hall for ten minutes before I finally called it quits. It was just my imagination playing tricks on me thinking that Camila was here. She was just in my dreams. I returned back into the hall and straight towards the bar, my comfort zone at events such as these though I didn't feel the need to down six to seven flutes of champagne anymore. Instead, I gazed out at the great turn out for the foundation's charity event and was actually proud at what I had accomplished.
All for you, Tyler.
While thinking about Tyler and what he was thinking up in heaven, I felt a cold liquid splash against my face, slowly dripping down to my neck and dress. I gasped out of shock and looked at the perpetrator.
Naomi. Shit.
By now a group of onlookers were waiting for something more exciting to happen. They may be adults and more "mature" but when entertainment like this is wiggled in front of them everyone turns into a gossiping teen. It was too interesting them not to.
"Naomi-"
Before I could muster something up to say, a nice hard slap across my cheek stopped me. Yup. Definitely gossip worthy.
"How dare you," she hissed. "It's all your fault and you think this," she gestured around us. "Could forgive what you took away from me? You were the reason why he was driving that night and you are the reason he's dead. How dare you think you can walk around and play this victim card when you know damn well if it wasn't for you and your influence, he would still be here. With me."
I didn't say anything and allowed her to say these things because deep down I had the same thoughts. Maybe not as cruel, but still, same thoughts. I was the reason why he got in the car. I was the reason why we were always drunk or high. I brought him into that world because I didn't like feeling lonely and he was my only true companion. So everything Naomi was saying was true.
"That's enough, Naomi," Harry came to my rescue and placed a reassuring arm around my waist. "This isn't the place and time to mark your territory. Stop making a scene and try to at least respect Tyler's good name."
Harry led me away from the scene, avoiding the nosy spectators, and handed me his handkerchief in order to wipe away the excess champagne that was still dripping down my face. I mumbled a thank you and followed his lead to the back area.
"The lads are in the hall so you can get changed in our dressing room. I'll get Charlie to see if he has something for you to get changed into," Harry said before he left me to lonesome in their dressing room.
Such a gentleman, that one.
I quickly got out of my dress and went into the washroom to wash off the champagne before it got sticky on my skin. I was appreciative to my makeup artist because, miraculously, my make up didn't smear or come off as much as I thought it would when a flute of champagne gets splashed on my face. My scars were still well hidden.
As I was finishing up in the washroom, I heard the door open and a little commotion in the next room. I guessed Harry and the boys were back. I usually wouldn't bother to cover up. I covered up with the towels to hide the reminders of the accident before stepping out of the washroom.
"Did Charlie give you extra clothes for me?" I asked as I turned to face someone not Harry, not even the boys, but a group of girls that made me stop in my tracks. "Sorry, I thought you were someone else."
I rushed back into the washroom and shut the door. Seconds later, there was a knock at the door. This time I slightly opened the door and popped my head out to see Harry, and the girls, standing in the room, Harry leaning next to the washroom door with a dress slung over his arm.
"Charlie is always prepared for anything," he stated as he hands me my new dress, thankfully it was just as covered as the one I wore so my arms, legs, and chest were well hidden.
I muttered a thank you before closing the door in haste to put on my new dress. After a few minutes of struggling to put on the new dress, note to self: get more flowing dresses, I emerged out of the room to be met with the four curious girls. No signs of Harry.
Noticing my searching eyes, the taller one spoke up.
"Harry had to go do some press with the boys. He said he would be back in a few minutes, or he'll see you back at the hall."
I nodded in understanding and said a thank you.
We all stood in silence for what felt like forever. No one knew what to say and I was internally freaking out because my dreams were starting to become reality and I didn't know what that meant.
Maybe a side effect to the concussion I got from the accident? But how did I know them but not know them at the same time. Gosh. This was so frustrating and confusing at the same time.
"Well, hi, I'm Lauren," the green-eyed beauty said as she reached her hand out to shake mine.
"Alexandra," I replied as I shook her hand.
Soon the other girls followed suit. I was all introduced to all but one from my dreams and I was starting to hope she wasn't real so I could keep some sanity. I contemplated on asking and after minutes of an internal battle with myself but I chose otherwise and decided to run for it.
I moved to leave the room, to get out of this situation as fast as possible.
"Wait-" Lauren paused. "I, uh, I don't-"
The other girls looked over at Lauren as if she was a crazy person. I guessed she wasn't very known to stumble over her words.
"Another time? I best be going. I still have an event to host and clients to press for donations," I smiled and departed from the group of girls before they could stop me.
I stumbled out of the dressing room in a rush and nearly bumped into someone before entering the hall. I needed to be as far as possible from the girls, and potentially Camila, before I freaked the hell out. My heart was already beating faster than it should be and it was becoming quite hard to breathe.
Coming face to face with people you thought were simply in your dreams can turn anybody into a wreck.
I walked into the hall without any more trouble. After the scene that Naomi pulled, I was expecting people to start bombarding me with faked concern and nosy questioning. Instead, my expectation is replaced with my overbearing agent Amanda Tucker. She was sporting her usual business suit for the event, meaning she was here for business, not for the charity itself. This wasn't going to be fun.
I put on a fake smile and made my way towards her. Once in arms reach, she grasped me into her famous tight hugs, squeezing me a little too tightly causing me to groan in pain. She instantly released me and apologized for her inconsiderate act, praying I wasn't going to fire her on the spot.
"You look like you've seen a ghost or something," she chuckled, not realizing how accurate her description was.
"You have no idea," I muttered. "Enjoying the event?"
"Of course, you have really out done yourself, Alexandra. Your parents must be very proud of this turn around. Definitely a boost to your reputation and the media is eating it up," she went about business but I was tuning her out and taking in everything else in the hall.
People were socializing, dancing, drinking, enjoying everything the event had to offer. The orchestra was now taking full control of the music and people were swaying to their smooth music. I looked towards Mr. and Mrs. Chapman who wore grins of happiness. They turned towards me as if sensing my eyes on them and waved me to come over.
"Well, enjoy more of the event, Amanda, I have to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Chapman," I excused myself.
"Wait, we have to discuss your interviews and next appearances coming up," Amanda shouted.
"Email the details and I'll reply back for further instructions. Now stop working and enjoy the event, or you know, donate to the cause," I said turning my attention back to the Chapman's. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs., I mean Reese and Allen," I coughed seeing the look from their faces.
"I heard about the debacle between you and Naomi. Are you okay?" Mrs. Chapman asked, concern now filling her facial expression.
"Yeah, completely fine. Her actions were justified," I stated, avoiding their gazes. "I took away her boyfriend."
"Alexandra," Mrs. Chapman started.
"If you'll excuse me," I fake smiled and made my exit.
This time, I didn't care about the consequences. I needed that numbing feeling I once craved. These emotions I was feeling were too much at the moment and I was too weak to handle them. I needed an outlet and I was making a beeline towards one.
I signaled the bartender and chugged down the champagne flute as fast as possible. The bubbling feeling of the drink filling me up instantly, but I needed more. I flagged down the bartender again, but stopped them from pouring another glass.
"I need something stronger," I stated, my voice stern and serious.
"All we've got is champagne for the event, ma'am," I turned to leave the bar. "But, I do have some party favors I was saving for later," he smirked at me.
"Show me what you got."
He bartender looked around to see if anyone was paying attention to us and then back towards me. A sly smirk still graced his face as he pulled out a little plastic bag from his pockets. Two light blue pills were in the bag.
"What are they?" I asked while I hesitantly grabbed for the bag.
"Blue devils," he stated.
Blue devils. I remembered these kinds of pills. Barbiturates. How comforting I fall back into habit with the pills that started it all in the beginning.
"What is it?" I asked while holding the pill between my two fingers, examining the little blue pill.
"Just take it," Kendal pushed it towards me, closer to my mouth. "It'll calm you down during the show." I looked at the pill and then at her, still unsure of the consequences if, or when, I take the pill.
Kendal saw my hesitance and rolled her eyes. "Here, look," she said as she grabbed another pill from the bag and popped it into her mouth as if it was nothing. "See, and in a few moments I'll be walking down that cat walk like nothing. I won't even notice all the bright lights, the people, the anxiety this industry brings. It's just a little helper to get us through the night. Trust me."
I sighed and gave into the pressure. I popped the pill into my mouth and grabbed a bottled water to help swallow it down.
"Atta' girl. Now you're one of us for real, a bonafide super mode, girl," she smirked at me along with the other models in the dressing room.
"Come on ladies, show starts in five minutes. Alexandra, you're up first. Don't mess this up," the show manager shouted before rushing out to shout at someone else.
"Don't worry, she's won't," Kendall smiled down at me and went to her station to get ready.
"So do you want in or not?"
I was snapped out of my memory when the bartender spoke. I looked down at the blue pill. I didn't give it anymore thought because I knew I would talk myself out of it so I popped the pill into my mouth and swallowed the pill instantly, without hesitation and without struggle. I had become a pro at it after all.
"Don't worry, Princess, your secret is safe with me," he smirked. He slid a piece of paper towards me and popped his own pill. "Give me a call if you ever feel lonely, or need another hook up," he winked and went to attend to other patrons at the bar.
I sat at the bar for a moment, knowing that the effects of the pill would take awhile. I didn't want to test out my walking skills while under the influence. I was obviously out of practice.
After gazing out into the crowd for what felt like seconds, my eyelids started to feel heavy and my vision began to blur. Man, these pills worked fast. Definitely sitting here for awhile.
"There you are. The girls said you left in a haste. Everything okay?" Harry asked as he made his way towards me. His eyes narrowed when I didn't reply soon widening when he came to the realization of my state of mind. "Are you seriously high right now?" He shook his head in disapproval. "I thought you were done with that stuff."
I unintentionally laughed because something in my head found something quite funny to me. He rolled his eyes getting his answer and pulled me up from my seat, quite forcefully I might add. I nearly stumbled into him but he kept me steady. He pulled me through the hall and back into the dressing room where we had complete privacy, for the moment.
"Thank gosh no one is here. All right. Wait here while I get Charlie," he demanded, and soon he was gone again.
The room was moving and making me feel a little dizzy so I sat myself down on the couch and closed my eyes to stop the spinning.
If the paparazzi got news of this, they would have a field day with me right about now. I could see the headlines now "Heiress in Distress" or "What's gotten the heiress so blue?". That would have been a good headline since I was in blue at the moment and I'd taken the blue devil.
I chuckled at my own inside joke. I would be a great tabloid writer.
"Want to share the joke?"
My head whipped towards that familiar voice, nearly giving me whiplash, and I was staring into those eyes that I would stare into when in my dreams.