By alexisleech
Lisa sat on her bed and listened to the sound of her parents arguing downstairs. Their voices became louder and louder until she covered her ears with her hands, desperate to block out the noise of her mother's vitriolic onslaught on her father. She had heard them so many times before, and she knew what would happen next. He would walk out and leave her alone in the house with her mother.
Lisa didn't know where her father went, but she suspected the big leather sofa in his office in town was his place of silent refuge. Only there could he escape the nightmare of being told how pathetically useless he was when his wife had, as usual, drunk too much. Her father was lucky. Lisa had neither the means nor the transport to escape, so she became the recipient of her mother's bitterness after her father left - every time. For the most part, it was only verbal abuse when Lisa would be told how ugly, fat or useless she was, but recently the stinging words didn't give her mother enough satisfaction. She’d had to vent her anger on Lisa's body as well.
It seemed as though, since Lisa reached puberty, her emerging beauty had become a constant reminder to Fiona Collins that the admiring looks which she had commanded wherever she had gone before were now few and far between. The more it happened, the more her resentment had grown over the last two years. Lisa's dark auburn hair and flawless skin only confirmed that Fiona’s own youth and beauty were fading…and sadly, however many lotions and expensive potions she applied to her face and body, they would never return.
Lisa knew from past experience the best way to avoid confrontation was to stay in her room and keep away from her, but her mother’s anger was such that she needed to carry on the argument. In her father's absence, Lisa had become her mother's new victim, and Fiona's appetite for inflicting pain knew no bounds, especially after she had drunk enough to fuel the discontented bitterness she felt growing greater and greater with every passing day.
Lisa suspected her father had no idea just how much her mother drank after he left on these occasions, or how she vented her ongoing anger on Lisa. If he did notice, he chose to ignore it, and he never spoke disrespectfully about her in front of their children. Even Lisa's older brother Scott was ignorant of his mother's behaviour because they had bought him a flat near the University where he was taking his degree in accountancy, so he only came home once a week for Sunday lunch.
On these occasions Scott's mother was happy... and never drank in front of him, so Lisa couldn't blame him for not realising the abuse she had to tolerate on a daily basis. When she'd tried to tell him about their mother's vindictive behaviour, and the misery she had to endure when she was home from boarding school, he assumed she was exaggerating and told her to grow up, having never seen any indication that his sixteen-year-old sister was mistreated in any way, or that his mother was anything other than a loving parent.
Lisa cowered in her bed, the duvet pulled up under her chin, the light turned off...and prayed her mother would go to bed after her father left. But unknown to her, Fiona Collins drank yet another bottle of red wine, oblivious of the quantity she had already consumed. After that, she kept coming into Lisa's bedroom, switching on the light, and shouting obscenities at her daughter's duvet-covered form. When she got no reaction, her temper boiled over, and the next time Fiona went into Lisa's room, she rained blows on her daughter's quilt covered body with a metal stick. Lisa tried frantically to protect herself by pulling the duvet over her head, but it didn't make much difference, and only served to dull the impact. Each blow became increasingly vicious as Fiona's need to exorcise her own personal demons took over.
At first Lisa implored her mother to stop from under the covers, but the onslaught continued. The darkness and pain she endured under her duvet seemed to go on forever until at last, secure in the knowledge that she had inflicted sufficient pain, Fiona gave up, and Lisa heard the dull thud of something being thrown to the ground.
Lisa's mother felt better having released her drunken, frustrated anger, and snapping out the light, she closed the door behind her.
Lisa didn't move from under the duvet until the house was quiet and she knew for sure that her mother had gone to bed. She knew from past experience, once her mother was asleep, she would be safe, and in the morning, she would have forgotten what she had done. It was always the same. So many times, Lisa had looked at her mother the next morning, expecting some kind of apology. It never came.
On one occasion Lisa had returned home from a friend's house twenty minutes late to find most of her clothes lying by the front door, cut to ribbons with a pair of scissors. The following morning Lisa's mother seemed confused as to how it had happened and simply went out and bought her daughter a whole new wardrobe, thinking her generosity absolved the crime. It didn't…and this time she had gone too far. Lisa had never feared for her life before, but she did now... she knew she had to get help, or the next time her mother might kill her.
She thought momentarily about trying to contact her father, but she knew it was useless; he was as scared of her mother as she was, and unbelievably, would probably take her mother's side because, irrespective of what she did he was totally devoted to her. It seemed the more Lisa's mother abused him, the more he loved her for it. Unlike Lisa, he chose to endure the misery an alcoholic inflicts upon the very people they love. But it was different for her. Lisa was trapped... and she needed help.
She dragged herself out of bed and stiffly pulled on some clothes. It was at times like these she wished she didn't go to boarding school because all her real friends were scattered around the country for the holidays. The only people she knew in Glasgow were the daughters of her parents' friends, one of the reasons she had never been able to confide in anybody her own age when she was home. Socially, Fiona Collins was a perfect parent and never drank in public, so Lisa knew turning to any of them was useless; they would never believe her. She decided her brother was the only one who might be able to help her now. This time she would try to make him understand…
Lisa pulled on her coat, wincing at the pain and feeling like an intruder in her own home, made her way silently down the dark stairs and slipped out into the night through the French doors in the dining room.
Her bag caught on the arm of a wrought iron garden chair on the patio, knocking it over with a loud clatter, the vibration of the metal against concrete filling the night air, freezing Lisa to the spot.
Terrified the noise might have woken up her mother, she leant against the wall as her whole body trembled. A light went on in the house next door which panicked Lisa even more, thinking they might call the police because there had been recent burglaries nearby. She made her way quickly and as quietly as she could round the side of the house, across the front garden, and out of the large gates at the end of the drive, stopping momentarily as she tried to work out which way to go.
Lisa looked down her suburban street and felt as though she was the only human being on the planet who had ever experienced the loneliness and rejection she now felt. What her mother had done made her feel anger towards the adult world, and parents who used their children as their own personal crucifixion for their disappointments in life. At that moment in time, she cursed her mother for forcing her to seek refuge in the cold and friendless night.
She made her way through the tennis club, over the fence and down the embankment towards the housing estate below, determined to stay away from the road where she might be seen. The only light was that of the moon and everything seemed eerily silent around her. The trees, which during the day had been gentle givers of shade after Lisa had played tennis, now looked frighteningly alive. Their trunks now looked like legless bodies, their branches waving arms - poised to grab her as she passed and prevent her escape.
Gradually the spaces turned into houses, the houses into tenements, as she made her way towards the street lights which heralded civilisation. She tried to stay calm, naively believing nothing she might encounter could possibly be worse than the torture she had left behind at the hands of her mother, but at sixteen years of age, Lisa didn’t really have a clue.
As she approached the street lights, Lisa heard footsteps coming up behind her, but she was too frightened to turn round and see who it was. After a few moments, they were within inches of her back, and Lisa cried out when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Have you got the time, Hen?"
Fear gripped Lisa's body like a tightening noose as she franticly pushed the man's hand away and started walking even faster in the hope that he would leave her alone… but within seconds he caught up with her again.
"Come on, Hen … I only want to know the time!"
Lisa broke into a run and managed to make it to a piece of wasteland before he caught up with her again, but this time he grabbed her arm and stood in front of her, blocking her escape.
"Are ye no ‘talkin' to me?"
The smell of alcohol on his breath caught in her nostrils and triggered her conditioned fear. Lisa tried to get away from him, but whatever age the man was, and however much he had drunk, he was faster and stronger than she was. He grabbed both her arms and pushed her to the ground, pinning her down with the weight of his body while he stared into her eyes, a sick smile on his face. Lisa screamed over and over again, her voice echoing around the houses like a lost soul, but it was to no avail.
Unlike the street where she lived, the noise found no one. Not one light went on. There was just her, the drunk, and upwards of eight hundred apparently sleeping souls on that housing estate... and nobody gave a damn. Her screams were reduced to a pathetic whimper as she felt the air being forced from her lungs by the weight of his body. It was as though everything was in slow motion, her arms and legs drained of strength with the effort of trying to push him away. The drunk's hands seemed to be everywhere, on her breasts, her crotch, ripping at her clothes like someone frantically trying to open a present, eager to enjoy the contents so carefully wrapped. She knew she was going to be raped, but somehow it didn’t matter anymore because nobody cared...and in the haze that comes just before unconsciousness, it just felt like one more violation of her young body which she felt she must deserve…
| Author Notes |
Hen....Scottish expression for woman.
Tenements....collective apartments originally built for the working classes in Scotland |
By alexisleech
In the previous chapter Lisa is beaten so badly by her alcoholic mother, she fears for her life. Convinced that the only person who can help her is her brother, she leaves the house late at night, and leaves the safety of her respectable street and walks towards a rough housing estate, where she hopes to catch a bus to his flat. A drunk attacks her, and the chapter ends as she starts to lose consciousness.
Just as she thought she was going to pass out, Lisa heard the sound of squealing brakes in the distance, and then the ground next to her ear resounded with the vibration of running feet. Two men had jumped from a taxi, one the driver, one the passenger, when they had seen the man on top of Lisa's limp body on the piece of waste land at the edge of the estate.
Seeing them running towards him, the drunk had taken off into the night. Lisa rolled over onto her side, and felt the air rush back into her lungs as she gasped for air. After she had stared back at the two men for a moment or two, her eyes wide with fear, they helped her shakily to her feet and asked if she was okay. Lisa nodded, but staggered slightly to one side, forcing one of the men to take her arm in case she keeled over.
“Are you from around here, love?” The passenger from the taxi asked her gently. Lisa shook her head.
Aware that she was somewhere she shouldn't be in her desperate attempt to escape her mother; and already regretting the fact that she had left her home in the first place, Lisa stared back at the two men like a rabbit caught in the glare of a car’s headlamps.
“No---I'm trying to get into Glasgow - to my brother’s flat by the university,” she stammered pathetically. “I was looking for the bus stop.”
The two men looked at each other and tried to work out what to do for the best. Neither of them wanted to get any more involved than they had too… but it was patently obvious they couldn't leave Lisa alone, or she might be attacked again. If she needed to get to the bus stop, they thought it best to take her there.
They helped her into the taxi and the driver turned on the ignition, the purring of the engine breaking the silence while he drove through the estate to the bus stop on the other side. Lisa sat with her hands clenched in her lap, not knowing what to expect next. For all she knew, these two men could be as bad as her attacker, she thought miserably. She had reached the point where she didn't trust anybody anymore because of everything that had happened. If you couldn't trust your own Mother...then what chance did she have with complete strangers? For that reason, she was very relieved when the taxi pulled up just a few yards from the bus stop.
There were a few people standing waiting under the shelter. Their shoulders were hunched with the cold, their collars up, their hands in their pockets. Lisa was almost surprised at the normality of it all, considering what she had just been through. The taxi driver went over to the waiting passengers and found out that there was a bus due any minute, which was thankfully going past the university. If they could just get Lisa on to it, they could go home and their involvement would be over.
When the man in the taxi turned to Lisa and asked her if she had any money, she realised that she'd dropped her purse when she was attacked. How much worse could it get? She looked back at him and shook her head miserably. She had only been away from her home for less than an hour, and she had been attacked, nearly raped, and she had nothing but the clothes she stood up in. Maybe her mother was right, she thought - maybe she was totally useless.
When the bus arrived, the guy from the back of the cab put a few coins into Lisa’s hand. She looked down at the money before asking him his name and address, so she could repay him at some point in the future.
“Forget it! It's only a couple of quid. You don't need to pay me back” he replied with an embarrassed smile.
Not realising how important his gesture of kindness was to Lisa, he started to walk away, but she called out to him. She asked for his name, at least. By then the bus driver was motioning to Lisa that the doors were shutting, and the man realised that she would probably miss the bus if he didn't say something, and he certainly didn't want that to happen. He was already at least an hour late getting home, and his wife had an uncanny habit of waiting up for him, and giving him the third degree five seconds after he walked through the door.
'Bob, 63 Sycamore Street,' he shouted back - then quickly walked away…
The journey to Scott's flat took about twenty-five minutes, and as Lisa studied her reflection in the darkened mirror-like window of the bus, she realised just how lucky she'd been. Apart from the recent abuse she'd received from her mother, she had been protected all her life, and had never had to face up to the harsh reality of the outside world. The whole experience left her feeling numb and worthless. It was as though she attracted trouble wherever she went, and she was sick of it. She was sick of trying to please her mother, sick of being leered at by men, sick of life altogether, because there was no one she could trust. She was trapped in a situation which looked enviable to anyone who knew her, but the fact of the matter was, she was totally dependent on her parents...
The short walk from the bus stop to her brother’s flat took less than five minutes, and Lisa was relieved to see the lights were still on. If it had been in darkness, she would have felt awkward waking up Scott and his flat mate. She just hoped he would understand...and not tell her off for running away. He was her last hope, and she needed his understanding more than he would ever know.
When Scott heard the knock at his door after one in the morning, he wasn't unduly surprised, because life so close to the university campus was socially nocturnal. He was, however, surprised to see Lisa standing at his door, looking the way she did...especially at that time of night. She looked terrible. Her white coat was streaked with grass stains, and her face was streaked with tears.
“Lisa - what in Christ's name are you doing here?” he gasped.
She looked up at him, her eyes pleading, hoping against hope that he, at least, would understand.
“I had to get away, Scott - I can't take it anymore,” Lisa replied in a broken voice.
Scott looked at her impatiently. He thought that her statement sounded a bit melodramatic, but assumed she had just had another fall out with their mother; something his mother always claimed was instigated by Lisa. He took her into the living room where he and his flat mate Tony had been having a drink before going to bed. Scott stared at Lisa waiting for her to explain why she was there and she, in turn, stood there looking back at him without speaking. Eventually, he lost his patience.
“What's happened, Lisa?” he asked, the irritation sounding clearly in his voice.
Lisa started to explain, but she stopped because she didn't think Scott would want Tony to hear about what her mother had done to her. Whatever she might have been through, she didn't want to embarrass him.
"I had a fight with Mum, and I left the house to come here. I need your help, Scott…"
He interrupted her, suspecting that Lisa was overreacting, as his mother had told him she often did.
“How did you get here?” he asked, ignoring the tears of frustration now coursing down Lisa's cheeks.
Still feeling too embarrassed to say anything in front of Tony, Lisa used Scott's question as an excuse to get the conversation away from her mother. She tried to explain what had happened when she had been attacked after she left the house. Scott couldn't believe she could be so stupid to walk alone through a housing scheme at that time of night, and he knew his mother would be furious when she found out.
“Does Mum know you’re here?” Scott asked, as though he hadn’t listened to a word she said.
She looked over at Tony, still reluctant to cause embarrassment. Tony’s mother was friendly with hers, and she knew Scott would be furious if she said anything derogatory about their mother in front of him.
“No, but…” she stuttered.
Scott looked down at his sister with an annoyed expression.
“If she doesn't know where you are, she'll be worried sick, Lisa!” he shouted at her.
She stared back at him in disbelief when she realised that he was taking her mother's side already.
“No she won't! She probably doesn't even know that I've gone,” she shouted back defensively.
Scott picked up his mobile and swore. He hadn't charged it for a couple of days, and Tony had lost his the day before. He was going to have to use the phone box across the street. Scott put on his jacket and started walking towards the door, while Lisa just stared back at him looking desperate.
“I'm just going to ring Mum and tell her that you're okay - I'll be back in a few minutes,” he told her.
Lisa tried to stop him from leaving by standing in his way.
“You don't understand, Scott, I haven't finished telling you what happened.”
He took her by the shoulders and gently, but firmly, moved her to one side. As far as he was concerned, she didn't need to tell him anything else until he'd spoken to his mother.
“You can finish telling me when I get back. All I'm going to do, is tell Mum that you're safe!”
Nothing Lisa could say or do was going to stop him. He pushed his way past her and left, slamming the door behind him.
Lisa was now near to hysterics, so Tony tried to calm her by putting his arm around her shoulders and giving her a hug. The way Lisa cried out when he did, nearly made him jump out of his skin.
“What’s going on, Lisa - have you been hurt?”
“It doesn’t matter...” she sobbed.
Tony held her at arm’s length and pursed his lips. Although he wasn’t fully qualified as a doctor yet, he knew when someone was trying to hide pain...and humiliation. It didn’t take much to figure out that Lisa was terrified at the thought of Scott phoning their mother, so Tony quickly deduced it must have something to do with her.
“Has your mother hurt you, Lisa?” he asked gently.
“You don’t understand, Tony. I can’t tell you...”
“Well show me then,” he suggested. "I’m not training to be a doctor for nothing, Lisa - I’m sure it’s not anything I’ve never seen before.”
Suddenly Lisa didn't care anymore if Tony knew about her mother, she had to tell somebody, and her brother didn't seem to want to know. She took off her coat and pushed the neck of her sweater down past her shoulder, showing Tony some of the marks on her back.
When he saw them, he swore out loud. The fine red lines were already turning to bluish purple bruises and were dangerously close to her neck.
“You're going to have to show this to Scott, Lisa. Any higher and she could have broken your neck…or worse, she could have killed you!”
Lisa let the neck of her sweater go and sat back down in the chair, glad that he, at least, had seen the evidence of her mother's abuse. Not that it mattered, the only one who could help was Scott, and he was more concerned about what her mother thought. It suddenly dawned on her that her situation was completely hopeless.
“What's the point? He's already phoning Mum and telling her where I am. I'll have to go back. I don't have a choice.”
Tony didn't know what to say. If Lisa's mother had given her these bruises, and he had no reason not to believe her, then sending her back was the last thing Scott should be doing. He left Lisa in the lounge for a moment and came back clutching fifty pounds, his total remaining allowance from his father that month.
“Take this and get the hell out of here, Lisa, before Scott gets back. I'll explain it to him, and tell him you ran off while he was out phoning your mother.”
Lisa shook her head and handed him back the money, thinking as she did, how ironic it was that only strangers ever tried to help her.
'I've nowhere to go Tony, it wouldn't matter how much you gave me…'
As the reality of what she had just said sank in, Lisa slumped back into the chair and resigned herself to the situation. She decided not to tell Scott any more, and she asked Tony not to mention what he'd seen. It was useless. She realised, for the first time that Scott loved his mother far too much to believe she could do anything bad to either of her children, and Lisa didn't want to be the one to shatter his illusions. She would have to think of someone else to turn to, if her mother ever attacked her again. She had thought about contacting Child line when her mother had attacked her before, but she knew the humiliation it would bring on her family, if the secret of her mother's drunken behaviour came out, would be worse than the abuse itself. Lisa had seen the seedy little flat her friend Michelle had been put into when she had told the police about her father, and the way he had abused her. It hadn't mattered how good the social workers were, the whole family had been torn apart, and Michelle's mother had taken the father's side, as Lisa knew her father would take her mother’s. All her friend had done was exchange the odd beating, for a squalid empty existence - and her family's scorn.
Scott returned looking pleased with himself for doing the right thing by informing their mother. Not only had she known that Lisa was missing, but she had contacted the police...so his responsible actions had not only pleased her, but also saved the police from wasting their time.
He'd also told his mother about Lisa being attacked after she left the house, thinking it might gain Lisa a little sympathy when she went home. He didn't realise that all he had done was make things worse.
When the police arrived at Scott’s flat fifteen minutes later, Lisa followed them out to the waiting squad car with her shoulders slumped and her face expressionless. It was as though she were being taken back to prison...which in a sense, she was. They said that Lisa would have to make a statement when they took her home regarding the attempted rape, and she sat in the back of the police car feeling numb, friendless and betrayed. She still didn't feel brave enough to tell the police about what her mother had done, believing that she would lose everything if she did. Lisa just sat in the back of the police car saying nothing.
When Lisa arrived home, Fiona embraced her at the door and thanked the police profusely over her daughter's shoulder for bringing her home. She gave the impression of being a loving mother who was genuinely distraught at her daughter's disappearance, and Lisa was so tired and disillusioned by the whole thing that she gave off the impression of being a sulky teenager.
The police woman asked Lisa why she had run away in the first place, and she looked over at her mother knowing that if she wanted to expose her, now was the time. Fiona stared back at her...and Lisa knew she couldn't do it.
There was silence for a moment before Fiona spoke up, a sweet smile on her face.
“You know what sixteen year olds are like, officer...” she purred. ” They always think their parents don't really understand them - it was just a silly row, wasn't it, Lisa?”
Lisa's heart sank as she realised that not only had she missed the opportunity to expose her mother, but also that the police would assume she was a spoilt brat because of her mother's comments. It was too late to say anything now...
When the police asked Lisa about being attacked, they asked her if she had any witnesses, but when she told them about Bob, and gave them his address, the policewoman looked back at her with a puzzled frown.
“I know Sycamore Street, Lisa, it's not far from here...but it's only got half a dozen houses in it. Are you sure it was number 63? I don't think the house numbers go up that high.”
While Lisa racked her brain to try and remember what Bob, if that was really his name, had said, the officer radioed through to the station and had it confirmed. There was no number 63 in Sycamore Street. As the two officers and her mother stared back at Lisa, she knew that they all thought she'd made the whole thing up. She had gone through all the pain and humiliation only to end up looking like a spoilt brat. The police obviously thought she had run off after fighting with her mother and was now crying rape to gain attention.
As if to confirm her suspicions, the police woman told Lisa and her mother that they couldn't take the matter any further, as there was not enough evidence regarding the attack. To add insult to injury, before they left, they pointed out to Lisa how stupid she had been leaving the safety of her home at that time of night.
It was as though the whole world was against her, and their comments only proved, yet again, how isolated and helpless she actually was. There was no one who could help her, not family, not friends, not even well meaning strangers…
By alexisleech
In chapter two we saw the humiliation suffered by Lisa when she ran away after her drunken mother beats her, and she was nearly raped as a result. She had turned to her brother for help, but he was more interested in keeping ‘in’ with his mother, so she never even showed him the evidence of her abuse. This chapter starts a year after that night when Lisa is on holiday with her wealthy parents and her brother in The Isle of Man. Lisa has just finished school, and is hoping to get a place at a university in England, so that she doesn't have to put up with her mother's abuse.
A year later.
Nick watched Lisa getting out of the pool. She was wearing a g-string bikini which showed off her tanned body to perfection, and he marvelled at the physical change in her which had taken place in the last three years.
The pictures he had taken of her when she was fourteen, the first time he had seen her at the hotel, showed an awkward, albeit pretty teenager with a boyish figure. She must have shot up three or four inches since then, and her body had matured. Just as he had imagined she would, Lisa had turned into a beautiful woman.
What had started as an amusing fascination with an attractive teenager had almost turned into an obsession. He had been staying at the same hotel on the Isle of Man three years before when he spotted her, and his interest had grow every year since then.The family always came to the hotel for the first two weeks in July, so it had been easy to follow Lisa's progress. She was now his main motivation and his reason to achieve everything he set out to do. He had made a fortune and he had built a magnificent home, which was the envy of everyone who saw it. All he needed now was a wife to make his life complete, and he was sure Lisa was perfect for that role.
Lisa dried herself off, unaware that she was being watched. She had only been at the hotel for three days, and she was bored to the point of distraction.
Every year it was the same. She would come on holiday with her parents and her brother Scott to the same hotel in the Isle of Man, and she had always loved it...until now. When they had first come, she had been three years old, her brother eight, and the hotel was a perfect annual retreat where her father and brother would play golf every day.
While they were on the course, Lisa and her mother would walk into Castletown to do some shopping, or sit by the pool if it was fine. Fourteen years on, it was every teenager's nightmare and, unless you played golf... had little to offer in the way of entertainment.
The only thing that made it bearable for Lisa was the thought of going to stay with her friend Vikki in Chelmsford for a week after the family holiday was over. At least there, she would be with people of her own age. They had met when Lisa had gone on a cruise with her mother at Easter while Fiona was recuperating from an operation, and they had hit it off right away. At least when she was there she would be able to let her hair down, and it would get her away from her mother for a week. The next few days would drag by until then…
.......................
Nick took particular care getting dressed that night. Usually he would just wear slacks and a sweater if he was going to the hotel for a drink after playing golf, but tonight was different. If he was going to impress Lisa, he was going to have to wear something with a younger designer label than usual, and the black Armani suit fitted the bill perfectly. The outfit would also be spot on for the club opening he was going to later that evening and, if his idea went to plan, Lisa would be going with him.
He looked down at the picture of her he had taken the year before on the beach by the hotel. Her long dark hair was blowing in the wind, and she seemed to be in a world of her own as she stood looking out across the sea.
She hadn't noticed him take the camera with the long distance lens out of his golf bag and take her picture that day, just as she hadn't noticed him take any of the pictures he had taken of her over the years. She was totally unaware of how long he had watched her, or why...
By the time Lisa got down to the bar, it was packed with the Saturday afternoon golfers who had strayed from the clubhouse before going home. She had chosen a short black sleeveless dress with a cowl neck, which showed off her figure and legs to perfection...and had all the men staring at her with dropped jaws when she walked in. Nick could feel his heart pounding as she walked towards them. He had been sitting talking to Scott for half an hour while he watched the door, waiting for her to arrive. Now that she had, he felt his mouth go dry with anticipation. At last he was going to speak to her.
Lisa saw her brother sitting beside an attractive, older guy, who obviously wasn't a golfer because he was dressed immaculately. She couldn’t help feeling that she had seen him somewhere before. Even when she reached their table, and Scott introduced her to Nick, she couldn’t place him, and she stared at his face trying to work it out when Scott left them alone together. There was a moment's silence before Nick spoke.
“I believe you come here every year with your family?”
Lisa studied his face as she answered him. She was still trying to place him.
“Yes…but hopefully this is the last time...” she replied.
She noticed the look of disappointment on Nick's face and realised that if he was a local, she’d probably offended him with her comment. She furiously racked her brain to try and think of something else to say in order to explain away her remark.
“It would be great if I played golf, but there's not much for me to do here. I love the Island... it's just a bit boring here at the hotel.”
It worked, Nick's confused expression disappeared, and a smile took its place. He was so relieved, because if she had hated the Island, then he would have wasted the last three years of his life making plans. He looked back at her, grateful for her explanation.
“I don't blame you, if you're stuck here and don't drive, but the Island's great - it's just that all the real action is in Douglas, especially at night."
Lisa smiled back at Nick, glad that he hadn't taken offence.
Feeling that she was beginning to warm to him, Nick continued telling Lisa all the great things about the Island, especially the things he thought would appeal to a seventeen year old, hoping all the while that he wasn't moving in too fast. He had waited this long, and he didn't want to blow it by appearing overly keen now.
“If you like, I can take you out for a drive around the Island sometime and show you the places holiday makers don't usually see. There's a lot more to the Island than the Fairy Bridge and cats with no tails!' he joked.
Lisa laughed and looked at Nick with renewed interest. He was different from the rest of the guys in the bar, and more switched on. Apart from being really good looking, Lisa couldn’t help noticing what he was wearing, and she guessed that he wasn't the usual age, or type to retire to the Isle of Man. Without realising it, she played straight into his hands.
“That would be great. I don't know how I could get through the next week if I'm stuck here all the time. Are you sure you’ve got enough time to show me around?” she asked with an appreciative smile.
Nick started to feel more confident. If Lisa had dismissed the idea of him taking her out, he would have been devastated. He assured her that he had all the time in the world because he'd worked from home since he'd come to the Island, and he could do as he pleased with his time.
“So where have you come from?” Lisa asked, genuinely wanting to know more about him.
Nick thought carefully before he answered. He didn't like talking about his past, especially with the press interest he now had in his company. He had worked damned hard to achieve what he had, and he didn’t want anyone to know about his humble Northern upbringing.
“London for five years before I came here, Lichfield before that, but I'm sure you're not interested in my boring past..." He replied, before quickly changing the subject back to her.
“How about you - whereabouts do you live in Scotland?”
Lisa thought for a moment before answering.
“Well, up until last month, I was at boarding school in the Borders eight months of the year, and apart from my parents' holiday home in Argyll, the rest of my holidays from school were spent in the family house in Glasgow. So I'm not quite sure where I call home - take your pick.”
Nick took a sip of his drink and looked into her hazel eyes, holding her gaze for a moment as he drank in the effect they had on him.
“Well they say that home is where your heart is - don't they?” he suggested.
Lisa looked down at her hands, a sad expression on her face. She tried not to sound too serious, but she answered with a frankness that came from the heart.
“In that case, I must be homeless. I don't feel attached to anywhere in particular...”
Nick was delighted with her answer. She was more or less telling him she had no one special in her life and, more importantly, she was free. Everything was working out perfectly…
When Scott came back with Lisa's drink, he turned to Nick and asked him if he was still going to the nightclub opening later that evening. Nick smiled. He had deliberately mentioned it to Scott earlier, assuming that Lisa and her brother would probably want to go. He tried to sound as though it was no big deal when he answered, whilst watching Lisa's face for a reaction.
“I suppose I'd better. I own a share in the place, so it wouldn't look too good if I didn't turn up for the opening… would it?”
Nick saw Lisa's expression turn from mild interest to that of excitement. She had taken the bait. Seeing that he had her attention, he played his trump card.
“Do you guys fancy coming along? You’ve got plenty of time to have dinner; I'm not going until nine o'clock.”
Lisa had died and gone to heaven. The thought of getting away from the hotel and escaping from the stuffy surroundings was the answer to her prayers. The only problem was...she would have to get her mother’s permission, and that might not be so easy. Since the night she had tried to run away, her mother seemed to take great delight in stopping her from doing the sort of things most seventeen year olds take for granted. She might not have attacked Lisa as often since then, but she had controlled every minute of her time when she was home from school like a jailer does a prisoner. The only freedom she’d experienced in the last twelve months was when she had gone on a cruise with her mother at Easter, and that was only because of her friend Vikki Clark’s mother. Every time Fiona had tried to stop Lisa from enjoying herself, Moira Clark had intervened and pointed out that the girls should take advantage of all the extensive facilities of the ship, which they had done...big time!
Lisa and Vikki had danced every night at the nightclub, and Fiona couldn't come up with one valid excuse to stop her daughter enjoying herself. Even going on the shore excursions when they were in port became fun, as Lisa and Vikki would walk around the various tourist spots together, leaving their mothers trailing behind. But it was different now that there was only her father to keep her mother company if Lisa went out. She doubted her mother would let her go unless Scott asked her. Their mother never seemed to refuse him anything.
Lisa turned to her brother and pleaded with him to ask if she could go with them.
Nick started to panic. It hadn't occurred to him that Lisa's parents might stop her from going with them. If he ended up with her brother for the rest of the night, while Lisa stayed at the hotel with her parents, all his planning would have been for nothing, and he wouldn't be able to impress her in the way he knew he could by taking her to the club.
Scott assured Lisa that he would do his best, and when their parents came into the bar for a pre-dinner drink, he waved them over to where they were sitting. Scott knew exactly how to handle his mother, so as soon as they sat down, he introduced them to Nick before asking his father the question. If he could get him to agree first, then his mother would have to give in, or come up with a very good reason not to.
“Dad - is it okay if Lisa comes with Nick and me to the opening of a new club in Douglas tonight?' he asked, after his father had taken the first sip of his gin and tonic.
Lisa held her breath and looked at her father, hoping against hope he would agree.
“I suppose so.” he replied noncommittally, before turning to his wife.
“Is that all right with you, Fiona? It must be a bit boring for Lisa stuck here with us all night. I can't see any reason why she shouldn't go, can you?”
Fiona had no choice but to capitulate. She would have looked stupid if she hadn't. But she still tried to impose conditions which put her back in control.
“I don't mind if Lisa goes, but she'll have to be back by eleven.” She replied starchily.
Scott turned to his mother and gave her a disapproving look---it always worked.
“No way, Mum! These things don't even get going until after midnight. You'll be lucky if we get back before daylight!”
Fiona looked back at her son and tried to think of a valid reason to stop Lisa going with him. Fortunately she didn’t have time to come up with one.
“Okay, but you better keep an eye on Lisa. I'm still not happy about her being out so late.” she replied with a tone of disapproval.
Lisa felt embarrassed being talked about as though she was a child, but she didn't want to rock the boat. Scott had done well getting their mother to agree. It was arranged that they would meet back at the bar after dinner, and they left Nick to go through to the dining room.
Dinner seemed to take twice as long as usual, and Lisa wasn't even hungry. Unlike her father and brother, she hadn't spent the day on the golf course working up an appetite. She just wanted to get out before her mother changed her mind, which she had a tendency to do...especially after she’d had a drink.
As it happened, Lisa needn't have worried. During dinner, Scott told his parents everything he had found out about Nick from the barman. Apparently, he was one of the youngest millionaires on the Island, and he had come to live there two years before in order to take advantage of the tax benefits of living on the Island. He was unmarried and regarded as the most eligible bachelor in the Isle of Man, which impressed Lisa's mother so much, she suggested they shouldn't keep Nick waiting any longer. Lisa could barely contain her delight.
Nick's face lit up when he saw them walk back into the bar. He had nursed his drink for over an hour making polite conversation with a couple of guys he played golf with, and every minute had seemed like five until they came back.
Lisa asked him if what she was wearing was okay, and he assured her it was. She looked absolutely gorgeous, which was confirmed by the envious looks Nick received from the rest of the men in the bar as they left. He just wanted to get her away from the hotel and get her on her own as soon as possible. He was determined to spend the rest of the evening sweeping Lisa Collins off her feet - come hell or high water...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Jack Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. |
By alexisleech
The last chapter sees Lisa and her brother Scott being driven to a nightclub in Douglas by Nick, a multimillionaire they had met at the hotel in the Isle of Man, where they went on holiday with their parents every year. Nick is determined to sweep Lisa off her feet because he had secretly watched her change from a gangly teenager into a beautiful woman over the last three years and he had fallen in love with her.
Scott began to feel like a spare part the minute he got into Nick's car. Designated to the tiny back seat of Nick’s Lamborghini, it was obvious that his earlier conversation with Scott in the bar that day had only been a prerequisite to chatting up his sister. By the time they got to the nightclub, he was beginning to wonder if they actually remembered he was with them at all. Not that he minded so much. He was getting a little bit long in the tooth for the family holiday thing, and the idea of being on the loose in a night-club full of local talent was not such a bad consolation prize.
As expected, Lisa was enjoying every moment. The only nightclub she had been to before was on the cruise ship, and the club Nick took them to made that look like an outdated ballroom by comparison.
From the moment they walked through the door, Nick was greeted by everyone he met. It was either with a wave or a simple “how you doing Nick,” and Lisa had her first experience of being with a man who was obviously popular and well known. Each and every time it happened, Nick would make a point of introducing Lisa in such a way that it almost dictated that the friendship and respect he was being shown must be extended to the woman by his side.
Within an hour of arriving, Lisa had been bought several drinks which, mixed with the electric atmosphere of the club and the vibrant music, made her feel incredibly alive. By the time Nick got her up to dance, Lisa had lost most of her inhibitions, and let the heavy beat of the music take over her body. To Nick, the way she moved seemed more erotic than anything he had ever seen before, and when she caught his eye, she would give him a lovely smile, which made him feel as though she was dancing just for him...
.....................
The last week of the holiday had flown by, and Lisa couldn't believe how much she'd enjoyed it. The night Nick had taken her and Scott to the nightclub opening had been the start of a week she would never forget.
He had taken her out every day after that and, with her mother's permission, every evening too. He took her on drives around the Island every day, stopping off at quaint and romantic spots, and at night he had shown her a life she knew existed, but she had never been allowed to enjoy. For the first time ever, her mother seemed to be happy about her going out with someone, and Lisa realised how influenced she was by Nick's wealth. The strange thing was, even though it was patently obvious he was very well off, Lisa wasn't really interested in how much Nick was worth. But his money did seem to be the key to her freedom, as far as her mother was concerned.
..............................
As Nick got dressed to go for dinner with Lisa and her family that final evening, he felt happier than he ever had before. Lisa was everything he had expected, and more. He had waited until he took her back to the hotel that first night before he kissed her, and she had kissed him back in a way that defied the fact that she was still a virgin, which she had told him she was. The electricity that had surged through his body when her lips parted under his was greater than anything he had ever experienced before, and his need to possess her, body and soul, greater still. It was as though Lisa had been kept 'on ice' just for him... and he made sure that he got her mother on his side right at the start by sending her flowers and thanking her for allowing her daughter to go out with him.
The only thing that was spoiling his happiness was the fact that Lisa wasn't going straight home after the holiday. Sadly, nothing he could say or do would talk her out of going to her friend’s house in Chelmsford for a week. He was concerned in case she might meet someone else nearer to her own age if she was away from her mother’s restrictive care. If that happened, everything he had meticulously planned over the last three years would be destroyed.
After dinner, Nick took Lisa on a drive out to Douglas Head, and when he turned off the ignition, he took her hand, his eyes fixed straight ahead.
“You know that I'm crazy about you, don't you, Lisa?” he said, his voice full of emotion. “I don't know what I'm going to do when you leave…”
Lisa let out a nervous laugh, surprised by the seriousness of what he had just said. She couldn't believe that anyone could fall for her, especially when they hardly knew her. If her mother were to be believed, he would soon change his mind.
“Oh I bet you say that to all the girls you meet at the hotel…I remember what the café owner said to that housewife in Shirley Valentine…”
“I'm being serious Lisa! This isn't some silly holiday romance…not for me anyway!”
Lisa started to panic when she realised that not only was he being deadly serious, but more importantly, she didn't feel anywhere near as strongly as he did. She had known him for less than a week and had enjoyed his company and the odd kiss, but no more than that.
“I'm sorry, Nick…I didn't mean to make light of what you were saying. It's just that we hardly know each other…”
Nick looked down at her hand in his before turning round to face her, his eyes boring into hers.
“I know you well enough to know that, when you leave tomorrow, my life is going to feel unhappy and incredibly empty, Lisa. I don't want you to go…”
For the first time in her life, Lisa knew how it felt to be loved, instead of just being lusted after. It was a wonderful feeling, but it was scary as well. She had always imagined being whisked off her feet by some rich, good-looking guy… but not yet. She didn't know how it felt to be in love, but she envisaged it being a lot more intense and wonderful than the feelings she had now.
“I don't know what to say, Nick…You’re not saying that you want to marry me are you?”
Nick put his arm around her and pulled her close.
“Would it be so awful if I was?” he asked her.
She pulled away from him so she could see his face.
"But you don't even know me Nick. I'm only seventeen...I don’t know what I want! Don't you understand?"
Lisa looked like a cornered animal and Nick realised he had done the very thing he had sworn he wouldn't - come on too strong, too fast. He knew he was going to have to back off a little, or he might lose her all together, so he managed to smile through his misery and lighten up a little.
“Hey, gorgeous, I'm only checking you out - like I do with all the girls I date from the hotel on their last night. I don't want to make plans if you're not interested!”
Lisa looked disappointed. Much though she'd been scared by the intensity of what Nick had said earlier, she didn't like the idea of being just another 'girl' he had picked up at the hotel either. He had made her feel special, and now that she'd got used to the feeling, she couldn't imagine being without it.
"So that’s all I am to you, Nick! Just another notch on your belt…Were you just saying all that stuff earlier to try and get me into bed on my last night?!"
After that, and because she was looking at him with such a serious expression, the hurt showing clearly in her eyes, Nick burst out laughing.
He took her in his arms, and after he had kissed her gently, he sat back and locked eyes with her again.
“What do you think?”
Lisa was so confused she didn't know what to think. Still with a smile on his face, Nick ran his finger across Lisa's lips before speaking again.
“I adore you, Miss Collins, and no, I didn't say the things I said just to get you into bed, although I would be delighted if that happened!”
Lisa opened her mouth to speak, only to be silenced by Nick putting his finger back up to her lips.
“Yes I know, Lisa, you want your first time to be special. But what you don't seem to understand is that’s what I want for you too. That’s why I wanted you to know how I felt about you. Crazy though it seems, seven days is six days longer than I needed to know that I'll never feel this way about another woman. I'm in love for the first time in my life - with you.”
Nobody had ever said those words to Lisa before, and the effect they had on her was wonderful. To be loved…truly loved by someone who had never loved before, was something she had always hoped for, but thought impossible.
“I don't know Nick…you'll have to give me time…I hadn't imagined getting married for years yet. I was hoping to go to university in September.”
'What do you need to go to university for, Lisa? If you marry me you'll never have to work a day in your life! My company's going public next year, which is one of the reasons I moved over here three years ago. I’ve already got enough money for us to live very comfortably for the rest of our lives.”
Nick took her by the shoulders and stared at her intently as he spoke.
“You would be marrying one of the richest men on the Island and we'll be able to travel the world…have children, do whatever you want. I only have to be resident on the Island for a percentage of the time…we could even buy a place in Scotland if you want to be close to your family, it's not a problem!"
Nick felt her take a deep breath as she shook her head.
"That’s just it, Nick - I don't want to get away from my dad and Scott, but I don't want to live anywhere near my mother. That’s why I applied for a university in England."
Nick had noticed the tension between Lisa and her mother, but had just put it down to the usual teenage stuff. If she wanted to get away from her mother, surely marrying him was a better alternative than having to go to a university in England. But more importantly, as far as he was concerned, once there, she might meet someone else.
“Your mother’s okay…she's probably just a bit over protective. If you married me then she would have no control over you.”
As his words sank in, Lisa felt a huge surge of relief, but she knew escaping her mother’s clutches was still not a good enough reason to marry a virtual stranger. She knew she couldn’t make that kind of commitment yet, but she didn’t want to lose him either. The last seven days had introduced her to a new kind of freedom, and she knew that was all due to him.
“I'm not saying that I don't want to marry you, Nick, but I need more time. Please understand," she pleaded.
“Why don't you come over to Scotland as soon as I get back from Vikki's? Then we can take things one step at a time...”
Nick felt relieved, but he was still disappointed. She hadn’t said no, but she hadn’t said yes either. He had run out of time.
“Well, if I have to wait, then I have to wait, but Christ, Lisa…it's going to be the longest week of my life...”
In the hope that she could allay all his fears, she leant over and kissed him before she spoke.
“It’s only a week, Nick. What could possibly happen?”
What indeed...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Jack Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. |
By alexisleech
In the last chapter Lisa meets Nick, a wealthy tax exile now living in The Isle of Man, while she is there on holiday with her brother and parents. Although Lisa’s parents are wealthy, her mother is an alcoholic and has physically abused her in the past which makes Lisa apprehensive when left alone with her mother, especially when she’s been drinking.
The last chapter ends with Nick proposing to Lisa, even although they had only known each other for a few days. She doesn’t say yes, but she doesn’t say no either, and she suggests he comes over to Scotland after her week long holiday with her friend in Chelmsford, and take the relationship from there.
This chapter opens with the surprise arrival of Alan, a boy she had met at her friend’s house in Chelmsford. He was unaware that Lisa had eventually accepted Nick’s proposal when he’d visited her two weeks before, so Alan had set off from Chelmsford hoping to surprise her with his visit...
The line of cars waiting for the ferry to Dunoon was split into several rows, and Alan was near the end of the last one. He looked over to where the ferry waited, its mouth open at the back like a yawning animal with a big black lower lip, waiting to receive its cargo of cars and lorries. It had taken him eight hours to drive up from Chelmsford, and his right leg was aching. He desperately needed to get out of the car and stretch his legs.
Alan still wasn't quite sure what he was doing there. What had started as a great spontaneous idea...had turned into an embarrassing complication, and if his right leg was anything to go by, a painful one. He had waited too long to come, and now that he had, he was too late.
The lines started to move and he lit a cigarette before looking distractedly over at the car beside him. Mother, father and two children, all eagerly waiting to be taken to a magical seaside town on the west coast of Scotland where they could sail, walk, swim, fish, play on the beach or play golf, none of which he did. He thought again about why he was about to board the ferry and laughed at himself because of his naivety. He had expected time to stand still and wait for him to play his lines, only to find out the final curtain had already come down.
At last his line of cars started to move, and a bit like cattle being herded, the cars were directed into neatly efficient rows on the boat by the crew. Alan took one last draw from his half smoked cigarette, ground it out in the ashtray, and followed the line of cars in front of him.
Once on the boat Alan picked up his jacket and gratefully stretched his legs when he got out of the car. The boat journey only took about twenty minutes, but he suddenly wished it would take hours, because he needed more time to work out what he was going to say to Lisa when he arrived. When he had called her earlier, his heart had skipped a beat at the sound of her voice when she answered. But then she had told him her news, and shattered his stupid, unrealistic illusions. How could he have got it so wrong? He had been totally convinced his attraction to her had been mirrored by her attraction to him during the evening they’d met. Obviously not, and now he was on a boat for no other reason than visiting a girl who regarded him as nothing more than an casual acquaintance.
It was a beautiful day and the water was as smooth as glass, broken only by the wash of the boat. He looked back at Gourock one minute and towards Dunoon the next, feeling undecided and not knowing what to do for the best. There were a couple of people smoking on the upper deck so he thankfully took out his packet of cigarettes and lit up again. He knew he was smoking too much, but he couldn’t help it. The conversation he'd had with Lisa earlier on had really upset him, and he felt stupid having assumed so much.
Alan reminisced as the wind smoked his cigarette for him. He remembered back to the night he’d met Lisa at a dinner party in Chelmsford the month before, and the reasons why he had organised this trip to her family's holiday home on impulse. He had been mesmerised by her. It wasn’t just her looks that had appealed to him, but the way she talked and looked straight into his eyes as she did. It was as though she could see right through to his soul, and the effect it had on him was unlike anything he had experienced before. At the end of the evening, Lisa had offered her address and phone number to the other guests at the dinner party her friend Vikki had arranged, and told them all they would be welcome to stay, should they ever visit Scotland. Alan had naively believed the invitation was really directed solely at him. Obviously not...
Alan leaned one elbow on the rail feeling the soft wind on his face and tried to work out what excuse he could come up with for travelling so far. When he had phoned Lisa on his mobile half an hour before to tell her he was at Gourock, she was warm and enthusiastic on the phone before announcing that she'd got engaged to a guy in the Isle of Man who she'd met on holiday the week before she'd come to Chelmsford. To make matters worse, she was flying out there the following day to announce her engagement. It was now too late for Alan to back out gracefully because she was expecting him.
The seaside town of Dunoon was getting closer, and Alan was moved by its beauty. The hills overlooked the coastline, which in turn bordered the Holy Loch, the place the Americans had chosen to keep their Polaris naval base so many years before. The Victorian villas, some painted in ice cream colours, stretched all along the water’s edge like sugar tipped monuments to a golden age. He looked about the deck and saw several couples talking, looking into each other’s eyes and holding hands. Alan wondered how many of them would be making love in the sleepy seaside town that night. He just wished he could be one of them. He had fantasised about making love to Lisa since the moment he'd met her, and now he knew it would never happen, he felt empty inside. Alan had been so certain there had been chemistry between them; otherwise he would never have come all this way. It had turned out to be a complete waste of time.
The drivers and their passengers started making their way back to their cars as the boat reversed up to the jetty, and Alan held back for a moment or two, just as he did on planes when they landed, hating to look anxious to get off. He couldn’t stay there, but he really wished he didn't have to get off the boat and face up to the fact he had come on a fool’s errand.
The water that lapped gently on the shore of Hunters Quay where the boat landed was crystal clear, and the sun was painting pink tips on the mountaintops behind as it began to set. Lisa had told him to turn right when he got off the boat and to keep on the coast road for about a mile until he got to Holy Loch House, where she had promised to meet him at eight. He couldn't miss it apparently, as it was situated on the shore road just a few minutes walk from her parents’ holiday home.
Alan was relieved when he saw the sign on the road side advising drivers of the entrance to the hotel fifty yards ahead, but he was totally unprepared for the sight which met him as he turned into the driveway leading up to the hotel. Lisa had omitted to mention the fact the Hotel was very grand, with sweeping lawns running down to the shore road and wooded hills rising up behind it. He doubted he could afford it. He had assumed it was a small seaside hotel, with small seaside prices, and after he parked his car and went inside, he searched furiously in his pockets for his one and only credit card as he approached the reception desk in the elegant hallway.
As it happened, he needn’t have worried. Lisa had arranged a special rate with Gerry the owner, which was surprisingly low, especially when he saw his room. He had stayed in a few seaside hotels before, but for what he was charged for the night, he had expected something basic. This was beautiful, and he suspected it was the bridal suite. Opulent cream damask drapes hung majestically over the top of the bed from a half tester, and the bay window, which boasted a panoramic view across the Holy loch, was framed with luxurious curtains. A huge pale blue Chinese rug reflected the colour of the walls, which in turn complemented the cream and gold French furniture. The room was obviously made for lovers, and Alan wondered why it had been given to him in the first place. It was totally wasted on him, and he assumed it was the only one left in the hotel when Lisa had booked it after his call.
Confused by the effect that the room was having on him, Alan dived into the shower to cool off. He felt stupid at how much he still wanted to look good for Lisa… especially when she had made it quite clear she was in love with someone else, but Alan couldn't help himself. Never in his life before had a female had that effect on him as she did that evening. He had been instantly attracted to her when he'd watched her full lips pout and smile while she was talking to him, turning him on in a way he had never been turned on before. Alan couldn't believe she could have had that effect on him if she was in love with someone else. Surely he would have sensed it somehow? Thinking about it only confused him more and he decided with a touch of bitterness, not to be sucked in by those eyes again when he saw her.
After he dressed, Alan looked out of the window across the bay. The only interruption to the view of The Holy Loch was the bobbing yachts dancing on the water's surface in the bay and the people walking along the shore road. Alan jealously watched a couple kiss and felt like a guilty voyeur. The place was idyllic, right down to the swans gathering in the bay preening each other in the setting sun, and all he could think of, yet again, was how perfect it would have been if Lisa had felt the same as him. Alan pulled on his sweater, and with a heavy heart, left his room and made his way along the corridor to the bar.
The lounge bar of the hotel was decorated to remind you of where you were, with rich green walls complemented by the warm tones of red and green tartan. With a similar view to his room, the whole effect was magical. The bar was already pretty full, some people drinking, some having a meal, and Alan remembered he hadn't stopped to eat on the drive up, surviving only on a sandwich from the service station on the way. He ordered a pint of lager and a toasted sandwich, and waited for Lisa to arrive...
| Author Notes |
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford.
Lisa Collins...Main Character Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Jack Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. |
By alexisleech
Lisa brushed her hair in front of the mirror and, not satisfied with her reflection, changed her clothes yet again. She must have repacked her case a dozen times since Alan had rung. She knew it shouldn’t matter, but she wanted to look her best when she met him at the hotel.
She had been in a state of total confusion since he'd rung her from Gourock, and she was annoyed with herself for caring about what he thought when he saw her. How could someone you had met only once in your life have such an effect? He was more or less engaged to someone else, and so was she. The whole thing was madness. Lisa tried to think of Nick getting ready for her arrival in The Isle of Man the next day, and felt guilty yet again.
She knew that she shouldn't be going out at all, especially when she remembered the conversation she’d had earlier on in the day with Nick when he had been so excited about her imminent arrival. She just wished she could feel the same way...
At last Lisa found some white jeans and a navy round necked tee shirt which showed off her tan and complimented her figure perfectly. She repacked her case and snapped the locks shut.
Lisa knew her mother would be cross because she was going out, especially as she was leaving the next day, but she couldn't get out of it now. She had to at least meet up with Alan, especially as he had come such a long way.
She just hoped he was as she remembered. On the night she’d met him, Lisa had been delighted when he'd said he might take her up on her offer and look her up if he visited Scotland before he went back to Art School in the autumn. She never thought he actually would because she hadn't heard from him since. Now he'd actually arrived, she couldn't believe how much she was looking forward to seeing him.
As predicted, her mother was not at all happy with her going out. She had assumed Lisa would want to stay in with the next day's journey in mind, which Lisa had indeed intended to do before she received Alan’s call. She explained as best she could that it couldn't be avoided because Alan was a friend of Vikki's and he had gone to the trouble of looking her up while he was visiting Scotland. Lisa then told her mother that she just wanted to say hello, and then she would be back. Her mother eventually gave in, but only because she had run out of wine, so she gave Lisa twenty pounds and asked her to bring a bottle back. As usual, she told Lisa not to be late.
It was mid August and the sun, although still in the sky, had lost its strength as she walked along the road to the hotel. So much had happened in the last few weeksthat she couldn't believe she was complicating it further by seeing Alan. It was as though she was caught up in some pre-ordained drama, where she was both author and actress, but dependent on an uncertain cast.
Nick had come to Dunoon the week after she returned from Chelmsford and had proposed to her again within a couple of days. At first she had said no, still thinking that it was all happening too fast, but she eventually gave in believing that she could learn to love Nick as much as he seemed to love her. Even her friends from boarding school had thought that she was mad to say no when she phoned them to ask their advice. Now she was having second thoughts, and didn't know whether she had made the right decision. The problem she had now was she couldn't see a way out. Everyone expected it of her, especially her mother.
Lisa listened to the water lapping on the shore and she crossed over the road to get closer. The sight and sound of the waves usually made her feel calm, but the closer she was getting to the hotel, where she knew Alan would be waiting, the faster her heart was beating. She couldn’t imagine living in the city now that she knew this place. It nurtured her and offered her peace. The calmness of the place filled by people who wanted to be different from the rest reminded her of the Isle of Man, and she suddenly wondered if that had been the deciding factor when she had said yes to Nick. Again she tried to push his image to the back of her mind as she walked along the beach towards the hotel, but the feeling of guilt mounted with every step…
As though trying to change the subject in her mind, Lisa reminded herself not to forget the bottle of wine for her mother, because if she did, it would cause an argument. She was determined not to fall out with her mother because the next day was too important, and she would be the one driving Lisa to the airport. It was almost as though her mother was in love with Nick herself. His gifts of flowers, his many compliments regarding how he now understood where Lisa had got her looks from, and his obvious wealth... all had turned Fiona Collins into one of Nick’s biggest fans. It felt as though, for the first time ever, Lisa had done something to please her mother, and their relationship had improved as a result. No, Lisa had no choice, she couldn’t back out now.
Lisa looked up at the hotel as she approached it and wondered if Gerry, the owner, had managed to give Alan the bedroom she'd asked for. She'd only ever seen it on the hotel’s website when she’d been looking for somewhere for her parents to stay before they had bought the house, and she had thought about it often since then. The room had been described as the honeymoon suite, and Lisa thought it looked truly beautiful. When she'd asked Gerry if it was free after Alan phoned, he had said it might be, due to a last minute cancellation. Lisa was delighted. At last she might actually see it for real.
She looked through the window and saw Alan sitting in a corner, his face tanned and his hair lighter than she remembered, as though it had been streaked by the sun. She watched him for a moment as he sat waiting for her, and thought he looked lonely, and a little sad. He had a small frown on his forehead under his jagged fringe, and looked one minute at his watch and then next, back to the door. Lisa took a deep breath and went in.
Alan looked up as soon as Lisa walked through the door, and he noticed his weren't the only eyes looking at her as she walked across the room. She had a sensuous way of walking which reminded him of a model strutting her stuff. It was as though her body shouted out 'look at me' and everyone did, you just couldn't help it. The minute he saw her, he was tempted to tell her that he hadn’t stopped thinking about her since the moment they'd met, but he didn't. How could he now he knew she was engaged. It was going to be a frustrating evening looking at her across a table, unable to touch her or tell her how he felt, and he wished, yet again, he had never got onto the boat.
When she got to his table, Alan stood up and they embraced like old friends before Lisa sat down beside him, a cheeky smile on her face.
“You don't give people you're visiting much notice, do you?” she teased, her eyes meeting his for a fleeting moment. Alan gave her an apologetic smile and asked her what she wanted to drink.
“I better have an orange juice. Gerry knows that I'm only seventeen,” she replied.
As Lisa watched Alan walking over to the bar, Gerry, who was serving behind it, gave her a cheeky wink and held up his thumb. Lisa turn red with embarrassment when she realised he probably thought the reason for her asking for the honeymoon suite, was for more than her need to satisfy her idle curiosity.
As she waited for Alan to return with the drinks, she felt mortified, and decided not to go near the room at all because she didn’t want to give Gerry the wrong impression. She would just have a couple of drinks and get back as soon as possible. That had to be the most sensible plan.
“You're looking well, Alan. Have you been on holiday?” she asked when he came back to the table.
She couldn't believe how blue his eyes were, like two languid pools of liquid sky, framed by long sun tipped lashes.
“Yes, I went over to Spain to see my girlfriend. She's out there studying at the moment, and I went out to join her for a couple of weeks. It was pretty hot...”
“And now you're having a second holiday up here?” she asked..
Alan had rehearsed it in his head. He couldn't admit his real reasons for being there, not now. He had thought about it long and hard while he had been waiting for her, and had decided on the story he was going to tell her to explain his sudden visit. It wasn’t the truth, but at least it left his dignity intact.
“I wanted to get away for a couple of days before I went back to Art school, and I was supposed to research Greek Thompson architecture during the summer. I thought I would kill two birds with one stone because Glasgow has the best examples of his work.”
Lisa looked disappointed.
“Is your girlfriend okay about you coming up here on your own?”
Alan looked at her lips as she spoke, trying to suppress the effect they were having on him. He desperately wanted to kiss them.
“I told Carla that I would only be away for a few days, but I don’t think she believes I'm up in Scotland just for the architecture. Do you think she has anything to worry about?” he asked with a teasing smile on his lips.
At last…an indication that he'd really wanted to see her. Only a faint one, but enough. Lisa looked back at him and felt guilty again when she remembering where she was going the following day.
“No…why should she?” she asked hesitantly.
It was Lisa’s turn to see the disappointment in his eyes, and she wished she hadn’t said what she had. The fact of the matter was yes, Carla did have plenty to worry about. Lisa had just booked her boyfriend into the honeymoon suite of a romantic hotel in Dunoon…
Lisa finished her orange juice and declined another, remembering she shouldn't even be there, and that her mother was waiting for her to return. She passed Alan the twenty pound note and asked him if he could buy her a bottle of wine to take home, and felt pleased she had thought of a genuine excuse to escape from the hypnotic effect his eyes were having on her.
Again she watched as he walked towards the bar, wishing that she had more time. While they were talking she had been overcome with the desire to throw caution to the wind and kiss him. It was crazy.
Alan returned with not one bottle of wine but two, and gave Lisa the change for her mother’s. She raised her eyebrow questioningly when she saw the other bottle, and asked him what it was for. He couldn't tell her that it was his last ditch attempt to get her on her own because he wanted to talk to her without an audience.
“My room … It doesn’t seem fair that you can't have a glass of something stronger than an orange juice in here. The last time we met, we must have drunk at least a bottle each!”
They had, and she remembered her hangover the next day. When they'd met at Vikki's dinner party, they had sat next to each other and talked animatedly all evening. They had been totally oblivious of the other guests who were already paired off. Alan had filled Lisa's glass several times, and she had become more talkative with every sip. It had been such a wonderful evening, and the chemistry between them was obvious to everyone else in the room. Even Vicky had teased her about it after he left.
Lisa looked over to the bar to see if Gerry was there, not wanting him to get the wrong idea if he saw her leaving the bar with Alan and the bottles of wine. He had his back turned so Lisa thought it might be her chance to go without suffering any humiliation.
“Okay, but I can't stay for long, my mother wants me back as soon as possible with the necessary,” she said, holding the bottle of wine up as she spoke. She caught Gerry's eye as he turned round, and he winked at her again before turning to serve another customer. She was now convinced that she knew what he must be thinking, and needing to stall she turned to Alan and asked him if the room she had booked for him was to his liking.
“It's absolutely beautiful, but I don't know how I ended up being given the honeymoon suite. It's far too romantic for a guy on his own!” he replied.
Gerry had turned his back again, so Lisa grabbed Alan's hand and suddenly stood up.
“You better show me then,” she blurted out, half-pulling, half dragging him out of the bar in her desperate attempt not to be seen.
Gerry deliberately didn't turn round until after they left. What he didn't officially know, he couldn't be asked to comment on should Lisa's mother do her usual and phone looking for her daughter…
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Gerry...owner and barman at the hotel Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Jack Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. |
By alexisleech
Seventeen year old Lisa receives a surprise visit from Alan Turner, a boy she had met the month before while staying with her friend in Chelmsford. Before he set off for Dunoon, where Lisa’s holiday home was, Alan hadn’t spoken to Lisa, so was unaware that she had got engaged to a millionaire called Nick Corday, who she had met while she was on holiday with her family in The Isle of Man. After Alan phones her to say he would be arriving, Lisa books him into a beautiful room in the hotel which she had always wanted to see. Her only concern was that anyone who knew her would see her going into the room with a complete stranger, and get the wrong impression.
Alan couldn't get over the fact Lisa was actually dragging him through the hall and along the corridor towards his bedroom as fast as she could. He was in for a disappointment when they got there because all she seemed to be interested in was the room itself. After a couple of minutes of looking around, Lisa sat down on the bed and looked up at the drapes hanging over it.
“It's even nicer than I remember it...” she said, staring about the room appreciatively.
Alan looked surprised and wondered how often she'd been in the room before. When Lisa saw the expression on his face, she burst out laughing. She thought she'd better come clean.
“I’m sorry; I’ve only seen it in the picture on the hotel website. I’ve always wanted to see the real thing, and now I have, thanks to you. I couldn’t believe it when Gerry told me you could have it at a standard room rate because of a cancellation.”
Alan burst out laughing.
“And to think I thought it was me you were interested in Lisa - not the interior bloody decor!”
Lisa looked back at him from the edge of the bed and looked serious for a moment. For the first time in her life, she felt physically attracted to someone, but she had no sexual experience at all, so had no idea how to handle her emotions. For four years, she had been tucked up in boarding school for two thirds of the year, and under her mother’s strict and restrictive control for the rest.
. “And what if it had been you - what do you think would have happened?” she asked.
Alan had no doubt what would have happened, but he thought the answer should come from her. He came over to the bed and looked down into her eyes.
"You tell me, Lisa - what would have happened?" he asked as he sat down beside her.
She suddenly felt embarrassed and pulled her eyes away from his gaze. He had successfully called her bluff, and she wasn’t ready for it.
“I don’t know - I mean I’ve never - you know...” Her voice trailed off as her embarrassment kicked in.
Alan got off the bed and played for time by opening the bottle of wine, surprised at what she had just said. He handed her a glass of wine and sat on the armchair, keeping a safe distance.
“Are you trying to tell me that you’re still a virgin, Lisa?”
She looked defensive for a moment and took a gulp of wine as though she was trying to bolster her confidence.
“What if I am?” she said, and stared down at the glass in her hands.
Alan wasn’t sure what to say. All the teenagers he knew had been at a mixed day school where most of them were sexually active as soon as it was legal, if not before. He had never considered what it must be like being at a one sex boarding school. His only concern was the fact that Lisa was considering marrying someone she hardly knew. What if they weren’t truly compatible in every sense of the word? It could end up a disaster. In an attempt to change the subject, Alan asked Lisa to tell him about her fiancée.
Lisa hesitated before answering. Alan had reminded her she should be at home getting ready for her trip the following day. She took another sip of her wine before she answered.
“He's called Nick Corday… He's thirty-three, and he lives in The Isle of Man,” she answered matter of factly, as though she was describing a stranger, which in a sense she was.
Alan thought her answer sounded a bit simplistic. He was surprised she didn't show more enthusiasm for someone she intended spending the rest of her life with.
“Isn't he the guy you met on holiday the week before you came to Chelmsford…six weeks ago?'” he asked, knowing he sounded sarcastic by mentioning the short time scale.
Lisa looked embarrassed. She knew how it must look.
“Yes,” she hesitantly replied. She was beginning to feel really stupid.
The look on her face made Alan realise she was having doubts herself.
“I know I'm probably stating the obvious here, Lisa, but don't you think you're maybe rushing into things a little?”
She didn't even answer, and turned away from him so he couldn't see her face.
“Do you love him?”
Alan knew he was pushing his luck asking such a personal question, but he wasn't convinced that she loved the guy at all.
Lisa looked guilt ridden when she answered him.
“I thought that I did… you're confusing me,” she answered, standing up and putting down her glass.
Lisa began to wish that Alan had never come. She had been so sure getting engaged to Nick had been the right thing to do. Everyone had told her it was, but now...now she had seen Alan again, and felt the way she did, she wasn't sure of anything anymore. She turned and faced him defiantly, tears in her eyes.
“You don't understand, Alan. This is what everyone wants, especially Nick. He's the one who wanted to get engaged so quickly. I wanted to wait but he wouldn't have it. Don't you understand? It's all arranged.”
Alan looked at her now in a different light. When he'd met her in Chelmsford, she had seemed so sure of herself, and he had admired the mature way she handled herself compared to other girls of her age. Now, he could see that she was really still a little girl who was trying to please everyone. Everyone that is, except herself.
“Lisa…you have to get to know the guy and find out if you really love him before you can make that kind of commitment--- If you hardly know him, how can you tell if you want to marry him?”
Lisa knew he was right, but he didn't know the pressure everyone had put her under when Nick had proposed…over and over again. How could she explain that Nick was not only kind and generous, but also, her only legitimate means of escape from her mother?
“I don't have a choice anymore, Alan. You couldn't possibly understand...” she answered with resignation.
Alan reckoned that he could... if she hadn’t been so brainwashed.
“Try me.” he suggested, in the hope she would open up and be honest with him.
Lisa took a deep breath. The only other person she had confided in was Nick.
“My mother drinks and has made my life a misery for the last couple of years. Nick is the first person she’s let me go out with---but that’s not the only reason why I'm marrying him. He loves me, and I know that I can love him too. I just need more time… “
Lisa was right, he didn't understand. Alan couldn't believe anyone in this day and age could be so scared of a parent they would marry someone they didn't love just to escape from them. It was like something out of the dark ages.
'You're trying to tell me that you're seriously considering marrying a guy you hardly know… just to get away from your mother?” he asked with an element of sarcasm.
Alan couldn't believe anyone could be so stupid. There had to be another reason. Seeing the doubt in her face he continued. “What is it with this guy? Is he loaded - is he incredibly handsome? What's he got that makes you want to marry him?”
Lisa started to panic. Alan was not only making her face the truth, he was making her feel stupid as well. She tried to think of something to say that would get him off her back.
“He's both” …’ she answered simply, as though it explained everything. “But I never meant it to go this far, Alan. As soon as he found out that I was a virgin, he kept asking me to marry him. He just wouldn't take no for an answer...”
Alan shook his head with frustration.
“So how come you're going to the Isle of Man tomorrow and announcing your engagement to the guy. Why don't you wait?”
Lisa felt more tears of frustration stinging in her eyes. She didn't know why, but she wanted to make Alan understand.
“That’s what I wanted to do … I've tried to explain it to him, but he won't listen.”
Alan felt exasperated. It was like trying to speak to a stubborn child. He pleaded with her again, hoping against hope that he could talk some sense into her.
“But surely if you go to The Isle of Man tomorrow you're just going to get dragged in even further. For God's sake, Lisa, you're letting the whole thing get so complicated!
Lisa shook her head miserably.
“That’s why I need to go there and explain how I feel! I have to talk to him face to face, not over the phone or in a letter, he doesn't deserve that. I know that I can make him understand, but only when I get there.”
Alan was just about to suggest one phone call could save a lot of heartbreak when Lisa looked at her watch and freaked out when she saw the time.
“I'm sorry, Alan, if I don’t get this bottle of wine back to my mother, there'll be a terrible argument, and she won't drive me to Glasgow airport tomorrow morning.”
Alan panicked. Lisa was about to walk out of the door, and he might never see her again. He had to think of a way of making her think things through. He came up with an idea as she stood up and started for the door.
“Look, Lisa, I have to pass Glasgow airport on my way down south tomorrow. I can give you a lift … it's not a problem.”
Lisa looked back at him, a confused, questioning look on her face.
“I thought you were here to see Greek Thompson architecture in Glasgow. Why are you going back tomorrow?”
They stared at each other silently across the room for a minute before Alan answered.
“I lied…”
Lisa stopped in the doorway and thought about what he had just said. Those two little words told her he had come only to see her, and she had been right about him all along. She shook her head and opened the door.
Seeing she was about to walk out of his life, Alan rushed over and grabbed her arm. He couldn't let her go, not like this… not before he had made her understand what she was doing could ruin her life.
Lisa looked down at his hand and was tempted to stay, but she knew she couldn't. She had been stupid to think anything might happen between them. He was almost engaged, so was she, and their futures were already mapped out. But, if he took her to the airport…perhaps it would at least give her time to explain her feelings to him on the way.
“Okay…” she agreed, and turned to face him, guilty but pleased he had thought of a way for them to see each other again.
“As long as you promise not to start lecturing me again…”
Delighted with her decision, Alan grabbed his jacket and followed her down the hallway and wondered what the hell he was doing. Thoughts of Carla came into his head, but he quickly pushed them to the back of his mind. Whether it was because she was abroad and unable to catch him up in Scotland with Lisa, he didn't know. He had done nothing to feel guilty about, so he couldn't understand why he felt like such a bastard.
By the time he caught up with her, Lisa had reached the front door of the hotel clutching the bottle of wine, her face anxious.
“There's no need to walk me back, Alan, I won't get attacked or anything. It's very safe here, so there's no need to worry.”
Alan wouldn't take no for an answer, claiming he wouldn't know where to pick her up the next morning if he didn't walk back to the house with her. The only problem was Lisa was walking so fast Alan had to lengthen his stride to keep up with her. He reckoned her mother must be some scary lady if this was the effect she had on Lisa at half past ten at night.
When they got to her gate, he looked up at the lovely house overlooking the water. With the conservatory running the full width of the front, and rockeries and a winding path leading up to the front door from a gate on the shore road, it looked positively idyllic. Lisa turned and looked up at him, an apologetic smile on her face.
“I'm sorry, Alan… I'd ask you in for a coffee, but I'm already in trouble. You don't know what my mother can be like. I'll see you tomorrow - okay?”
It was more of a command than a question, but Alan didn't mind. He wanted to kiss her good night, but he knew he couldn't because he might end up scaring her off completely.
“It's okay--- I understand,” he replied, which he didn't.
“What time do you need to be picked up for the airport tomorrow?” he asked, feeling tortured at the thought she might have changed her mind.
Lisa was already half way up the steps when she answered.
“Half ten okay?” she shouted, without turning round.
Alan looked up at Lisa's back as she reached the front door.
“Half ten’s fine,” he shouted back, and watched her disappear into the conservatory of her parents' holiday home...
........................
As Lisa opened the front door, she felt the familiar sickness in the pit of her stomach caused by the fear of not knowing what was waiting for her on the other side. She knew her mother would be awake---she just didn't know what frame of mind she would be in, and whether she was going to suffer as a result. If her mother had been drinking, which Lisa knew she probably had, then she knew what to expect. The experience the year before had taught her to be on her guard.
As it happened, Lisa had good reason to be worried about going home that night. Her mother had polished off nearly half a bottle of vodka while she was waiting for the wine she had asked Lisa to buy. Having no one to argue with, and nothing else to do, she had worked herself into a drunken, bitter state.
Her house was, as usual, spotless and she didn't like watching television alone, so the bottle of vodka had become her companion for the evening. She had tried unsuccessfully to contact Lisa at the hotel to get her to come back early, to no avail. Now, to make matters worse, Lisa was late.
Fiona couldn't understand how Lisa could even think of going out the night before she was going to the Isle of Man to announce her engagement to Nick. She should have been at home getting ready, not messing about with some boy she hardly knew.
Lisa walked through the sitting room and eventually found her mother in the kitchen looking drunk and ready for an argument, so she decided to try and defuse the situation by pretending everything was okay.
“Hi, Mum, sorry I'm late. I lost track of the time…”
It didn't work. Lisa looked at the empty glass in her mother's hand, and then at her face. She instinctively knew she was in trouble.
“Where's your new boyfriend?” Fiona slurred sarcastically as she tried to focus on her daughter.
She steadied herself by holding on to the work surface with her hands behind her back, and when Lisa didn't answer her, Fiona's bitter vindictiveness took over.
“Wait 'til I tell Nick you’ve been screwing around! Did you think I wouldn't check up on you?”
Lisa looked at her mother in disgust. She was so drunk, she could hardly stand up.
“I haven't been screwing around with anyone, Mum. Why would you think I have?” she asked, trying to keep her voice calm.
It was the same every time Lisa was out of her mother's sight for more than five minutes. Her obsession with her daughter's virginity had reached paranoid proportions.
'”I phoned the hotel to tell you to come home over an hour ago and Gerry told me you’d left…So where have you been--- and what have you been doing since then?--- As if I didn't know!”
Lisa felt the tears stinging her eyes, blurring her vision.
"I haven't been doing anything, Mum. Honestly, we were just talking!" she cried.
She felt the familiar terror rising from the pit of her stomach. Her mother looked back at her, a sneering look on her face.
“Oh … so that’s what they call it nowadays is it? TALKING! Ha bloody ha! Well, I don't believe you. If you think you're going to the Isle of Man tomorrow, you’ve got another think coming. If you think I'm paying for plane tickets, just so you can whore around whenever you want to - you're mistaken!”
Her mother staggered to one side and Lisa thought she was going to fall. She was even more drunk than she'd first suspected, and Lisa realised there was no way she'd be able to drive to the airport the following morning. She silently thanked God for Alan’s offer of a lift.
.
“Mum---why don’t you go to bed? Come on, I'll help you.” She pleaded.
“You go to fucking bed!” her mother screeched back at her while she frantically looked in the drawer for the corkscrew.
The thought of her mother being drunk and awake while Lisa was trying to sleep, reminded her of what had happened the year before, an option Lisa couldn't even consider. She tried to humour her, knowing where an argument would lead. She picked up the corkscrew, which was actually on the drainer, and started opening the bottle of wine.
“Look, Mum, why don’t I take this bottle of wine up to the bedroom, and help you upstairs. I can lock up and turn off all the lights. We can talk in the morning.”
Lisa couldn't believe it. Her mother agreed, and was actually following her. Whether she was following the newly opened bottle of white wine clutched in Lisa's right hand, or Lisa herself, she would never know but, with the diplomacy of a statesman, Lisa managed to get her mother to bed.
By the time she'd turned off all the downstairs lights and returned upstairs, she could hear gentle snoring coming from the direction of her mother’s bedroom. She looked up at the ceiling as though saying a silent thank you to God, and sighed with relief.
Lisa couldn't believe she'd pulled it off. Her bag was packed, her ticket was in her handbag, and she now had a lift to the airport independently of her mother. If there was any problem in the morning she could just go, and there would be nothing her mother could do to stop her.
She set her alarm clock for eight am, and switched off her bedside light...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Gerry...owner and barman at the hotel Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Jack Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. |
By alexisleech
Seventeen year old Lisa receives a surprise visit from Alan Turner, a boy she had met the month before while staying with her friend in Chelmsford. Before he set off for Dunoon, where Lisa's parent's holiday home was, Alan hadn't spoken to Lisa, so was unaware that she had got engaged to a millionaire called Nick Corday, who she had met while she was on holiday with her family. Alan works out, while they're talking, that Lisa is already regretting her decision to fly to the Isle of Man to announce her engagement, so Alan offers to take her to the airport the next day, and then walks her home.
When Lisa gets home she finds her mother drunk and spoiling for a fight, but she manages to get her to bed.
After Lisa disappeared through the front door of her parents' house, Alan stood there for five minutes trying to gather his thoughts. He still wasn't sure what he was doing there. His girlfriend Carla would go mental if she knew he was up there on his own, especially if she got wind of the fact that the only person he knew up there was a sexy teenager with a seemingly crazy mother.
The mother thing still confused him. There was no disputing the blind terror Lisa displayed at the thought of being late. But surely her mother couldn't be that bad? Lisa didn't seem to want for anything, and she had been beautifully and expensively dressed on the two occasions he'd met her. The holidays, the two homes, the private schools, they were all trappings of a privileged upbringing. It didn't make any sense at all...
Alan looked back up to the house standing proudly near the water's edge. All the lights were on, and he half expected to see Lisa framed by the soft light of one of the windows confirming that her rush had been unnecessary, and that all was well.
After a few minutes, one by one the lights went out and he felt easier. It had been a long and confusing day, which had brought many emotions to the surface. The kind of emotions he had rarely experienced in his twenty-one years.
As he walked back to the hotel Alan thought guiltily again about Carla. He knew what love was, having spent the last six years wooing and loving her since they'd met in fourth year at school. Their families were from similar backgrounds and everyone seemed comfortable with the romance as long as they didn't get too serious and talk about getting married too soon. All their parent's asked, was that they were both qualified in their respective professions and financially able to support themselves before they settled down.
When Carla had left to go to school in Spain, he had enjoyed his new found freedom. It was good fun going out with the lads again and chatting up the odd girl on a night out, but the novelty was beginning to wear off. Five and a half months down the line, he missed her, but he suspected more as a friend than a lover. Their relationship had changed a lot in the last six months. They had hardly made love while he had visited her the month before, and there was something missing in their relationship. That's why the way he felt now was so confusing.
What he had felt when he was sitting opposite Lisa in his room at the hotel, was unlike any of the feelings he had ever experienced with Carla. It was unbelievable that someone who had never experienced sex could turn him on so much, and just thinking about Lisa made him feel so frustrated. What had she said about the guy wanting to marry her as soon as he found out that she was a virgin?
At first that had seemed strange to Alan because when he and Carla had got it together they had both been virgins, as were most of their class mates, but nobody regarded their virginity as anything of any great value. What Alan couldn't understand was his own reaction to finding out about Lisa still being a virgin.
Alan had often mused about how it would be if he had sex with an older, more experienced woman because everything he had tried with Carla had been new to both of them and, for the most part, it had been good. They had worked their way through the recipe book of sex, trying most things until they both knew what the other liked, but there had been moments when something they had tried had appealed to him, but not Carla. The unwritten law was, if either didn't enjoy any experience, it would never be tried again.
Now he wondered how it would feel to be the master in the bed, training an inexperienced lover like Lisa. He could understand why it might turn on the guy in the Isle of Man. It turned him on as well....
It was past twelve by the time Alan got back to the hotel, and although he was exhausted, he couldn't sleep. His body felt like a mass of raw nerve endings, and by half past two he was desperate to shut his eyes and escape from the misery he was feeling. He lay on the bed and imagined what it might have been like if he and Lisa hadn't both been committed to other people. That thought only made it worse, and made him ache for her even more. He gave up trying to sleep and threw on his jeans and a sweater, hoping some fresh air would calm him down.
The road was deserted and so was the beach, the breeze singing to a sleeping audience. Alan walked for about a mile trying to get his head straight, looking across the water as the moonlight danced on its surface. He had never considered so many aspects of his life in such a short space of time before, and by the time he got back to the hotel, he knew he would have to tell Lisa. He now knew he couldn't let her go to the Isle of Man without letting her know how he felt.
.......................
The next morning Lisa woke up feeling bright and optimistic. As she ran her bath, she put her ear to her mother's door and could hear nothing, which was good. She was generous with the bath oil to the point of decadence, and having soaked for at least half an hour, she dried herself off and applied a generous covering of Jean Paul Gaultier body lotion, yet another indulgence of her mothers'.
As she wiped away the steam from the large mirror in the bathroom, she studied her reflection. Wide almond shaped green eyes, a small nose dotted with the odd freckle, and full lips. Lisa was happy with the way she looked, but she couldn't understand the effect her looks had on men. If she was to believe her mother, she was lucky to have anyone look at her twice, but Nick, amongst others, had told her otherwise. He'd told her she was the most beautiful woman he had ever met, and that was good enough for her, especially as he was the one she was going to spend the rest of her life with...
Lisa was about to take her bag and case downstairs from her room, but she thought it might irritate her mother if she saw them, so she decided against it. As it was nearly ten o'clock, she decided to take her mother a cup of tea and, in the spirit of the night before, pander to her a little.
"Morning, Mum," she called brightly as she moved the abandoned bottle of wine to the other side of the bed in her mother's room in favour of a freshly brewed cup of tea.
Having collapsed into a drunken sleep as soon as Lisa had helped her into bed, Fiona was still in the clothes she'd worn the day before. She was annoyed at the light hearted tone of Lisa's voice and assumed she hadn't believed her when she'd told her she wasn't going to The Isle of Man the night before. Fiona decided to remind her.
"You're not going, you know!" she snapped, in an effort to remind Lisa she was in control.
"Yes I am, Mum, " Lisa replied. "Are you going to get up?"
She had decided that nothing her mother said to her would rattle her. It was far too important that she should stay calm.
Her mother looked confused. She had just played her trump card and Lisa was acting as though she didn't care. If she thought that she was going to take her to the airport, she had another think coming. Feeling annoyed by her cheerfulness, Fiona stared threateningly at Lisa and tried again.
"I mean it! You're not going, Lisa, I meant what I said last night, and I'm not going to change my mind!"
Having won the day with diplomacy the night before, Lisa decided on the same tactic while handling her mother now. Knowing her mother couldn't stop her, enabled her to keep calm. Lisa just smiled and tried to placate her.
"Come on, Mum; don't be like that...drink your tea,'" she suggested.
Lisa thought that it was a good time to escape downstairs and grab some breakfast before Alan arrived to collect her, but Fiona lay on the bed looking decidedly hostile, ignoring the cup of tea. Lisa looked back at her from the bedroom door.
"We'll talk about it when you come down, Mum."
Although, "You're not bloody going!" followed Lisa down the stairs, she still felt optimistic about leaving without an argument.
As she waited for the kettle to boil, she heard the sound of a car horn, and when she looked out of the window, she saw Alan had arrived. He was half an hour early, and worried incase he might knock on the door and antagonise her mother even more, Lisa shot down to his car and tapped on the window.
Due to his lack of sleep, Alan didn't look too good. In fact, he looked as though he'd been up partying all night. He wound down the window and looked up at Lisa with heavy eyes.
"What happened to you?" Lisa asked jokingly.
There was no way he was going to tell Lisa that he'd had less than an hours sleep because he had been thinking about her all night.
"Don't ask," he replied, throwing his hands up in the air.
"How did you get on with your mother when you got home last night?" he asked her.
Lisa did a perfect imitation with her hands.
"Don't ask... She's in a bad mood with me because I went out... but it doesn't matter now you're here. Come on up and have a coffee, and I'll hide you in the porch while I say goodbye to her."
Alan hadn't even stopped for breakfast before checking out because he was paranoid about missing the boat, so he needed something to help wake him up. Coffee might just be the answer because he had no idea how he was going to drive all the way back home, feeling as tired as he did.
After Lisa had made Alan a huge mug of coffee and left him admiring the scenery from the front porch, she thought it would be a good idea to get her bags down for him to put in his car, but when she reached the bottom of the stairs, she saw her mother coming down, so she ducked back into the living room.
"Mum, it's all right, you don't have to take me to the airport. Al..."
Her mother interrupted her.
"You're right, I don't... because you're not going!"
Lisa suddenly realised her mother was slurring her words, and she remembered the open bottle of wine she'd left in the bedroom the night before when she'd helped her to bed. This was the worst thing that could have happened. It was only when her mother was drunk that she didn't care what she said or did. For the first time that morning, Lisa didn't know what to do.
"I told you last night you weren't going, and I don't know how many times I've told you... but I haven't changed my mind!" her mother snarled, while trying to focus on Lisa without success.
Lisa started to panic. She had never known her mother drunk during the day before, so she was in uncharted waters. If she didn't leave soon, she would miss the boat, and if she missed the boat, she would miss the plane.
"Mum, let's talk about this. You don't have to drive me..."
Lisa's mother couldn't understand why Lisa didn't understand that she wasn't going anywhere. She seemed to be impervious to what she was saying.
"You're not fucking going! How many times do I have to tell you?" she screamed.
Lisa was mortified realising that Alan was sitting just outside the French doors to the living room and could hear every word. Her mother opened the drawer in the table where she kept her address book and drunkenly put on her glasses before she started leafing through the pages. When she found Nick's number, she turned back to Lisa.
"I'm going to tell Nick why you're not coming... He won't want to get engaged to a little whore who goes with other men the night before she's supposed to be flying out to announce their engagement!"
She picked up the phone and started dialling Nick's number while Lisa stared at her mother in disbelief. She had suspected that her mother was jealous of her before, and now she knew for certain she was. She'd probably never intended to let her go to the Isle of Man in the first place, and Alan arriving, and her going to see him at the hotel, was just a handy excuse. Lisa had played right into her mother's hands. She felt the anger rise from the pit of her stomach, and she wrenched the phone from her mother's hand and slammed it back down on the receiver.
"STOP IT!" She shouted, hoping against hope she could stop her mother from ruining her life yet again.
It had no effect, and her mother picked up the phone and started dialling the number again.
The panic Lisa felt engulfed her, and she made one last effort to stop her mother from ruining her life by slapping her face and knocking off her glasses. She had never raised a finger to her mother before, even in her defence... but this time she had no choice.
When she looked back up at her mother's face, she saw a look in her eyes that resembled pure hatred...
Just how, or at what point, Lisa's mother picked up the scissors which were lying in the opened drawer, Lisa would never know, but her actions coincided with Alan suddenly entering the room. He had listened long enough to the drama that was unfolding, and Lisa's panic the previous night now seemed totally justified. As he walked into the room, all he could see was a mad woman with a pair of scissors in her hand which she had raised above her head and seemed poised to strike. Unbelievably, Lisa just seemed to be standing there in a daze staring back at her, waiting to be stabbed. He shot across the room and grabbed Lisa's hand. He just knew he had to get her out of there, and as quickly as possible.
"Let's get the fuck out of here!" he shouted, and pulled her out of the room, through the porch, and down the steps to his waiting car. Having bundled her into the front seat, he took off at break neck speed, nearly colliding with a neighbour's car in the process.
Instinctively, Alan drove to the pier because he didn't have a clue as to what else he could do. He just wanted to get away, and if there was a boat every half-hour, they wouldn't have long to wait. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed, and he shuddered to think what would have happened to Lisa if he hadn't walked into the room when he did. The whole thing was a complete nightmare. He parked the car beside the pier and looked over at Lisa who was shaking violently in the seat beside him. Neither of them had uttered a word since they'd run from the house, and still no words seemed appropriate. Lisa sat, her hands clenched in front of her, staring straight ahead...just as she had done the year before in the back of the taxi.
"Shit!" Alan muttered in frustration as he banged the palm of his hand down on the steering wheel.
"That woman should be locked up...she's a fucking head case!"
Lisa looked back at him and realised how awful it must look to someone who hadn't lived with that kind of madness. She had almost become conditioned to it.
"I'm sorry, Alan... I didn't intend getting you caught up in all of this...It's not your problem..."
Alan shook his head. Lisa had no need to apologise. He now understood why she'd got into such a state the night before. Her mother was the bitch from hell.
"It's not your fault, Lisa, she's the lunatic! ... I couldn't believe it when I walked in there and saw her with those scissors. I thought she was going to kill you!"
Lisa started to cry. Silently she let the tears roll down her cheeks and drop onto her hands in her lap. Alan instinctively put his arm around her and pulled her towards him as her shoulders shook and the awfulness of what had happened hit home.
"Don't cry, Lisa," he said gently, and stroked her hair.
After a few minutes, she pulled away from him and tried unsuccessfully to wipe the tears from her face with her hands.
"I'll have to go back," Lisa announced with a resigned voice.
Alan looked at her in disbelief. He wouldn't let his worst enemy walk back into that house.
"No way! I'm not letting you go back to that!"
Lisa shook her head. She had nothing. No clothes, no money, no ticket...no choice. She had to go back. .
"You don't understand, Alan, I've been here before and there's nowhere for me to go. I don't have anyone up here who can help me...I have nothing!"
Alan turned round to face her and took her hand, determined not to let her go back. When he saw the loneliness and desperation in her face, he understood why she had thought that going to the Isle of Man might be her only option.
"You've got me," he said before he could stop himself. "I mean you've got me as a friend to help you... I can take you somewhere... somewhere you'll be safe. You must have friends who can help you, surely?"
Again Lisa shook her head.
"My friends are all in England. I was at a boarding school in the Borders. I never made friends with anyone when I came home because of my mother. You've seen what she's like. Would you want to meet her again?"
Alan drew in his breath and shook his head. "No way!"
"Well then, that's what I mean... I'll have to go back, Alan, don't you see? I just don't have a choice!"
Alan watched the cars beginning to queue up for the boat and he started to panic. He didn't want Lisa to go back, under any circumstances. From a personal point of view, he just wanted to put some distance between them and her lunatic mother.
"Look, Lisa, I'm not taking you back there. Let's get to Glasgow and see if we can figure something out on the way. We can always go to the police and I can tell them what I saw."
Again Lisa shook her head remembering what had happened the year before.
"You're wasting your time. Who do you think they're going to believe? You, an unknown holidaymaker, or my mother... the local upstanding resident?"
Alan had to agree with her there. If he were in trouble he would much rather be at home where his family commanded some respect and they could help him. It then dawned on him that he might have come up with a solution. Alan was sure, if he explained the situation to his parents, they would let Lisa stay.He had moved into a flat in town which he shared with his mate, Mike, so Lisa could have his old room at home, and his nineteen-year-old sister could help out with clothes and anything else Lisa might need. He turned to Lisa and grinned, believing he'd come up with the perfect solution.
'"I'm taking you home with me," he announced, before turning on the ignition.
Lisa stared back at Alan unable to believe that someone she hardly knew would want to help her. Much though she wanted it, she couldn't let him get involved.
"You can't!" Lisa cried, trying to be realistic.
"Why not?" he asked with new found confidence.
Lisa couldn't believe what was happening. The line of cars started to move forward, and Alan resolutely followed it.
"Because you can't take home a complete stranger, especially one with the kind of baggage I've got... It's madness!"
Alan grinned, feeling pleased with himself for thinking of something that meant not only that Lisa didn't have to go back... but she didn't have to go to The Isle of Man either.
"Any better suggestions?" he asked with a touch of sarcasm.
Lisa had to admit that anything had to be better than going back. She shook her head.
"Well, that's it settled then," Alan decided. "I'm taking you home..."
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Gerry...owner and barman at the hotel Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Jack Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. |
By alexisleech
Lisa and Alan stood on the deck of the ferry and watched the boat cast off. He studied her face as they watched the shoreline of Dunoon grow smaller and smaller, and was glad to see Lisa look less tense when it disappeared from sight
Alan couldn't believe how happy he felt, considering what he and Lisa had just gone through. It wasn't so hard to work out. He knew in his heart of hearts he hadn't wanted Lisa to go to the Isle of Man and get engaged to someone else, but this bizarre twist of fate had allowed him to dictate where she went instead. He knew he was mad to get involved, especially after what he had just witnessed, but crazy though it was, he was glad that he had.
As they started their long journey to Chelmsford, Lisa and Alan lapsed into silence, both deep in their own thoughts. There was one subject they hadn't discussed, and it was playing on both of their minds. After half an hour, Alan looked over at Lisa and asked her the question she'd been dreading.
“What are you going to do about Nick? He must be wondering what the hell's going on...”
Since they'd left Dunoon, Lisa had done nothing but think about Nick. She knew she should at least phone him and try to explain. Lisa acknowledged it wasn't just escaping her mother that made her feel so relieved. She also realized she had only convinced herself she could love Nick because she didn't know what else to do. He had been her only means of escaping her mother without alienating her family. She didn't want to talk to Nick because she knew he would do what he'd done when she'd turned him down the first time he’d asked her to marry him. He would talk her around, just like everyone else had. Alan had been the first person to make her face the truth about her feelings for Nick. Now he had, she couldn't even face the idea of talking to Nick, far less marrying him.
“My mother will have phoned him within five minutes of us leaving and told him that A, I've been sleeping with you and B, we’ve run off together. He probably won't want to have anything to do with me, anyway. She said it herself before she attacked me.”
Alan doubted that very much. He'd worked out that Lisa didn't really love Nick from their conversation the night before, but it was obvious he was madly in love with her. Everything she had told him proved it. The poor guy would probably be devastated.
Alan tried to imagine how he would feel if the roles were reversed, and for the first time since he'd made the suggestion that he took Lisa home with him, he started to feel guilty. He picked up his mobile phone from the dashboard and offered it to her.
“Shouldn't you at least phone him and try to explain what really happened?” he asked, secretly hoping she wouldn't.
Lisa looked at the phone and shook her head. She knew if she phoned Nick, she would probably be in the Isle of Man before nightfall, irrespective of what her mother might have said to him. She knew he would probably understand, and move heaven and earth to get her back. Of that she was certain. She needed time to work out how she really felt before she spoke to him again. She looked at Alan and hoped he wouldn't think she was heartless.
"I don’t want to, Alan. I can't face the idea of talking to him just now. Please understand...”
Alan put the proffered phone back on the dashboard. He had been right all along…
When they crossed the border into England an hour later, they both felt easier, but Alan was already beginning to feel really tired. His long drive up to Scotland the day before, and his sleepless night thinking about Lisa, had drained him completely. By the time they reached Manchester, he was convinced he was going to fall asleep at the wheel.
“Would you mind if we found somewhere to stay, Lisa?” he asked her. “I really don’t think I could manage to drive for much longer. I didn’t sleep very well last night and I’m absolutely knackered.”
Lisa didn’t mind at all. In fact she was almost relieved when he suggested it because the endless hours of silence were beginning to depress her. It was almost as though if she and Alan discussed what had happened that morning, it would make it seem even worse...more real. It had all happened so fast after her mother had tried to stab her. The fact that she’d left the house with nothing, in her haste to get away, was beginning to worry her more than she could admit to Alan.
“Of course I don’t mind,” she answered immediately, and smiled at him gratefully. She still couldn’t get over the fact that he was helping her.
So they started looking for somewhere to stay. Fortunately there was a small hotel signposted just off the motorway, which not only showed rooms available, but served dinner as well, so Alan pulled in with a thankful sigh. They only had one twin room left so Alan took it, knowing that he didn't have a choice. If he had tried to drive another mile, he might have killed them both. Anyway, the way he was feeling due to the lack of sleep the night before convinced him that sharing a room with Lisa was not a problem…all he wanted to do, was sleep.
After he took his bag to their room, he joined Lisa back down in reception and they went through to the dining room.
Although they'd only had a sandwich from the garage when they'd stopped for petrol, neither of them were hungry and they both picked at their food in silence. Every time their eyes met, Alan looked away and concentrated on pushing his food around his plate. Because Alan had hardly said a word since they'd arrived, Lisa thought he was having second thoughts about taking her home with him, but she couldn't have been more wrong. Alan wasn't having second thoughts, quite the opposite. In the cold light of day the twin bedded room didn't present a problem, but seeing the two beds pushed together when he'd gone up to the room, looking to all intents and purposes like a large double, was a different story altogether. He was concerned about having Lisa so close to him when they went upstairs to bed. He knew Lisa trusted him--- the problem was, could he trust himself?
By the time they finished dinner, Alan just wanted to take Lisa in his arms and tell her how he felt. He couldn't put his finger on what it was she had actually done, but her body language had sucked him in, and he felt as though she was in control of all his nerve endings. He had been aware of her scent all day at his side, but face to face, in candlelight, it was proving a lot harder to cope with.
“What perfume are you wearing?” He asked, after eventually giving up on his food and pushing his plate away.
“Jean Paul Gaultier,” she answered; glad he was at last making conversation.
Alan wanted to tell Lisa how beautiful it smelt on her but knew he couldn't. If he did, she would realise how he felt, and it wasn't the time or the place to complicate things further.
'I must get some for Carla. I'm sure she would love it," he added.
By mentioning Carla's name, he'd managed to break the spell... and he was glad. It reminded him that neither of them was free, and any feelings he had for Lisa had to remain in his head.
Alan stood up. He just wanted to go to bed, sleep--- and put the awful day behind them.
When they got up to their room, Alan dug out his only tee shirt, and after he gave it to Lisa, he quickly got undressed while she was in the bathroom getting changed. He usually slept in his boxers and a tee shirt, but because Lisa now had the top half of that combination, he slipped out of his jeans and got into bed before she came out of the bathroom.
Alan tried not to look at Lisa when she came out, but he couldn't help it. He was relieved that the tee shirt he'd given her totally swamped her and came down almost to her knees---but she still looked gorgeous. She'd let down her hair and it fell down her back, making her look younger and even sexier than she had during the day. Alan just hoped he was going to be able to sleep.
There was an embarrassed silence between them, and then Lisa looked at his bare chest, her eyebrows raised.
"I hope you're wearing something under there!” she teased.
Alan thanked God that he was. He tried to make light of the situation.
“Too right… I've got to have some protection in case some sex starved female tries to attack me in the middle of the night!” he replied, hoping the joke would convince her she was safe.
It did. Lisa climbed into her bed and lay on her back and stared up at the ceiling. She wanted to reach out and touch him, but she knew what might happen if she did. She didn't know he was thinking exactly the same thing.
They both lay there in silence for a few moments before Lisa turned onto her side and looked at him.
“Alan, thank you for what you did today. You don't know what it means to me knowing someone cares...”
Her simple words of gratitude hung in the air like a bond between them. Any lustful thoughts Alan had felt earlier were replaced with something much deeper than he’d ever felt before. As the tiredness thankfully numbed his body and his eyes started to close, he stretched out and took her hand.
“Pleasure,” he replied softly, before mercifully falling asleep.
Lisa lay on her bed and listened to Alan's soft breathing. He still held her hand, but the grip had relaxed to a gentle curl in his fingers. She didn't let go, and if anything tightened her grip so his hand couldn’t slip away from her. Lisa wondered what would have happened if Alan hadn't been so tired and fallen asleep. She would probably never know. She'd always thought she was still a virgin because she was so scared of her mother, but she realised, as she lay holding Alan's hand, the reason she was still a virgin was because she had never met anyone before who she wanted to make love to her---that is, until now.
Letting go of his hand she stretched over and kissed Alan gently on the lips, her hair falling onto his bare chest as she lent over him. His breathing altered as her lips lingered on his and she moved back in case she woke him up, which she momentarily had. When he'd felt her moist lips on his, he'd struggled back from sleep to savour the moment, wanting to take her in his arms… but by then she was gone.
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Gerry...owner and barman at the hotel Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Jack Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. |
By alexisleech
Alan slowly opened his eyes and looked over to where Lisa was still sleeping. He remembered back to the night before when she'd kissed him while he slept and he'd felt her long silky hair touching his naked chest. When he’d struggled back to consciousness to find her with her back to him, apparently asleep, he lay on the bed wanting her...as he had the night before. He decided the stress of the last thirty-six hours was really getting to him, and the sooner he got back home and took Lisa to his parents' house, the better.
Lisa woke to hear a shower running in the distance. As she opened her eyes she struggled to get her bearings and slowly, gradually, she remembered where she was, and why. She had slept surprisingly well, and put it down to the fact her mother was now over two hundred miles away, so she couldn't hurt her any more. She had escaped. Even the thought of her uncertain future couldn't dampen her feeling of well being. She knew she had Alan to thank for that.
He came out of the bathroom with a bath towel wrapped around his waist, his wide bare shoulders glistening with droplets of water from the shower. He looked down at her and smiled thinking how lovely she looked first thing in the morning.
“Morning, sleepyhead!'” he said sheepishly, unable to resist staring at her.
Lisa stretched her arms above her head and looked back at him while trying unsuccessfully to ignore the effect his wet, naked chest was having on her.
“Good morning! What's the shower like?” she asked with a radiant smile.
Alan was rubbing his hair dry and looked up from under the towel.
“Great… if you like being machine gunned by a million hot bullets!”
Lisa was glad he didn't seem as uptight as he had been the night before. She knotted her hair up on top of her head and went for a shower. When she came out dressed in the only clothes she now owned, and she cursed at not having any makeup, because it made her feel naked without it.
Lisa expected to find Alan dressed, but instead he was sitting on the bed still with the towel around his waist, his head in his hands. His mobile lay on the bed beside him, and when he looked up at her she knew something awful had happened.
“What's wrong?” she asked, her tone of voice reflecting her concern.
Alan's face was twisted with anger. Whatever had happened had rendered him speechless and he couldn't look Lisa in the eye. She sat on the bed beside him and put her hand on his shoulder before asking him again.
“For God's sake... what's happened, Alan?”
At last Alan looked at her, and she could see the anger and confusion in his eyes.
“Thanks to your mother, there's a warrant out for my arrest!” he answered bitterly.
Lisa's heart sank. She should have guessed her mother had something to do with it. Even at a distance, she was still trying to ruin her life.
“What in God's name for?” she asked.
Alan jumped up from the bed and walked over to the other side of the room. Having Lisa so close to him was just adding to his problems.
“Oh - abduction, assault, theft, being in procession of drugs - nothing serious!”
Lisa felt numb. “How do you know?”
Alan explained how he had turned his phone off the night before to save the juice because he had forgotten to bring his charger. When he'd turned his phone on to ring his mother to discuss bringing Lisa back to the house, there were at least a dozen messages and missed calls.
“But how did my mother know where you lived?” Lisa asked, still trying not to believe her mother would go so far.
“She phoned Vikki's Mum, who in turn gave your mother my parents’ address.”
“But the charges… you didn't do any of that!” she cried, trying desperately to think what she could do to put it right.
“I know that…You know that… but the police don't! It's her word against ours. The whole thing's a bloody nightmare...”
The enormity of the situation began to sink in as Alan recounted what his mother had told him.
Apparently Lisa's mother had claimed Lisa was only fifteen and that Alan had come into the house, beaten her mother, stolen jewellery, and dragged Lisa out of the house before abducting her. Her mother had also given the police a bag of drugs, claiming Alan had left them at the house.
It wasn't looking at all good for him, according to his parents. He was to go straight to the police in Chelmsford, before they found him. Alan's father had alerted his solicitor to be on hand and ready to go to the station once they got there.
Lisa was devastated. Already, Alan seemed to be being punished for helping her.
“Alan, I am so, so, sorry, I never dreamt she was capable of anything like this. I can't believe it...”
She stared up at him from the bed, imagining how angry he must feel.
“Neither can I, but there's more bad news … A witness came forward with my car make and registration number, so now the police are looking for us. They might even arrest us… sorry me, before we get back to Chelmsford. My parents are going ballistic!”
Seeing how upset he was, Lisa felt guilty for allowing him to get involved in the first place.
“Oh God, Alan, you must wish you had never set eyes on me!”
Alan wished he could pretend otherwise. He knew it wasn't her fault, but he had never experienced anything like this before.
“If I do, Lisa...it's not just because of all this. My life was so simple before I met you, and now everything’s fucked up. I used to know where I was going, who I loved, what I wanted out of life... and suddenly, I'm on the run with a girl I barely know who’s turned my life upside down. God, Lisa, if anyone is looking for excitement in their lives, you’re the answer...but I wasn't!”
At that moment, Lisa hated her mother with bitterness beyond belief. It was bad enough that she'd screwed up her life, but now she was hurting anyone associated with her as well. How did she get away with it? Lisa resolved that she wouldn't. They had to fight back. She went over to Alan and looked up at him, her face determined.
“It's going to be okay...we haven't done anything wrong. We'll go to the police and tell them what happened. There's two of us, and one of her. We'll make the police believe us!”
Alan looked up at her beautiful face and prayed to God that she was right…
After they checked out, they lapsed into silence as they made their way South. Lisa thought it was ironic that nothing had happened between her and Alan the night before, because if the age and abduction thing were an issue, then a medical could hopefully prove her virginity was still intact. Just like Nick, her mother was obsessed with her bloody virginity, and Lisa was beginning to hate both of them for it.
As for Alan, he felt as though he was caught up in the middle of some horrible nightmare. Forty-eight hours with Lisa, and his whole life was in shambles. He knew his parents were seriously unhappy about the situation, never having had any involvement with the police in their lives before, and now their only son was literally 'on the run.' He just hoped he could explain it all to them when he got home.
The drive back to Chelmsford was nerve racking. Every time either of them saw anything vaguely resembling a police car, they expected to be pulled over. They were only a couple of hours away, but they couldn't get there fast enough. The fact they both knew they had done nothing wrong didn't make either of them feel any better, and their uncertainty of how far Lisa's mother would go worried them both sick. The day before Lisa had been the abused, Alan the rescuer, but now they were both feeling like criminals, and Lisa's experience with the police the previous year had convinced her they were the enemy.
At last Alan broke the silence.
“Where will your mother have got the drugs from?” he asked, still confused by the whole thing.
Somehow the idea of Lisa's Mother finding a drug peddler on some corner of Dunoon, didn't quite fit with her image.
'I've been trying to work that out myself,' she answered, shaking her head.
Lisa knew a couple of the locals who smoked the odd joint, but that was all she was aware of. She doubted very much her mother was capable of laying her hands on anything stronger than a packet of aspirin.
As Alan drove, they talked through the alleged charges one by one, and by the time they reached Chelmsford, they were both so strung up that Alan was convinced, like the day before, he was going to crash the car. The relief when they eventually reached Chelmsford was enormous. He found a parking place in the multi-storey car park around the corner from the police station, and phoned his father to tell him they would be there in ten minutes.
Alan had instinctively taken hold of Lisa's hand as they walked from the car to the station steps, and she resolutely held on to it until they reached the doors to go into the station. They had become united as they faced an adversary who had used wealth and her domineering character to try and put them down. In trying to split them asunder, Lisa's mother had simply pushed them together. For the moment, they were as one, bound together by the need to fight their mutual enemy.
Alan looked down at Lisa as they hesitated before going in.
“Don't worry,” He said, and kissed her gently on the lips…
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father |
By alexisleech
Sergeant Wilson wished he'd not been on duty that morning. The back shift had gone off at six o'clock and left him a mountain of reports to sort out and to top it off, he'd had this maniac of a woman from Scotland on the phone all morning, just as he'd had the day before. He'd hoped the situation would have been resolved by the time he came back on duty, but as luck would have it, it hadn't. He was stuck with the incessant phone calls yet again.
When the woman had first phoned, he'd felt very sorry for her because her local station had contacted Chelmsford to advise them that some guy had run off with her underage daughter, having attacked her and stolen her jewellery. Unfortunately, her local station had given her his name and number to contact after the call...and boy, had she contacted him!
At first it had just been regarded as yet another domestic situation which would sort itself out in a matter of hours, but the girl being a minor, and drugs being found, made the whole thing a lot more serious. The two police officers who'd interviewed the mother had sent their report through to him by late afternoon and sent the alleged drugs off to be analysed. When the results came through, the drugs turned out to be Temazipam, a widely used drug available on prescription. When Dave Wilson spoke to one of the officers to establish the woman's injuries from the assault, they confirmed they were minor, being a small bruise on the side of her face, and nothing more. She'd also itemised the jewellery which had been stolen and the list had been included in the report. The problem he now faced was the girl's mother kept changing the story every time she called, which was by now upwards of twenty times. According to her she now had bruises all over her body, and the items of jewellery she now claimed to have been stolen, were reaching crown jewel proportions.
The lad's parents' solicitor had phoned and confirmed he was from a decent local family. In fact Dave knew Alan's father who owned a local BMW garage, so the whole situation was beginning to look a bit suspect. Now the worst part of it all was the mother's persistent phone calls, which were becoming offensive and hysterical.
At last his Super had got involved, and it was decided that the mother would have to be cautioned if she carried on phoning, and that perhaps the two youngsters involved were the innocent victims of a deranged mind. So, by the time Lisa and Alan walked through the doors of Chelmsford Police station, they were not in the trouble they thought they were - they just didn't know it yet.
Sergeant Wilson was standing at the desk when they came in. From the descriptions he'd been given, he suspected it was them the minute they arrived. The boy spoke first.
“My name is Alan Turner, and this is Lisa Collins. I can assure you I haven't assaulted or abducted anyone!”
Dave lent over the desk slightly so he was closer to their faces.
“I know,” he replied conspiratorially.
As his words sank in, he thought the expression on their faces was comical.
Lisa was so worked up she didn't really acknowledge his reply and stared back at him defensively.
“Alan didn't steal anything, and he didn't have any drugs either!” She stated defiantly.
Dave was beginning to enjoy himself. Their faces were a picture.
“I know that too,” he replied, sounding bored by the whole thing.
Lisa and Alan looked at each other, totally confused.
“But we thought there was a warrant out for my arrest?” Alan said, still unable to believe the policeman was smiling. He didn't seem to be taking them seriously at all.
“Ah, yes, there was - but that was before we found out that this young lady's mother, and I apologise for saying this - was a bloody nut case!”
Now Lisa and Alan were grinning from ear to ear.
Alan's father chose that moment to walk through the doors of the station with their solicitor, Lawrence Hunter. The expression on his son's face didn't seem to reflect the seriousness of the situation, and neither did the look on the sergeant's. Standing next to Alan was an attractive dark haired girl, whom he assumed was the cause of all the trouble. Alan stepped towards him and, taking him by the arm, tried to explain.
“Dad, everything's okay. Lisa's mother made the whole thing up, and the police know all about it. There's nothing to worry about any more. The charges have all been dropped!”
Alan's father looked relieved, but still looked disapprovingly across at Lisa.
“And this is the young lady at the centre of all this, I assume?”
Lisa looked uncomfortable as Alan introduced them with an embarrassed smile
“I'm sorry, Dad. This is Lisa Collins… Lisa, this is my dad, Jack Turner, and our solicitor, Lawrence Hunter.”
Lisa shook hands with them both and smiled apologetically.
Introductions over, Jack turned to his son and asked what had actually happened, at which point the sergeant interrupted. He needed to know the facts himself for his report.
“I think it would be best if we carried on this conversation in one of the interview rooms, Sir. Would you follow me please?”
They all followed Dave, and Jack was relieved they were going somewhere more private. Whatever his son had, or hadn't done, he didn't fancy sharing it with half of Chelmsford. Before they left the reception, Jack asked the sergeant if his solicitor would be required, and was relieved to hear he wasn't.
The interview room was cold and unfriendly with a buzzing strip light, a desk, and three chairs. While Dave went to get another chair, Lisa, Alan, and his father sat down, and they started to tell him, as briefly as they could, what had actually happened. Dave came back into the room just as Alan started telling his father about how he had walked into the room where Lisa and her mother were arguing, and how he had grabbed Lisa when he saw the scissors in her mother's hand. Dave had started making notes but at that moment he stopped to ask Lisa a question.
“Did your mother attempt to strike you with the scissors?”
Lisa looked back at him and tried to remember. She had somehow managed to block the scene from her mind… but listening to Alan's recollection of what had happened, brought most of it flooding back.
“I think so… but it all happened so fast, I can't really remember. She was drunk, and I don’t think she knew what she was doing. Oh God, I'm sorry…' she cried, burying her head in her hands.
The three men sat uncomfortably and waited until she managed to calm down sufficiently to talk again. When she did, she looked earnestly at Alan's father.
“I don't know what would have happened if Alan hadn't come in when he did. I froze when my mother picked up the scissors…”
Alan took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. He really wanted to put his arm around her, as he had in the car the day before, but he knew that Dave and his father would notice.
Certain he'd given some comfort, he quickly withdrew his hand as Dave looked kindly at Lisa.
“Has this sort of thing happened to you before, Lisa?”He asked gently.
She hesitated before answering, still unsure if she could trust him.
“Yes, quite a lot..." she replied with a sigh, hoping that Alan's father wouldn't think less of her. Disloyalty to your family was alien to her, and she naively assumed he would disapprove of her.
“My mother drinks… and when she does, she changes. It only happens if I'm alone in the house with her and when she's drunk, she sometimes takes it out on me. It usually only happens when she's had a fight with my father, after he leaves...”
Dave looked concerned. He was well versed on child abuse, but it didn't usually occur in families such as Lisa's. He wondered if it didn't happen, or the police just rarely heard about it.
“What's your father saying about all this?" He asked.
Lisa wiped her eyes with the tissue Alan's father had been kind enough to pass her.
“Not a lot…I don't think he realises what's going on, or how much she's drinking.”
Dave still found it all hard to believe with the support youngsters had nowadays from social services. He reckoned Lisa must be some kind of masochist if she hadn't reported her mother before.
“Why didn't you ask for help?” He asked. “I mean social services, Child line; there are so many people you could have turned too.”
Lisa shook her head.
'Not in my world, there's not, and anyway, what could they have done for me? Up until I was sixteen, I would have ended up in a foster home, and bad though it sometimes got, I would have hated that. I couldn't have brought that kind of humiliation on the rest of my family. Since I turned sixteen last year, it hasn't been that bad, and I've only been at home for a few weeks of the year because I was at boarding school until the end of June.”
Alan's father was beginning to warm towards Lisa and he could see why Alan had wanted to help her. Abused or not, she was obviously loyal to her family. As he listened to her, he tried to work out if there was any way he and his wife could help.
“Have you no other family who can help you, Lisa?” he asked in a much warmer tone than he'd used before.
Lisa shook her head again, knowing it must be hard for an outsider to believe.
“No. My brother Scott is at university and dependent on my parents until he qualifies. I can't ask him for help. Anyway, he has no idea what my mother can be like. I tried to tell him last year after she attacked me, but he didn't seem to want to know. I think he thinks I was just making it all up to get attention. I haven't even asked for his help since then.”
Alan couldn't imagine anyone doubting that Lisa was telling the truth. He had seen it firsthand. Her mother was a head case. He looked at her reassuringly.
“Well I know that you're not making it up, I've seen it with my own eyes.”
Dave nodded in agreement.
“And I've had the delightful experience of speaking to your mother on several occasions. In fact we've had to caution her, so I can imagine what you've been going through.”
Dave's voice became serious as he looked at Lisa across the table.
“You do realise that with Alan's testimony, having witnessed your mother attacking you, and the fact that she's produced false evidence to the police in Scotland, we could have her charged with assault…. But it would require you to make a statement.”
Lisa started to panic at the suggestion.
“I don't know if I could cope with that. I've always been well cared for by my parents. I don't think I could do that to them.”
Dave shrugged his shoulders. He couldn't force her.
“Well that’s up to you. It's not a decision you have to make now, but we do have to decide what to do in the meantime. Would you like us to phone social services to try and find you somewhere to stay tonight?”
Alan's father got to his feet thinking it was about time he got involved.
”That won't be necessary. Lisa can come home with us. My wife has already discussed it with Alan, and it's not a problem.”
Dave looked relieved.
“Is that okay with you, Lisa?" he asked.
She looked at Alan and saw him smiling at her encouragingly.
“Yes… as long as you're sure that it won't be too much trouble.' She said to Alan’s father.
Jack had already decided there probably would be plenty of trouble, but he was beginning to feel uneasy about the way his son was looking at Lisa. He hadn't missed Alan's spontaneous gesture of taking her hand when she’d been upset earlier. No, the girl would be better at home with him and Kathy. At least until it was all sorted out. Dave stood up, thereby initiating the end of the meeting.
“I just need you to have a chat with one of our WPs, Lisa so you can make a statement regarding your mother's abduction claim. Is that okay with you?”
Alan looked anxious.
“Is that necessary? I thought everything was sorted out.”
Dave shook his head.
“It would be, if Lisa's mother wasn't claiming Lisa was only fifteen. We have to do things by the book here, especially if there are minors involved. Unfortunately, until Lisa can show us proof of her age, we've got to be careful her mother can't cause any more problems. You don't happen to have your passport on you, do you Lisa?”
She burst out laughing.
“I wish …” she answered with a sigh.
Lisa immediately took to WPC Brookes. She was tall and slim with highlighted blonde hair caught into a knot at the back of her neck, very similar to the way Lisa often wore her own.
“I believe you've had a bit of a rough ride, Lisa,” she said, having introduced herself.
Lisa nodded, hoping it wouldn't be long before she could go. All she wanted to do was get back to Alan.
“Can you give me your date of birth?” Eve Brookes asked, sensing that Lisa was in a hurry to get the whole thing over with.
Relieved at such an easy question Lisa reeled it off quickly. “17/10/1980.”
"And where were you born?"
“St. Margaret's Hospital, Glasgow.”
Eve Brookes thought both answers sounded sufficiently spontaneous.
“Now I'm sorry to have to ask you this, Lisa… but I'm just doing my job. Have you been attacked or interfered with sexually in any way since you left your parent's house yesterday?”
Lisa grinned, and thought back to the night before when she'd watched Alan sleeping.
“Definitely not.”
Eve smiled to herself, convinced that she’d heard a tone of regret in Lisa's answer.
“And lastly, did you leave your parent's house of your own free will yesterday afternoon?”
“Yes I did.”
That was all Eve needed to know. She asked Lisa what she was going to do next.
“ I'm going to stay with Mr and Mrs Turner until I can work out what to do.”
Eve had a little sister about Lisa's age, and she tried to imagine how she would cope.
“Good, well in the meantime, if you need any help, or you just need a friendly ear, just give me a call. I'm sure I can put you in touch with the right people if you need them.”
Eve passed her card with the station's number on the back across the table, and Lisa gratefully took it and put in her pocket. She was free to go.
By the time Lisa walked back into the station reception where Alan and his father were waiting, she felt totally drained.
Whatever Alan had said to Jack while they had been waiting had obviously warmed him to her, because he took her hand and assured her she would be safe with him and his wife.
It was agreed that Alan should run Lisa home to meet his Mum, so Jack could get back to the office. With a cheerful smile he waved them goodbye on the station steps and left them on their own.
“Relieved?” Alan asked, as they walked along the busy street back to the car park.
“Relieved and sad,” Lisa said.
Alan was surprised by her answer. He stopped and stood face to face with her.
“What have you got to be sad about? Surely you must be relieved to be out of it, away from your mother...”
Lisa realised Alan didn't really understand. Although she wanted to get away from her mother, she didn't want to get away from her father or her brother. She would miss them desperately, and she was now totally dependent on strangers for everything, including love.
“I’ll be fine, Alan, it’s just all feeling a bit strange at the moment.”
Alan spontaneously took her hand and they turned the corner and walked towards the car park.
“Well, from a personal point of view, I'm just glad I'm not a wanted man.”
Lisa looked up at him, then down at her hand in his. She couldn’t hold back her feelings anymore. She had to tell him.
“I want you...” she said in a quiet voice.
.
Alan stopped in his tracks and turned to face her again, hoping that she meant what she'd just said.
“Do you mean want me, or need me?” he asked hesitantly.
Lisa knew exactly what she meant. She had known since the moment she'd met him.
“Want you...” She repeated.
Alan put his hands on her shoulders, relieved that she had at last said something to prove she cared about him.
“Well, that’s good, Lisa… because I want you too...”
With that he took her in his arms and kissed her, gently, as he had in front of the station, and then passionately, as he felt her lips part beneath his. Lisa felt a thousand tiny butterflies rising from the pit of her stomach and trying to fly free, as his lips unleashed a passion inside her she'd never ever felt before. When they at last pulled apart, she felt light-headed and incredibly alive.
Alan stood back and held Lisa at arm’s length. The way he'd felt when he kissed her had also overcome him completely.
“Christ, Lisa, I'd better get you back to my parents' house. If I don't, God knows what might happen!”
Lisa stared back at him not caring where he took her, as long as he kissed her again…
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father |
By alexisleech
How do you know when you've fallen in love? Lisa lay on the single bed, in what was once Alan's bedroom, and considered the question. They had only been apart for two hours, and already she missed him desperately. When they had kissed for the first time, she realized that every kiss, every embrace she had experienced in her short time of sexual awareness, had only been a rehearsal so she would know how to recognise the real thing when it actually came along.
What if she had gone to the Isle of Man and never known how it felt? Lisa shuddered at the thought. When she'd stayed at home and hated her captivity, she had told herself she had nowhere else to go. She was wrong. There were places she could have gone; it was just that none of those places could offer her the things she thought were important.
She had learnt to covet the same things as her mother, a lovely home, and nice clothes on your back. Now the old cliché of 'you can't buy love' made perfect sense. The last two years had been lonely at times, especially when she wasn’t at boarding school, but now it was different. At last, she had found someone who believed in her.
She lay on the bed with nothing to her name but the clothes she had walked out in, and the few things Alan's sister, Karen, had given her. But it didn't matter. She felt wealthier now than she had ever felt in her life. The more she thought about it, the more ironic it seemed, and she eventually fell asleep with a smile on her face.
As Alan had predicted, his family had been terrific. His Mum had taken to Lisa immediately, as had his sister. By the time his father got home, it was as though she had been formally adopted into the family. Alan had looked over at her at one point, and thought it was as though she was shining. Lisa seemed to have an inner light which reached out and touched everyone in the room. It was just like the night when they had met at Vikki's.
Alan didn’t realise Lisa's new-found happiness was entirely due to him. Now she knew how he felt about her, she radiated her happiness with every breath.
As he helped his mother carry dishes through to the kitchen after dinner, he asked her what she thought of Lisa. Kathy Turner hesitated before answering. She had seen the way they looked at each other.
"She seems to be a lovely girl, Alan. If it wasn't for Carla, I could see you falling for her."
Alan didn't enjoy being reminded of Carla at that moment in time, especially by his mother. He started filling the dishwasher and tried to change the subject.
"Are you sure you don't mind Lisa staying, Mum?" he asked.
He was already wishing that he could take her back to the privacy of his own flat.
"Not at all, love. She needs somewhere stable for a while, and she seems to be getting on really well with Karen. It's been a bit lonely for her since you moved out."
Alan's Mother was right. Just two years older, Karen had been delighted to have someone a similar age in the house.
The minute her parents had explained to her what had happened to Lisa, she had raided every cupboard in her bedroom for clothes and make-up, which she had given to Lisa as soon as she arrived. It was like having a little sister who needed her help. She had enjoyed the experience of being generous, and Lisa took to Karen immediately because she made her feel so welcome.
The two girls walked into the kitchen at that moment, laughing as they came through the swing door. Karen came over to her brother and gave him a playful poke in the shoulder.
"You didn't tell me Lisa knew Vikki Clark, you sod!"
Alan hadn't thought to mention it. He just assumed Karen knew where he and Lisa had met.
"Why - is it important?" he asked. He failed to see the significance.
Karen looked at Alan indignantly, amazed at her brother's failure to remember such an important event.
"Of course it is! Vikki is having her annual birthday bash at the end of next week. Surely you haven't forgotten we're both invited?"
Clearly Alan had, but with everything else that had been going on, Karen begrudgingly forgave him.
"I'll give Vikki a call tomorrow, and check that it's okay to bring Lisa along. I'm sure she won't mind, especially as she knows Lisa already."
Alan turned towards Lisa to check that she was okay with Karen's suggestion.
"What do you think, Lisa, would you like to go?”
Lisa looked embarrassed when she answered.
"I'm not too sure I'd be welcome. Remember my mother phoned Vikki's to find out where you lived. She probably spun the same story to her as she did to the police, so I don't know that Vikki, or her parents, would want me there..."
Alan's mother put down the pot of coffee she had just made and turned to Lisa.
"Nonsense! I know Vikki's mother very well, and she doesn't suffer fools gladly. I'll ring her tomorrow and tell her what's happened. She's sure to understand."
Lisa thought of one more problem. She felt embarrassed bringing it up, but thought it necessary.
"I haven't anything to wear to a party like that. If I know Vikki, it'll be pretty formal."
Karen put her arm around Lisa’s shoulder, and indulged in her new found roll as Lady Bountiful again.
"Don't worry. I'm sure to find some old rag to fit you," she teased.
This time it was Alan's chance to give his sister a playful poke in the shoulder.
"You must be kidding! You haven't been anywhere near Lisa's size for ages." he said, momentarily forgetting that Karen's weight was a taboo subject.
He was in big trouble. Lisa laughed as she watched Karen chase her brother out of the kitchen into the sitting room, where she pushed him onto the sofa, and pinned him down until he apologised profusely.
They seemed such a loving family, and Lisa thought with sadness about her own. The age gap between her and her brother, Scott, had meant they'd never been particularly close. Now she saw the great relationship Alan and Karen had, she couldn't help feeling downhearted. Sadly, it had never been like that for her.
So the evening went on, and Lisa felt accepted by Alan’s very 'normal' family. Occasionally she would look across at him, and they would exchange a knowing look, reminding her of the feelings he had unleashed inside her when they had kissed.
Later on, Jack thought it was time they were serious for a moment, and they should discuss what had to be done to obtain a copy of Lisa's birth certificate. His solicitor had suggested Lisa should go to Somerset House in London to obtain a copy, which on the face of it, appeared to be the most sensible thing to do. The only problem was getting her there. He turned to Alan, who seemed to be miles away as he watched Karen and Lisa talking on the sofa.
"Alan, if you haven't got anything better to do tomorrow, could you drive Lisa through to London? According to Lawrence Hunter, that’s the easiest way to sort the whole thing out."
His father didn't have to ask twice. Alan was delighted, as was Lisa. He made a huge effort to hide his excitement when he agreed, and said it wasn't a problem. He would pick Lisa up in the morning and take her. They both smiled at each other and thought the same thing.
When it seemed like the right time to go, Alan got to his feet and said goodnight. Because everyone came to the door to see him off, Lisa didn't have a chance to talk to him alone, far less kiss him goodnight, but she didn't mind. She knew they would be alone together the next day, and she would show him then, just how much she cared...
................
When Alan arrived the next morning, Lisa was up, dressed, and eager to set off. He spent ten minutes having a cup of coffee and making polite conversation with his mother in an attempt to cover up the fact he couldn't wait to get Lisa on her own. At last, having promised to get back as soon as possible, they were going.
His mother was still talking as they went through the front door and started walking towards the car. Neither heard a word she said as the anticipation of being alone, and able to touch, propelled them towards the car as fast as they could decently walk, without breaking into a run.
They both gave a perfunctory wave as they drove away, and when they had driven a respectable distance from the house, Alan pulled into a lay-by, and turned off the engine.
He had barely pulled the brake on when Lisa stretched over and kissed him with a passion that defied belief. Their mouths were as one, both tasting of the fresh coffee they'd just drunk. Lisa felt the butterflies rise again from within when Alan's hand instinctively rose to touch her breast. Never before had it felt so right, and the need to be as one, more intense. They had awoken in each other a passionate sexuality which consumed them both, and made their bodies ache for more. The fact they were in a car, and it was broad daylight, didn't stop them. Their hunger for each other was so great...
. .................
Lisa felt drained. They had stopped kissing when they realised how close they were getting to going the whole way, and the sweat glistened on both their brows as they separated and took deep breaths. Neither of them had ever experienced that kind of passion before. It had taken over their bodies completely, as their need for each other engulfed them. It had been Alan who'd pulled away first, knowing it was neither the time nor the place.
"Jesus, Lisa, I don't know how much more of this I can take!" he muttered breathlessly, when he reluctantly broke away from her.
Lisa had thrown her head back against the headrest in an attempt to cool her neck, which was soaked in perspiration .
"What the hell are we going to do?" he asked, knowing their need for each other couldn't keep them apart for much longer.
Lisa didn't know either. Having no experience of how chemistry between two people could work, she was totally confused by it all.
"I've never felt like this before, Alan. I want you so badly; I'm actually aching inside…"
Alan burst out laughing. He had done nothing but ache for the previous three nights.
"Now that’s something I can easily identify with!” he replied.
He wanted to take her in his arms again, but Alan tried to control himself, and took her hand instead. Tenderly he kissed her finger tips, as he looked at her intently.
"Lisa, I've tried not to - but I've fallen in love with you."
She smiled slowly, and her hand rose to his face and lovingly touched his cheek.
"And I love you too," she said, amazed at how easily the words came from her lips.
When they at last pulled apart again, Alan turned on the ignition and attempted to clear the condensation from the windows by turning on the fan. It was useless. The car was completely fogged up.
"Christ, woman, look what you’ve done to my car!" he joked, in an effort to bring them both back to reality.
Lisa burst out laughing and helped him clear the windows of the proof of their passion with a cloth he kept under the seat. After five minutes of window wiping, at last they drove off, topped up for the moment in their need to kiss and touch.
The drive to London was long and uneventful and, apart from Lisa occasionally touching Alan's hand as he went to change gear, or him placing his hand on her thigh when they were stopped at traffic lights, they managed to complete the journey without setting off their feelings again. It was as though they both knew they would be together soon, and when it happened, they were determined that it would not only be beautiful, but it would be an experience neither of them would ever forget.
................
Getting a copy of Lisa's birth certificate was much easier than either of them expected, the only fly in the ointment being the inordinate amount of time it took to find a parking place, which was still miles away from Somerset House.
The sun was shining as they walked back to the car hand in hand. They were both delighted that the piece of paper Lisa now had in her pocket would stop her mother from controlling her life.
She felt euphoric with the realisation that not only was she free of her mother's clutches, but she was free to love Alan. It was a new beginning, and the happiness Lisa felt as they walked along hand in hand, was unlike any feeling she had known before.
They had lunch in a wine bar before setting back, and nearly got a parking ticket in the process. As the traffic warden was just about to write it out, Alan rushed over to her and claimed his girlfriend would have left him, if he hadn't taken her to lunch. The poor woman looked over at Lisa and tried not to laugh.
"So this is your fault then?" She asked.
Lisa nodded her head vigorously and tried to look guilty.
They thought she was still going to write the ticket, so Alan got down on one knee and begged her to give him a break. It worked. She put the ticket away, and smiled at him disapprovingly.
“Well go on then, I'll let you off, just this once, but I don't think it's me you should be getting down on one knee to, young man!” she teased, inclining her head towards Lisa.
Alan looked back at the traffic warden, a look of enlightenment on his face.
"You're absolutely right!" he declared, and she watched in amazement as Alan got down on one knee on the dusty
pavement in front of Lisa, a concentrated look of adoration on his face.
"Will you be mine, Lisa?" he asked, to the delight of all the passers-by who'd stopped to see what he was doing.
Lisa knew exactly what he meant, and pretended to think about it before she answered.
"As soon as I can!" she replied sheepishly.
Everyone, including the traffic warden, started to clap as he jumped up, took her in his arms and kissed her.
Lisa and Alan drove off, still laughing at the expression on the traffic warden's face. After they had driven for a couple of miles, Alan took his eyes off the road to look at her for a moment.
"Did you mean what you said back there?" he asked, before turning his attention back to the road.
Lisa smiled and looked back at him lovingly. Since the moment he'd taken her in his arms and kissed her, she'd wanted nothing more.
"Yes," she answered simply, feeling the butterflies rising inside her by just thinking about it.
There was a moment's silence before Alan spoke.
"We could go back to my flat…"
Alan was driving as fast as he could without breaking the speed limit. The thought of taking Lisa in his arms and making love to her for the first time in the privacy of his flat, made him desperate to get back as soon as he could. Lisa broke the silence by asking Alan how long it would take to get there, and he checked his watch.
“If we're lucky we should make it before the rush hour starts. I’d better phone Mum and tell her we've been held up, and I won't be bringing you back until later. I don't want her to start worrying if we're late."
Lisa watched as he spoke to his mother and noticed his expression change to one of concern. By the time he finished the call, she’d started to feel nervous.
"What's wrong?" She asked, remembering the last time he'd phoned his mother.
Alan wasn't quite sure how to tell her, so he just blurted it out.
"The police want you to phone them as soon as possible. Your mothers turned up at the station..."
Lisa's hands were shaking when she got out the card Eve Brookes had given her. Alan reached out and touched her cheek reassuringly.
“Don't worry, Lisa. They can't make you see her.”
Lisa hoped he was right and picked up the phone and dialled the number. After what seemed like an eternity, Eve answered.
“Hi, Lisa. I trust you got my message?”
Eve heard her hesitate at the other end of the line.
“Yes, but I don't want to see my mother. Can't you just tell her that?”
Eve could hear the fear in Lisa's voice, and tried to calm her down.
“I know this is not what you want to hear, Lisa, but you'll be better speaking to your mother here than anywhere else. At least if the meeting's here, we'll be able to help you if there are any problems."
Lisa began to shake again. The very thought of seeing her mother filled her with dread.
"I don't know if I could cope with it, Eve. Do I have to see her?"
It was Eve's turn to panic. If Lisa didn't come to the station, then she had no idea how they would get rid of the mother. They had already put up with her for over two hours.
"No, Lisa, you don't, but you would be doing Sergeant Wilson and me a big favour, if you would. She's refusing to leave the station until she's seen you, and we don't know what to do with her. Your father's here too - if that helps you decide."
The fact that her father was there seemed to calm Lisa down a little. She had never seen her mother nasty in public, especially if her Dad was with her. Fiona Collins was yet to make that mistake. After five minutes of Eve's gentle persuasion, Lisa agreed to go back. But she only agreed on the basis that there was no chance she would have to go back to Scotland with her parents after the meeting. Eve assured her that she wouldn't have to, especially if she had managed to get a copy of her birth certificate. When Lisa told her that she had, Eve let out a sigh of relief.
"Then there's nothing to worry about, Lisa. Nobody can make you do anything, or go anywhere you don’t want. You have just acquired the ticket to your freedom." she added.
Eve just hoped she'd said enough to convince Lisa that there was nothing to worry about. She had. Lisa hung up after she reluctantly promised to go straight to the station as soon as they got back to Chelmsford.
Alan took Lisa’s hand and raised her fingers to his lips. The last time they had gone to the police station, they had been pleasantly surprised. He was certain they couldn’t be that lucky twice in a row...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Karen Turner...Alan's sister |
By alexisleech
There was silence in the car for a few minutes while they both thought about Lisa's parents waiting for them to arrive at the station. Alan just wished he could keep on driving and take Lisa back to his flat as they'd intended, but that fantasy was now out of the question. The very thought of her mother being anywhere near would turn what should have been a wonderful experience into a total disaster. He had to take her to the station, and get the meeting with her mother over and done with.
He looked over at Lisa and told her everything would be okay, but his words fell on stony ground. Lisa was petrified at the thought of seeing her mother again. She knew how domineering she could be, and Lisa was sure her mother would somehow convince Eve that she was a wonderful mother, just as she had done with the police in Glasgow the year before.
Remembering back to that night, she inwardly shuddered. The beating from her mother, nearly being raped, and ultimately, the humiliation when nobody believed her, all had stamped an indellible image in her brain of mistrust and resignation. Her mother always won, as far as Lisa was concerned. She felt, in her heart of hearts, that for whatever reason, she would end up having to go back to Scotland with her parents.
She imagined her mother at the station, the picture of respectability, convincing the police that she was a perfect parent, and how it was actually Lisa who had the problem.
Fortunately, what Lisa feared couldn't be further from the truth. Her mother had done the same thing she'd done on the phone prior to Lisa's arrival in Chelmsford. She'd blown it.
When she and Lisa's father had first arrived, even Eve, who had been briefed by Sergeant Wilson as to how nutty the mother was, didn’t think she was too bad. That was, until she started showing her true colours. The couple had left the station for an hour or so when they were told Lisa wouldn't be there for a while, and everyone sighed with relief.
Eve assumed they had gone to have something to eat because they'd been at the station for quite a while before she managed to contact Lisa to tell her that they were there. When they eventually returned, Eve could smell drink on the mother’s breath, and her speech was slightly slurred. The father seemed to be okay, but he didn't say much, not that he had much of a chance. Eve tried to imagine what it might be like being a teenager stuck in a house with the woman, and she began to understand what Lisa must have gone through. No wonder she had run away…
As they approached Chelmsford, Alan could feel Lisa getting more and more uptight. Nothing he could say would convince her that her mother wouldn’t get her own way. She was obviously petrified at the thought of seeing her.
When they arrived, he turned off the ignition and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.
“Do you want me to be with you when you see your parents?”
Lisa stared at him in amazement. She knew he was probably as frightened of her mother as she was, and how difficult it must have been to offer. The very fact that he had, gave her renewed strength.
“No, it's okay. Eve has promised me I don't have to see her alone, and I like the idea of you being out here waiting for me, just in case.”
Alan looked at her, a puzzled expression on his face.
“Just in case what?”
She smiled, realising that he didn't understand.
“Just in case you have to rescue me again!” she answered with a nervous laugh.
He reached over and kissed her before she got out of the car.
“Don't worry, I'll be right here waiting for you…”
When Lisa walked into the station, she looked around the reception area nervously. She expected to see her parents waiting for her there but was relieved to find out they were nowhere in sight. As soon as Eve found out Lisa was there, she came straight out to get her.
“Thank goodness you’re here, Lisa. Your mother's been driving us nuts!' she joked.
Eve couldn't have picked better words to greet Lisa with because she was confirming she was on Lisa's side, and Lisa mentally needed all the allies she could get. Eve suddenly realised that there was a missing component.
“Where's Alan?” she asked, feeling as though she was looking at half a picture.
'I told him to wait for me in his car. He doesn't want to meet my mother again - once was enough..' she replied nervously.
Eve took Lisa's arm and teased her.
“Got the getaway car organised then?”
Lisa looked embarrassed and turned to explain. Eve laughed at her serious expression.
“I'm just kidding!”
Lisa wanted to laugh, but she was too uptight. She was having second thoughts about coming face to face with her mother.
“I don't know if I can go through with this, Eve, I'm sorry.”
Eve took her arm, and tried to reassure her.
“Nonsense! You’ve got nothing to worry about,” she cajoled, as she guided Lisa down the hall.
She was determined Lisa wouldn't leave until she'd faced her mother. Concerned at her uncertainty, Eve decided to take her into a spare interview room and give her a little pep talk before taking her through to see her parents.
“You don't have to be scared of your mother here, Lisa. We're all behind you, and we are here to help. You're just going to have to stand up to her,and get this out of the way,” she coaxed.
She just hoped what she was saying to Lisa would give her the strength to go through with the meeting. It did. Lisa pulled herself together and took deep breaths. She knew Eve was right, but it didn't make it any easier to cope with.
“Where are they?” she asked Eve, standing up with a determined expression on her face. She just wanted to get it over with.
“I've put them into the interview room we were in when you came in before. I thought it would be easier for you to talk to them in familiar surroundings.”
Lisa looked relieved, and followed her along the corridor. When they reached the door, she turned to Eve, her expression still apprehensive.
“You're coming in with me, aren't you, Eve?”
“Do you really want me to?” she asked gently.
Lisa nodded, and Eve was touched by Lisa's belief that she needed her by her side before she could face her own mother.
“Then I'm right beside you,” she said, and opened the door…
There were still four chairs in the interview room left from the day before. Fortunately Lisa's parents were unaware they could be viewed from a room next door through the one way mirror positioned in the centre of the far wall. If they had been, perhaps Fiona Collins would have behaved a little better. She was rattling on about how disgracefully they had been treated since they'd arrived, while Lisa's father paced the floor like a caged animal. At last he couldn't take listening to his wife any more. He jumped to his feet with such force - he nearly knocked over his chair.
“For God's sake, shut up, woman!” Donald shouted at her.
Dave Wilson, who was observing them from the room next door, couldn’t decide who looked more surprised, the father for his sudden brave outburst, or the mother for receiving it.
“Don’t you tell me to shut up, you useless old man. Look at you - you're pathetic! If I hadn't stood my ground earlier on, we wouldn't even be seeing Lisa. You were no use at all!”
Lisa's father looked suitably reproached, and put his head down. He knew he would suffer for his momentary act of bravery, and was beginning to regret it already. Dave looked at his watch and wondered where Lisa and Eve had got to, because he’d had enough. He’d been sitting there since he'd been told Lisa had arrived at the station, and now he was getting bored watching her weird parents.
When Lisa walked into the room, Eve was at her side, and they all remained speechless for a couple of seconds until the father got off his seat, somewhat more gently than before, and came towards Lisa to hug her. Lisa responded to her father's embrace and hugged him back, but mother and daughter refused to make eye contact.
When Lisa and Eve sat down, only then did they look at each other.
Her mother spoke first, but not to Lisa. She turned to face Eve.
“Am I to take it from you being here... we're not allowed to see our daughter alone?”
Eve stared back at her, determined not to lose her cool.
“Your daughter has requested I be present, Mrs Collins. May I remind you, this is not a formal interview.”
“Well I would like to speak to Lisa on her own, thank you. So, will you please leave us alone?”
Eve was irritated by Fiona's tone.
“Exactly what bit of 'your daughter has requested that I be present' are you failing to understand, Mrs Collins?” she asked.
Lisa's mother looked furious.
“How dare you talk to me like that? I'll report you to your superior!”
Eve smiled acidily back at her.
“That, Mrs Collins, is your prerogative, but I must warn you, 'my superior' is already considering pressing charges for the unnecessary waste of police time you’ve caused by giving false information to both ourselves and the Argyll & Bute police force."
“Go girl!” Dave Wilson muttered under his breath, when he saw the look on Lisa's mother's face. She looked as though she was going to explode, and turned to her husband with a look that could kill.
“Donald - DO something! Are you going to let her get away with talking to me like that?”
Lisa's father shrugged his shoulders.
“I don't know what you expect me to say, Fiona. You’re the one who spoke to the police. What exactly did you say to them?”
This was not going the way Fiona Collins had expected at all. Lisa had obviously told them a load of lies and turned them all against her.
In an effort to regain her composure, she started reeling off all the fictitious abuse she had supposedly suffered at the hands of her daughter and Alan, until, at last, Eve stopped her by holding her hand up in the air, like a policeman stopping traffic.
“You're wasting your time, Mrs Collins, and, regrettably, ours as well. We all know you were not assaulted, in fact, as we understand it, you were the one who was doing the assaulting.”
Eve struggled to keep her tone professional. The woman was a real pain in the ass.
“Secondly” she continued, interrupting the stream of protests coming from Lisa's mother's mouth.
“There's the small matter of supplying your own pills as evidence to the police in Dunoon, and claiming that they were drugs left on the premises by Alan Turner, all of which turned out to be fictitious. We don’t appreciate our time being wasted, Mrs Collins.”
Fiona was beginning to go red in the face. Eve was on a roll.
“Thirdly, your claim to have been robbed turned out to be a pack of lies. We understand that all your jewellery, with the exception of your everyday pieces, is kept at your bank in Glasgow.”
Lisa's mother started to look uneasy.
“It is also my understanding from our enquiries that you haven't been to your bank since you returned from holiday a month ago when you deposited your jewellery in your box there. Do you want me to go on, Mrs Collins?”
Lisa looked at her mother's face and nearly burst out laughing.
“But that boy abducted her! I have witnesses who saw….”
Again Eve interrupted her.
“That brings me to your fourth allegation, Mrs Collins. You claim that Lisa is only fifteen, is that correct?”
She put the copy of Lisa's birth certificate on the table in front of her.
“This document shows quite clearly that Lisa is now seventeen years old, and she has every right to go wherever, and with whomever she pleases with, or without, your permission. Do I make myself clear, Mrs Collins?” She added with a sugary smile.
Dave Wilson was nearly wetting himself behind the mirror. He had always thought Eve had the makings of an excellent officer, and she had just proved it again. By now Lisa's mother was on her feet marching towards the door.
“I'm not staying here to be insulted! Come on, Donald, let's get out of here. They're all mad!”
“I thought you were anxious to speak to your daughter, Mrs Collins…” Eve called after her, unable to resist having the last word.
Fiona was already gone, her husband silently following behind her. Before he left the room he put his hand on Lisa's shoulder.
“I'm sorry, Pet,” he said, and thrust ninety pounds he’d foraged from his pockets into her hand.
He looked into her eyes and then, shaking his head at the sadness of it all, dutifully followed his wife.
After they'd gone, Eve signalled a victory sign to the mirror behind Lisa, who seemed to be dazed by everything that had just gone on. She couldn't believe that it was over. Without opening her mouth, she had just watched her mother shot down in flames. Everything Eve had said had been so right. She felt truly free. She could go wherever and with whomever she liked, and there wasn't one thing her mother could do to stop her. As she sat absorbing this new found freedom, the door opened and Alan was shown in. He sat down beside her in Eve's empty seat and took her hand.
“You okay?” he asked, thinking from her expression that it must have gone badly.
Lisa looked up at him and smiled the smile of someone who had just been set free. Set free from the chains of a smothering, destructive love.
“She's gone!” She said, still unable to believe it.
When Alan saw the radiant smile on her face, he felt relieved. He'd been more worried than he’d admitted.
“I know, I saw them leaving. That’s why I came in. I’ve got to say, your mother didn't look very happy,” he added, with a touch of satisfaction.
Lisa didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She still couldn't get over how stupid her mother had looked after Eve had finished with her.
“She really has gone!" she kept saying, much to Alan and Eve's amusement.
Alan squeezed her hand, glad that it had gone much better than either of them had expected. It was wonderful to see Lisa smiling again.
“What did she actually say to you?” he asked, confused as to how it had all gone so well.
Lisa shook her head
“Nothing! That’s just the point. She couldn't get a word in edgeways thanks to Eve. She was magnificent...”
Eve was enjoying the flattery, but thought it best to interrupt.
“It would seem that Lisa's mother was more interested in making a point, than actually seeing her daughter - so I put her right on a few things and now, well, as Lisa says, she's gone.
Lisa got up from her chair and gave Eve a hug.
'Thank you so much, Eve - you were brilliant. I've never seen my mother rendered speechless before. It was nearly worth coming, just to see that!”
Eve hugged her back, glad that she hadn't let her down. She smiled back at them from the door.
“My pleasure. I have to admit I rather enjoyed it!” she added smugly.
Sadly, their happiness was going to be short lived. Fiona Collins was about to come back into Lisa and Alan’s life again. It would be a day neither of them would ever forget...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Karen Turner...Alan's sister |
By alexisleech
Warning: The author has noted that this contains strong language.
By the time Alan and Lisa left the police station, they were both happy, but exhausted. It had been, yet again, a hell of a day. All thoughts of them going back to his flat to make love were now abandoned, if not forgotten.
“All I want to do is have a nice relaxed meal with you and my family, and then chill,” Alan announced, putting his arm around Lisa's shoulder as they walked out of the station doors.
“Are you sure that’s all you want to do?' she asked with a cheeky smile.
“Oh, we are feeling better!" he teased.“What happened to that sad, frightened little girl I dropped off at the police station this afternoon?”
Lisa put her arm around his waist, feeling the warmth of his body through his shirt.
“Somebody set her free!” she replied, and looked up at him lovingly.
“Well then,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “I'm just going to have to see if I can catch her again...”
When they got back into the car, they kissed, not touching, as they had that morning, because they knew where it would lead. Their lips tingled as they showed each other how much they cared, and as the windows steamed up for the second time that day, Alan told her again how much he loved and wanted her.
Alan's parents' house was only twelve miles away, but the traffic was heavy as it was the middle of rush hour. Because of that, it took them over an hour to get back. Alan's mother had been waiting anxiously to hear from them after he'd phoned her while he was waiting for Lisa outside the station. She looked none too happy with Alan when they eventually got back.
“Oh, thank God you're okay! I've been worried sick since you phoned, Alan. You could have rung me to say you were on the way back,” she snapped, the anxiety sounding clearly in her voice.
As she ushered them through the door, her eye caught the sight of a large car turning into the cul-de-sac. Lisa followed her gaze, and Alan saw the blood drain from her face.
“What's wrong, Lisa…you look like you’ve seen a ghost!”
He couldn’t imagine what could possibly have upset her so much. Alan looked out towards the street to try and see what had caused her to look so scared.
“It's my parents - my mother - Oh God, I'm so sorry, Alan, I didn't think they would follow us here!”
Kathy Turner looked at the Lexus parked at the end of the drive, before shutting the door quickly and following Alan and Lisa back through to the kitchen. They both looked shell shocked.
“Jack, come through here! There seems to be a problem....” She called through to her husband in the front lounge.
Jack had been enjoying reading the paper with his feet up, so was not well pleased at being disturbed. The scene that met him in the kitchen was confusing, to say the least. Lisa was crying, Alan looked panic stricken, and when the doorbell went, they all nearly jumped out of their skins.
“Don't answer that!” Alan hissed at his father, when he saw him going towards the door.
“Why not… what the hell is going on?” His father asked.
Alan pulled his father back into the kitchen, and quietly shut the door before he explained.
“Lisa's mother is out at the front. She must have followed us back from the station. That's their Lexus parked at the end of the drive.”
Jack looked back at them both in amazement.
“What! How come you didn’t notice a bloody big Lexus on your tail?”
Only Lisa and Alan knew the answer to that, but it wasn't up for discussion. The doorbell went again, accompanied by the voice of Lisa's mother.
“Lisa, I know you're in there. Lisa, open the door!' she shouted.
This went on for two or three minutes, and tempted though Jack Turner was to open the door and give the woman a piece of his mind, one look at Lisa's face told him that was the last thing he should do. The girl looked terrified.
The door ringing was now interspersed with loud knocking and Lisa's name being screeched through the letterbox. Unable to stand it anymore, Jack marched over to the wall and snatched the phone.
“This is bloody ridiculous. I'm not being held hostage in my own house! I'm phoning the police. What's that policewoman called, Lisa?” he asked impatiently.
The question seemed to shake Lisa out of her trance. Searching through her pockets, she pulled out the card Eve had given her, and handed it to Jack.
Fortunately Eve was still on duty, and she had already been called by a neighbour complaining about a mad woman in a big car causing a disturbance in Alan's parents' road. She had been about to call them herself. She tried to calm Jack down.
“I've already radioed for a car in the area to come to you, Mr. Turner, but I think, under the circumstances, it would be best to get Lisa out of there. As long as her mother knows Lisa's staying at your house, it's going to be a problem. Do you have a back door?”
Jack Turner thought that was a bloody stupid question.
“Yes, of course we have!' he snapped back. He was now really irritated by the whole situation.
Eve continued as calmly as she could, hearing the commotion in the background and the tension in Jack Turner's voice.
“Where does your back garden lead too? Do you have a back lane?” she asked patiently.
“No, we have the school playing fields behind us,” Jack replied.
Eve was trying to picture the area.
“Are those the playing fields that run alongside Monroe Drive?” she asked.
Jack thought for a moment as he looked at everyone's anxious faces staring back at him in the kitchen.
“Yes I think they do,” he answered in a slightly less irritated tone.
Eve had decided what to do.
“Okay that’s great, Mr. Turner, I'll arrange for one squad car to wait for Lisa at the top of the playing fields, while the other car is sorting out her mother at the front. Can you put Lisa on please?”
Jack Turner was just about to hand the phone to Lisa, when he thought of something.
'Where are you going to take her?'
Eve admitted that she didn't know, and would have to call social services to try and enlist their help. Jack Turner wouldn't hear of it.
“We'll try and sort something out at this end. Leave that one with us,” he replied.
Eve was relieved he was being so helpful. She hated phoning social services at night. Jack handed the phone to Lisa, and Eve calmly explained to her what she had to do. She reassured her that they would make sure her mother couldn't get to her again. While they were talking, Jack explained what was happening to Kathy and Alan with regard to the police car that would be waiting for Lisa at the edge of the playing fields, and the one that would be arriving at the front to take Lisa's mother away.
“There is one more problem though. I've said we'll come up with somewhere else for Lisa to stay tonight. Any suggestions?”
Kathy suggested Vikki's house, remembering her conversation with her mother earlier in the day. Jack thought that was a good idea because Lisa knew the family, and would be amongst friends. Alan didn't agree, and reminded them that Lisa's mother knew where they lived as well, which meant Lisa could end up in exactly the same situation. Lisa was about to hang up, so Alan had to think fast.
“What about my flat?” he suggested, hoping they wouldn't suspect any ulterior motive.
Jack Turner looked at his son suspiciously.
“What about your flat? You've only got two bedrooms, and Mike is in the other one. Where would Lisa sleep?”
Alan tried to sound as laid back as he could because he didn’t want his father to know how he felt about Lisa. If he worked out that Alan was in love with her, he would never agree to Lisa staying with him.
“Oh Mike's cool. I can bunk in with him, and Lisa can have my room. It'll only be for a few days, and if there are any problems, I can come back and sleep here.”
His parents agreed that a top floor flat with a security entry would be much safer for Lisa, should her mother find out the address. Having no alternative, and having run out of time, they decided Alan's flat was probably the best option.
When Lisa came off the phone, Jack had just started to explain, when there was a loud smashing noise in the sitting room. Jack put his head round the swing door from the kitchen, and when he looked back at them, his face was twisted with anger.
“She's only gone and put a boulder through the bloody window!”
Lisa started apologising on her mother's behalf yet again before they heard Fiona Collins shouting.
“GIVE ME MY DAUGHTER BACK. YOU BASTARDS!”
Lisa let out a sob, and looked like a cornered animal about to be slaughtered. Jack looked as though he was going to explode, and Kathy looked terrified. After a few moments, they had to endure it again.
“DO YOU HEAR ME … GIVE ME MY FUCKING DAUGHTER BACK!”
Lisa put her hands over her ears, and Alan realized that she was going to break down completely.
“Dad, we've got to get her out of here!” he whispered loudly.
His father nodded in agreement.
“Come on, Lisa …you only have to get to the other side of the field.” Alan coaxed, taking her arm and steering her towards the back door.
His mother wanted to go upstairs to get Lisa some clothes to take with her, but Alan said they didn't have time. He told her that he would take them when he went back to the flat later.
Alan took Lisa's hand, propelled her through the back door, and across the back garden to the fence. Dragging a garden chair from the patio, he helped her over the fence. They looked across the playing field for the waiting police car. Thankfully, it was there.
All Lisa could hear was the sound of her mother shouting her name in the distance mixed with the sound of sirens...and she just wanted to keep running until she couldn't hear any of it anymore. When one of the policemen saw them approaching, he jumped out of the car and waited for them to reach him.
“Lisa?” he asked.
She nodded her head breathlessly.
“PC Boyle at your service,” he said, as he held the back door of the squad car open for Lisa to get in.
He turned to Alan as soon as she was safely in the back seat.
“Where are we taking her?” he asked. Alan gave him the address of his flat, and his mobile phone number, in case there were any problems.
Lisa looked up at Alan, the terror still showing in her eyes.
“Alan...can’t you come with me?” she begged tearfully.
He kissed her through the open window, then gently stroked the side of her face as he spoke.
“I'll get back as soon as I can, after I've made sure that Mum and Dad are okay. They're not like us, Lisa… they're not used to all this excitement...”
He hoped his comment might make her smile, but it didn't. Lisa was past laughing at anything, and she sat back in the seat and stared straight ahead. Alan watched them slowly drive away, before he turned round and ran back to the house.
By the time he got back, there were two squad cars out front and the neighbours, safe in the knowledge that the mad woman couldn't get at them, were all staring out of their windows. Alan saw Lisa's mother being put into the back of the first squad car and driven away. Lisa's father got back into his car and, as usual, dutifully followed. They were gone at last.
Alan found his parents in the living room, where his mother was already cleaning up the mess from the broken window. One of the officers from the second police car was talking earnestly to his father.
“But if you don't press charges, Sir, she'll get away with it. All we can charge her with is breach of the peace, if you don't.
Jack shook his head, already tired of the whole situation. As long as she had gone, he was happy to leave it at that.
“All I'm concerned about is that she knows her daughter isn't here anymore, so she doesn't come back. Did one of you make sure that she knows Lisa's left?”
The officer assured them that it had been explained quite clearly to Mrs. Collins that her daughter was no longer on the premises. Jack seemed satisfied.
“Well, that’s it then. I don't want any more to do with the woman. We won't be pressing charges,” he announced. He then stood up, and showed the officer to the door.
.................
When Lisa arrived at Alan's flat, she could see that the lights were on in the top floor. Alan had phoned his flat mate, Mike, to tell him she was on her way, so he had made it as welcoming as possible.
Lisa thanked the two police officers, and wearily climbed the stairs feeling like a fugitive. Because Alan had spent an hour with Mike the night before, he knew the whole story about what had happened in Scotland.
“Have you not got any bags?” he asked, as he welcomed her into the flat.
Lisa gave a sad smile.
“No, it seems to be my lot in life to travel light these days,” she answered wryly.
Mike showed her into Alan's bedroom, which was, as is typical of a single lad, fairly untidy. Mike made a half-hearted attempt to tidy up by moving the clothes off the bed.
“Alan said you were sleeping in his room, but I don't know if he has a clean duvet cover or anything… he usually takes his washing home to his Mum.”
Lisa sat on the bed and looked around the untidy, very unromantic room, and remembered their shattered plans earlier in the day. It seemed a million years ago now.
"To be honest, I'm so tired, it doesn't matter. This duvet will do fine…" she replied, before looking back at Mike with an exhausted smile.
“The bathroom's right next door, if you want a bath or anything. Would you like a coffee?” he asked, not knowing what else to say or do.
Lisa nodded, grateful that Alan's flatmate seemed so nice.
“That would be great, and the bath sounds good too. Are you all right for hot water?” she asked politely.
“Yeah, we have a Combi boiler, so it makes it as we need it. Use as much water as you like. The only problem is, the bath takes ages to fill up, but don't worry...at least that will give you time to drink your coffee!”
Feeling less guilty than she did before, Lisa went through to the bathroom to run a bath, while Mike went to the kitchen to put on the kettle. While she waited, she looked in Alan's room for a bath towel, and she found a pile of big fluffy bath sheets, no doubt courtesy of Alan's mother, stacked in a corner. Mike brought her coffee through to Alan's bedroom, then left her in peace.
The coffee was great, and just what Lisa needed. Mike had also been kind enough to make her a sandwich, which she ate gratefully because she hadn't had anything since they'd had lunch in London earlier.
By the time she slipped into the steaming bath, she was feeling a lot better, and she let the bath salts Mike had given her ease her tense muscles. Every time the day's events came into her mind, she pushed them away again, with the exception of her and Alan's abortive love making in the car that morning.
As she lay back in the bath, she imagined his lips on hers, his hands on her body.. and the heat of the water seemed to reach deep inside her. She hoped they would make love that night, which was one of the reasons she had accepted the offer of the bath. She had thought about losing her virginity for so long, and she was so glad that it would be Alan, not Nick, who would be the first to make love to her. She closed her eyes, determined to relax and think of nothing else but lying in his arms.
After fifteen minutes, she felt herself drifting off to sleep so thought it best to get out. The warm bath towel she'd left on the radiator felt great against her skin, and when she was dry, she wrapped it around herself, sarong style, before letting down her hair.
When she came out of the bathroom, she could hear the sound of voices in the living room so made her way towards it thinking Alan had arrived. As she approached the door, she realised that the voices came from the television, so she turned and went back to Alan’s room.
As she lay on the bed, it felt as though her body was on fire, and she didn't know if it was the bath, or her new found sexuality. Eventually, with her head full of thoughts of Alan, she fell asleep with the damp towel still wrapped around her...
.....................
Alan didn't get back to the flat until well after eleven. Mike had stayed up waiting for him in case he'd forgotten his key, but he too had fallen asleep while watching television. He woke up when Alan snapped off the television with the remote control. Mike looked up at him, still half asleep.
“Hey, man, how you doing?” he asked groggily, checking his watch.
Alan had collapsed into the armchair opposite him, and thrown his head back so that he was looking up at the ceiling. He still couldn't believe the trouble Lisa's mother had caused.
“Shattered …I think it's been one of the longest days of my life. Have you any idea how hard it is to get someone out to board up a window at this time of night?”
Mike had no idea, but he was surprised Alan did. He wasn't usually so responsible.
“Why didn't you let your old man sort it out?” he asked,
Alan got up and poured himself a Bacardi from the bottle on the sideboard, then added some Coke he’d bought at the garage on the way back to the flat.
“I felt guilty about them having to go through what they did tonight. I thought it was the least I could do,” he answered, sipping his drink slowly and letting it soothe him.
He looked back at Mike.
“Is Lisa okay?”
Mike thought he would never ask. If it had been him, he would have gone straight to his bedroom and found out for himself. He didn't know that Alan was stalling, not sure if Lisa still wanted him after what had happened.
“Out for the count, as far as I know. She had a bath about an hour ago, and I haven't heard a peep out of her since. Are you really going to kip in my room?”
Alan laughed, remembering the conversation he'd had with Mike a couple of hours before when he was at his parent's house.
“No, mate, that was for the benefit of the folks. They were listening when I called you from the house...but if anyone asks, I'm bunking up with you, okay?”
Mike put his hands up in the air, relieved that he didn't have to reorganise his room.
“Hey, man, I know nothing. I wish I could swap places though, you lucky bastard!”
After they said good night, Alan sat for a few minutes and finished his drink. When he went through to the bathroom, he could smell the aromatic bath salts Lisa had used, and he sat on the edge of the bath trying to get things straight in his head.
If Lisa had soaked in a bath, he assumed that she still wanted him to make love to her. With that thought in mind, he decided to take a shower.
The hot water revived him, and he started to feel better as he pushed the memory of Lisa's mother coming to the house to the back of his mind. By the time he had dried off, he was wide awake, and with the towel wrapped around his waist, he quietly slipped into his bedroom.
Lisa had been asleep for over an hour, and lay on the bed with one arm thrown back above her head. Her left breast lay bare, having escaped from the confines of the towel, her hair spread across the pillow like a sheet of moonlit water. Much though Alan wanted to get onto the bed and take her in his arms, he was rooted to the spot just staring at her. There was no doubt in his mind now. She wanted the same as him.
Eventually, when he felt he had been standing looking at her for an eternity, he walked over to the bed and lay down beside her. Her eyes opened slowly when he kissed her gently on the lips, and within seconds her arms were around him pulling him close, their flesh separated only by two damp towels…
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister |
By alexisleech
Warning: The author has noted that this contains the highest level of sexual content.
The soft light of dawn filtered through the open blinds as Lisa opened her eyes. She felt skin next to hers, and looked sleepily over towards Alan.
Lisa lay studying his face in the dim light as she remembered the night before when he had woken her. He had first kissed her gently on the mouth while his free hand released the damp towel from around her, and for a moment he just stared at her, as though he was in awe of her body. She reached for him, and as his lips met hers, all the passion they had felt in the car earlier in the day was released again. His fingers teased her right nipple until it stood erect and proud, and as his mouth left hers to engulf it, his fingers slid down to the place no man had touched before.
Lisa smiled when she remembered the sensation of him touching her there. It was as though her whole body had become a mass of wonderful internal explosions, which created a need in her beyond anything she could possibly describe. She had literally ached for him to explore the soft damp flesh inside her, writhing in delicious rapture, her back arched in ecstasy. As Lisa let out small moans, the perspiration giving her skin the sheen of a goddess, she begged Alan to stop the exquisite torture. Only then did he reach into his bedside cabinet.
When Alan entered her, she let out a small gasp, and he stopped for a moment because he was scared that he was hurting her. But her hips rose up to meet him, begging him to plunge deeper and deeper inside her. His body had taken over, and his rhythm increased as he looked down at her beautiful face below him. She had cried out with every thrust, her mouth open, her eyes searching his for the love that had brought their bodies together. At last, she had thrown her head back and closed her eyes, as her body quivered with the sweet release of the sensations deep inside her. Alan knew that he couldn't hold back any longer. When Lisa's eyes had opened again, he cried out her name, his orgasm taking him to a level of unbelievable ecstasy.
As she lay there beside him the next morning, she kept shutting her eyes and reliving the memory. The realisation that sex was not the sleazy male dominated experience she had been brought up to believe, but something truly beautiful and spontaneous when it was between two people who loved each other, filled her heart with joy. It was as though she had been released from a deep sleep by his touch, and now she knew how wonderful it could be, she knew she could never settle for anything less.
Lisa lay studying his face, and thought how beautiful he was. His chest, which she had glimpsed at the hotel, was wide and muscular, and seemed sculptured in the soft dawn light. Unable to resist touching him anymore, she ran her finger down Alan’s cheek to his lips. They felt soft and dry to her touch, and she wanted to kiss them so much. He stirred, and his leg moved from hers as he rolled onto his front. She could now see the tight muscular shape of his back and shoulders, where the sun had turned his skin a golden brown.
She longed for his touch again, and felt tempted to wake him, but remembering how Alan had woken her the night before, she didn’t. She wanted to wake him in the same way. Lisa slipped from the bed, and wrapping her still damp towel around herself, went quietly to the bathroom.
When she looked in the mirror, she looked different. Her lips looked fuller, more sensuous, and when she touched them, they tingled. Her breasts felt tender, and she remembered him teasing them with his mouth, awakening her body as no one had before. When she ran her fingers across them, she closed her eyes and felt a glorious aching tension deep inside, her body desperate for his lips to be there again. She wanted to wake him as he had woken her, but she wanted him to know that she was fresh for him to put his mark on her again.
After her shower, she left her towel behind, and dripping from head to foot, she took the chance of bumping into Mike in the hallway, as she made her way back into the bedroom.
She could see more now, and the shafts of light, sliced into slivers by the blinds, landed on Alan's shoulders in bands of light and shade. Lisa sat on the edge of the bed and let the water from her hair drip sensuously onto his back, as her lips planted light butterfly kisses on his neck and shoulders. It was his turn to be woken feeling wanted, and it was something he had never experienced before. Her lips sent waves of electricity through him, until the sleep had been chased away, and replaced by his need to love her again.
When at last they pulled apart, they lay facing each other, their fingers entwined, their eyes locked, until Alan noticed a tear roll down Lisa’s cheek.
“God, Lisa - what’s wrong? I thought you…”
Lisa silenced him by pressing her finger to his lips.
“It’s okay...” she whispered, as another tear followed the first.
He raised himself up on one elbow, and gently wiped the tears away, while he looked down on her compassionately.
“I’m so sorry Lisa---I thought this was what you wanted, I would never…”
Her pressed finger silenced him again.
“It was - It is - It’s just that…” she said, the words catching in her throat as her tears took over..
Alan gathered her up in his arms and held her to him, until the small shuddering sobs subsided.
“Do you wish it had never happened?” he asked hesitantly.
She pulled away from him, a tortured expression of disbelief etched on her face.
“Why?” she asked in a small anxious voice. “Do you?”
He couldn’t believe she was even asking him. Surely everything he had said and done had proved how much he loved her.
“Of course not, Lisa! I didn’t think it was possible to feel so much for anyone. Last night was incredible---beautiful! Oh God, Lisa - what’s wrong?”
She nestled back into his warm chest, frightened to look at him when she asked the question.
“What about Carla…?”
Alan wouldn’t answer until she looked at him, so he pulled back from her, and gently lifted her chin until they were eye to eye.
“Why do you think I came up to Scotland?” he asked gently.
Lisa looked down at his hand which had grasped hers as he asked the question. She couldn’t answer, because she didn’t know.
“Did I know you’d got engaged to Nick a week after I met you?”
“No…”
“Did I know your mother was a bloody head case and likely to stab you if I hadn’t been there?”
Even Lisa managed to giggle tensely at the suggestion.
“Of course not!”
This time he raised her gently by the shoulders until she was facing him, so that he could look straight into her eyes.
“I’ll tell you why I came to Scotland, Lisa. When I met you, I was bowled over. I knew I had never felt that way about Carla, or anybody else for that matter. I went out to see her in Spain to work out my feelings and, more importantly, our relationship.”
He looked down at her hand in his for a moment before he continued.
“And?” Lisa couldn’t help but interrupt and ask.
“And---” he took a deep breath. “It was a disaster...”
It was Lisa’s turn to look surprised.
“In what way?”
Alan shook his head and looked momentarily confused.
“I don’t know. I can’t explain it really. Carla was different, or maybe I was. I don’t know. It was just all wrong - It was as though we were a couple of strangers. She had made a lot of new friends out there, and they all seemed to be nice people, but I just didn’t have anything in common with any of them. We were hardly ever alone together because she shares a flat with three other girls - and Carla seemed to want to spend more time with them than she did with me.”
Lisa’s heart sank for a moment.
“Maybe you were just jealous - maybe you felt rejected - maybe you came up to Scotland because you thought she didn’t love you anymore, and you couldn’t bear to be alone – Maybe -”
She put her hand to her head and looked broken.
“Maybe what happened in Scotland just gave you a chance to run away from your relationship with Carla, just like I did with Nick...”
“No,” he replied earnestly. “It wasn’t any of those things. Honestly, Lisa. I do love you...”
She shook her head.
“Four weeks ago you thought you loved Carla. How can you be sure?”
Alan couldn’t believe the way the conversation was going. One minute he was making love to the woman he now considered as his soul mate, and the next, he was analysing his relationship of six years with Carla.
“Well, what about Nick?” he retorted, in an attempt to change the subject.
Lisa looked upset.
“What about Nick?” she repeated angrily.
“Well you thought you could love him! Why am I suddenly the one who has to explain himself?”
The tears started again, and Lisa looked so miserable, Alan regretted mentioning Nick at all.
“I don’t know!” she cried pathetically.
“Then what the hell is this all about, Lisa?” Alan asked her.
Lisa took a deep breath. The realisation that she might lose him when Carla returned from Spain had hit her with such force after they’d made love; she thought her heart would break.
“Because I love you - and I couldn’t bear to lose you – especially now...”
Within seconds she was in his arms again, and he covered her tear streaked face with as many kisses as he could. He then held her tightly, and fought back the tears he felt forming in his own eyes, before he said the words she needed to hear
“Then we’ll be fine, Lisa, because I couldn’t bear to lose you either…”
....................
Three days had passed, and Alan was happier than he had ever been in his life. Having allayed Lisa’s fears about his relationship with Carla, they had spent the time talking about all the things they needed to know about each other, and the various doubts they both had. That, of course, was when they weren’t making love, or just lying together, touching and holding each other in silence. It was only the occasional guilty pang about Carla on Alan’s part, and Nick on Lisa’s, that made their time together less than perfect.
Alan knew he would have to tell Carla about Lisa, but when? And how? She wasn't going to be back for another two weeks, which coincided with him going back to Art School, and the situation couldn't be handled long distance. He was also worried about his parents and their reaction when he told them, which he knew he must. He realised that they were much less likely to give Lisa the immediate support she needed if they were giving it to his lover, not his friend. The fact that Lisa was an abused teenager who their son had rescued, had made them protective towards her, but if they knew that friendship had turned into love, they might take a completely different view.
When he'd phoned them briefly the day before, he had tried to sound as laid back as he could when they asked after Lisa, but he felt guilty deceiving them, and even guiltier for switching off his mobile phone after the conversation...
............................
Alan wandered back into the bedroom with two steaming cups of coffee in his hands. Lisa was still asleep, and as he looked down at her naked body, he smiled when he remembered the night before. It just seemed to get better and better. He had been right all along, Lisa was made for loving; she just hadn't known it until now.
He put down the coffee, sat down on the bed, and kissed her gently until she woke up. As usual, she responded immediately, and a wicked little grin spread across her face as she reached out for him. He, in return, playfully smacked her fingers.
“Coffee!” he said, placing the hot mug in her hands.
“I'd rather have you...” she whispered enticingly, before putting the mug back down on the bedside table and reaching for him again.
This time he rolled her over and gave her a sharp slap on the bum. Unperturbed, she simply rubbed the stinging cheek and grinned.
“Do that again!” she demanded brazenly, trying to undo the knot in the belt of his dressing gown with unashamed enthusiasm.
There was no putting her off, and Alan erupted into howls of laughter.
"You are absolutely insatiable! You're going to wear me out - and then where will you be?" he asked with a smile that widened when he realised what she was doing.
She had at last succeeded in untying the knot.
He let her carry on, and pretended to be more interested in his coffee - but not for long. Needless to say, by the time they had finished, their coffee was stone cold...
They lay afterwards talking, touching, both feeling blessed at the pleasure they found in each other. Alan wished he could keep Lisa this close to him forever, but reality was beginning to filter through.
“You do know we're going to have to rejoin the real world sometime, don’t you, Lisa?” he asked, sitting up and trying to be sensible.
Lisa didn't want to think about it. She had been happier than she could possibly imagine confined within those four walls. No, reality was not an option she even wanted to consider.
“How about we go and visit my folks later?” Alan suggested,
Lisa looked pensive for a moment before she answered.
“Are you sure my parents have gone back to Scotland?”
Alan hadn’t even thought about it, but he was sure a call to Eve would confirm that they had.
He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head like a concerned parent.
“Is that what’s worrying you? Do you think your mother's out there waiting to pounce on us the minute we leave the building?”
“No! Of course not!”
“Well, in that case, go and have a shower and get dressed, because we are going out, young lady, and nothing you can say or do, is going to stop us - Okay?”
While Lisa was having a shower, Alan phoned his parents, and was surprised at not being reprimanded for switching off his mobile phone. It had to be a first. As he hoped, his Mother invited them over for dinner that evening, and he felt better having phoned.
Lisa felt strange getting dressed for the first time in days. She had learnt to love her body as she had his, for the pleasure it now gave her.
“Now, I don't want you anywhere near me while we're at my folks - it'll be too frustrating!” Alan insisted, as they left the flat for his parents' house.
Lisa looked back at him and grinned.
“What? Are you frightened your parents will work out that you deflowered the poor little Scottish virgin you rescued?”
He grinned back at her. She had read his mind.
“Actually, yes - I mean no! Oh God, Lisa, I don't know, there's just something about sex and parents. They just don’t mix!”
There was a moment's silence, and then they both started laughing when they realised what he had actually said. So Alan tried again.
“No, seriously though…”
Lisa imitated his 'serious' voice
.
“No, seriously though…”
Alan realised Lisa wasn't in the mood for serious, and gave up. She stretched her hand up and touched the side of his face.
“Don't worry I give you my word, I’ll behave,” she promised diligently.
Alan sighed with relief.
"On one condition…" she added.
Alan grinned, staring ahead at the traffic.
"Let me guess - might that condition have something to do with my - sorry our bedroom, when we get back tonight?” he asked.
Lisa was enjoying the game.
“Might do...”
'And could it have anything to do with my body?”
She pretended to think about it for a moment.
“Might do...”
“And is it likely to take more than half an hour?”
Now she was grinning from ear to ear.
“Definitely!"
“Then I don't agree - I'll be far too tired...” he replied, before looking over and winking at her.
She cuffed him playfully on the back of the head, and promised him he'd be sorry if he didn't agree - so he did.
Little did they know what the evening held in store...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister |
By alexisleech
Warning: The author has noted that this contains the highest level of language.
Jack and Kathy Turner were as welcoming as ever. As usual, Alan gave his mum a big hug as he came through the door, and she looked genuinely pleased to see them. His dad made them all laugh when he pretended to look down the street for strange cars. For a second, Lisa thought he was being serious, and followed his gaze with an agonised look on her face.
“Pay no attention to him, Lisa. He’s just winding you up!” Kathy shouted over her shoulder, as she made her way to the kitchen.
Karen was delighted to see them because she'd been out with her mates on the night Lisa's mother had come round, and she wanted to hear their version of what had happened. Alan looked over at Lisa, wondering if it was upsetting her, but she seemed to be handling the situation fine.
They sat at opposite ends of the room just in case they inadvertently gave the game away, but their eyes met constantly, and they smiled a knowing smile at each other all evening. Dinner was delicious, and Lisa realised that food had not been on their list of priorities during the last three days. Immediately after dinner, Karen jumped up,and asked if she and Lisa could go up to her bedroom.
“What are you two up to?” Alan asked, always suspicious of his sister's little schemes.
“Girls' stuff, nosy!” Karen replied, as she grabbed Lisa's arm and propelled her up the stairs.
Hanging up in Karen's room was a beautiful red taffeta ball gown with a low cut, boned bodice and a laced up back. Karen had been dying to show it to Lisa.
“You’re a size 10 aren’t you?” Karen asked, pleased at the way Lisa was staring at the dress admiringly.
Lisa nodded.
“Well sadly I'm not- anymore. Mum bought this for me for my eighteenth, and it nearly cut off my blood supply then. Alan was right when he said I'd put weight on, I can't get near it. I thought you might want to borrow it for Vikki's party on Saturday night.”
Lisa was overwhelmed. It was one of the most beautiful dresses she'd ever seen in her life, and she knew, just by looking at it, that it would suit her.
“Are you sure I'm invited?” Lisa asked, desperately wanting to go, especially now she'd seen the dress.
Karen looked pleased with herself. She had been busy since she'd last seen her.
“Not only are you invited, but guess what? Vikki's cousin, Richard is coming up from London for the party and he is, let me tell you, drop dead gorgeous!”
Lisa was beginning to feel nervous; Karen was obviously planning something.
“So?”
Karen babbled on, delighted with her ingenuity.
“So - he only saw a picture of you on Face book that Vikki took when you guys were on the cruise together, and guess what?”
Lisa could see where this was going, and hoped she was wrong.
“What?” she repeated hesitantly.
Karen looked really pleased with herself when she turned to answer her.
“He just happens to think you’re the hottest thing he's ever seen, and he's dying to meet you! Isn’t that fantastic?”
Lisa forced a weak smile.
“Fantastic,” she echoed flatly. That was all she needed.
“But there's more,” Karen continued excitedly.
Lisa sat on the bed, and dreaded what might be coming next.
“Not only is he gorgeous, but he's minted as well.”
Lisa was obviously not up to date with the latest jargon.
“Minted?”
Karen shook her head in disgust.
“Minted---you know, loaded, what do you guys call it in Scotland?”
Lisa felt slightly insulted.
“Rich?”
“Okay, rich then." Karen echoed, as she looked at her new friend expecting some appreciation of her efforts.
Lisa put on a brave face and tried to look as enthusiastic as she could. She decided to change the subject by turning her attention back to the dress.
“Can I try it on?” she asked
“Of course you can,” Karen replied with a giggle. "I thought you’d never ask!”
She left Lisa alone so she could try on the dress. It fitted perfectly, and when Lisa looked at her reflection in the mirror, she was delighted. It really suited her, and it was perfect in every way. Whilst it emphasised Lisa's tiny waist, the bones of the bodice pushed up her bust, creating a perfect laced up hourglass effect.
Karen moaned when she came back into the room and saw her.
“Oh God, it never looked like that on me...” she wailed.
There was no doubt that the dress had been designed for Lisa, and Lisa alone. The hem was a little long, but they decided higher heels would take care of that. Thanks to the money Lisa’s father had given her at the station, she would be able to buy a new pair of shoes to solve the problem.
Karen started to rummage through her drawers for the fake pearl choker her mother had bought her to go with the dress, so Lisa started playing with her hair, piling it up on top of her head using pins she found on top of the dressing table.
“There - perfect!” Karen announced, as she clipped the catch into place at the back of Lisa's neck.
They both looked at Lisa's reflection, and had to agree that she looked pretty damned good. Karen was so delighted, she wanted to show Lisa off, so she propelled her out of the room and onto the landing.
When Lisa came back down the stairs behind a now exceedingly pleased with herself Karen, nobody was expecting anything other than the two normally dressed teenagers who had gone up them half an hour before. Jack let out a low involuntary whistle, and Alan just stared in amazement. But it was Kathy who spoke first.
“You look absolutely gorgeous, Lisa,” she said, as Lisa stood feeling self conscious in front of them.
Karen wanted more praise, as if she was the one who was going to wear the dress to the party.
“What do you think, Alan?”' she asked, and pulled Lisa over to stand in front of him. He looked up at her and smiled.
If his parents had any inkling of what he was really thinking at that precise moment, they would probably have chucked him out of the house.
“Yeah, you look good, Lisa,” he replied, trying to sound impartial.
Karen was disappointed at his lukewarm reaction.
“Well, wait until Richard Clark sees her - he'll think she looks bloody fantastic!” she snipped.
Alan looked up, ready to ask the obvious question, but his father got there first.
“Who's Richard Clark?”
Karen was enjoying this. She'd got their attention at last.
“Richard Clark is Vikki's cousin from London. You know - the one we all fell for at her brother's twenty-first last year.”
Now everyone except Lisa was looking confused. Karen looked at her mother with an exasperated expression.
“Mum, you must remember! I told you all about him.”
Kathy was racking her brain trying to remember this particular infatuation.
“Was he the solicitor who turned up in a Porsche, and had you all drooling for weeks?”
Karen cheekily patted her mother on the head.
“Well done Mum - go to the top of the class!”
Alan couldn't take much more.
“I still don't see what this has got to do with Lisa?” he asked hesitantly, hoping that it wasn't what he thought it was.
Karen feigned boredom having to repeat the story again.
“Lisa and Vikki on cruise with mothers - Vikki takes loads of pictures, including some of the luscious Lisa here. Cousin sees pictures on face book, and thinks Lisa looks gorgeous. Cousin decides to come to Vikki's eighteenth party after all, because young, free and single Lisa here is coming too - Any more questions?”
Lisa looked at Alan's face to see his reaction. It was not good. In fact, he looked downright furious.
“I'm sure he's not coming to the party just to meet me Karen - that's ridiculous.” Lisa interrupted, hoping she could prove to Alan she had nothing to do with Karen’s matchmaking.
But Karen's reply only made it worse.
“That’s where you're wrong. He was supposed to be going away to Paris for the weekend, but he cancelled when he heard that you were coming to the party - How keen is that?”
Lisa wished Alan would just tell everyone about them, and this conversation would stop. But he didn't. He just sat there and said nothing.
Alan's father got to his feet.
“Well, I think it sounds like a great idea. Lisa needs to meet as many people as she can if she's going to live here in Chelmsford. Alan won't have much time for her when Carla gets back. “
Lisa was screaming inside. Surely now was the perfect time for Alan to tell his family that they had fallen in love? But he just sat there staring at his sister as though he could kill her. To make matters worse, while Jack was out in the kitchen getting a night-cap, Karen carried on happily discussing the arrangements she had planned for the big night.
“I thought you would like to come here to get ready, Lisa? We could have a laugh while we’re getting dolled up. What do you think?”
Lisa was still furious with Alan for not saying anything, but she tried to sound interested for Karen’s sake.
“Yeah, that would be great. What time do you want me to come over?”
Karen thought for a minute.
“Why don't I pick you up from Alan's flat about four? We can go and buy your shoes, and then come back here to get ready.”
Lisa nodded in agreement, and shot another betrayed look at Alan.
Kathy was more concerned about how they were all getting to the party because she didn't like them driving if there was any chance of them having a drink. Karen, of course, had the answer.
“Well, if Alan goes on his own, Lisa and I can hitch a ride with Richard. He's not driving up until that evening, and he's staying at Vikki's, so he won't be driving later anyway---It's perfect!”
Alan lost his temper, and jumped up out of his chair.
“Perfect! - who for?” he snapped at his sister.
They all stared at him, surprised at his outburst, especially Kathy. She hadn't seen Alan act like that since he was a child.
“Alan, what's wrong with you? Karen's only trying to help! I think it all sounds very well organised--- Well done Karen,” she added, giving Alan a reprimanding look.
Lisa was beginning to wish she'd never put the dress on in the first place.
“Look, it's okay, I'll just get ready at Alan's, and then we'll get a taxi from there. I don't want to be a nuisance.”
Kathy wouldn't hear of it. She thought Karen's suggestion was much more sensible.
“Jack's absolutely right, Lisa. With Carla coming back, you're going to have to go out and make a few friends of your own, and not be so dependent on Alan. In fact, I think we should be thinking about you moving back in here until you work out what you want to do, don’t you?”
If you had slapped Lisa on the face you couldn't have had a greater effect. Now she was a charity case, all because Alan didn't have the guts to tell them. She looked over at him and wondered if he wasn't saying anything because he was having second thoughts. Perhaps he had no intention of splitting with Carla at all. She gave him a filthy look before going back upstairs to get changed.
By the time they left that evening, both Lisa and Alan were ready to explode. Karen's innocent matchmaking had not only ruined the evening for both of them, it had made them doubt each other for the first time. Alan was convinced Lisa had planned going to the party with Karen just so she could meet Vikki's good looking cousin, and Lisa was convinced Alan hadn't told his family that he loved her because he didn't.
They drove home in total silence, each deep in thought for most of the journey. Eventually, Alan's anger got the better of him.
“Well thanks a bunch, Lisa! I hope you have a great time on Saturday because I certainly won't be going.”
Lisa clenched her fists, trying to hold back the angry tears forming in her eyes.
“Don't then, I'll manage fine without you!” she replied stubbornly.
Alan was gripping the wheel so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.
“Oh, I bet you will, with yet another of Lisa's little puppies coming to the rescue!”
Lisa stared at the side of his face, totally confused by his comment.
“What the hell do you mean by that?” she asked, still trying to fight back the tears.
Alan took his eyes off the road and looked over at her for a moment. He had never felt jealousy over a woman in his life before, and he didn't know how to cope with it now.
“Well, let's face it, Lisa; you collect lusting men all over the place. The Isle of Man, Chelmsford, London, how many more are there out there - a whole fucking football team?”
Lisa started to cry. He had never spoken to her like that before.
“That’s not fair! I've never even met this Richard guy!”
Alan shook his head.
“That’s just it, Lisa. Nick, I can understand. Me, I can understand, but some bloody guy from London who you’ve never even met having the hots for you, now that’s starting to get ridiculous! How can anyone you're with ever feel safe? You probably have half a dozen guys waiting in the wings just in case your current number isn't working out - Just look at what happened to Nick!”
As the tears rolled down her face, Lisa closed her eyes and thought how unfair he was being. It wasn't her fault; it was his - unless he didn't really love her.
“Why didn't you tell them about us? That would have put a stop to all this.”
Alan couldn't explain to her how worried he was about how he was going to support her without his parents help. He was totally dependent on them until he qualified and got a job as an architect.
“I couldn't,” he snapped, hoping that she wouldn't push the subject.
His answer only infuriated her more. It was her turn to lose her temper.
“Couldn't or wouldn't? What is it, Alan - we'll just screw the stranded virgin for a couple of weeks while we're waiting for our real girlfriend to come home?”
He shook his head, hearing the bitterness in her voice.
“You know it's not like that!”
“Oh do I? Tell me one thing you said or did tonight that proves me wrong. The way you just sat there saying nothing this evening was pathetic.”
They had entered the car park to his flat. Alan screeched his car into a parking bay, slammed on the brakes, and the car came to a shuddering stop. He turned to her, his face full of anger.
“Pathetic! I'll tell you what's pathetic. Pathetic is a spoilt little rich bitch who thinks the world owes her a living. What do you think we're going to live off---fresh fucking air?”
Lisa looked straight ahead through her tears interpreting his words to mean that they didn't have a future together. She didn't know he had been worrying about the practical side of their relationship, and she had no idea just how jealous he felt. His anger spurred him on.
“Why don't you check out this Richard guy? He sounds as though he could support you in the style you’ve been used to. You never know your luck. He might be just what you're looking for!”
With that he got out of the car, slammed the door, and marched off towards the flat, leaving her in the car by herself.
The silence was deafening. Lisa could hear her breath catching in her throat, mixed with the racking sobs which rose from deep inside her. How much more could she take? The thought that Alan didn't love her filled her with more pain than she had ever felt before. She had really believed he had wanted them to be together.
After a while, as her sobs subsided, all she felt was emptiness, a huge void which she could see no way of filling. The rain started battering the roof of the car, breaking the silence as she watched the small rivers run down the windscreen.
Lisa got out of the car and started walking. The rain mixed with her tears as if trying to wash them away. All she could think was, if Alan didn't want her anymore, then life just wasn't worth living …
| Author Notes |
Apologies for the length of this chapter, it was very hard to split up. I'm glad to say that the next chapter is half the length.
Lisa Collins...Main Character Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Mike...Alan's flatmate. |
By alexisleech
Warning: The author has noted that this contains the highest level of language.
When Alan stormed angrily into the flat, Mike turned down the volume on the television and put his head around the living room door. He saw and heard Alan's bedroom door slamming shut, which really annoyed him.
“Goodnight Mike, I hope you've had a nice evening, I love you too,” he muttered to himself, as he, like Alan, slammed the door. He couldn't believe they could be so ignorant.
“Bloody marvellous, they can't even say good night!” he thought, as he stared at the TV and picked up his can of lager.
Hearing the door slam, Alan waited for Lisa to follow him into the bedroom, believing it was her who'd slammed it. When she didn't appear, he assumed she'd gone into the living room, and was crying on Mike's shoulder - which made him angrier still.
He lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, and thought about how much she had upset him earlier. When Lisa had come down the stairs in the red dress, she had taken his breath away. But when he had found out that it was all to impress some jumped-up prat from London, he had lost it completely. How dare she sit up in Karen's room making plans that didn't involve him? How dare Lisa arrange to go to the party without him? She had really pissed him off.
After an hour or so, Alan had calmed down, and was beginning to regret being so hard on her. He was just about to go through to the living room and apologise, when there was a tap on the door. He assumed it was Lisa, but was surprised she didn't just come in.
“It's okay, you don't have to knock---it's not that bad,” he called out.
Mike stuck his head around the door, and was equally surprised when he saw Alan in the room by himself.
“Are you kidding? The noises that have been coming out of here of late, believe me, I have to knock! Anyway, unlike certain other people I know, I thought I would do you the courtesy of saying goodnight.”
Alan thought Lisa must still be in the lounge, so he got off the bed to go and talk to her.
“Sorry, Mike, I had an argument with Lisa, but I suppose she's told you all about it.”
Mike, of course, didn’t have a clue what he was talking about.
“I haven't…” he started to say.
Alan interrupted him before he could finish.
“I suppose she's told you that the argument is all my fault!”
Mike started to look confused. Why would Alan think Lisa had spoken to him, if she wasn't even in the building?
He was beginning to get bad vibes.
“I'm sorry, Mate, I haven't seen her. I assumed she was in here with you...”
Alan started to feel nervous.
“Didn't Lisa follow me up from the car?”
Now Mike thought he had lost it completely.
“How the fuck would I know? Nobody even bothers saying ‘hello’ to me these days!”
Alan started frantically pulling on his jeans, while Mike looked on in amazement.
“I heard the door bang after I came up. Wasn't it Lisa?” Alan asked, clutching at straws.
Mike suddenly realised what had happened, so understood why Alan was confused.
'I'm sorry, Alan. That was me---I was a bit pissed off at you for not saying hello when you came in, so I slammed the living room door. It wasn't Lisa.'
Alan pulled his sweater over his head.
“So you haven't seen Lisa tonight?”
Mike thought he had made himself perfectly clear.
“How many times do I have to fucking tell you, I have not seen Lisa.”
Alan grabbed his car keys and his jacket, his face tortured as he realised Lisa must still be outside. He just hoped that she was still in the car…
Alan was in a flat panic. Lisa wasn't in his car, she wasn't in the car park--- and it was all his fault. He had been so sure she had followed him up and slammed the door just like he had. But how could she? She didn't have a key.
Now it was pouring, the kind of rain that soaks you to the skin in minutes. As Alan felt the water running down his face, he called out her name over and over again, but Lisa was nowhere to be seen.
Everything was going through his head, including flashbacks of their argument on the way home. He now realised how she must have interpreted his angry words. She hadn't even met the guy from London, and he had more or less accused her of seducing him. Who could blame her for taking off? It was his jealousy, and failure to tell the truth that had caused the argument. Because of him, Lisa had walked off into the cold miserable night, with nothing to her name but the clothes she stood up in.
When Alan hadn't come back after ten minutes, Mike came down and joined in the search. They looked down every alley, and checked everywhere they could, but Lisa seemed to have disappeared into thin air.
Just as Alan was on the verge of calling the police, Mike ran towards him and called out. He'd found Lisa sitting on a park bench quarter of a mile away. As Alan hit a run and followed Mike back to where he’d found her, he said a silent prayer of thanks under his breath.
Mike stopped short about thirty metres from where Lisa sat, and when he knew that Alan could see where she was, he turned around and made back towards the flat.
“Lisa!” Alan shouted, as he ran towards the bench.
She didn’t move. She just sat staring straight ahead, as though in a trance. Although soaked to the skin, she didn't seem to care, and her beautiful long hair lay in pathetic strands about her face and shoulders. Alan scooped her up in his arms, and was amazed to feel how light she was---and how limp. She just stared up at him, which made him feel like a total shit.
“Lisa, I'm so, so sorry,” he said, as he cradled her in his arms.
She still didn't speak, and Alan felt his eyes fill up with hot tears which mixed with the cold rain as he carried her back to the flat. He just hoped he could make her understand.
By the time they reached his front door, Alan was really concerned. Lisa shivered uncontrollably. Her face was deathly pale, and her eyes seemed glazed - like those of someone who had lost hope.
The minute he got her into his bedroom, he took off her wet clothes and wrapped her in a warm blanket. He then held her tightly in his arms, and told her over and over again how much he loved her. At last, after what seemed like an eternity, she looked into his eyes, and raised her hand to his face.
“I'm sorry,” she whispered.
Relief flowed through Alan's body when he heard her voice.
“Oh God, Lisa, I'm sorry---It's not your fault - it's mine!”
He kissed her tenderly as he held her tight, warming her body with his, swearing to her that he would never do anything to make her doubt him again. He also explained his need to tell Carla face to face, just as she had wanted to do with Nick, and Lisa eventually realised she had misunderstood the meaning of his words in the car. Knowing he still loved her, warmed her more than any blanket, and eventually the shivering stopped.
By the time Mike popped his head around the door, two cups of hot tea in his hands, he decided they weren't needed. They had obviously thawed out all by themselves....
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...The main character.
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Mike...Alan's flatmate. |
By alexisleech
Warning: The author has noted that this contains strong sexual content.
The next morning Lisa lay awake beside Alan while he still slept, and thought about everything they had discussed the night before.
She had been so financially protected all her life, and money had never been an issue. Alan was right when he called her a spoilt bitch, if being one meant you didn't appreciate how much it cost to live. She didn't have a clue. Lisa had never had money of her own, not even a savings account, so she had never had to manage it, far less worry about it.
It was a sad realisation that not having to work for a living, had probably swayed her into accepting Nick's proposal of marraige. She would have gone straight from one financially secure provider to another. It wasn't until she met Alan that she realised money and security weren't everything.
Now the thought that money, or the lack of it, could be the deciding factor as to whether she and Alan could stay together or not, depressed her beyond belief. Alan had spent a good part of the night explaining his fears, and she knew where he was coming from regarding his parents. It had been obvious from their comments the night before that they were very fond of Carla, and expected her and Alan to end up getting married. So Alan was right in assuming they would be none too pleased if she was the reason that they didn't.
The trouble her mother had caused the previous week would always make them associate Lisa with aggravation and embarrassment, and for that, she couldn't blame them. Anyone would feel the same. Who would want their son to be associated with someone with a mother like hers? It was also obvious that although he had spent most of the previous night trying to convince her otherwise, Alan was desperately worried about how he would be able to support them, should his parents object to their relationship. There was no question of Alan getting a job, he was three quarters way through his degree and he had to concentrate on his studies - and anyway, why should he? His parents were quite happy to support him. It was her who was the problem. All in all she felt like a burden, and she was worried that being a burden would wreck their relationship. The more she thought about it, the more hopeless it seemed to be.
When Alan woke up he instinctively reached out for her and drew her close, remembering the night before and the pain he’d felt when he thought he'd lost her.
“What you thinking?” he asked sleepily; when he noticed she seemed to be a million miles away in her thoughts.
He nuzzled the back of her neck while he waited for her answer.
"I'm going to have to get a job," she announced.
.
Okay, so making love was obviously not at the top of Lisa's priorities, he decided. Remembering how late they’d stayed up talking the night before, he stopped kissing the back of her neck, and propping himself up on one elbow, looked down at her quizzically.
“What kind of job?” he asked.
Lisa shook her head. She had spent the last twenty minutes asking herself the same question.
“I don't know - anything, as long as it earns enough money to keep us.”
Alan thought for a moment, as his finger traced imaginary circles on one of her breasts.
“Well, what we've got to work out, is what you're good at.”
Lisa shook her head again, feeling totally useless.
“Nothing.” she replied, wishing that she knew results of her exams. They hadn't arrived before she left Scotland.
“Well that isn't strictly true….” he mused, as his finger moved to her other breast. For the first time ever, Lisa tried to push him away. They had to talk.
“Alan, I'm being serious,” she chided, feeling the familiar stirrings inside her.
.
“So am I,” he answered nonchalantly, his finger returning to the other breast.
“Alan you're not taking me seriously,” she scolded.
She was beginning to have difficulty concentrating on what she was saying. Christ, how did he do this to her?
Alan stopped momentarily and looked up.
“Oh yes I am...”
His tongue had started moving down her belly, making her body quiver with anticipation. He knew exactly what buttons to press.
“Alan we've got to talk about this...” she protested weakly.
It was impossible for her to think about anything else apart from the effect he was having on her.
“Alan please…”
Alan couldn't answer her, as he was too busy shutting her up, the only way he knew how…
After they made love, they lay entwined in silence for half an hour, each deep in thought. Alan was glad he had been able to stop her talking, not only because he had woken up wanting her, but because he didn't want to face up to the seriousness of the conversation. He knew they would have to do something, but not yet. They had somewhere to live, thanks to his parents, and God knows, Lisa didn't eat much, so they would be able to survive on his allowance. The whole thing would only become a problem if he fell out with his parents after Carla was back and they found out about him and Lisa.
Thinking about Carla made him feel so guilty, and he dreaded her coming back. It wasn't her fault he had fallen in love with someone else, or was it? Six months was a hell of a long time to expect a guy to wait without love, without companionship, without sex---
The 'without sex' part of that thought lingered for a moment as he lay there with Lisa in his arms. He admitted to himself that the sexual part of his relationship with Lisa completely outshone anything he’d had with Carla, but was that enough? In the six years he’d been with Carla they had learnt to like the same things. They knew the same people, and their families all got on really well. They were the perfect couple. To the outside world his relationship with Lisa would be regarded as a 'fling' based on sexual attraction, unlike the love that had grown between him and Carla over the years.
Alan didn't doubt that given time, he and Lisa could have as strong a relationship as he’d had with Carla, but time wasn't on their side. She was right. They had to do something if they were going to stay together.
Lisa snuggled into him, and now it was her turn to ask.
“What you thinking?”
Alan pulled her closer to him, and buried his face in her hair.
“What about modelling?”
Lisa thought for a minute. It was a possibility, but she doubted she would make the grade.
“I don't think I'm tall enough,” she answered.
Alan burst out laughing, surprised at her answer.
“God you're vain!” he scolded, looking down at her with mock contempt.
“Not, do you think I'm attractive enough? Or have I got a good enough figure? Just, I don't think I'm tall enough.”
Lisa felt embarrassed when she realised how it had come across.
'I'm sorry, I know that’s what it sounds like - but I have it on very good authority that my face and body are pretty damned good!' she replied with confidence.
Alan stared at her, his eyebrows raised.
“And on whose authority would that be?” he asked, already knowing the answer.
She burst out laughing and poked him in the ribs.
“Yours!” she answered, grinning up at him. “And you’re an expert.”
“Well, if I’m an expert, then I better check out the merchandise and make sure she’s up for the job...” he teased before attempting to kiss her.
“Oh no you don’t!” she cried, jumping off the bed and grabbing a pillow.
Like two children they playfully fought, pushing reality out of the way yet again. It was as though, when they were in Alan’s room together, nothing could touch them, and the hopelessness of their situation could be kept at bay. But they both knew that it couldn’t last, and later, when they reluctantly dragged themselves out of bed, they started searching through the telephone directory for the telephone numbers of modelling agencies in Chelmsford.
Lisa phoned a couple of them, and managed to get an interview with one of them on the following Monday afternoon. She was just relieved that they had at least done something positive.
“I don’t have anything to wear,” she moaned.
Alan didn't think that would be a problem.
“Karen's bound to have something you can borrow. Check it out when you're over there tomorrow night getting ready for Vikki’s party.”
Lisa's expression clouded over when she remembered how Karen's involvement the previous evening had nearly split them apart.
Alan took her hand, guessing her thoughts.
“Don't worry. This will all be over as soon as Carla gets back and I've told her about us - it'll work itself out.”
They spent the evening with Mike, feeling that they’d neglected him due to their obsession with each other. He was great fun, with a wicked sense of humour, and Lisa could see why he and Alan were such good mates. She had never experienced that kind of friendship, always being worried that someone might find out about her mother if she got too close to them.
Alan had bought a couple of bottles of wine when he had popped out to the supermarket, and before they knew it they were gone, along with the half bottle and the four lagers in the fridge. By ten o'clock they were rocking with laughter, partly because of the booze, but mostly because of Mike's recollection of the last time he had been out with a woman three months before. The way he told the story was hilarious, and they felt drained by the end of the evening, having laughed so much. They were also tired because of the night before, and Alan reminded Lisa they would be having an even later night the following evening when they went to Vikki's party.
Alan staggered slightly when he got to his feet. He wanted to go to bed.
“Come on woman,” he said. “I want to make mad passionate love to you...”
Mike looked at the two of them, mock disgust written all over his face.
“Oh, not again- You're like a pair of bloody rabbits. How am I supposed to get any sleep with you two at it all the time?”
Both Lisa and Alan burst out laughing when they saw his expression, and in an effort to placate him, Alan promised to buy him a pair of earplugs, before dragging Lisa off the sofa with one hand, and slapping Mike on the back with the other.
“You're only bloody jealous!” Alan teased, before he and Lisa drunkenly made their way through the living room door.
The next morning they woke early, having had the best night's sleep since they'd left Scotland the week before. Alan's attempt to be a capable lover the previous night had been thwarted when he fell into a drunken coma. Lisa had been equally drunk, but she could remember returning to the bedroom, having washed and brushed her teeth, to find Alan passed out on the bed fully dressed. It had taken her ten minutes to get his trousers off and get him under the duvet, and she had gone to sleep feeling totally frustrated. Now she was in the mood for revenge.
“You were absolutely fabulous last night, my darling,” she announced, as she watched Alan groggily open his eyes.
Alan looked back at her with a confused expression.
“I can't...”
Lisa interrupted him, taking advantage of the fact that he obviously couldn't remember a thing.
'”But I do think you should have used a condom...”
Alan's jaw dropped, and he looked panic-stricken. If she wanted to scare him, she had just succeeded.
“Oh God, Lisa, I didn't - did I?”
Thoughts of teenage pregnancy and all the problems that went with it started racing through his head. Lisa couldn't hold in her laughter in any more when she saw his stricken face. She playfully hit him on the head.
“You're right you didn't - do anything!”
Relief flowed through his body.
"You cow! - You really had me going there. I knew that, drunk or not, I wouldn't forget a thing like that. How do you think Carla and I have managed for six years? There are some things I never forget...”
Alan nearly bit off his tongue for mentioning Carla, especially with regard to their sex life. He looked at Lisa expecting a reaction, but she didn't seem to mind. In fact, she used the opportunity to ask him more about her.
“Was Carla not on the pill?' she asked.
Alan smiled wryly as he answered.
“She couldn't, or believe me she would have been. I hate using those bloody things.”
He stroked Lisa's hair as he talked, feeling like a traitor for discussing Carla behind her back.
“She can't go on the pill because it doesn't agree with her. We tried finding a pill to suit her, but it got too complicated - so we gave up.”
Lisa noted the word 'we' and thought how typical it was of Alan, rightly taking half the responsibility.
“Would it have been a major catastrophe if Carla had got pregnant?' she asked, wondering how Alan felt about children.
Alan couldn't believe that Lisa would ask.
“Yes, of course it would. Who wants to be tied down with a baby at our age? Anyone who gets caught in that trap must be an idiot.”
Lisa was surprised at the seriousness of his words, and asked him if he would feel the same way about her, if it ever happened.
“What do you think?” he asked, as he started to nuzzle into the nape of her neck in the hope that she would drop the subject.
“I think” she said, as she threw her head back to meet the delicious shivers running down her spine, “that you’re a typical male chauvinist pig who wants to keep his woman in the bed for one thing - and one thing only!”
Alan rested his chin on her bare shoulder whilst his arms encircled her from behind.
“You could be right’ he whispered in her ear, before his hands starting to work their magic on her body.
It worked. The need for serious conversation was eliminated yet again...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister |
By alexisleech
At half past ten Alan's mobile rang, just as Lisa walked back into the bedroom from her shower. He looked at her and mouthed the name Eve Brookes, before handing her the phone. She felt her heart pounding, remembering the last time she'd been contacted by the kind policewoman, and she reluctantly said hello. She recognised the soft lilt of Eve's voice immediately.
“Hi, Lisa, how are you doing?” she asked.
Lisa could feel her heart hammering inside her chest.
“Fine - My mother hasn't turned up again has she?”
“No Lisa, she hasn't...”
Lisa let out a sigh of relief.
“But your brother has.”
Lisa wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. She loved her brother, but she couldn't forget the last time she'd turned to him, and the subsequent consequences. She'd never really trusted him in the same way since.
“Where is he?” she asked, wondering if she had to go back to the station again. Lisa could hear paper being shuffled in the background before Eve eventually answered.
“He came in an hour ago, and he's left his mobile number for you to contact him.”
Lisa was relieved. She had racked her brains trying to remember Scott's mobile number since she'd arrived in Chelmsford. Eve read out the number, and asked Lisa if she was all right with the idea of seeing him. She was, albeit with reservations.
“You haven't given him my address have you?” Lisa asked, still uncertain of Scott's loyalty.
“No, Lisa, we wouldn't do that, but I tell you what, I'd have given him mine, if he'd asked.”
Lisa laughed. Scott had obviously been using his charm again.
When she got used to the idea, Lisa really wanted to see her brother, and she rang the number Eve had given her on Alan’s mobile. She was nervously delighted when she heard his voice.
“Hi, Scott, it's Lisa - where are you?" she immediately asked.
He told her that he was in the centre of Chelmsford, and asked her if she fancied meeting him for lunch. Lisa was relieved that he didn't want to come to the flat, just in case he was tempted to divulge her whereabouts to her mother.
“Is it all right if Alan comes along too,” she asked.
Lisa knew that her brother might talk her into something if she was on her own. There was silence for a couple of seconds before Scott answered. He obviously didn’t like the idea.
“I was hoping it would just be the two of us,” he answered tersely.
Lisa shut her eyes for a moment and summoned up all her courage. Being Scott’s little sister for seventeen years had made her capitulate too easily in the past.
“I’m sorry, Scott, but I’d like Alan to come along. He’ll be driving me into town anyway, so he might as well...” she added.
Lisa couldn’t believe it when he begrudgingly agreed, and they arranged to meet at a restaurant Alan suggested in town at one o’clock.
Alan wasn't sure how he felt about the meeting. Lisa had told him about the incident with the police the year before, but she'd convinced him that what Scott had, or hadn't done, had been done with the best intentions. He still felt wary of Scott though, in case he found a way of talking Lisa into going back to Scotland with him. She had told Alan that he could be very persuasive and, more importantly, how close Scott was to their mother. Alan was glad, albeit apprehensive, that he was going to be with her.
When Scott arrived at the restaurant a few minutes after them, he came straight over and hugged her. When they separated, he held her at arm's length to look her over.
“Looking good, Sis,” he said, when he noticed that she'd lost weight. Slim was the only way a woman should be in his eyes.
Lisa introduced him to Alan, who shook his hand and thought how alike Lisa and Scott were.
The waitress arrived, and after they ordered, Scott chatted with Lisa as though nothing had happened. But after a few minutes of pleasantries, he turned to Lisa and looked serious.
“Mum and Dad asked me to come down here and discuss an idea with you, Lisa,” he said solemnly.
Lisa thought it was too good to be true. She should have guessed her mother was behind his visit. She immediately went on the defensive.
“I'm not interested, Scott. I'm only here because I wanted to see you.”
Alan began to feel nervous. It was obvious Scott was not there on his own account, and he just hoped that Lisa wasn't going to be conned into anything. Seeing the expression on both their faces, Scott put his hands up in the air.
"Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. I'm only passing on the information - give me a break!”
Lisa realised she was jumping to conclusions, but she still felt defensive.
“I can't think of anything you can possibly suggest that’s going to make me leave here, Scott, I'm happier now than I've ever been.”
Scott wasn't giving up that easily. He had come a long way to talk to her.
“You might be happy, Lisa, but what are you living on?” he asked.
.
Lisa looked defiant. Scott always managed to make her feel stupid and immature.
“I'm getting a job.” she replied, hoping he wouldn't want any details.
Unfortunately he did.
“Doing what?” asked Scott. He knew how naive his sister could be.
“Modelling.”
Scott shook his head and laughed sarcastically. There was one born every minute, and his sister was one of them - as far as he was concerned.
“Modelling? Do us a favour! There's only one type of modelling a girl your age, and with your kind of figure gets. I've seen it all before at University. That particular industry is notorious for corrupting girls who need some extra cash.”
Lisa started to panic. She had wanted to impress him so much.
“This isn't anything like that. It's a reputable modelling agency that’s offered me fashion shoots - it's all above board.” she lied. Anything had to be better than her brother managing to make her feel small.
Scott ignored her, took a sip of water, and turned to Alan.
“And what do you think of this idea, Alan?” he asked condescendingly.
.
Alan tried to sound cool when he realised the question was not as simple as it sounded.
“It was my suggestion actually,” he answered, and immediately regretted it when he saw the expression on Scott's face.
Lisa's brother pursed his lips and stared back at him.
“I see - so you think it's a good idea for my seventeen year old sister to leave her family, not think of going to university, which she's perfectly capable of doing, and cheapen herself by working for a shady modelling agency?”
Alan felt cornered, and looked down at his hands. Fortunately the food arrived, so he had a chance to try and think of an answer that would hopefully wipe the supercilious look off Scott's face.
“It's my understanding that your parents thought it was okay for Lisa to forget about going to university when she was going to go over to the Isle of Man and marry some bloke she hardly knew,” Alan retorted more loudly than he meant to.
Several people turned and looked at them when they heard Alan’s raised voice.
“That’s correct,” Scott replied. “But she was getting married to someone who could afford to keep her at the time, as I remember,” he added sarcastically.
Alan shook his head and tried to ignore the 'afford to keep her' comment. He understood the underlying reference to his inability to do the same.
“Well, what's this crap about her going to university now then?”
Scott started to eat his food as though he either hadn't heard, or wasn't interested in Alan's question. At last, having swallowed a mouthful, he answered him.
“That was before her results came in. She got three A's and one B. If she's not getting married to Nick, she's perfectly capable of going to university if she wants to.”
The fact that Lisa had just found out her exam results under such ridiculous circumstances, didn’t seem to occur to Scott.
“What if she doesn't want to go to university and would rather stay here?” Alan asked, forgetting Lisa’s brother didn't know about their relationship.
Scott looked irritated at the suggestion Alan knew what his sister wanted more than he did.
“Whether Lisa wanted to go to university, or college for that matter, she can't. She's missed the boat, so to speak. It's too late for her to apply.”
He was telling them something Lisa already knew, and she was fed up with Scott and Alan talking about her as though she wasn't there. The whole conversation was going nowhere.
“Do I not have any say here, Scott? Stop playing games and tell us what you're trying to say. You're going round in circles, and it's really irritating!” She added.
Scott was the only one who seemed to be eating anything, and they had to wait for him to finish yet another mouthful.
“What I'm trying to say, Sis,' he replied, as he spiked another forkful of food. “Is that you're not qualified to do anything, you're living hundreds of miles away from your family - God knows who with, and where, and you have no way of supporting yourself. You don't have a clue how to survive on your own because you’ve been far too protected all your life.”
Alan immediately remembered the vision of Lisa's mother attacking her with the scissors, and burst out laughing.
“If that’s protected, I hate to think what unprotected is!” Alan muttered loudly, glad that at last Scott had said something he could throw back in his face.
.
The look that passed between them made Lisa feel nervous. She had really wanted them to get on. Unfazed by Alan's comment, Scott turned back to her, genuine concern on his face.
“I'm sorry, Lisa but you're going to have to face reality and accept some help.”
Lisa was beginning to feel like a twelve-year old, and she didn’t like it at all. Alan just wished he could think of something to get Scott off their backs, as did she. But neither of them could think of something to say that would stop Scott from stating the obvious. Eventually she turned to her brother and tried to sound calm.
“Okay, if you're so smart, Scott---what do you suggest I do?”
Scott looked at Lisa as though he had just been waiting for her to ask.
“That's what I've driven three hundred miles to talk to you about.”
Lisa suddenly felt guilty. She had been so busy defending herself, she'd forgotten the huge effort he’d made coming down to see her. She tried to be more understanding.
“I'm sorry, Scott, it's just that with everything that's happened with Mum, I don't know whether I'm coming or going. I just can't bear the idea of going back to Scotland.”
Scott smiled at her and put his hand on her shoulder.
“I know, Dad told me, but it was a one off, Lisa. You can't let it ruin your whole life.”
Lisa didn't want to point out that 'it' certainly wasn't a one off. He had no idea how she had suffered for nearly two years at the hands of her mother with her drunken abuse.
“But you don't understand, Scott. I can't live with her anymore...”
Scott surprised her by nodding in agreement.
“I know that too, Lisa. That's why I wouldn't suggest it.”
Both Lisa and Alan looked at each other, totally baffled.
Alan spoke first.
“So what are you suggesting?”
Scott reached into his briefcase and pulled out a large brown envelope.
“Have a look at that, and tell me what you think. It's a very upmarket boarding school in Surrey, run by an order of nuns. They've said that they'll take you, based on your exam results. It costs fifteen thousand pounds a year for upper sixth, and you can take ‘A' Levels there. Mum and Dad have agreed that you don't have to come home in the holidays, and you can spend them wherever you like. You don't have to have any contact with Mum, with the exception of meeting her in London to sort out your uniform etc. It's ideal Lisa. You get a chance to choose what you want to do next year, you won't want for anything in the meantime, and you still have the freedom to see whoever you want. From a personal point of view, I get my life back because, believe me, since you left - it hasn't been worth living.”
Scott's little speech rendered them both speechless. Lisa could imagine what Scott had probably had to go through since she'd left, but she wasn't going to let that change her mind. She pushed the brown envelope back across the table.
“I'm sorry, Scott, I'm not interested.”
He looked back at her, the disappointment showing clearly on his face. He had to get through to her one way or the other that she didn't really have a choice. He tried again.
“Look, Lisa, don't burn your bridges. We all love you, and Mum knows she was wrong. Give her another chance.”
Lisa pushed the envelope closer to him, determined not to give in. Alan wasn't sure what he thought of the idea, and turned to face her.
“Perhaps you should look at it Lisa, it could solve some of our problems…” he suggested.
Although Alan was just trying to think rationally about their situation, Lisa looked at him as though he was a traitor. She pointed to her mouth.
“Read my lips, both of you--- I'M NOT INTERESTED!”
She was beginning to feel very annoyed. Not wanting to give up, Scott tried one more time, hoping to change her mind and make her see sense. He knew she felt pressured.
“Just take it away and read it, Lisa. We don’t have to let them know for a few days. You’ve got time to think about it.”
This time Lisa lost her temper, and giving them both a filthy look, she stood up to leave the table.
“I'm going to the ladies room, and when I get back, I don't want to hear one more word about boarding schools, or so help me, I'll walk right out of here and leave you both to it!”
With that, she stomped off, leaving her brother and Alan alone.
At first they sat in silence playing with their food, until Scott spoke.
“You're in love with her, aren’t you Alan?”
Alan didn't like his tone. It was as though Scott was accusing him of a crime.
“What if I am?”
Scott gave out a low laugh. This guy had fallen for her too, just like Nick. He had to give Lisa credit - she had them queuing up.
“Then I feel really sorry for you. I was speaking to a guy in the Isle of Man yesterday who thought Lisa loved him so much she was going to marry him. What chance have you got?” he asked.
Alan couldn't believe what he was hearing. Lisa hardly knew Nick - but he knew he couldn't use that as an argument, because she hardly knew him either. They had only been together for just over a week.
“This is different. Lisa loves me, as much as I love her.”
Scott stared into his eyes and took on the tone of a long time friend trying to give him good advice.
“I'm sorry to have to tell you this, mate, but you haven't got a hope in hell. Lisa hasn't a clue what she wants - she's made that quite obvious. Anyway, if you did love her, you wouldn't be ruining her life by keeping her here.”
Alan was ready to punch him.
“I'm not keeping her here, she wants to stay,” he hissed.
Scott looked at him long and hard, making Alan's confidence crumble.
“Yeah, now maybe, but how's she going to feel in a couple of weeks when the novelty has worn off and she's got no money, no family, and no home of her own. How is she going to feel about you then?”
Alan was on the verge of losing it. He wished Scott hadn't started the conversation.
“She's not like that, she loves me!”
Scott looked him straight in the eye.
“You must be blind then,” he said. "You’ve seen the kind of lifestyle she's used to - can you give her that?”
“No, but one day I can, after I've qualified next year.”
Scott signalled the waitress to bring the bill, and Alan thought he was ignoring what he'd just said. He wasn't.
“Do yourself a favour, Alan, make her go to the school. You know that it's the best thing for her. If she really loves you, and you really love her - then ten months shouldn't make any difference, should it?” He suggested, before tossing two twenty pound notes into the tray with the bill.
Lisa was coming towards them, so they both smiled as though they had been having a nice chat. Scott stood up when she got to the table.
“I've got to run, Sis. I've got to get back to Glasgow tonight, and it's a long way to go.”
Lisa was disappointed. He'd been there barely an hour, and all they had done was argue.
“I thought you might be staying for a day or so," she said, feeling that she was driving him away by being so stubborn.
Scott smiled sadly and shook his head.
“Sorry, Lisa. No can do.”
He gave her a hug and started searching in his pocket.
“Sorry, I nearly forgot- Dad asked me to give you this.”
Scott handed her a white envelope with ‘Lisa’ written on the front in her father's handwriting.
“What is it?” she asked.
Scott shrugged his shoulders.
“I don't know. I keep telling you, I'm just the messenger.”
She looked back at the table and saw the brown envelope still sitting there, so she picked it up and handed it to him. She didn't want him to give her parents the impression that she was remotely interested.
“Here Scott, you forgot something - I won't be needing it.”
Looking disappointed, he reluctantly took the envelope, put it back in his briefcase, then kissed her on both cheeks. He had failed to convince her, so he might as well go.
“Now don't forget - if you change your mind, you can phone me on my mobile any time. Do you still have the number?” he asked.
Lisa nodded.
“And if I don't change my mind?” she asked hesitantly.
He gave her another hug, then stood back and gave her a sad smile
“Then ring me anyway and tell me how you're getting on.”
Scott picked up his briefcase before offering his hand to Alan to shake.
“Nice meeting you Alan,” he said with a nod of his head, “Bye Sis - be good...”
After giving her one more meaningful look, he made for the door.
As they watched him go, Alan sighed with relief. He was just glad the meeting was over. Lisa felt totally confused. What her brother had offered her was a perfect solution, if she hadn’t been in love with Alan. She hated the way Scott always made her feel as though she was being unreasonable if she didn’t agree with him. The look on his face before he left had said it all. He obviously thought she was being stubborn, just for the sake of it.
Alan tried to take her hand, but she pulled it away. She was still cross with him for asking her to look in the envelope. At first she wasn't sure why, but she knew now. Lisa knew that if she had opened it, she would have seen pictures of the world she was familiar with, and she might have been tempted. At first she was annoyed with Alan for even making the suggestion, but then she realised she was being unfair. He was only trying to help.
He tried to take her hand again, and this time she left it in his.
“Do you want me to go, Alan?” she asked, dreading his answer.
He shook his head.
“Of course I don't, Lisa - but at the end of the day, it's got to be your decision.”
In an effort to get off the subject Lisa opened the envelope Scott had given her from her father.
It contained £250, and a short note telling her how much they all loved and missed her. Lisa started crying when she read it, and she handed it to Alan. When he finished reading it, he looked serious and took her hand again.
“I love you too, Lisa but I don't know what to say. I don't want you to go, but your brother's right. It's a great opportunity - you should consider it.”
She wiped her tears away with her napkin, before returning his gaze with pleading eyes.
“If I went, I might lose you...”
Alan thought for a minute and remembered her brother's words.
“But it would only be for ten months, Lisa, and we could still see each other at weekends. Surrey is only a couple of hours drive away from here.”
Lisa gave him a sad smile.
. “Only ten months?” she repeated quietly.
Alan nodded, wondering if she had changed her mind.
“Look what happened to you and Carla in less than six...”
She was right. Her brother's suggestion was not an option they could possibly consider…
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Gerry...owner and barman at the hotel Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Jack Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister |
By alexisleech
Lisa and Alan walked down the street hand in hand towards the shoe shop where Lisa had arranged to meet Karen. They both felt happier, having made the decision not to be tempted by Lisa's parents' offer of paying for her to go to boarding school, but they were both subdued by the emotional pressure it had put them under. Lisa just wanted to go back to the flat and talk. She definitely wasn't in the mood for a party, especially one as formal as Vikki’s
“I don't really want to go this evening, Alan. Do you think Karen would understand if we didn’t?” Lisa asked him.
Alan didn't want to go either, especially when Lisa would be looking so gorgeous in the red dress, and the guy from London was going to be there ogling her all night, but he knew how much his sister was looking forward to it. It would be hard to come up with a valid excuse for them not to go.
“I think that could make you pretty unpopular, Lisa, especially after all the trouble Karen’s gone to matching you up to that super stud.” Alan joked, trying to sound laid back.
Lisa studied his face to see if he was being serious. His grin put her mind at rest. She dropped the idea of backing out, thinking that a good night out might do them both a lot of good. They had been confined to the four walls of Alan’s bedroom for days.
“I just wish we were going as a couple, Alan. It was bad enough pretending just to be friends at your parents' house the other night, imagine what it’s going to be like in that huge house full of strangers?”
Alan reassured her that he would never be far away, and it wouldn't be long before he was shouting from the rooftops and telling everyone how much he loved her. All they had to do was wait until Carla got back, break the news to her gently, and then he would be able to tell his family. Their hands were tied until then.
“I know you think I'm a bit of a coward, Lisa, but in the same way that you didn't want to tell Nick over the phone how you felt, I don't want Carla to be humiliated by telling anyone about us before I’ve had a chance to talk to her, face to face."
Lisa knew he was right. They would just have to stick it out, but it didn’t make it any easier. Her whole world had become about their love, and anything contrary to that filled her with unease. It was as though he had brought her alive, so without him, her life meant nothing.
Karen was at the shop before them, and nearly caught them holding hands as they walked across the street. Lisa especially hated the fact that she couldn't confide in her about how she and Alan had fallen in love, because it made her feel deceitful. Karen had been so kind to her since the day Alan had taken her to his parents' house. Without Karen, she would have no clothes, no make-up, and no dress for the ball. Apart from Karen’s misguided attempt to match Lisa up with Vikki’s wealthy cousin, she had been an absolute godsend. Lisa couldn't wait for the time when they could drop the pretence, and she could tell Karen how much she loved her brother.
After great debate, Karen talked Lisa into buying a wicked pair of high heels, which cost much more than she had meant to spend. Lisa handed over seventy-five of the ninety pounds her father had given her at the police station. She was determined to save the two hundred and fifty pounds he had sent her via her brother earlier, to live off until she found work.
Alan watched Lisa as she and his sister were shopping, and tried not to let her brother's comments in the restaurant about her previous extravagant lifestyle haunt him. He didn’t want to believe Lisa couldn’t adapt to a more frugal existence than the one she’d had with her wealthy parents. Sadly, the cost of the shoes she picked did make him doubt it for a moment. If they were going to survive on his modest allowance from his parents, seventy-five pound shoes didn’t represent a good start.
Shoes bought, Alan accepted that his sister had no further use for him, and it was time for him to go. He couldn't even kiss Lisa goodbye with Karen hovering about, and he left them to go shopping on his own. There was something he wanted to buy Lisa himself.
Karen had insisted Lisa borrowed the basque she had to go with the dress, which meant she had to buy stockings at the same time as the shoes, a brand new experience for her. Lisa had never worn suspenders in her life, and she didn't like the idea of them either, but Karen wouldn't take no for an answer.
“Can't I just wear tights?” She pleaded, trying to get out of buying the stockings.
Karen enjoyed being in charge of how Lisa would look. It was like being in charge of the little sister she’d never had, and she was enjoying the experience tremendously.
“No you can't. The basque has suspenders - anyway stockings are much sexier.”
Lisa didn't want to contradict Karen, but she couldn't see anything very 'sexy' about them at all.
By the time they got back to the house, Lisa was beginning to wish that she had just gone home with Alan to get ready. Karen seemed intent on making her look irresistible, and it made her feel like she was being prepared for some kind of ritual ceremony. When she was in the shower she resolved to be as much of a wallflower as she could when she was at the party. She wasn't interested in making Alan jealous, having seen the effect it had on him when he’d been at his parents' house three nights before. She never ever wanted to see him that angry again.
While she was drying her hair, Karen brought a bottle of peach schnapps up to the bedroom and, ignoring Lisa's protests, poured them both a huge glass. Lisa had never tried it before, but after a couple of gulps, it made her relax, and she started to enjoy getting ready.
She put on the basque and stockings after she had done her hair, and looked at herself in the mirror. Karen was right. There was something very sensuous about wearing something so overtly sexy. Either that - or the peach schnapps was beginning to take effect. Lisa wondered what Alan would think of it when they got home at the end of the evening. Since the first time he’d made love to her the week before, she had learnt to love her body for the pleasure it gave him. The idea of wrapping it up in such sensual clothing just to turn him on, had never occurred to her before. The very thought brought a smile to her lips.
Karen topped up both their glasses and watched Lisa put on her make-up. After that, Lisa slipped into the Red Taffeta ball gown, and let Karen pull tight the laces at the back. When she could pull them no tighter, Karen turned Lisa around to face her so that she could see the completed picture. Karen was delighted. She had thought she might feel jealous when she saw Lisa in the beautiful dress she could no longer fit into, but, as it turned out, all she felt was pride. It was almost as though she was a fairy godmother waving her magic wand. With that thought in mind, she handed Lisa her glass and ‘chinked’ it with hers.
“Looking good, Cinderella. You’ll knock ‘em all dead at the ball tonight.”
They both looked at Lisa’s reflection in the mirror in front of them, and even Lisa had to agree, she had never looked so good. Since she’d lost her virginity to Alan, her latent sexuality had blossomed into that of a woman in love. Like a woman with child, her womanhood shone from every part of her body. She now held her head high and proud, which was a huge contrast to the abused teenager who’d arrived at Karen’s family home nine days before.
Karen carried on getting dressed in her black evening gown while Lisa touched up her lipstick. They were both just about done.
“I have a confession to make.” Karen admitted, as she stood behind Lisa at the dressing table brushing her hair.
Lisa looked suspiciously at Karen's reflection in the mirror.
“What?” Lisa asked, beginning to feel nervous when she saw Karen's mischievous expression. She was grinning like a Cheshire cat.
She admitted to Lisa that she had a bet on with Vikki, that Lisa and her cousin Richard would end up falling for each other at the party.
Lisa's heart sank. If Karen spent all evening trying to get them together it would be a disaster, especially if Alan was watching. He had made it quite clear that he hated the idea of someone she hadn't even met having the hots for her - far less anything more.
“That’s it, I don’t think I want to go anymore,” she said, and stood up and started undoing the ties at the back of the dress. She could see another train wreck fast approaching, and she didn’t want to be on board again when it happened.
“I've never even met this guy, Richard, and you’ve just about got us married off...” she wailed.
Karen came over and pulled the ties back up. She couldn't understand why Lisa was so upset. Of course, if Karen had known about Lisa and Alan being lovers, and how he'd reacted when she'd mentioned Richard Clark's name in the first place, she wouldn't be in matchmaking mode at all.
“Don’t be like that, Lisa. It’s just a bit of fun. Don’t take it so seriously- I thought you’d be pleased. I wish Richard Clark had the hots for me after seeing a photograph of me on face book - he’s every woman’s idea of perfection.”
That was the problem. All Lisa wanted to do was put Alan's mind at rest. She knew he would be watching her all evening, and she wanted him to be proud of her and see that she didn't want anyone else, especially a handsome stranger she’d never met before.
“Okay, okay! I’ll go, but you’ve got to promise me you won’t spend the whole evening pushing us together, Karen. For reasons I can’t explain, I’m not looking for a new relationship at the moment.”
Karen just assumed Lisa was referring to her super rich discarded fiancée, Nick, in The Isle of Man, so didn’t think any more about it. She was convinced Richard and Lisa would get on well together, which had her imagination run riot in the romance department. Realising she might scare Lisa off completely by going on about Richard anymore, Karen decided to back off. Lisa would find out soon enough what a catch Richard Clark was. If she didn’t, she must be nuts.
“Okay, I promise...” she replied, and topped up their glasses again.
When at last they were ready, Lisa looked at her reflection one last time. She had managed to make her hair look a lot more exciting than the first time she'd tried on the dress, and even she had to admit that the basque made her figure look even shapelier than it actually was. With the earrings and matching imitation sapphire and diamond choker, the end result was sensational. Lisa looked like a glamorous movie star about to walk down the red carpet at a premier.
They went down the stairs holding the skirts of their ball gowns to the side, so that they wouldn’t trip over them. Karen's parents thought they both looked positively stunning when they went into the living room, and made them both do a twirl in front of them.
Afterwards, while they sat in the lounge waiting for Richard to arrive, they all chatted over a glass of wine. Alan’s father asked Lisa how she was getting on, and when she told him about her appointment with the modelling agency the following Monday, he seemed genuinely delighted. She was about to tell them about her brother coming down to see her, and her parents offer to send her to boarding school for ten months, but she realised that if she did, then she wouldn't be able to give a good enough reason not to go.
At last there was the sound of a horn hooting outside, and the two girls made their way to the door having said their goodbyes.
Lisa couldn't make out the driver's face from the doorway, but his car looked fantastic. It was a silver grey Porsche. Richard got out of the car and opened the passenger door for them to get in when they got to the bottom of the path.
Lisa looked back at a tall, angular-faced guy in his mid-twenties who was, as Karen had rightly said, drop dead gorgeous. He was the opposite of Alan in colouring, with short dark hair and, from what she could make out in the dim light, dark brown eyes.
“Good evening, ladies, your chauffeur awaits,” he announced formally, as he eyed Lisa up and down appreciatively.
She looked even more gorgeous than he'd expected...
| Author Notes |
I shall be posting 'The Party' later on. Well, it is Saturday night... Alexis x
Lisa Collins...Main Character Gerry...owner and barman at the hotel Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Jack Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. |
By alexisleech
Karen was already opting for the back seat, determined to throw Richard and Lisa together as much as she could. She introduced them as she got into the car.
“Richard meet Lisa, our escapee from Scotland,” she said, before she climbed into the back of the car as elegantly as she could in her long black evening dress.
Because Lisa wasn't interested in him for any other reason than him taking her to Vikki's party where Alan would be waiting, she hardly acknowledged him at all.
“'Hi, nice to meet you, Richard,” she responded politely, as she sat down making sure the skirt of her dress was clear of the door before he shut it.
Richard tried to make conversation on the way to the party, but Lisa hardly spoke at all. She just didn't seem to be interested. Richard was really disappointed - not in Lisa, God, she was even more gorgeous than the pictures he’d seen on face book, but she had barely looked at him as she got into his car, and she seemed to totally ignore him now he was driving them to the party. He thought he must be losing his touch.
By the time they got to Vikki's house, the party was in full swing, and Lisa was relieved to see Alan's car in the driveway. He must have been one of the first there.
As soon as they walked in the front door, Richard watched Lisa searching the faces of the people in the hall, and realised that her lack of interest in him might be for another reason. She was making it quite obvious with her body language that she didn't want to be with him, and when he'd tried taking her arm as they walked up the drive to the front door, she'd looked down at his hand as though he had a contagious disease. He looked over at her again now and saw her face light up as she recognised the face she wanted to see. That confirmed his suspicions.
Alan had been waiting for Lisa to arrive at the end of the hall. When she walked in, the splash of red from her dress caught the corner of his eye and he turned to see her. Their eyes met, and she smiled radiantly at him, hoping he would be pleased with the way she looked. He was, and the expression on his face told her just how much. When he'd seen her in the dress at his parents' house he hadn't been able to react, but now it was different. Words couldn't describe how good she looked, and, how sexy. A couple of guys next to him started discussing what they would like to do to her, given half a chance, and he realised just how lucky he was, because she was his.
He walked up to her and kissed the side of her face in a perfunctory greeting as Richard and Karen looked on. Taking her to one side, he put a small package in her hand and whispered in her ear.
“You look stunning. I thought you might want to wear this for me...”
Lisa looked down at the beautifully wrapped little box before quickly putting it in her handbag. She desperately wanted to know what was inside, and excused herself as soon as she could and escaped to the cloakroom where she could open it in private.
He had remembered. It was a bottle of ‘Jean Paul Gautier’ perfume, and she immediately put some on the pulse points of her ears and wrists, taking in the heady scent as it tingled on her skin. It was the only thing she had been missing when she was getting ready to come out, and it made her feel sensual and alive.
By the time she found him again, Alan was surrounded by people. When he saw her coming towards them, he excused himself and tried to get her alone, but his sister and the tall good looking guy, who he assumed was Vikki's cousin, got to her first.
Richard immediately noticed that Lisa was wearing perfume which she hadn't been wearing in the car. He would have noticed it if she had because it was one of his favourites. He used it as an excuse to start up a conversation.
“I love Jean Paul Gautier,” he said quietly. “It really suits you.”
Lisa looked impressed and stared back at him. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy, and they chatted for a few minutes until she saw the chance to speak to Alan alone. She tried to get away from Richard, but it was easier said than done, so she asked him if he could get her a drink .He was only away for a couple of minutes, but it gave Lisa time to make sure Alan could smell his gift on her.
“Thank you,” she whispered in his ear as the delicious smell hit his nostrils and he remembered the effect it had on him that first night when they’d had dinner at the hotel.
“Pleasure,” he whispered back. “Meet me on the terrace at nine o'clock so that I can have you to myself for a few minutes. I've missed you...”
Lisa smiled and mouthed him a kiss before turning round to face Richard.
The minutes seemed to drag while Lisa waited to meet Alan, and she was actually glad of Richard's company, if only to make polite conversation and have a couple of dances. When she asked him what he did, he told her he was the junior partner in a law firm in London, and started fishing in his pockets. At last he found what he was looking for, and presented her with his business card. Lisa stared down at the card and smiling back at him, asked why he'd given it to her. Richard looked serious for a moment before he answered.
“Oh, you never know, you might need my services one day - a quick divorce or something.”
Lisa laughed and offered him his card back.
“That’s hardly likely. I’ve got to get married first.”
Richard chanced his luck. Vikki had told him all about Nick, and how Lisa had run off before announcing her engagement to him, but she hadn't said anything about her and Karen's brother, the one her eyes had lit up for. He used the card as an excuse to try and find out how serious she was about him.
"Well you never know, I can't see you being single for long. You better keep it just in case...”
“In case what?” she asked, as she absentmindedly put the card in her handbag.
“In case it doesn't work out between you and Karen's brother. I would love to hear from you if it doesn’t,” he added, then waited for her reaction.
Lisa's mouth dropped open as she stared back at him.
“How do you know?” she stammered, feeling her face go bright red.”We haven't told anyone.”
Richard smiled when he saw the embarrassment on her face.
“You don't need to, it's pretty obvious from where I'm standing that you two are an item. The way you looked at each other when you walked in was a dead give-away.”
Lisa started to panic, imagining Richard telling Karen, or anyone else for that matter. If Carla got wind of it before Alan spoke to her, it would be a disaster.
“Does anyone else know?” she asked, and held her breath.
Richard put her mind at rest.
“Not as far as I know. I'm sure Vikki would have mentioned it if she did, and I'm certain Karen doesn't know - or she wouldn't be trying to push us together.”
Lisa hoped he was right. She could imagine Karen's reaction if she found out. Before Richard went to get them another drink, he winked at her and smiled reassuringly.
“Don't worry, your secret's safe with me,” he said, seeing how much the thought of anyone knowing was worrying her.
She smiled at him gratefully and started to relax. Hopefully, now that he knew, Richard wouldn't do anything to upset Alan and make him feel jealous. She asked him if he knew about Karen's bet when he returned with their drinks.
“Yes, I know all about it.” he answered, pleased that he wasn’t the only one in on the scheme.
“Vikki's told me all- and apparently,” he said, and bent down to whispered conspiritually in her ear.
“Karen's bet Vikki fifty quid that we'll fall madly in love with each other and live happily ever after.”
Lisa looked back at him and laughed.
“Poor Karen - not much chance of that happening, is there?”
Richard eyed her up and down with a mischievous smile on his face
“Oh, I don't know - is this thing with Alan serious? I thought he was engaged to some girl who he's been going out with for years?”
Lisa looked embarrassed when she answered.
“Very serious, but Carla, Alan’s fiancée, doesn’t know. That’s why we can't let anyone else know about us yet. She comes back from Spain soon, and Alan wants to tell her himself. It would be awful if she found out from someone else that it was over between them.”
Richard was beginning to get the picture, and gave up trying to come on to her anymore. He took her glass from her hand, put it down, and took her arm before propelling her towards the dance floor.
“If Vikki and Karen have a bet on, then let’s give them a run for their money.” he shouted, as they hit the dance floor and their voices were swallowed up by the music.
Alan had been watching Lisa and Richard talking, and felt annoyed when he saw Richard bend down and whisper in her ear. To make matters worse, he now had to watch them dancing together. As she moved, Alan thought how beautiful Lisa looked, feeling jealous that the prat from London was dancing with her, instead of him. He checked his watch and was relieved to see that it was ten to nine. It wouldn't be long before he could hold her in his arms.
At the end of the dance, Lisa excused herself and escaped to the terrace, frustrated at being away from Alan for so long. She was early, but it didn't matter, she needed the air to cool down her body because she was on fire. While she'd been dancing with Richard, she'd looked across the room, and seeing Alan watching her, she had moved her body seductively, just for him.
Unbeknown to Lisa, Alan had spent the last ten minutes trying to get away from one of Carla's friends who wanted to know all the details about her return. But at last he escaped, and made his way out to the terrace, where he was relieved to see Lisa waiting for him.
She stood with her back to him, her hands holding onto the balustrade, her head thrown back so that she could look up at the stars. She looked like she was bathing herself in moonlight. He couldn't resist encircling her waist when he came up behind her and kissed the back of her neck. God, she felt good, he thought, smelling the beautiful scent of her perfume mixed with the intoxicating warmth of her skin. Alan was so turned on, he wished he could make love to her there and then.
“Let's go home,” she pleaded, as she turned round to face him. She just wanted to be with him back at the flat, away from all the prying eyes and friends of Carla. He shook his head frustratedly.
“We can't go yet, Vikki hasn't even cut the cake. Anyway, Karen will notice if we do.”
Alan didn't care who caught them. He had to kiss her. When she tilted her face up towards him he took her in his arms and she felt her insides melting, wanting him, as she always did. Their kiss was like the first, when their bodies had ached for each other for days, and grew more and more passionate as their need for each other outweighed the chance they were taking.
Richard watched them kiss from the patio doors where he was standing talking to Vikki's mother, and he wondered if they realised just how visible they were. At this rate, their relationship wouldn't be a secret for long. When he finished his conversation, he stepped out onto the terrace and coughed loudly to get their attention. Lisa saw him over Alan's shoulder.
“Alan, we can be seen,” she whispered, as she pulled away from his arms.
Alan reluctantly let her go, annoyed at the interruption. He looked at her and knew that he couldn't wait until they got home. The frustration of watching her all night, seeing and hearing other men lusting after her, had nearly driven him mad already. He took her hand in his and led her to the terrace door where Richard had stood a moment before.
“Let's find somewhere more private. There must be somewhere we can be alone, surely?”
He led her through the party and up the stairs, oblivious of who saw them together.
Lisa knew where the guest rooms were, from when she'd stayed the month before, and she led him to the door of the room where she'd slept. She checked inside, and finding it empty, dragged him inside.
As soon as they had shut the door, Alan locked it. Safe in the knowledge they were away from prying eyes, they started kissing, and before long their newly found need to be as one took over. It was as though they were both turned on by the fact that they here in a strange place, and nobody knew where they were. Within minutes Alan had untied the ties at the back of Lisa’s dress, and it dropped to the floor like a red taffeta cloud around her feet. The sight of Lisa in the basque and stocking was more than Alan could bear.
“God, Lisa, you look amazing...” he said, before taking her in his arms again...
Nearly an hour passed before they made their way back down to the party, both still flushed by the afterglow of their lovemaking.
Richard watched them come down the stairs pretending to be apart, but when he saw the luminescence of Lisa's skin, and the many escaped strands of her hair, he guessed at what had probably happened between them upstairs.
When Lisa's eyes met with his, she blushed and looked away, confirming his suspicions. He watched her walk through to the conservatory where Karen was gathering everyone together because Vikki was about to cut the cake.
Alan and Lisa were delighted at their timing, and happily joined the others as though they'd never been away.
They sang "Happy Birthday" with everyone else, and as Vikki stood cutting her cake, Alan stood behind Lisa, wishing he could show the world they were together. He now knew he couldn't live without her, in every sense of the word. His desperate need to make love to her, after just a few hours apart, had proved it. The frustration of having to watch her talk and dance with other people, including Vikki's cousin for the earlier part of the evening, had driven him crazy.
The next hour dragged by, until he felt he could take Lisa home without arousing any suspicions.
At twelve-thirty, Alan looked for Lisa in the crowd of drunken party goers, and eventually found her in the lounge at the front of the house. He was slightly irritated to see that she was with Richard again. Unbeknown to Alan, he was the only guy at the party who Lisa felt safe with, because every other guy she'd danced with had tried to chat her up or paw her. They'd spent most of the evening talking, much to the delight of Karen, and Lisa had told him the whole story about how she and Alan had met and fallen in love.
Alan tried to suppress his feelings of jealousy as he walked towards them, knowing that Lisa had proved, yet again, when they'd made love earlier, that she loved and wanted only him, but it was hard not to resent the ease with which they spoke to each other. When he looked at them talking, they looked like a perfect couple. They seemed to share a secret. It just never occurred to him that the secret was him.
“I'm going now, Lisa. Do you still need a lift?” he asked, more curtly than he meant.
Lisa stood up and smiled, glad that he'd at last come to take her home. Like him, she wanted nothing more than to go back to the privacy of his flat where they could be alone in their own little bubble.
Karen saw Alan standing in front of Lisa and Richard obviously waiting to take her home, and she was annoyed that he could be so selfish. Anyone could see how well Lisa and Richard had been getting on. Karen took it upon herself to try and stop Alan from dragging Lisa off.
“You don't have to go now, Alan, do you?” she asked, then pulling him to one side, lowered her voice.
“Don't drag Lisa away yet, Alan. She and Richard are getting on so well. She might not even want to come back with you - know what I mean?”
Alan couldn't believe what she was saying, and stared back at her looking angry and confused. Lisa, who was ready to go, came over and put her arm through Alan's and asked if they were going, only to receive a look from Alan which nearly rendered her speechless.
'Well, we were, but Karen here informs me that you might prefer to stay and keep the super stud company for the night,” he replied with just a hint of sarcasm.
Lisa was determined not to let Karen's little scheme cause any more trouble. She forced a smile and looked up at him.
“No, I'm ready for bed,” she replied, winking at Alan as she spoke, which made him feel ashamed for doubting her at all.
Karen had obviously got it wrong.
Lisa turned to Richard to say goodbye, and whispered 'thanks' in his ear as he kissed her goodnight on both cheeks.
“Pleasure,” he whispered back, and watched her leave the party, Alan by her side.
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Gerry...owner and barman at the hotel Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Jack Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. |
By alexisleech
After Alan and Lisa left the party and got into his car, they both let out a sigh of relief. They had managed to get through the evening and keep everyone happy, including themselves.
When they made love back at his flat it was different, but it didn't mean that it wasn't wonderful all the same, just not as rushed or erotic as it had been at Vikki’s house. Alan lay afterwards holding her body close to his, the basque and stockings discarded.
“I want us to be like this forever,” he said sleepily, as Lisa lay in his arms. “You looked so beautiful tonight. I don’t think there was a guy at that party who didn’t fancy you.”
Lisa went quiet. She had wanted Alan’s praise, of course she did, but it was all focusing on how she looked again. The way Karen carried on before the party, the way Richard had come all that way from London because of her picture, the way Alan had wanted to make love to her at the sight of her in the red dress.
“What if I was ugly?” she asked Alan as they lay in each other’s arms.
Alan just snorted and sleepily kissed the top of her head.
“Well you’re not, so it doesn’t apply."
Lisa wasn’t ready to give up on her theory.
“Well, fat then. What if I get fat when I’m older?”
Alan nuzzled into the back of her neck enjoying the sweet relaxation he always felt after they had made love.
“Then there will be more of you to love...” he answered quite simply, and wrapped his arms around her even tighter.
Lisa laughed at his belief that they would live happily ever after, fat or thin. The way she looked had always been so important to everybody close to her. She couldn't imagine anyone caring about her if she didn't look like a trophy. It had been all her mother seemed to want from her. To be as near to perfection as possible.
She nestled her head sleepily onto Alan’s chest, feeling his heart beating next to her ear.
“It doesn't matter if you go off me when I'm old and fat, I'll love you forever,” she whispered, her eyes closing.
He kissed the top of her head once more and said, as he always did before they fell asleep.
“I promise to love you for longer…”
And with that they both fell asleep, wrapped up in each other’s love....
Sunday came and went peacefully. They went to Alan’s parents for lunch and fortunately Karen wasn’t there, so they escaped the expected post-mortem on the party the night before.
When Kathy asked Lisa how she’d got on with Richard, she chose her words carefully when she answered, because she knew that every word would probably be repeated to Karen when she got home.
“He was absolutely charming,” she replied with honesty. “I can see why he’s so popular with all the girls.”
Alan’s parents waited for her to say more, and when she didn’t, Kathy tried again.
“And do you think you’ll be seeing him again?”
She looked at Alan and suppressed a giggle. They had anticipated this kind of questioning on the way over. Based on the fact that Alan’s parents would be pleased with the idea that Lisa had made friends with someone other than their engaged son, she carried on.
“Oh yes I’m sure I will. We spent nearly the whole evening together, and he promised he would be coming back to Chelmsford to visit the family very soon.”
Kathy and Jack looked pleased, and thankfully dropped the subject. Lisa could just imagine the conversation between Karen and Vickie when they heard the news. Lisa just hoped that no money had passed hands between them, and their little bet had been dropped.
They spent the evening with Mike until he went down to the local for a pint, and then they watched television for the first time since Lisa had arrived in Chelmsford. It was lovely just being together, not doing anything in particular. It was such a change for them not to be in the centre of a drama of some sort, and they enjoyed their first ‘normal’ evening together--until Lisa started stressing about her appointment with the modelling agency the next day.
Alan suggested they went to bed early so that, for a change, she could have a full night's sleep. Not surprisingly, it didn't happen.
When Monday dawned, Lisa got up early and planned her day around her meeting at the modelling agency. She left Alan to his own devices and went into town by herself to find something to wear because she’d forgotten to ask Karen if she could borrow some clothes. She still had the money her father had given her, and her resolve to save it evaporated when she decided to spend it on an outfit for her appointment.
She was looking for something that would show off her figure and complement her colouring, but wasn't overly sexy. That was sadly, easier said than done. For the first time ever, Lisa realised how generous her mother had been when it came to buying clothes. The cost had never been a major consideration, only the way it looked. The kind of clothes she was used to wearing were way out of her budget now, and two hours later, she was still looking.
At last she found a short cream suit with a zipped jacket, which went well with the shoes she had bought for the party. A black silky top completed the outfit, but cost a further precious thirty pounds. Convinced that she had made a wise investment in their future, she rushed back to the flat to show Alan what she had bought.
Although he wasn't impressed with the price tags, he had to agree that she looked sensational in the new suit, and started to play teasingly with the zip of the jacket. It was Lisa’s turn to smack his fingers away, and she went off to have a shower and wash her hair. She was determined to look her best when she walked through the agency doors.
By one-thirty she was ready to go, looking every inch the model figure she wanted to portray. Alan dropped her off at the modelling agency at five to two, and said he would meet her at the coffee shop on the next block down when she had finished.
Having kissed her goodbye, without smudging her lipstick, he watched her walk through the agency doors and crossed his fingers. If she managed to get some work it would mean there was no chance of her having to go to the boarding school. Lisa might have forgotten all about it, but he couldn't, and having seen how much the few things she'd bought had cost, her brother's words started ringing in his ears again. There was no possibility of them surviving on his allowance with, or without, his parents’ blessing...
The reception of the agency was high tech with a chrome and beech reception desk, behind which sat a beautiful looking girl with long blonde hair caught up with a black spiked comb.
“Can I help you?” she asked, when she'd finished scrutinising Lisa from head to foot. She was so attractive Lisa began to feel her earlier confidence melt away.
“Yes, my name is Lisa Collins, I have an appointment at two o'clock,” Lisa replied, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.
The girl ran her beautifully manicured finger down the appointment book which made Lisa look down at her hands with dismay. She just wished she’d paid more attention to the way they looked before she made the appointment.
After what seemed like an eternity, the finger stopped, and the girl looked back at Lisa with a supercilious expression.
“Yes, you have an appointment with Sarah Peters, I'll tell her you’re here,” she replied curtly, before picking up the phone and announcing Lisa's arrival with a bored voice. She then told Lisa to sit down on the magnificently contemporary, and incredibly uncomfortable suede and chrome sofa positioned perfectly beside a coffee table at the other side of the room.
By the time Lisa was shown through to the office past several blown-up pictures of fabulous looking models, her confidence in her own appearance had reached an all time low. The sight of Sarah Peters behind the desk, looking to all intent and purposes like a model out of Vogue magazine herself, brought her ego crashing down even further. She was beginning to feel like a scruffy mongrel at a pedigree dog show, and had to suppress a sudden urge to bolt for the door.
Sarah rose from her seat and stretched her elegant hand out to greet her. Lisa saw the flash of a large solitaire on her engagement finger as she shook her hand, making her feel, not only unattractive, but impoverished as well. Sarah gestured to her to sit down in the chair opposite her, and picked up her pen.
“So, Lisa, I believe you want to be a model,” she stated, giving her a look similar to the one the receptionist had given her earlier. Lisa nodded, feeling totally inadequate.
“Well I need to take some details,” Sarah said, picking up her pen and studying Lisa with the scrutiny of a mentor.
“What's your date of birth?”
Lisa gave her all the basic information concerning her age, height, weight etc, and gave her address at Alan's flat. When she finished, Sarah studied her across the desk.
“Do you have any prior experience?” she asked, beginning to sound a little more interested.
Lisa shook her head explaining that she'd only left school two months before. Sarah checked her notes and surprisingly enough, actually managed to sound enthusiastic.
“Ah yes, you're only seventeen - as it happens, that might be quite useful.”
Lisa couldn't understand how only being seventeen could ever be useful, it certainly hadn't been very useful so far. She wished she were at least twenty, and looked a lot more like Sarah.
“Do you have a portfolio?”
“No,” Lisa replied hesitantly.
Sarah looked back at her with an irritated expression.
“Have you any pictures of yourself at all?” she asked.
Lisa thought it best to come clean. She got the impression Sarah wouldn't suffer fools gladly
“I'm afraid I left my home in Scotland with nothing - not even a change of clothes. That’s why I don't have any pictures of myself. I'm here because I've got no money and I have to get a job.”
Sarah looked back at her and remembered back to the first time she'd approached an agency for work, having run away from home. It sounded as though Lisa was in the same boat. She scrutinised the girl and thought what a great face she had. Her eyes were edged in thick natural dark lashes, and her lips were full and beautifully shaped. There was something slightly sad but sensual about her, and her age might make her perfect for a couple of projects - but only if she helped her out.
“Okay, Lisa, would you like to take off your jacket and walk over there?” she asked, deciding to check her out before she offered any more encouragement.
Lisa stood up, unzipped her jacket, and leaving it on the chair, managed to walk fairly gracefully over to the corner Sarah had indicated. She then turned back to face her with her shoulders back and her head held high. Sarah was impressed. This kid might not have any experience, but she had obviously strutted her stuff somewhere before. It was just a shame she wasn't a bit taller.
“What bust size are you?” she asked, staring at Lisa's chest.
Lisa had to think, she very rarely wore a bra.
“I think I'm a 34C, but I'm not sure. It's a while since I've bought one,” Lisa answered apologetically.
Sarah studied Lisa's bust with renewed interest. She had assumed from their shape and firmness that she'd been wearing a bra, but now she realised that she wasn’t, she was suitably impressed.
“I think you might be in luck, Lisa. We've been contacted by a mail order company looking for models for their teen bra collection for next season's catalogue. I don't happen to have anyone who is, or looks, under the age of twenty on our books at the moment. You might be perfect for it.”
Lisa felt her confidence returning. At least it was a start.
“The only problem we-- sorry, you have, is that the client needs to see shots of any models we propose before Wednesday. That’s the only way they’ll make their selection. Without a portfolio, you're wasting your time, I'm afraid.”
Lisa’s heart sank. There was no way she could afford professional photographs, and short of asking Alan to take pictures on his mobile phone, or finding someone who could lend them a digital camera, she couldn’t think of a way she could have her picture taken in time.
“Can you recommend a photographer who could take pictures of me in that time?” Lisa asked, assuming that Sarah would have a long list of photographers up her sleeve.
Sarah sucked on the end of her pen for a moment.
“That’s another problem. You have to use a professional photographer who's used to taking fashion shots for this sort of thing. They’re few and far between in Chelmsford, and they're expensive, even if you can get hold of them at short notice. I think you might be out of luck. We haven't really got enough time...”
Lisa felt her heart sink and immediately regretted how much she had spent on her outfit.
“How much are we talking about?” she asked, knowing that whatever it cost, she couldn't afford it. She had blown most of her money that morning.
Sarah leaned back in her chair and thought for a moment.
“I don't know, but I can't see it being much under two fifty, probably more.”
Lisa shook her head dejectedly. It was a non-starter.
“I'm sorry I don't have that kind of money at the moment,” she admitted, standing up and putting her jacket back on. The whole thing had obviously been a complete waste of time.
Sarah was disappointed. She thought Lisa would be perfect for the job and she had been trying to get in with the catalogue company for months. She sucked absent mindedly on the pen again.
After a minute she had an idea, and as Lisa prepared to leave, Sarah flicked through her phone cards. She dialled a number she'd looked up, gesturing Lisa to sit down again while she did.
As Lisa watched, she could hear the phone ringing at the other end, and it was eventually answered by a man's voice. Sarah's expression changed as she spoke into the mouthpiece. Her lips broke into a phoney smile as though, what she was trying to communicate, could be seen by whoever was at the other end of the line.
“Hi, Liam, it's Sarah here, how are you doing?” she gushed.
Whatever answer she was being given was obviously too long, because she listened with a bored expression until poor old Liam gave up talking.
Sarah dived straight in, not wanting to miss her chance to speak.
“Look, Liam, I'm phoning to ask a favour. I have a girl here, who I think is perfect for a catalogue shoot I would really like to supply for, but she hasn't got a portfolio. I know its short notice, but she needs one for tomorrow. Can you help?”
There were a few moments silence at the other end before he spoke, then Sarah stuck the phoney smile back on her face again before talking.
“Well, that's the problem. She hasn't any money at the moment, but I wondered if we could come to some arrangement until she gets some work?”
After a short silence, Lisa could hear the voice rising slightly at the other end of the phone. It didn't sound as though Liam was impressed by Sarah's suggestion at all.
“Well, I'm sure she can pay you so much a week, Liam until it's paid off, give the girl a break.” Sarah added.
.
Her outburst had obviously worked, because Sarah was writing a time down on a piece of paper while she finished the conversation. She winked at Lisa and looked pleased with herself.
“One last thing, Liam - Do you have any bras left at your studio from the “Mitchell's” shoot you did last month? It needs to be young, not too sexy and a 34C.”
The answer must have been affirmative because she finished the conversation with a smile.
“Great, you’re a lifesaver. I'll send her over this afternoon. Her name is Lisa Collins, by the way. Thanks Liam, I owe you...”
Sarah looked delighted with herself when she came off the phone. Scribbling an address on a piece of paper, she handed it to Lisa, who was by now grinning from ear to ear.
“Can you be there by four?” she asked.
Lisa nodded enthusiastically and told her that she could. Sarah stood up, signalling that the meeting was over.
“Now, I've pulled out a lot of stops for you, Lisa, don't let me down.”
Lisa stretched out her hand and shook Sarah's gratefully. She was just about to open the door to leave, when she remembered to ask how the pictures got back to Sarah.
“Do I need to pick them up?” Lisa asked.
Sarah shook her head.
”No, I'm afraid until you've paid for them, Liam won't hand them over to anyone but me. When he sends them over, I'll give you a call. Have you got a number where I can reach you?”
Lisa knew Alan's mobile number off by heart, so wrote it down on a piece of paper before saying good-bye.
When Lisa walked out of the agency doors she couldn't wait to tell Alan. So much for her brother's sarcastic comments, she thought with a liberated, beaming smile. She now had a future, albeit one dependent on photographs she really couldn’t afford...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Gerry...owner and barman at the hotel Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Jack Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. |
By alexisleech
Warning: The author has noted that this contains strong violence.
Liam's studio was in the cheaper end of town on the top floor of an old warehouse and Alan, who knew the district quite well, didn't feel happy about letting Lisa go up in the antiquated lift by herself. Lisa insisted that it was fine, and promised to come straight back down if she thought it looked at all dodgy.
When Lisa reached the top of the building, she wished she had taken Alan up on his offer because the place seemed derelict and sinister. There were two doors, and she knocked on both with no result. There didn't seem to be anyone in. She was just about to get back in the lift when Liam appeared at the second door.
“Could this be Lisa?” he asked, eyeing her up and down.
Lisa nearly jumped out of her skin when he appeared at the doorway.
“Yes-- I have an appointment at four o'clock.”
Liam smiled and held his hand out.
“Indeed you have, young lady,” he said, steering her through the door to the studio.
Once they were inside, Lisa looked at him and tried to work out what age he was. She thought he must have been in his fifties, but it was hard to tell because his hair showed no grey, and his body looked pretty well toned under the black polo neck sweater he was wearing. Only the fine lines around his mouth and eyes gave any indication that he was older than she’d initially thought. He seemed pleasant enough though, and showed her around.
The studio was huge, taking up at least half of the top floor of the warehouse. The windows were blacked out with some kind of dense material which didn't let so much as a sliver of daylight come through. There were several room-sets around the walls ranging from a plain white backcloth with a six inch high white stage in front, to a brass bed with satin sheets and a fake fur throw Lisa was relieved to see that the few lights that were on, focused on the white stage, not the bed. She felt cold and realised that the only warmth in the studio came from the lights. With no natural daylight, the room was surprisingly cool. She wondered how she was going to do an underwear photo shoot without catching pneumonia.
“Well, Lisa, what sort of shots do you need?” Liam asked, as he walked over to the white stage and turned on some more lights.
“I know Sarah mentioned something about underwear, but don’t you need some general shots as well?”
“I don’t know,” she answered. “I only have these clothes with me.”
By the time he’d finished, the white stage was a blinding wall of light. He studied Lisa for a moment in the clothes she was wearing.
“Well, it'll take a few minutes for it to get warm enough for underwear shots, so why don't we give it a go and take a few shots of you and see how it looks. Don’t worry; when these lights have been on for half an hour, it gets pretty damned hot in here.”
Lisa was relieved. Liam showed her where she could freshen up in the corner of the studio at a dressing table with bare bulbs surrounding a mirror on the wall. It reminded Lisa of the dressing room in a theatre, and the bright light allowed her to check her makeup and re-apply her lip liner accurately before putting on her lipstick. To the side of the dressing table there was a screen and a hat and coat stand with various items of clothing hanging from it, and Lisa assumed that was where all the models got changed.
By the time she walked back towards the stage set the temperature had risen slightly, but she still felt cold. Liam had positioned a chrome barstool on the stage and he asked her to sit on it while he took some head shots. As he was clicking away she relaxed and gained confidence from his comments.
“You have a great face, Lisa and your lips are lovely. I can see you getting a lot of work,” he added as he clicked away.
The flattery made Lisa smile happily into the lens and her eyes sparkled. After ten minutes of head shots and full body shots on the stool in her zipped up suit, Liam asked her if she was warm enough to take off her jacket. Lisa still felt cold, but she wanted to get the whole thing over with as soon as possible, especially remembering that Alan was waiting for her downstairs.
As Liam watched her take off her jacket, he let out a low whistle.
“You have one great body Lisa - you're going to go far...”
Lisa smiled. She was unaware of the effect that the cold had had on her nipples, which now showed clearly through her blouse.
“That looks great, Lisa, that’s it, throw your head back. WONDERFUL—You’re a natural! Now let your eyes close slightly, and think of something that turns you on.”
Lisa had no problem with that, thanks to Alan.
“That’s fantastic-- I don't know what you're thinking about, Lisa, but its making you look so good-- don't stop.” Liam shouted, as his camera clicked away.
Lisa put one high heel onto the lower bar of the stool and flicked her hair over her shoulder in a provocative stance. She was really beginning to enjoy herself. She had thought it would be much harder to relax.
By the time Liam had shot a whole film of Lisa in her skirt and top, the temperature in the studio had risen considerably, and she was beginning to feel really confident. Liam turned to her, delighted with the way she had responded to the camera.
“Ready for the underwear shots, Lisa?” he asked, changing his lens.
She walked away from the dazzling lights so she could focus on him before answering.
“Yes, I think Sarah said you had some here from another shoot.”
Liam was already searching through a metal trunk in the corner of the studio. He triumphantly produced two sets of bra and pants sets, but neither looked suitable for an innocent teenager.
The pants were fine and filmy and had a g-string back. She stared at them wondering what to do for the best.
“I don't think that's what Sarah had in mind,” Lisa said, embarrassed at the thought of wearing something like that in front of a stranger, even if he was a photographer.
“And anyway, they look rather see-through to me,” she added, surprised that he expected her to wear them.
Liam laughed, sensing her embarrassment. He looked in the trunk again. There was nothing else.
“Well I'm afraid that’s all I've got here. Do you want to leave it till tomorrow when you can bring your own?” he asked.
Lisa thought for a moment. She knew she didn't have enough time to wait another day until the photos were ready, but she would also have to go out and buy some if she did. Coming back was just not an option. She took the underwear from him and looked at it dubiously. It would just have to do.
“No- I'll just have to use these, but I don't think they're the sort of thing a teenager would wear. They're so see-through; they leave nothing to the imagination.”
Liam tried to put her mind at rest.
“By the time I've finished digitally removing anything you shouldn't see, you'll be able to show these pictures to the Queen, Lisa. Don't you worry about that.”
Believing that she really didn't have much choice, Lisa went behind the screen and changed into the first, more respectable set of underwear. Thankfully, with her two holidays that year she was well tanned, and the bikinis she had worn were a similar shape. When she thought about it, the underwear was no different from the sort of swimwear she wore in front of hundreds of people on holiday, it was just that she wasn't beside a pool, and she still felt incredibly self conscious.
While she was trying to muster the confidence to come out and face Liam, she heard his voice on the other side of the screen.
“I don't know about you, Lisa, but I have a wife and family to go home to. Do you think we could get started?” he asked impatiently.
Lisa pulled herself together and came out from behind the screen. Liam looked impressed.
“You look absolutely gorgeous, Lisa. You're going to knock them dead when they see these.” he added reassuringly, which restored her confidence again immediately.
After twenty minutes Lisa couldn't get over how much she was enjoying the photo shoot. She knew it was mostly down to Liam, whose compliments and words of encouragement made her feel so good, but she realistically assumed that he gave all of the models that kind of encouragement and she enjoyed it for what it was worth.
By the time she had changed into the second more sexy set of underwear, she felt as though she’d been in front of the camera all her life. Even the skimpy underwear wasn't fazing her any more, thanks to Liam and his constant encouraging comments.
Between shots he had managed to extract the story of how she had ended up in Chelmsford looking for a job- and it didn't seem to surprise him.
“So, what's the deal with Sarah? I know that you can't afford to pay for this at the moment, but what's the job going to be worth at the end of the day to you?” he asked while he changed the lens on his camera yet again.
Lisa felt a bit stupid. She hadn't thought to ask.
“I don't know-- what do companies usually pay for this sort of thing?”
Liam finished taking another shot and shrugged his shoulders.
“I've no idea. The only time I deal direct with the client is for the glamour stuff I do. I know that pays the models pretty well, but I haven't a clue about agency stuff. Have you any idea how much this lot is going to cost you?”
Liam clicked again, catching her turning towards him, her hair swirling in the air.
“Sarah thought that it would be at least two fifty,“ Lisa answered as she looked towards the lens.
Liam drew in his breath.
“And the rest-- With all due respect, Lisa, I think you’re a lovely kid, but I've had to put off an out of town job to stay here this afternoon and get this done. By the time I've finished shooting these and airbrushing out any naughty bits on the computer, which could take all evening-- you're talking five hundred at least...”
Lisa felt the blood drain from her face when she realised that she should have asked Liam the cost involved the moment she walked in. Not only that, she should definitely have asked Sarah what the job was worth if she got it. If she didn't get the job, it was even worse. Lisa broke into a cold sweat, feeling stupidly naive.
Liam realised from her expression that she'd had no idea how much it would cost, and put the camera down before walking over to her.,
“Is that a problem?” he asked sympathetically, his hands on his hips.
The look on Lisa's face said it all. Liam thought she was going to burst into tears.
“I don't know how I'm going to pay you, Liam, especially if I don't get this job.”
Liam stood and thought for a minute.
“Look, Lisa, I know you probably won't go for this idea, but if you did, I could get rid of the cost of this photo shoot-- It's up to you.”
Lisa was prepared to consider anything, within reason.
“Why-- what would I have to do?” she asked tentatively.
Lisa wasn't unduly surprised when Liam inclined his head towards the bed with the sleazy satin sheets and the fur throw.
“I have a good client who pays upwards of five hundred for pictures of beautiful girls lying on that bed, dressed much the way as you are now.”
Lisa immediately remembered her brother's words of caution, and wished she'd listened to him. There had to be another way.
“No, I'm sorry, Liam,” she said, “I'm not prepared to do that, especially in underwear like this.”
Liam shrugged his shoulders. He thought she would jump at the chance.
“That’s cool, Lisa. I just thought I might be doing you a favour. You wouldn't owe me anything for your portfolio, and when you get the job, which I'm sure you will, it means you get to keep the money for yourself. I just think it's a bit hard that you're going to have to work for nothing for a while, when you could be earning right from the start.”
Lisa didn't know what to do, and wished Alan was there to give her some advice. But he had been waiting for her for over an hour already, and it would take another fifteen minutes at least to go downstairs, talk to him, and come back up again.
She looked at Liam and tried to assess if he was safe. The reference to his wife and family when he had been waiting for her to get changed made her feel easier, and he certainly hadn't done anything to unnerve her so far, in fact, just the opposite, he had acted completely professionally.
“How long would it take?” She asked cautiously, beginning to feel that perhaps his suggestion was her only possible option.
“As long as it takes for me to move these lights over to the bed set, and for you to take your bra off,” he answered matter of factly.
Liam expected a reaction, and Lisa didn't disappoint him. She looked horrified.
“You didn't mention taking my bra off before!”
Liam laughed at her naivety.
“And why do you think some guy is going to pay five hundred quid for pictures he can see in an underwear shop? Be realistic, Lisa, for that sort of money we're talking sensual bare tits, which you definitely have.”
Lisa started to panic as she watched Liam unplugging the lights to move them over to the other set. If he sensed she was having doubts, he didn't let on.
“I don't have to take anything else off, do I?” she asked, looking down at the skimpy g-string. Liam started to look irritated.
“If you want to do hard porn, Lisa you'll get paid a lot more. But I'm not suggesting that, just some nice girlie shots of a girl on a bed with great tits- Now, are we doing it or not?” he asked, the irritation obvious in his voice.
Lisa didn't see that she had much choice. The odds were totally stacked against her. She couldn’t afford the portfolio any other way. She nodded pathetically.
Liam asked her to take her bra off before he set up the lights, in case the seams of the bra left any marks on her skin, so Lisa reluctantly took it off and crossed her arms over her breasts. She felt more naked than the day she was born. Liam turned to her while he was moving the lights, sensing how uncomfortable she was feeling.
“Are you sure that you want to do this Lisa? You don’t have to...”
Lisa nodded again. She was past caring, and just wanted to get it over with.
“Then sit on the bed while I'm setting up. I've got to get the light right,” he instructed.
While Liam held his light meter up and let off a couple of flashes, Lisa sat miserably on the bed, her arms still folded in front of her. When he’d finished setting up, he told her to lie back on the bed and think of whatever it was that had turned her on before, but she couldn't. Somehow it seemed cheap to associate Alan and their love making with the sordid bed and the slimy satin sheets.
Liam took a few shots, but he wasn't happy with them because she still looked far too tense.
“Come on, Lisa. Loosen up, or this just isn't going to happen...”
Lisa tried again, lying back on the pillows with her hips slightly twisted, one leg pulled up a little bit higher than the other. Liam looked irritated when he looked through the lens and didn't like what he saw.
“Your nipples, Lisa-- they're too soft. Perk them up a bit, and try licking your lips...” He shouted from behind the lens.
Lisa threw her head back, her tongue moistening her lips as she tried, yet again, to conjure up erotic thoughts. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine that it was Alan, not her left hand that was fondling her right breast. It was hopeless. The only image that sprung to mind was Alan sitting in his car waiting for her.
Liam carried on taking pictures as Lisa tried unsuccessfully to look provocative, but nothing would work because the whole thing was totally alien to her. The only way she understood erotica was with Alan—with someone she loved.
Eventually Liam lost his patience…
Alan was getting annoyed waiting in the car. He didn't even have anything to read, and he had run out of cigarettes half an hour before. He had been tempted to pop down to the shop half a mile along the road, but he kept thinking Lisa wouldn't be much longer, so hung on. She had been up there an hour and a half, and Alan was surprised that it could take so long to take a few pictures. He got out of the car and stretched his legs, looking up at the top of the warehouse as he walked around.
Eventually he decided to go up and check that she was okay, but when he went to the entrance, he found that it was locked. He'd watched people coming out of the building at five o'clock from other businesses, but he hadn't seen anyone come out for at least a quarter of an hour or so. All he knew for certain was that Lisa was still inside and on the top floor. There were no buzzers or intercom for any of the companies at the front door, so he didn't know how to get in now that the front door was locked. He began to feel really concerned and cursed himself for not checking on her earlier. Anything could have happened to her.
Alan tried the front entrance door once more, with no success, so he walked round to the back and tried the door there. That was locked too, but after he had banged on the door half a dozen times a cleaning lady came and opened it. She eyed him up and down suspiciously, but let him in when he explained that he was there to collect his girlfriend.
Ignoring the lift, he ran up the stairs, two at a time and just as he reached the top floor-- he heard Lisa scream.
When Lisa had felt Liam's hands on her naked breasts, her eyes had snapped open.
“What the hell do you think you're doing?” she shouted, as she tried to sit up and push his hands away.
Liam looked down at her in the same way the rapist had twelve months before when she had run away from home.
“I'm only trying to help you out, Lisa-- I know a perfect way to make those tits look better…”
He climbed on top of her, pinning her to the bed with his hips, his hands on her breasts.
“Come on Lisa-- I know that you're up for it-- a sexy little babe like you-- just relax!”
Try though she might, Lisa couldn't move from under him. Before she knew it, he had clipped the handcuffs attached to the metal bed frame to her wrists, and she was reduced to squirming pathetically on the bed while Liam took off his trousers. She watched helplessly as he stepped out of his boxers, and came towards her with a look of pure lust on his face.
“Please Liam,” she cried, kicking her legs wildly towards him in a desperate bid to keep him away from her.
Unperturbed by her plea, Liam climbed on top of her, turned on by the role play of captor and slave he had enacted on the bed so many times before with others. Just as she had done twelve months before, Lisa screamed at the top of her voice.
When Alan reached the top of the stairs and heard Lisa screaming, he ran from one door to the other trying to follow her voice, but it took him a few seconds to work out which door it came from. He ran towards it with all the weight of his shoulder, and went crashing through the door, the noise of splintering wood, almost as loud as Lisa’s screams.
When Alan looked across the studio and saw Lisa near naked, handcuffed to a bed, and struggling with a guy on top of her who was wearing nothing but a black polo neck sweater, he lost it completely. Without thinking, he shot across the room, pulled Liam off her, and flung him to the floor with strength he never knew he had.
He looked over at Lisa to check that she was all right, before he started kicking Liam with the ferocity of a madman The vision of seeing Liam on top of her when he entered the room had taken him to the edge of his sanity. He just wanted to kill him.
Eventually Liam stopped moving, and lay on the floor moaning, his body twisted with pain, his hands cupped protectively around his manhood which had stood out so proudly before. Then, and only then, did Alan stop kicking him.
As his rage subsided and his breathing returned to normal, he looked across at Liam's motionless body and realised that in his fury, he had completely lost control. Lisa lay on the bed, her arms still attached to the bed frame stretched pathetically behind her head. Her face was ashen.
He ran over to her, not knowing what to do next, looking around desperately for the key that would unleash her.
“Lisa are you hurt?” he asked.
She stared back at him blankly and shook her head.
Like a madman, he started searching through every box and trinket on the bedside tables, flinging things wildly to the floor. At last, after what seemed like an eternity, he found the key under the bed.
Once he’d unlocked her wrists, Alan wrapped one of the black satin sheets around Lisa to cover her nakedness, and started looking for her clothes. He had to get her out of there before Liam came round, or he knew he would lose control again-- and this time he would kill him.
Eventually he found her things behind the screen, and when she was more or less dressed, he half walked, half carried her down the stairs to his car.
Alan had saved her once again....
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Liam...the photographer she goes to in Chelmsford. |
By alexisleech
For the second time in less than a week, Alan slept with Lisa in his arms. After they got back to the flat she had told him what had happened at Liam's studio, and he was amazed that she could have been so naïve. He was convinced that if he hadn't knocked the door down when he had, she would have been raped-- and he would have felt responsible for not seeing it coming. Everything her brother had said seemed to be coming true.
As she lay sleeping in his arms, her head resting against his chest, he tried to work out what the hell they were going to do. The chance of Lisa getting a modelling job was now totally out of the question, and the chance that he might be arrested for assault very possible. Alan tried to imagine his parents' reaction if he was in trouble with the police for the second week running. They would be sure to think that Lisa was nothing but trouble, and they would never speak to her again. Alan just had to hope that Liam wouldn't report him to the police. After all, he was the one who’d attacked Lisa, and he wouldn't want to be charged himself. The whole thing was a total nightmare. For hours Alan lay thinking, trying to come up with a solution until at last, as the sun came filtering through the wooden blinds, he fell asleep.
When he woke up the next morning it was after eleven and Lisa wasn't there. He jumped out of bed in a total panic and ran through to the bathroom where he was relieved to find her in the bath. Her eyes were shut but she opened them as he walked towards her and he noticed that she'd been crying. Just as he had stayed awake late into the night trying to work out a solution, so she had woken early, and done the same thing. It hadn't helped.
It was obvious to her that not only was she incapable of looking after herself, but the responsibility of being her protector was too much for him. Having lain in the bath for over an hour, she realised that there was only one solution. She looked up at him feeling wretched.
“My brother was right, I'm just a bloody liability…” she whispered, before she started sobbing again.
Alan pulled her out of the lukewarm bath and cradled her wet body in his arms. He knew what she was thinking, and he couldn't bear it. He needed to think of a way of keeping them together. If she went to the school then he might lose her and that was the last thing he wanted. Lisa felt exactly the same way, but what had happened the day before had made her face up to reality properly for the first time. She looked up at him, the slow tears still rolling down her cheeks.
“Do we have a choice?” she asked quietly, knowing full well they didn't.
Alan looked up at the ceiling wishing he could say something that would make everything okay, but he couldn't. He knew she was right.
“No—“he answered wearily, feeling his world fall apart.
They both felt trapped in a situation totally beyond their control. They had tried, but failed, to go against the obvious route. Both of them hoped they loved each other enough to cope with the separation, but the doubts they both had--him in Lisa's ability to attract men, her in her fear of Alan still wanting Carla, haunted them both. It didn't matter how much they discussed Alan visiting her, and her spending holidays with him, the doubt that their relationship would not survive wouldn’t go away.
They didn't even know where the school was, apart from the fact it was in Surrey, because Lisa had refused to take the brochure.
The worst part was phoning her brother and agreeing to it all. He was delighted of course, and rang back with the details of the hotel where her mother would meet her in London. In the meantime they only had two full days left together before Lisa had to go. They watched as the minutes flew by, bringing them closer to their dreaded separation.
Lisa and Alan went to his parents on Wednesday night so she could say goodbye to his family and return the ball gown, jewellery and handbag. She wished she didn't have to give it back, and felt like Cinderella after the ball. All she had left from her time in Chelmsford was the shoes, the outfit she'd bought to go for her interview at the modelling agency, and a few of Karen’s old cast off clothes.
At least Kathy and Jack Turner were pleased at Lisa's decision to go to the school, genuinely believing it was the best thing for her. She deserved a break after all she had been through, and they were concerned about Carla coming back and Lisa feeling left out.
Lisa and Alan sat looking sad at opposite ends of the sofa, and the only one that didn't notice was Karen. She hadn't seen them together as much as her parents and she assumed Lisa was really excited about going to the school.
“Wait until I tell Vikki, she'll be well impressed!” she announced, thinking it was cool that Lisa was going to such a great school (even though she didn't seem to know quite where it was.) The fifteen thousand pound price tag Lisa had mentioned was quite enough to impress her.
Lisa felt that the whole family had given her so much. Alan’s parents for their compassion. Karen for her friendship and generosity, and Alan for his love. She vowed to herself that if she and Alan didn't make it, they would hold a special place in her heart forever.
Just before they were leaving Lisa remembered that the clothes Karen had lent her for the party were still in the back of the car, and she asked Alan to bring them in. Karen looked inside the handbag as she was taking everything upstairs and found the bottle of Jean Paul Gautier perfume still inside.
She ran back into the lounge and gave it to Lisa, who was mortified at forgetting Alan's special gift and looked over at him for forgiveness. He smiled at her understandingly. Perfume had been the last thing on their minds.
He didn't look quite so understanding however, when Karen also pulled out Richard's business card from the bag, and reading out the name, held it up triumphantly. Lisa's heart sank as Karen jumped to the obvious conclusion.
“Oh, Lisa, I knew you’d hit it off with Richard,” she cried. “Are you going to see him again?” she asked excitedly.
Lisa took the card and shoved it in her pocket along with the perfume, muttering something about him insisting on her taking it, but she could tell from Alan's expression that the damage had been done. Even though she had proved that she wasn't interested in the attractive lawyer from London at the party, taking his card suggested otherwise, and Alan looked over at her remembering her brother's words. He had watched Lisa and Richard when they were together, and they had seemed to get on far too well.
With his kind of money there was no doubt that Richard was able to offer Lisa the kind of lifestyle she was used to. As all his insecurities rose to the surface, Alan couldn’t help thinking Lisa might choose to forget him, as she had Nick-- and move on to her next man.
When they left, Lisa hugged them all and thanked them for their help. She just hoped they would feel as warmly towards her when they found out about her and Alan. The thought of their rejection was playing on her mind, and she hoped against hope they would understand.
Driving home Alan was very quiet, and Lisa was worried that finding the card had caused a problem. He told her it hadn't, but Lisa wasn't totally convinced. She reckoned he wasn’t as cool about it as he was making out. She couldn't help but notice his reaction earlier on. She remembered the jealousy he had shown at his parents’ house the first time Richard Clarks name was mentioned, and the effect it had on Alan afterwards. She tried to put it to the back of her mind, realising that under the circumstances, she was probably blowing everything out of proportion. Alan must know how much she loved him.
When they got home she felt as though they were marking time, going through the motions, caught in the time warp which they were allowed, before she had to leave him.
As they lay in bed that night neither of them wanted to make love, they just wanted to hold each other. They both felt so scared, and the dawn of their second last day together found them holding hands like they had on their first night. Several times Lisa picked up Alan's mobile, tempted to phone Scott and say that she'd changed her mind, but one look at Alan reminded her that she had no choice, and she'd put it down.
They spent Thursday bolstering each other up by making plans. Carla was due back on the Monday; Lisa was due at the school on the Saturday before, having spent Friday afternoon and evening with her mother. Lisa would phone Alan on his mobile as soon as she had a number for the school, and he would drive down and visit her there the following weekend.
They agreed that Alan should meet Carla at the Airport on Monday as arranged, and tell her as soon as possible so that he could tell his parents about them with a clear conscience. They hoped that by the time the following summer came around, and Alan was qualified, Lisa would be able to go to a university nearby, and he would be able to support them both. Her brother had been right. It was a perfect solution, although he had only been thinking of Lisa at the time.
By the time they had finished, they could plan no more, and they spent the rest of the day reaffirming their love for each other as their parting drew closer. They went out for dinner on the Thursday night, but neither of them had much of an appetite, so they left as soon as they could. All they wanted to do was talk and reassure each other that everything would be okay.
As Friday dawned, Lisa woke up feeling as though she was going off to war, unsure of her return, trying to pack in as much feeling as possible in the few short hours they had left. She watched Alan sleeping and ached at the amount of love she felt for him. It wasn't just sex, although they had experienced much more in their short time together than many did in a lifetime, but he had become her soul mate, her friend, and her lover- and she needed all three to survive.
On their last morning together they touched, they held, they loved, and they promised. They did everything they could in the little time that they had left, feeling cheated that circumstances were forcing them apart. There was no doubt in either of their minds that the future was uncertain.
When Alan took Lisa to the station on the Friday morning they were both wretched at the thought of being separated, and Lisa decided she couldn't leave him. Alan knew that she must. Her brother’s words echoed in his ears, “If you really love her, you would make her go,” and much though he hated him for being right, he reluctantly talked Lisa round.
“I'll see you in eight days-- surely we can hang on that long?” he said, trying to make it sound easy.
He half hoped she would say she couldn't, but she nodded, knowing that they had no choice. Their time was up for now.
As they stood on the platform at the station they clung on to each other, kissing, touching and making promises, until their time ran out and Lisa had to get onto the train.
“I'll phone you on Saturday when I get there-- don't leave your phone in the car!” she called to him through the window, as the train started to pull out of the station. He walked beside the train as it gathered speed, reluctantly letting go of her hand.
“I won't… you know I only forget my phone when I want to...” he shouted, his voice trailing away as he watched the train gather speed.
A moment later, and she was gone...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. |
By alexisleech
Lisa looked out of the train window feeling empty and utterly devistated. She was unable to stop the tears sliding down her face, and she didn't care who witnessed them. Everything she cared about, she had just left behind.
Alan was the same. As he drove back to the flat he was nearly blinded by his own tears, and he felt as though part of him had been wrenched away from him. The pain was immense. It would be the longest eight days of his life.
By the time he got back to the flat, he just wanted to go back to their room where the smell of her still lingered. He buried his head in her pillow and just wished that she was still there; he had never missed anyone so intensely in his life. When Carla had gone abroad, he had gone home and phoned all his mates, arranging diversions to fill his time. If he had felt the same way about Carla as he did about Lisa, he would have been on the next flight to Spain and followed her to the end of the earth. He knew they had done the sensible thing, but he also knew the odds were stacked against them.
His eye wandered over to the dressing table, where an opened letter lay. When he walked over to look, he thought it must be from Lisa because she had gone back to the bedroom just before they left. When he picked it up, he realised with dismay that it was the last letter Carla had written to him. Lisa must have taken it out of the drawer when she was doing her final check of the bedroom-- but why had she left it out? Alan picked it up and read the top page, which was in fact the last.
Carla had ended the letter telling Alan how much she was looking forward to coming back to him, and how she had missed him terribly in the six months that she'd been away. She also promised to be wearing the gorgeous underwear he’d bought her while on holiday when she flew back. She looked forward to him seeing it, and hopefully removing it as soon after she landed as possible. The letter was signed, as usual, 'Yours forever, Carla' with three kisses underneath.
He was annoyed with Lisa for reading it, and surprised that she’d left the evidence on the dressing table-- unless she wanted him to know she had read it, which worried him much, much more.
Lisa had read the letter, which she'd found the night before when she was clearing her few things from the dressing table. She felt guilty reading it but she couldn't help herself, and was surprised at the warmth and affection contained in the letter from Alan's unsuspecting fiancée. All along she had convinced herself that Carla couldn't possibly love Alan as much as she did. Believing that made her feel less guilty for taking him from her. But the letter proved otherwise. It said the same sort of things Lisa would say if she were writing to him, and the guilt came down on her shoulders like a ton of bricks.
Lisa wanted to tell Alan that she had read the letter because she didn’t want to have secrets ruining their relationship, but she had run out of time. In their last few hours, every moment had been so precious. There had never been the right moment.
Before she left, she decided to go back to the bedroom and leave it out, so he would see that she'd read it. She so regretted that decision now.
What if he thought she was deceitful for reading his personal letter, which she knew she was. What if he thought she was sending him a message by leaving out the letter to say, look how much this girl loves you? You can't possibly break her heart. She had left the letter out thinking it was an honest thing to do, and only now, when she couldn't explain it to him, did she realise what a stupid thing she had done.
Back at the flat, Alan was totally confused trying to work out what message Lisa was trying to give him by leaving out the letter. He lay on the bed and stared up at the ceiling while he tried to work it out…
When Lisa arrived in London, she went straight to the Excelsior hotel, which was just around the corner from the station. She was dreading meeting up with her mother, remembering the last time she'd seen her. She had already decided that if there was any sign of trouble, she would get straight back on the train to Chelmsford, using the return ticket Alan had insisted she buy. It had made sense anyway, because a single cost almost as much as a return. She clung on to the fact that Alan's insistence that she bought it proved to her that he wanted her to come back to him. Consoled by that thought, she watched the houses flash by, as the train took her further and further away from him, her heart silently breaking.
Fiona Collins sat in the reception of the hotel nursing a cup of coffee, wishing that she could have a drink instead. Her flight that morning had necessitated her getting up at six-thirty, and she felt tired with the effort of it all. She had been relieved when Scott had phoned her to say that Lisa had decided to go to the school. It was now down to her to make sure she didn't change her mind. Fiona just wanted to get Lisa settled in the school because there, she would be back under her control. She still couldn't understand why Lisa had run away in the first place, conveniently forgetting what had actually happened. The wine had blurred the memory of that morning in Dunoon, as it had during her conversations with the police, but she still believed that it was all Lisa's fault-- not hers.
Fiona was just weighing up whether she had time to break her resolve not to have a drink, when her daughter walked in.
Lisa saw her mother as soon as she arrived, and was relieved to see that she had a cup, not a glass, in front of her. Fiona stood up and smiled at her, holding out both her hands. Lisa had no choice but to take them and accept the hug her mother gave her, but she felt her body stiffen at her touch. At least her mother was making an effort, and Lisa sighed with relief. Perhaps it was going to be okay.
Fiona studied the clothes Lisa wore, unaware that they were Karen's cast-offs. She was appalled that Lisa could be wearing such ordinary clothes to come to London, but she would soon put that right.
“We have to go to Dickens and Jones for your uniform and then I thought, if we had time, we could shop for some clothes for you,” she suggested with a motherly smile. Sadly she couldn't help adding.
“I really don't like what you're wearing, Lisa...”
Her comment didn’t surprise Lisa in the least. She just wished she had worn her new suit, irrespective of the memories attached to it. She remembered how particular her mother was. Clothes were only good enough, if she had bought them, or they cost a lot of money.
“Okay,” she answered distractedly, not particularly caring one way or the other. If her mother wanted to salve her own conscience by buying her new clothes, it was fine by her. She couldn't care less.
Sorting out the uniform was pretty boring, and Lisa actually felt guilty that her parents were spending that kind of money on a uniform she was only going to wear for a less than a year, but her mother insisted she had everything on the list supplied by the school.
After that, they went to Harrods, where Fiona did some serious harm with her account card, and took advantage of the fact that Donald would have no idea whether the clothes were for herself, or Lisa, when the account came in. If she had to prove that she could be a good Mother, then so be it, she might as well reap some rewards along the way.
By the time they had finished shopping it was six o'clock, and even Fiona had to admit they couldn't carry another bag. They were laden down like pack mules and Lisa couldn't wait to get back to the hotel and escape to the privacy of her room and ring Alan.
The afternoon had gone surprisingly well, and Lisa hoped that the evening would too. She couldn't believe that her mother was the same person who had stood screaming in front of Alan's parent's house. It would be a long time before she would feel safe being left alone with her, but their shopping trip had actually verged on the edge of being enjoyable.
They finished the day by having dinner in the hotel restaurant and everything was fine-- until her mother ordered a third glass of wine. Lisa decided to excuse herself, claiming she had to be fresh for the next day, and she escaped to her room, ensuring she was safely out of her mother's way before she drank any more.
It was only nine forty-five, but Fiona was pleased Lisa had gone to bed early because the strain of being restricted to just a couple of drinks was beginning to wear her down. She finished her drink and ordered a bottle of wine, which she took to her room where she could drink it unobserved. It had been a long day…
Lisa didn't just go up early because she was worried that the third glass of wine might bring out the worst in her mother, but because she wanted to phone Alan from her room and explain about reading Carla’s letter. She also wanted to give him the address and telephone number of the school, which was in the back of the brochure she'd extracted from her mother earlier that evening. She knew he wasn't expecting her to ring until she arrived at the school the next day, but she was desperate to hear his voice, and tell him how much she missed him…
Alan had stayed in the flat all afternoon and most of the evening feeling sorry for himself. Mike tried cheering him up by giving him a couple of stiff drinks, but they weren't having any effect. He still felt wretched.
“I think I'll drive down to see Lisa as soon as she phones with the address,” he said, draining his glass.
Mike looked up at his friend and laughed.
“I thought you were going to drive down next weekend?”
Alan poured himself another Bacardi, hoping it would help ease the pain.
“I don't think I can wait till then,” Alan replied, feeling totally desperate.
Mike stared back at his friend. He had never seen him looking so miserable.
“My God you’ve got it bad, mate, she's only been gone a few hours!”
Alan pursed his lips and looked back at his friend.
“You’ve no idea mate. If I could jump in the car and bring her back right now, I would.”
Mike checked his watch, and seeing the time, got up off his seat and pulled his sweater on over his head.
“Well if you fancy jumping in your car, I've got a hot date with one of the barmaids at the Dorchester Arms. I wouldn’t mind a lift because it’s peeing down out there…”
Lisa had been ringing for a couple of minutes and there was no answer. She didn't know that Alan had, as usual; left his phone behind, because he thought that he would only be gone a few minutes. She hung up and decided to try again later…
The drive to the Dorchester Arms only took five minutes, and Mike undid his seatbelt as they drove up getting ready to jump out as they came level with the pub. Alan put his foot on the brake-- but nothing happened, and the car careered on unimpeded at forty miles an hour. Mike had his hand on the handle of the door ready to get out, and he couldn't understand why Alan hadn't stopped-- until he looked over at him and saw the sheer panic on his face as his foot pumped away furiously at the brake pedal. The car gathered speed as it hurtled down the hill and the car that pulled across their path didn't see them coming. Alan swung the steering wheel to the left to try and avoid it, and when they hit the tail end of the truck parked at the side of the road, Mike went through the windscreen and smashed into a wall. The car somersaulted several times, eventually landing on its roof at the bottom of the hill-- where it lay crushed and silent….
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. |
By alexisleech
Lisa was beginning to get annoyed. She had been ringing Alan's mobile for over an hour, and she cursed him for being so reticent about keeping it with him. She assumed that he'd probably left it in the car, knowing how often he did.
Feeling tired because they had talked late into the night, Lisa realised Alan probably was too, so she gave up, thinking he might have gone to bed. She couldn't wait for the following afternoon when she was due to arrive at the school when she knew he would be waiting for her call. Lisa convinced herself he would understand about her reading Carla’s letter, and everything would be all right.
She took the school brochure out and looked at it again. It really did look wonderful, with acres of beautiful grounds containing stables, a new gymnasium, swimming pool and fitness club, all set in fabulous countryside. The pictures of students lounging in common rooms or studying in their spacious bedrooms gave the impression of teenage luxury organised by happy looking staff, who Lisa was glad to see looked very unlike nuns.
The pictures of the social evenings showing boys in dinner suits from the associated boy's school five miles away, brought a smile to Lisa face. The boys were trying to look cool and laid back, and the girls sophisticated- but Lisa knew from experience at her last school, those kinds of events involved a lot of drink-spiking and out-of-sight groping. It was all part of boarding school life and for the first time since she'd left, she missed it. The boarding school she had been at in the Borders had only eighty-three pupils, and she had always been happy there, safe from her mother.
The headmistress there had, for the four years she’d been there, been more like a mother than her own. It was as though she knew what Lisa had to endure when she went home, and she made the effort during the term to seek Lisa out and give her special tasks for which she could be praised. What Lisa didn't appreciate was the fact that her mother's lack of interest had been the give-away. She never wrote, never visited, and never showed any regard for her daughter's well-being, unlike Lisa's father who, whilst not showing any interest in the usual school events like sports day and prize giving, wrote the occasional note enclosing some money. Lisa's obvious pleasure in being at the school had been another strong indication that all was not well, as the only time she looked miserable was when she had to go home. If only the school had been able to offer the facility to take pupils up to ‘A’ level exam standard, Lisa would have happily stayed for another year, instead of leaving at the end of June, as she had.
This school would be different, and she wouldn't have to endure the lonely weekends without visitors and watch everyone else going out with their families. This time she would be able to work hard during the week knowing Alan would be visiting her at weekends. This time she would have someone to ring when she felt down or lonely from the phone in her room, and he would be able to contact her any time he liked, and tell her how much he loved her. This time she would be able to send and receive emails from someone she truly adored, and imagine his arms around her when they were apart. This time she had Alan…
Alan could feel himself floating over large open fields. He looked down and saw Lisa walking through a field in her red dress, her face upturned to the sky. She looked so, so beautiful. He called out to her, but she just kept walking through the long grass in a trance. It was as though she was oblivious to everything around her as she made her way towards something in the distance. He tried to swoop down to her, but an invisible wall was in the way and he couldn't break through it to reach her. He watched as she walked further and further away from him until, eventually, she disappeared…
The police were at the scene of the accident very quickly, forcing their way through the crowds of people who had gathered, some to see if they could help, some just to stare. Fifty metres behind where the car had landed lay the body of a lad, his face and shoulders covered with blood. The paramedics put him into a body bag, before placing him gently on a stretcher. They then took him away in one of the waiting ambulances.
Further down, at the bottom of the hill, firemen were using cutting gear to try and release the driver who was trapped in the overturned car, but they doubted they could get him out in time. The paramedics managed to get a line into his right arm through the smashed side window, but until the firemen managed to cut him free, they couldn't assess his other injuries. It didn't look good.
One of the policemen recognised Alan from the night he'd picked Lisa up and taken her back to Alan's flat, two weeks before. He was just relieved to see she wasn't in the car beside him. His partner was shaking his head as he looked down at Alan.
“When will they learn? It never fails to amaze me what youngsters think they can get away with...”
John Boyle looked back at him questioningly.
“Get away with what?”
'Drinking and driving, of course,” he replied accusingly.
He indicated towards Alan's upturned hand lying with the drip attached to his arm above it.
“This one's stinking of it-- Bacardi, I reckon.”
John was surprised. He'd thought Alan seemed like quite a sensible guy that night. It just showed you, he thought to himself-- you could never tell.
The firemen worked on, and it was forty minutes before they managed to cut the necessary metal away to free Alan and let the paramedics do their job.
His head had taken the worst of the impact when the car rolled, and the roof had flattened. The rest of his wounds seemed fairly superficial. Anna, the senior paramedic, called over for the stretcher. She didn't hold out a lot of hope for the poor lad.
When they got him into the ambulance he was still unconscious, and Anna was glad one of the policemen had recognised him, at least she had a name. It somehow made her job a lot easier. She looked down at him in the ambulance and squeezed his hand.
“Alan, love, we're taking you to the hospital-- hang on for me, okay?”
There was no response, and she squeezed his hand again, trying to communicate with him. Anna watched in dismay as his blood pressure dropped down to a dangerously low level.
“Come on, Alan--- don't give up on me,” she urged as her colleague closed the doors.
Alan muttered something, and she put her ear near his mouth to hear him.
“Lisa, I'm here…”
Anna looked anxiously up at the other paramedic in the back of the ambulance.
“Who's Lisa? Christ, that wasn't the girlfriend who was taken away in the other ambulance, was it?”
The paramedic shook his head. As far as he knew it was another boy who had been killed. Anna was relieved. Alan called out Lisa's name again. This time he seemed to be pleading with her.
The monitor changed to flat line, and Anna heard the all too familiar sound of the alarm. She jumped into action and picked up the paddles, shouting to her colleague.
“He's in VF. Shocking to 200-- Stand clear....”
Lisa was holding him, and he felt scared and very cold. She cradled his head in her lap and looked down at him with such love and compassion in her eyes; he thought his heart would break.
“Am I dying, Lisa?” he heard himself ask.
Slowly the tears rolled down her cheeks, as they had so many times before, and he felt himself slipping away from her as they stared into each other's eyes.
“Lisa, hold me-- hold me, I need you...” he cried out.
She was standing with her hands outstretched, reaching for him as he felt himself being dragged away. He managed to grab one of her hands for a moment and tried not to let go, but it was no use. One by one, her fingers slowly unfurled, and he couldn't hang on any longer. She was gone, and only darkness took her place…
The next morning, when Lisa woke up, she was drenched in sweat and had this gut instinct something was wrong. She didn't know what it was, but she had slept really badly, and kept dreaming about Alan all through the night. She put it down to missing him so much and tried his mobile again, only to be disappointed. Lisa cursed the fact that the only way she could contact him wasn't working, and she regretted not taking a note of Mike's mobile, or even Karen's. Now Alan was the only one who could give her that information. She calmed herself with the knowledge that he wasn't expecting her to call until the afternoon, and eventually gave up and got dressed.
Her mother looked pleased with her when she came down to breakfast because she was wearing one of the new outfits they had bought in Harrods' the previous day.
“Now that’s more like it," she announced triumphantly. “I hate to see you looking a mess...”
Lisa had thought she looked fine when she arrived, but she didn't say anything because she didn't want to start an argument. It was only a couple of hours before her train left, and she couldn't wait to get away. To fill in the time, she left her mother at the hotel and went to Boots to buy various toiletries she might need for the school. It was typical that her mother had concentrated on clothes shopping the day before, and had given no thought to the essentials she would need.
When they got to the station with only twenty minutes to spare, Lisa was just amazed she'd managed to spend the twenty-four hours with her mother without having an argument. She didn't want her mother to wait for the train to leave, just in case they fell out in the short time that was left. Sadly, Fiona had other ideas.
There were several girls on the platform with their parents, and some were already on the train, looking for the classmates they hadn't seen for two months. Fiona Collins was not going to miss the opportunity of talking to some of the parents while they waited for the train to go, and Lisa had to stand patiently on the platform by her mother's side, while she chatted to complete strangers. It was as though being a parent gave her the right.
“I think I better get on the train, mum. It'll be going in a moment,” Lisa interrupted, picking up her bags.
Fiona wrapped her arms around her, and gave her a hug befitting any doting parent.
“Okay, darling, we'll miss you-- be good!” she added, before turning back to the parent she'd been talking to before.
Lisa nearly burst out laughing, but she managed to suppress it, and walked towards the door. She was just getting onto the train when Fiona remembered something and started searching in her handbag. She gestured to Lisa to come back, and handed Lisa a small cream envelope. It was a letter addressed to Lisa at her parents address in Scotland with "Please forward" written across the top. Lisa recognised the writing immediately.
It was from Nick...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. |
By alexisleech
By the time the train pulled away, Lisa was able to shed a few genuine tears, not as her mother was delighted to believe because Lisa was going to miss her, but because of the guilt she felt. When she looked down at the envelope in her hands, it immediately reminded her of Carla's letter-- which filled her with incredible sadness.
She sat in her seat and stared at the letter, unable to open it, tears rolling down her cheeks. She dreaded to think what Nick had written. He must think she was totally heartless for never having phoned him after she ran away, and she couldn't even bear to think about it.
One of the girls mistook her misery for childish tears because she’d had to leave her family. She touched her arm reassuringly.
“Don't worry, it'll be half term in six weeks- the time will fly once you settle in,” she said cheerfully.
Lisa looked up at the pretty faced girl who was talking to her who then introduced herself.
“I'm Amy, who are you?”
Lisa wiped away her tears, feeling like a complete prat.
“Lisa Collins-- and it's not what you think,” she added somewhat defensively.
Amy raised her eyebrows. “What isn't?”
Lisa felt like a total idiot, and she thought Amy must think she was too.
“The reason I'm crying.”
Amy burst out laughing. If nothing else, the new girl had a novel way of introducing herself.
“Well, I'm glad we've got a mind reader on board,” she teased. “If it's not your family you're going to miss, then who is it?”
Lisa stared back at her and thought of Alan waiting for her call.
“My boyfriend…”
Amy had noticed the unopened letter on the table.
“You not going to open that?” she asked, assuming that it was something to do with the aforementioned boyfriend.
Lisa shook her head and picked the letter up, staring at it as though it held a secret.
“No, I can't…” she answered, feeling the guilty tears start again.
Amy couldn't understand anyone not wanting to open a letter.
“Is it from your boyfriend?” she asked, trying to look sympathetic.
Lisa shook her head and looked back at Amy, wishing that she'd never seen the letter.
“Ex-boyfriend-- we split up a couple of weeks ago,” she answered with a tight smile, hoping that Amy would drop the subject. She didn't. In fact, it seemed to make her more interested.
“Did he dump you or did you dump him?” she asked, wanting to know more.
Lisa thought for a moment, remembering how she hadn't even phoned Nick to explain.
“I dumped him…”
Amy seemed happy with her answer, and looked back at the letter, now assuming that it was a letter from Lisa's ex, begging her to take him back. Amy naively thought it was very romantic. Nobody wrote letters anymore, it was all emails.
“Well, by the time you've been at school for a couple of weeks, you'll be glad of any letters, so I wouldn't give up on him quite yet if I were you...”
Lisa realised that Amy had misunderstood her, and turned to explain, but she was already away catching up with the rest of her friends and the holiday gossip further down the carriage. Lisa put the letter in her bag and resolved to open it later, after she had spoken to Alan.
Lisa spent the rest of the journey alone, listening to the incessant chatter coming from the other girls on the train. Occasionally their conversation was punctured by raucous laughter as some holiday incident or another was shared.
Lisa felt light years older than all of them, and they all seemed so innocently wrapped up in trivia, compared to her. She tried to imagine how they would have coped, given the situations she had experienced in the last few weeks, and hoped there would be a few more like her, who weren't quite so immature. If there weren’t, she decided that she was going to get the next train back to London.
When they arrived at Homewood station, they were met by a coach which was on hand to meet most of the incoming trains that afternoon.
“Does everyone come back by train?” Lisa asked Amy as they climbed on board, having left their cases by the luggage hold at the side of the bus.
“No, lots of girls are driven back by their parents, but then you've got the problem of getting rid of them. Some parents just don’t seem to know when to leave, and you're stuck with them fussing over you until supper time. I haven't let mine bring me back since third year, it's far too embarrassing.”
Lisa laughed. Amy seemed really nice, and incredibly pretty. She had long blonde hair, beautiful large blue eyes, and a great figure, shown off by her tight designer jeans. Lisa hoped they were going to be in the same year. She turned to her and asked if she was in upper sixth. She was, and Lisa was relieved. At least she would know one friendly face.
“Do you like it there?” Lisa asked, wanting to know more about the school.
Amy plonked herself down on the seat beside her.
“Sure, it's got to be better than being at home. I reckon I have more freedom at the school than I do there, anyway my parents are abroad a lot, so it suits everyone.”
Lisa was beginning to like the sound of it more and more.
“How do they feel about boyfriends?”
Amy stared back at her, glad she had cheered up a bit since they'd first met on the train.
“Who, my parents? Oh, they're fine about them.”
Lisa burst out laughing. Somehow, instinctively, she could tell they were going to get on.
“No, not your parents - the school, are there any rules and regulations about boyfriends?”
Amy knew exactly what she meant, but was enjoying winding Lisa up.
“Oh they're okay, as long as you're not caught having it off in your bedroom.”
Lisa was impressed with Amy's sense of humour.
“So you're allowed to have it off anywhere, except for your bedroom then?” she replied sarcastically.
Amy started to say “no” before she realised it was her turn to be wound up.
“Yeah, yeah, very smart, I can tell you're a fast learner!”
Amy was beginning to like this new girl. She had thought she was a bit pathetic when she found her snivelling at first, but she seemed to be quite cool and "older" in a funny kind of way. She was very attractive, and the complete opposite to Amy in colouring, with long dark hair and big hazel green eyes. Otherwise they were very similar in height and build, although Lisa had a slightly bigger bust. Yeah, Lisa would be very handy for wardrobe swapping when it was required. Anyway it was nice to have a fresh face in upper six because most of them had been at the school together for years. It was a nice change not knowing everything about someone.
When the bus pulled up in front of the school, Lisa was very impressed. The red sandstone building had obviously been built as a large country house, and any later additions to the property appeared to be concealed behind the original façade. The ivy growing over the greater part of the main house gave it a magical English country look, and the tall Georgian paned windows with their arched tops made it look supremely elegant.
Once inside, the institution took over, but not before you had passed through the elegant hallway boasting a domed ceiling and magnificent plasterwork. The library on the left side of the entrance hall was filled with thousands of books and exuded an air of scholarly respectability.
Amy kindly helped Lisa with her bags through to the upper sixth wing. Although it was a new building, it had been thought out with every teenage comfort in mind. Every room had a computer, built in hair dryer and, Lisa was delighted to have confirmed, a telephone. Lisa realised her last school was fairly primeval by comparison because it had been all dormitories and discipline.
It was four-thirty, and Lisa was anxious to phone Alan. So, as soon as Amy left, she dialled his number. Yet again she was disappointed. His phone was not even ringing because it had been switched off according to the automated message. Little did she know that it had just run out of power because Alan hadn’t charged it for days.
Lisa started to feel uneasy. Perhaps leaving Carla’s letter had done more harm than she’d thought, and Alan didn't want to talk to her. With that thought she burst into tears again, and cursed herself for being so stupid. If Alan had turned his phone off, it could mean only one thing…
At five-thirty Amy popped into Lisa's room to see how she was getting on, and found her sitting on the bed looking out of the window, her bags still unpacked. When she saw the tears in her eyes and the sad expression on her face, she tried to make a joke to cheer her up.
“What? Are you leaving already?”
Lisa smiled at her ruefully. She had tried Alan's phone a dozen times. It was still switched off, and the thought that it was deliberate had plunged her into despair. She shook her head.
“Nope, I've got nowhere else to go” she said despondently, blinking back the tears.
Amy unzipped Lisa's suitcase, trying to help.
“Well, I'll give you a hand-- this case isn't going to unpack itself.” She added in an effort to be friendly.
Lisa had no choice but to start unpacking with her. As they were putting the clothes away, Amy couldn't help noticing that nearly everything was new, still with the price tags on, and most of it came from Harrods. It was as though Lisa didn't have a past-- even all her toiletries were new and still in their original boxes. Amy was intrigued, and hoped that Lisa would tell her a little about herself while they were unpacking, but she didn't. She was too caught up in the misery she was feeling to talk to anyone.
When they finished putting the last of the clothes away, Amy suggested that she introduce Lisa to a few more girls in the year, especially the ones in the rooms close by. As they went along the corridor every door was open, beds covered in a sea of clothes, floors scattered with bags, assorted trainers and shoes.
Everywhere was in total chaos.
“Good job we don't have room inspection till Monday,” Amy said, as they went into a room three up from Lisa's.
This one seemed even more chaotic than the rest. Amy introduced her to Linda, a very large American girl, who must have been larger still at the end of the summer term because Amy was congratulating her on her weight loss during the holidays.
“How much have you lost, Linda? You look fantastic!” Amy announced enthusiastically.
Lisa looked at her and wondered what Linda must have looked like before. She was still huge.
“Twenty three pounds,” Linda answered in a low southern drawl, rightly proud of her achievement. “The folks packed me off to a fat farm, I thought I would die-- it was hell.”
Lisa felt really sorry for her, but she shouldn't have, because for all her size, Linda seemed to be very popular, and half the school seemed to be in her room. Amy then introduced her to Veronique, a stunning tall French girl who spoke with a very sexy accent, then Teddy, who had a mass of Afro type hair and round "Lennon" type glasses. The next room they went into was Chloe’s', a sweet looking Geordie, who seemed to be the only one putting her things away.
There were a couple of dozen rooms on Lisa's floor, hers being the first one when you got to the top of the stairs. The corridor was split in two, divided by the common room in the middle. Most of the girls were beginning to spill out of their rooms and had started to congregate there. Amy asked Lisa if she fancied sitting in there for a bit, but she wanted to go back to her room and try Alan’s phone again.
She was wasting her time, because his mobile was still switched off. Lisa's anxiety turned to anger, thinking how unfair Alan was being by switching off his phone. If he was punishing her for reading Carla’s letter, then he could at least let her explain why she had left it out in the first place. He must know that she was trying to ring him, of that she was in no doubt because she had promised she would. She thought back to the look on his face when Karen had pulled out Richard's business card, and convinced herself that the damage had been done then. She was starting to think that he must have just been hanging on, waiting for her to go to the school, so he could meet Carla when she got back. With that thought, she started crying again, thinking that he must be one of the most heartless human beings on the planet.
But if that was the case, then why had he insisted on her buying a return ticket? It just didn't make any sense. She decided not to try him again until ten o'clock at the earliest. If he had just forgotten to turn on his phone, and he realised that at some point in the evening, she would make him sweat a bit and wait for her call.
After supper, which was held in the huge ‘Adams’ dining room, painted in cream, pale green and gold, Amy, who seemed to have taken on the role of personal guide, introduced Lisa to a few more people in the common room. Although alcohol was technically banned, most of the girls in Lisa's year, especially the ones from abroad, had brought some back, and it was now being generously shared out in assorted mugs.
“What happens if we're caught?” Lisa asked, accepting a mug of white wine from Veronique.
“Oh they don't seem to mind on the first night, but God help you if you're caught after that, that’s why most of us get slaughtered tonight-- Merde! You should see some of the faces at the first assembly.”
Lisa laughed, thinking how cute Veronique's accent was.
“What do you do with the empty bottles?” She asked.
“Oh that's not a problem, we put the empty bottles in the prop cupboard”
The wine was obviously getting to Lisa because she started laughing outright at Veronique's accent. Amy looked over at the new girl and was relieved to see her lightening up a little. She took advantage of Lisa's better humour to try and find out more about her.
“Hey, Lisa, why don't you tell everyone a bit about yourself?”
Lisa looked back at Amy and felt cornered. The last thing she wanted to do was tell anyone there what a dysfunctional family she’d come from. She outlined the details of her family, taking care, as she always did, not to say anything derogatory about her mother. She explained that she was there to take 'A' levels because she couldn't take them at the small school she had been at in the Borders. She didn't mention Alan because she was so upset at him for turning off his phone, and what it might mean.
Being the romantic dreamer, Teddy decided to ask the question they all wanted to know.
“So what about guys, Lisa? I notice you haven't mentioned any.”
Lisa looked down at her mug, unsure of what to say. What could she tell them? She was in love with someone who didn't even want to talk to her, and he was engaged to someone else…
Seeing that she was struggling Amy stepped in.
“Lisa's dumped her boyfriend but he's still writing to her, isn't he, Lisa?”
Lisa nodded, grateful for Amy's explanation. The truth would have been far too complicated…
They all spent the rest of the evening finishing the wine and telling stories about the holidays, and Lisa was glad of the distraction because it kept her mind off Alan and the fact that she should have tried to phone him again. By the time they all called it a day, it was well past ten, and Lisa went back to her room anxious in case, by trying to teach Alan a lesson, she might have overstepped the mark. She went to the phone right away, picked it up, and dialled nine for an outside line. She was putting in his number when she noticed that there was no dialling tone, so she had to start again. It was still dead.
She went along the corridor to Linda's room, having forgotten where everyone else was, and knocked on the door. Linda was just getting into bed and was surprised to see her.
“Hi, what's up?” she asked, seeing that Lisa was still fully dressed.
“Linda, my phone doesn't seem to be working, can I use yours?” Lisa asked, looking desperate.
Linda realised that Lisa wouldn't know that the phone lines were switched off at the switchboard at ten, so the other students wouldn't be disturbed. Linda couldn't believe how upset Lisa was when she told her. She looked like she was going to burst into tears.
“Does anyone have a mobile?” Lisa pleaded, as though her life depended on it.
Linda shook her head.
“Sorry, honey, they're banned. That’s why we have phones in our rooms. I know a couple of kids sneak them in, but it's not worth it, they're confiscated if they're found, and you don't get them back until the end of term. As I said-- you'll just have to wait until the morning.”
Lisa thanked her and went back to her room, regretting her earlier decision to teach Alan a lesson. What if he had been waiting all evening for her to call? She couldn't bear to imagine what he must be thinking.
Lisa lay on her bed and, conscious of the thinness of the walls, wept silently until she fell asleep.
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
By the time dawn broke the next morning, Lisa was worn out because she hadn't slept. She had spent the whole night feeling wretched at the thought that Alan had been waiting for her call, and not knowing about his accident, she was convinced that he had.
From six o'clock onwards she kept picking up the phone, willing it alive, but she had to wait until eight-thirty before she heard the familiar sound of a dialling tone. She keyed in his number, ready with her apologies, only to hear the same message she had heard the previous afternoon. "The cell phone you have called may be switched off, please try later." She listened to the message three or four times before she put the phone down. What had Alan's parting words to her been? “You know I only forget my phone when I want to.” She reluctantly tried to accept the fact that Alan wasn't waiting for her call…
The Sunday morning welcome back assembly was fairly boring, not that Lisa heard a word of it. As Veronique had predicted, there were a few greenish tinged faces to be seen, especially in the fifth and sixth year. The main purpose of the assembly seemed to be to welcome new pupils and staff alike, the more serious points being left for Monday morning when the school truly began.
After assembly there was a mass held in the chapel, but it wasn't compulsory to go in sixth form as the denominations in that year were very varied. A lot of Lisa's year did go however, being Catholic and conditioned by their previous years at the school. Lisa was just glad to escape to her room.
Her sleepless night combined with the awful turmoil going on inside her made her prefer her own company. She thought for a moment that Alan might have found out the address and was going to arrive unexpectedly, but she knew that was almost impossible. He knew no one who could tell him where she was, and there were dozens of schools in the area. Lisa laughed bitterly to herself, punch-drunk by her lack of sleep. To think she had thought the main test of their relationship was surviving Carla's return- and she wasn't returning until the next day. Alan must have been so sure he didn't want to lose Carla when he left her at the station. She had to give him his due- he'd given an Oscar winning performance. If that was the case, he'd really had her fooled.
Still not wanting to believe he could be so callous, Lisa started analysing what could possibly have stopped him from answering his phone if he really wanted to. She thought for one horrible moment that he might have had an accident, but she believed that wasn't possible because if he had, and he had his phone with him, someone would have heard it and answered it. If he had left his phone at the flat, and then had an accident, then Mike would have answered it, as she had seen him do a few times before.
The only other possible explanation was that he had lost his phone, in which case he could be desperately trying to replace it, in order to receive her call. Lisa hung on to that hope, believing that if he had lost it on Friday or Saturday, he would have to wait until Monday to have it replaced. Lisa was feeling so desperate she decided pathetically that she had hit on the answer, and decided she would give him until Monday night to get a new phone. With that belief she fell asleep on the bed and fitfully dreamt until the rest of the girls returned from chapel.
...........
Alan found Lisa in the field again. Still in the red dress, she was calling him, running through the long grass and shouting out his name. She was still crying, tears running down her face, her beautiful long hair blowing in the wind. He was running behind her, reaching for her, but he couldn't catch her. He called her name, but the words were stuck in his throat. He felt his legs and arms moving, but they wouldn't move quickly enough. In his despiration, he willed them to move even faster….
The nurse in intensive care looked over as he started convulsing, and pressed the emergency button at the side of his bed. She had seen it all too often before…
...........
When Lisa woke up, Linda had her cheery face around the edge of her door.
“Come on Dozo, you'll miss lunch!”
Lisa stared back at her, wishing everyone would just leave her alone. She wasn't hungry.
“Do I have to go?” she asked, hoping it wasn't compulsory.
Linda looked amazed that she could ask such a question.
“No, you don't have to go- but I would seriously recommend it. Sunday lunch is the best meal of the week.”
Lisa sat on the edge of her bed trying to get her bearings. She felt totally disorientated.
“I'm sorry, I don't really fancy anything. Do you mind if I give it a miss?”
Linda stood in the doorway and wished she hadn't bothered asking her.
“Your loss, honey,” she grunted, before she left, closing the door behind her.
Lisa wished she hadn't had the wine the night before. She felt awful. She washed her face and stared back at her reflection, surprised at how ghastly she looked. Her face was ashen white, and she could see dark circles under her eyes. She tried Alan's number again, just in case, but as she expected- his phone was still switched off.
Linda plonked herself down on a chair beside the others in the dining room. Amy looked at her accusingly because she was supposed to have brought Lisa down to lunch.
“Well, where is she?” she asked, thinking Linda had forgotten.
Linda stabbed at the salad organised especially for her, and looked jealously at the roast beef meal the others had in front of them.
“Still in her room, looking God damn miserable,” she replied before she started munching.
They all looked at each other wondering if they had picked the right messenger.
“What did she say when you told her it was lunch time?” Chloe asked, annoyed at Linda's apparent indifference.
Linda had plunged another mouthful of salad into her mouth, so they had to wait for her answer.
“Something about not fancying anything, and giving it a miss. Beats me!”
Amy looked concerned. Lisa didn't seem to be settling in at all. She turned to the others.
“Lisa didn't come down to breakfast either. Do you think we should mention it to someone?”
Veronique, being the most mature of them all, thought she knew the answer.
'I think she is, how you say? Pining for someone...”
The way Veronique said "pining" made everyone laugh.
“Trust you to think it has something to do with a guy Veronique,” Amy said indignantly, and then she thought about what she had just said.
“You know, you might be right. The first time I met Lisa on the train she was bubbling over an unopened letter she reckoned was from some guy she'd dumped. Maybe she's regretting it now?”
This seemed like a plausible explanation to their innocent way of thinking, and they tried to work out how they could help.
Chloe thought they should set up a rota to keep an eye on Lisa, which they all agreed to do. It was also decided that Amy was the best one to broach the subject of the unopened letter because she had actually seen it.
When they went back upstairs Amy knocked gently on Lisa's door. After a couple of minutes of silence, she knocked again. Lisa was lying on the bed, past caring what anyone thought of her, and when she heard the knock on the door she didn't answer, hoping that whoever it was would go away. They didn't.
“It's only me Lisa, can I come in?” Amy asked, when fed up with waiting, she popped her head around the door.
Realising Amy probably wouldn't take no for an answer, Lisa told her to come in and tried to pull herself together.
Amy couldn't believe the difference in Lisa in twenty-four hours. She looked awful. She teased Lisa about the amount of wine she must have drunk the night before to be in such a state, but she knew that couldn't be the reason because she had been pouring it, and Lisa had only had a couple of glasses.
Lisa decided to let her believe what she wanted. She didn't care anyway. Amy was just about to give up trying to cheer Lisa up, when she had an idea.
“Have you read the letter from your ex yet?”
Lisa shook her head miserably.
“No, and I'm not going to,” she replied.
Amy tried to sound unconcerned.
“So it's definitely over between you two then?”
Lisa nodded. Nick was the last person she wanted to talk about.
“Yes, I'm afraid so …”
Amy thought the 'afraid' indicated some possible regret.
“If you don't mind me asking, what did he do to make you dump him?” Amy asked, hoping Lisa would open up to her.
Lisa looked at her miserably. 'I didn't dump him exactly- I haven't even spoken to him for a couple of weeks, but he knows the engagement's off.”
Amy's jaw dropped. She was sure Lisa had just mentioned the word 'engagement.' Now, that was serious stuff.
“Is that why you came to the school-- because you broke off your engagement?”
Lisa thought carefully before she answered. She wanted to tell somebody about Alan, but she couldn't bear the humiliation of everyone knowing that the man she loved didn't even want to talk to her.
“In a way- but I never actually broke it off. That’s probably why he's written to me.”
Amy was intrigued, but still confused.
“If you say that you haven't actually broken it off, then how does the guy know it's over?”
Lisa didn't want to tell any lies, but she didn't want to tell the whole truth either. She decided that half the truth would do.
“I was supposed to go to the Isle of Man a couple of weeks ago, so that we could announce our engagement, but I got cold feet and I didn't go, so my mother phoned and told him for me.”
Amy had this romantic vision of some love-struck guy pining away with a broken heart on an Island somewhere, still waiting for Lisa
“What's wrong with him? Is he dead ugly, or what?” She asked.
Lisa remembered Alan asking the same question, and she gave Amy the same answer.
“No, he's actually very good looking.”
She just wished Amy would drop the subject of Nick all together.
If he was good looking then Amy assumed he must be some impoverished low light with no money, and Lisa's parents didn't like him because of it.
“So what's the problem?” she asked. “Is he broke?”
Lisa laughed cynically. Why did everyone think that money made you perfect?
“No, quite the opposite, he's a millionaire…”
Amy couldn't believe what she was hearing. Good looking, rich, what more could anyone ask for? Lisa must be nuts. He sounded like every girl's fantasy guy.
“So what's wrong with this rich hunk then?” she asked, desperate to know why Lisa had broken off her engagement.
Lisa was about to say that she didn't love him, but was afraid that Amy would think she was shallow for agreeing to marry him in the first place, if that was the case.
“He's sixteen years older than me.”
That managed to shut Amy up-- but only for a second or two.
“That’s not too bad, my Dad's twelve years older than my Mum, but the age gap doesn't seem to make any difference. They get on fine, when they're not arguing!”
Amy laughed at her own joke, hoping Lisa would lighten up.
“Anyway,” she continued, despite Lisa’s failure to even smile. “They were both married to people the same age the first time round, and my Mum said it was a total disaster because her first husband did most of his growing up after they got married.”
Lisa realised that the age thing wasn't going to put Amy off, so she tried another tactic.
“It's not just the age gap. I feel that I hardly know him-- we only met this summer. I can't make that kind of commitment to someone I’ve just met.”
Lisa laughed inwardly at what she had just said. She had been with Alan two short weeks, and she’d wanted to spend the rest of her life with him after two days.
Amy decided to go back to the letter. Perhaps if she could get Lisa to read it, then she would realise she'd made a mistake.
“I think you should at least read the letter, Lisa. Why don’t you give the poor guy a break?”
Lisa was beginning to get annoyed. She knew Amy was only trying to help, but all she was doing was making her feel guilty about Nick on top of the misery she was going through waiting for Alan to turn on his mobile. She desperately tried to think of a way to get Amy off her back. She reached into her handbag, took out the unopened letter, and ripped it into several pieces as Amy watched on with disbelief. Then Lisa threw the pieces of paper into her bin. That was definitely the last thing Amy had expected.
“As I said, Amy, it's just not going to happen- so will you, please just drop it.” Lisa snapped irritably, as Amy stared back at her open mouthed...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
Word of Lisa's broken engagement travelled around the sixth form like wild fire. Amy reported back to the rest of the 'team' who in turn discussed it with others. Without realising it, Amy's disclosure about Lisa, including the story about her ripping up the letter from her estranged fiancee, made Lisa a very popular topic of conversation in the school. There was hardly a girl who didn't know about it.
Monday came and went, and Lisa still couldn't get through to Alan. Now her love started turning to anger because, if it hadn't, she would have fallen apart. She still didn't want to believe he had been acting in those last few days they had together, but she thought, understandably, the evidence was staring her in the face. Lisa tried to keep herself occupied by getting into the routine of the school, but every time she had any time to herself, she would ring Alan's mobile, hoping desperately that he would answer and have a plausible explanation.
As the week went on, she became more resigned to the fact that it was useless, and the only thing that kept her going was the tiniest hope that Alan would keep his promise, find out where she was, and turn up as arranged the following weekend.
Meanwhile the girls were making plans. On Monday Amy popped into Lisa's room while she was out, and checked that the ripped up letter was still there. The pieces were still scattered in the bin. She would have taken them then, but they had all thought that Lisa might have a change of heart and decide to read the letter. They realised that they couldn't take the pieces out until Wednesday when the bins were usually emptied from each room.
On the Wednesday morning Veronique was instructed to get Lisa down to breakfast, by hook or by crook, and the others watched as she frog marched Lisa down the stairs, protesting her lack of hunger. As soon as they knew she was safely out of the way, Amy shot into Lisa's room and swapped the bin for an empty one.
When they got it back to Amy's room, they took out the bits of paper and hid them in a bag at the back of her wardrobe. By the time they got down to breakfast, Lisa was on her way back, and they all smiled knowingly at her as they passed her on the stairs.
When Lisa got back to her bedroom she didn't notice anything amiss. In fact she didn't notice anything at all, as she was too busy, yet again, trying to call Alan's mobile.
Amy and the others couldn't wait until lessons were over and they could get together and sort out the letter. They didn't know what they were going to do with it, but they were convinced it somehow held a clue to Lisa's misery, and they would be able to work it out once they had read it. They also had to wait until Lisa was out of the way and somehow distracted, which wouldn't be easy because she usually hung out with one or all of them in the common room each evening. That was, when she wasn't being miserable on her own.
They decided to take it in turns to spend time with her, while the others worked on piecing the letter back together. It had taken most of the evening, but they had managed it. Thankfully Lisa had called it a day and gone to bed early, allowing them to get together in peace.
They all went back to Amy's room to discuss what it said. Each of them had read a few lines here and there as they had been taping the pieces together, and each felt as though they knew a part of a secret from the words they read. Slowly they passed the hand written pages between them, and they were all silent as they digested the entire contents of Nick's letter.
Teddy nearly started crying as she read the last paragraph, and the others were near to tears as they finished reading it all.The letter had started "My Dearest Lisa" and ended "Yours forever, Nick," and everything in between was a testament to the woman he loved. He wrote of the first time that he had seen her, how he had immediately loved her and wanted her for his wife. He reiterated over and over again that whatever had happened, he still loved and needed her more than life itself, and how he still wanted her to be his wife.
When they had all read the letter, they looked at each other searching for something to say. Teddy had felt so sorry for him that she blamed Lisa for being a heartless cow, but Amy defended her by explaining about the age gap, and the fact that they hardly knew each other. Veronique was a little more realistic than that, having more experience than the others.
“Perhaps he is no good in bed,” she suggested, her French accent making the suggestion sound plausible.
Chloe was indignant.
“Trust you, Veronique, just because you’ve had sex, you think everything, including love, is based on a man’s performance.”
Veronique knew that it did have some relevance.
“Well, I think it is important, even to you cold English women!”
Amy still didn't like the idea of Nick being less than perfect.
“Lisa's Scottish, not English, so that doesn't count! Can we get off the subject of this poor guy's performance? This is serious.”
They all agreed, so they looked again at the contents of the letter and searched for ideas to try and get Lisa and Nick back together. Teddy had homed in on one part of the letter that said life was just not worth living for Nick since Lisa had disappeared out of it.
“You don’t think he's going to top himself, do you?” she asked the others with a serious expression.
Amy realised that their imaginations were now getting carried away.
“Don't be daft, Teddy. He's a grown man of thirty three, not a stupid teenager.”
Teddy wasn't convinced, and she couldn't see that age had anything to do with it.
“Well, from where I'm standing, he sounds pretty suicidal to me. How's he going to feel if he finds out that Lisa hasn't even read the letter?”
Amy actually agreed with Teddy on that one, but she was feeling guilty about reading the letter anyway, and she didn't want the responsibility of some suicidal maniac as well.
“I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to sleep on it. There's got to be some way we can get them back together, even if it's just for an hour or so,” Amy announced as she stood up.
Chloe pointed out that Nick had put his home and mobile number in his letter, in case Lisa wanted to contact him.
“Why don't we just ring him up and get him over here?” she suggested.
Teddy thought that was a daft idea, they knew nothing about him, except that he loved Lisa passionately.
“And say what? Excuse me, but I've just read the letter you sent to your fiancée, which she just happened to rip up and throw in the bin! Yeah, great idea, Chloe,” Amy snorted, imagining the conversation.
They all decided to take Amy's advice and sleep on it. There had to be an answer, and they would have to work it out.
The rest of the week continued, and Lisa still couldn't contact Alan, but she didn't give up. One minute she was angry, the next, desolate. She refused to totally give in to the idea that Alan had been lying to her when she had been with him, because she couldn't cope with that emotionally, and would have ended up feeling suicidal. If their love affair was over, it had to be because he couldn't cope with splitting from Carla, which gave the sadness of it all a much nobler quality. But she still wanted to say goodbye to him, if that was the case.
The 'team' still hadn't come up with any possible ideas, but they could see Lisa slipping deeper and deeper into a depression, which worried them terribly. They still mistakenly thought it was all to do with Nick, and they were also concerned over the fact that Lisa had hardly eaten since she arrived.
“I think I've eaten more in a day than Lisa's eaten in a week,” Linda announced on the Friday evening when they all came back up from supper.
Chloe looked at Linda sarcastically, having watched her polish off everyone's leftovers earlier on.
“That wouldn't be very hard, would it, Linda" she chided. "I think you're eating for three at the moment. What happened to your diet?”
Linda went off to bed in a huff, feeling fat and unloved. Amy was annoyed with Chloe's remark because it had been unnecessarily cruel, especially as Linda was right. Lisa hardly ate anything at all.
After she had gone, Amy turned to the others and asked them what they thought they should do.
“Well, the way I see it, I think we have only two choices,” said Teddy.
The other three stared at her, glad that someone was at last sounding decisive.
“We either contact Nick, or we don’t. Simple as that...”
“Shall we vote?” asked Chloe, being the most passive of them all.
“Good idea,” Amy decided, and put up her hand in the air.
“I vote that we call him, God knows, it can’t do any harm, surely?”
One by one the others raised their hands.
“Agreed...” Veronique announced, and they all went to bed trying to think of what they should say when they did...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
Carla’s parents were waiting for her when she arrived at the airport. They had thought about phoning her when Alan had the accident, but nobody expected him to make it through the next forty-eight hours when she was due back, so they thought it best to tell her when she arrived.
They now regretted that decision because Carla mistook them shielding her from the pain of Alan's possible death as them not considering her feelings. She would have wanted to be at his bedside whatever the outcome. Her mother filled her in as best she could on the way to the hospital.
“I’m sorry, Carla, but they don't expect Alan to make it. He's on life support at the moment, and he hasn't regained consciousness since the accident. I’m sorry, honey, but it’s not looking good.”
Carla felt awful because she hadn't been there sooner. She was sure she could have done something. The thought that Alan might have died before she got home made her feel even worse. When her parents told her about Mike, and the fact that Alan being over the limit had probably been a contributory factor in the accident, she couldn’t believe it.
“That’s nonsense! Alan doesn't drink and drive, and he hates people who do. There must be some mistake.”
Her father interrupted her. He had been so disappointed when the police had confirmed that Alan had been drinking.
“Well, I'm afraid it's true, Carla, so you can imagine how Mike's parents are feeling.”
She felt as if they were talking about a stranger, not Alan. If it had been the other way round, and Mike had been driving, she would have believed it. She had seen Mike pour drinks the size of trebles and knock them back, but she couldn't believe it of Alan, he just wasn't that irresponsible.
When they got to the hospital, she went straight up to intensive care where she found Alan hooked up to various monitors looking grey and deathlike. She held his hand and talked to him lovingly, but she got no response. Her parents watched helplessly as Carla tried to think of something to bring him back to life, telling him she was back, and everything was going to be fine. After an hour, one of the nurses came in to take Alan's readings and seemed relieved to see her. She knew Alan had to have a girlfriend somewhere, because he had called out for her often.
“I'm so glad you’re here,” she said to Carla as she took Alan's blood pressure. “He kept calling for you when he came in. That’s all he kept saying, over and over again.”
Carla looked back at her, willing her to carry on.
“'Lisa,' he shouted. 'Where are you?' It broke everyone's heart to hear him. But you’re here now, that’s all that matters."
Carla felt numb. Who the hell was Lisa? She looked over at the nurse, feeling like a fool.
“Are you sure he said Lisa? My name is Carla…”
The nurse coloured up immediately when she realised her mistake in thinking Carla was the one he had called for. She didn't want to hurt the girl's feelings, so she pretended to have gotten it wrong.
“Now you come to mention it, I think it was Carla-- silly me, it must have been Lisa with the last fella we had in this bed.”
The nurse scuttled out of the room as fast as she could. Carla was relieved, although not entirely convinced, but she put the nurse's first words to the back of her mind, preferring to believe the second version of her story.
By the time Alan's parents came into his room, Carla had resigned herself to the fact that Alan probably wasn't going to make it. She had spoken to his doctor- and he had been brutally honest. If he was going to die, she would stay by his side until the end.
Alan's parents seemed to have aged ten years since the last time Carla had seen them, and Kathy Turner looked as though she hadn't slept in days. They were so glad to see her; it brought tears to her eyes.
“I'm sure he'll regain consciousness hearing your voice, Carla,” his mother said, desperately clutching at straws.
If what the doctor had told Carla was true, that was unlikely to happen. He had tried to prepare her for the worst, and the only morsel of hope he had given her was “Where there's life, there's hope.” Not much, but she clung on to that thought while she sat for hours by his bed. She even slept in the chair by his bed all night, taking his hand when she awoke, willing him to live and talking to him about anything she could think about.
The next morning the staff changed with the early shift and Carla watched the sun coming up over Chelmsford. She thought Alan looked better than the night before, more rested, and she convinced herself that she had done some good.
By the time his parents came back in at eleven o'clock, the nurses said his vital signs were stronger, and they all waited impatiently while the doctor examined him. When he came back to the relatives' room, where they were waiting, he had a huge smile on his face. He sat down and spoke to Carla and Alan's parents reassuringly.
“Now I don't want to get your hopes up too much, but there has been a marked improvement in Alan's condition overnight.”
Alan's mother started weeping, which set Carla off as well. Jack Turner looked earnestly at the doctor.
“Do you think Alan might pull through?”
The doctor hesitated before answering. He had been there all too often before.
“I think we have to see a lot more improvement before I can answer that question with conviction, but he is trying to breathe on his own, which is always encouraging in cases like this.”
All three of them were beaming like Cheshire cats. Twenty-four hours before there was no hope, and now there was some- that was enough for them.
Carla sat at Alan's bedside for the rest of the day until the doctor insisted she went home for some real sleep. Her parents stayed approximately thirty miles outside Chelmsford, and Alan's father offered to drive her home. She refused, because she didn't want to be so far away, just in case Alan had a turn for the worse. Jack pulled out Alan's flat keys, which the hospital had given him for safe keeping after Alan was admitted.
“Here, lass, go back to Alan's flat. It's only ten minutes down the road. If anything happens, we’ll call you.”
Carla gratefully took the keys because she was exhausted.
“How will you contact me if there's any change? There's not a phone in the flat is there?” she asked, worried that she wouldn't be there if she was needed.
Alan's father thought for a moment.
“Haven't you got a mobile?” he asked, naively believing everyone over the age of twelve had one.
Carla shook her head. It had been a bone of contention with her parents when she had been away in Spain. It was far too expensive.
“I wish, but my parents didn't want me to have one, it costs a fortune to phone a mobile abroad.”
Kathy thought for a moment.
“Where's Alan's mobile?" She asked. “Surely Carla can use that?”
Jack didn't know. He had only been given the keys to Alan’s flat.
“I don't know, love, it wasn't on him when he was brought to the hospital, and the police gave me everything out of the car. It must still be at the flat. Typical, he can't even have it on him when he has a bloody accident.”
It was after eleven when Jack dropped Carla off at the flat. He offered to come up with her, but she could see he was anxious to get back to Alan at the hospital. She patted Jack's arm reassuringly before she got out of the car.
“Don't worry, I'll have a good night's sleep, and I'll do the night shift tomorrow,” she decided, before giving him an affectionate peck on the cheek.
Jack was grateful. The last few days had been the worst in his life. He watched until Carla was safely inside the flat and he could see the lights were turned on before he drove away.
It was strange walking into a flat she'd never seen before. Alan had described it to her in his emails, and during a couple of his infrequent phone calls from his parents' house. It was exactly as he'd described it, small, and fairly untidy. There were two dirty glasses on the coffee table in the living room, and Carla remembered what her father had said about Alan being over the limit at the time of the crash. She took them into the kitchen and put them in the sink. She looked in what she assumed was Mike's bedroom first, then hastily shut the door. She hadn't known Mike well, but the thought of his death, and the fact that it might have been Alan's fault, sent a shiver down her spine.
Carla recognised Alan's room immediately from the way he’d described it, and was amazed to find it so tidy. Her last letter lay on the bed, and she imagined him lying there reading it, looking forward to her return. True to form, his mobile lay on the bed as well. It was dead and needed charging, so she plugged it into the charger before collapsing exhausted on the bed.
It was well after eleven the next day when Carla woke up. She'd slept on Alan's side of the bed, taking in the faint smell of his after-shave on the sheets, but she had also smelt a sweeter scent, and nearly got up to marry the smell up with the bottles on his dressing table. Eventually she gave up because she was too tired to investigate further.
Carla realised that in her haste to plug the phone into the charger, she hadn't actually turned it on, but she was sure that if Alan's parents had needed to contact her, they knew where she was and would have come for her.
Carla showered and dressed as quickly as she could and picked up a cab at the bottom of the street to take her back to the hospital. When she got there, she wished she had brought the charged mobile phone with her, because she would have to phone her Dad to bring her fresh clothes. Then she remembered that mobiles weren't allowed in hospital, so forgot all about it.
Alan was even better than the day before, and he was now off life support. He was still in a coma, which was causing concern because the doctors couldn't tell if he had any brain damage, but his parents went home happier than they had in nearly a week.
Carla spent most of the day talking to Alan and stroking his hand. She tried without result to get some response from him. Everything she said seemed to disappear into the unresponsive abyss of his brain. When his parents called in later on, they offered to stay with him again that night, but she could see they were both exhausted, and the staff nurse had said they would give her a blanket and some pillows to make her more comfortable.
She woke as she had on the first two nights to the sound of rattling trolleys being brought onto the ward at six thirty. She looked over at Alan, who hadn't moved all night, and noticed his hand twitching. Suddenly his whole body started convulsing and she ran for the nurse who had already been alerted by the monitors.
“What's happening?” Carla cried, as the nurse pressed the button by Alan's bed for assistance.
Alan's body was shaking uncontrollably, his head thrown back.
“It looks worse than it is,” the nurse told her calmly. “He's having an epileptic fit. It's quite common after accidents involving a fractured skull, but don't worry, it'll soon be over...”
Alan had managed to catch up with Lisa. She was still wearing the red dress, and he put his hand on her shoulder swinging her around to face him. She looked at him blankly before she tried to turn away.
“Lisa, it's me, Alan,” he cried.
Lisa shook her head. He pulled her to him, smelling her perfume as he tried to take her in his arms. Over her shoulder he saw Mike who was holding his hand out to her.
“You're too late, mate,” he shouted. “She's coming with me…”
Alan watched as she pulled away from him and started walking towards Mike. She looked back at him over her shoulder until eventually, she disappeared into a swirling fog…
Carla watched in horror as the convulsions racked Alan's body, and unable to watch any more, she escaped to the relatives' room leaving the nurses to do their job. Was this what it was going to be like for Alan if he pulled through? She sat and wept thinking how Alan would hate that kind of existence. She also searched her heart, wondering if she loved him enough to see him through it. She guiltily thought about Peter, the guy she had been seeing in Spain until Alan had come over on holiday. It had started as friendship, and turned into something a lot more, but when she realised they were falling in love, she had told him she couldn't see him again. She knew Alan was the one for her, and there couldn't be anyone else...
The doctor came to find her after he examined Alan.
“It's all over, Carla. The nurses should be finished in a few minutes, if you want to go back in.”
Carla asked him how often these fits were likely to happen, but he didn't seem to know for sure.
“This is the second one he's had since the accident, but it's not surprising given the head trauma. He might have dozens more, or none at all. He won't be able to carry on a normal life for some time- assuming he comes out of the coma.”
Carla put her head in her hands, and for the first time since she'd arrived, gave in to the heartbreak she felt.
By Thursday, Lisa had lost all hope. The following day was exactly a week since she'd left, and Alan still hadn't turned on his phone. She tried his number once more, only to hear the usual message. She knew she was making herself ill, and she tried to pull herself together, but she had to know one way or another. She decided that if Alan didn't turn his phone on by the end of Friday, she would beg a lift with one of the girls who were going back to London for the weekend, and use her return ticket to Chelmsford. Lisa realised that by doing that, she could damage Alan and Carla's relationship, but she was past caring. She didn't deserve the way Alan had treated her, so why should she care about them. If it was over, she had to hear him say it, in the same way as he had said it had to be done with Carla- face to face.
Friday seemed to drag on and on. Lisa didn't want to try the phone too early because she knew in her heart of hearts that what she was going to hear, she couldn't bear. She felt better having decided to go back to Chelmsford and see Alan because, if nothing else, she could close a chapter in her life and start again. At seven thirty she at last picked up the phone and rang Alan's number. As she expected, it was still switched off.
Carla was exhausted. It had been a long night, and day. The consultant had given her hope in one way, and dashed it in another. By the time Alan's parents arrived just after seven, she just wanted to go back to Alan's flat and sleep for as long as she could.
Jack dropped Carla off at Alan's flat at quarter to eight, and promised to phone Alan’s mobile if there was any change in his condition, so she went straight to his room and turned on the already charged mobile. She then went through to the bathroom to run a bath.
While she was waiting for the bath to fill, Carla poured herself a glass of wine from the bottle in the fridge, and grabbed the portable CD player. This was the first chance she'd had to relax since she’d got back, and she was going to enjoy it. She thought she heard something over the music while she lay soaking and sat up to listen, but decided it must be the background accompaniment to the music playing on the C D player, so she lay back in the bath and closed her eyes…
Lisa tried Alan's mobile number at eight thirty and nearly dropped the phone- it was ringing! All thoughts of telling Alan what she thought of him left her head as she clutched the phone, waiting for him to answer. It rang and rang, then eventually went dead, so she slammed the phone down, tears of frustration springing into her eyes.
“You bastard!” she said to the phone, thinking Alan was playing games with her. She sat on the bed and looked at the phone as though it had become her enemy.
Five minutes later it rang, and she raced across the room and grabbed it. She waited to hear Alan's voice apologising, explaining- but it was her father, phoning to see how she was getting on.
After a couple of minutes he realised she wasn't saying much, and asked if she was all right. Bitter tears were rolling down Lisa's cheeks while her father was talking to her, and she was scared to answer him in case he could hear their silent journey down her face.
“You sound as though you have a cold, Lisa,” he eventually said.
She tried to clear her throat. “Yes Dad, I have- I was going to have an early night.”
He told her to wrap up warm, get to bed, and then told her how much they were all missing her before he said goodbye.
Lisa sat staring at the phone, willing it to ring, assuming that her call would be registered as a missed call on Alan's mobile.
Surely he would be able to retrieve it, if he wanted to. All evening she waited, until she couldn't bear waiting any longer. At half past nine she decided to try one last time.
Lisa was shaking when she picked up the phone, still unsure of what she was going to say to Alan if he answered. It rang several times before at last it was picked up…
Carla felt much better after her bath, and went to the fridge and poured another glass of wine. She heard a ringing noise coming from the bedroom, and realising it was Alan's mobile, her heart missed a beat. It was the same ringing noise she thought she'd heard when she was in the bath. What if something had happened to Alan? She ran through to the bedroom and pressed the green button.
“Alan?”
It was a girl's voice at the other end, and Carla was just relieved it wasn't Alan's father phoning to give her bad news.
“No, I'm sorry, it's not Alan. It's his fiancée, Carla. Can I help you?”
There was silence at the other end, but Carla could still hear someone breathing.
“Who's calling?” she asked impatiently.
There was a moment's hesitation at the other end before the girl quietly answered “nobody.” Then she hung up.....
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
Lisa sat on the bed, dry-eyed, staring straight ahead. Now she believed it was over. There was no doubt in her mind that Alan was back with Carla.
She thought he was a coward letting her find out this way, but at least now she knew. Lisa thought desperately about how she was going to fill the huge void she felt inside. She could think of nothing. 'Nobody' she had replied to Carla. She was a nobody with nothing to look forward to, and her heart was in that horrible place where you don’t know whether to cry or laugh at your own stupidity.
She wanted to do something to signify the end of their love, rip up a picture, tear up a letter, delete an email, anything that had bound them together, but there wasn't anything to link them. There had only been their love.
The only evidence of their short love affair was the return ticket to Chelmsford, which she took out of her bag and ripped in two, but even then she couldn't throw it away because it was her only proof of them ever having been together. She thought of the bottle of Jean Paul Gautier perfume he had given her, and remembered how she had left it under the duvet on her side of his bed, hoping he would find it and be reminded of her on their first night apart.
All that remained was the two halves of a train ticket, which lay on the bed like her heart. ripped in two.
....................
Carla was annoyed by the phone call. She tried to retrieve the number, but it must have been ex-directory because Alan’s mobile didn't have the number stored. It was the same with the missed call while she was in the bath. She put the phone back on Alan's dressing table, and exhaustedly climbed into bed.
....................
Lisa's new friends spent the weekend trying to cheer her up. They believed that her sadness was all in some way connected to Nick and the letter. Even although they’d decided to contact Nick, they were still unsure of how they could do it without disclosing how they’d found out his number.
As they spent the weekend trying to come up with a plan, Lisa slipped deeper and deeper into her depression. She still, in her heart of hearts, couldn't believe it was over. She still couldn’t accept that Alan didn't love her, even though the evidence was apparently staring her in the face. She had been so sure that he did. The thought of living without him was more than she could possibly bear. For the first time since she’d left Dunoon, she appreciated what Nick must have gone through when she ran off, and she felt the weight of guilt at having treated him so badly sit heavily on her shoulders. If he had felt half as bad as she did now, he must have gone through hell. In exactly the same way as Alan had cut her off without a word, so she had done to Nick, selfishly believing that her love for Alan was more important than anything else.
Lisa decided that it was only right that she should suffer now in a similar way. It was obviously some kind of divine retribution that she should. She started to wish she hadn't ripped up his letter. It was a callous and uncaring thing to do…
.......................
Teddy had phoned her brother who was a reporter with the Daily Mail, and he'd confirmed that there was a guy in the Isle of Man called Nick Corday, who was not only in his early thirties and very well off, but very newsworthy too.
“What's the story, Teddy? I could do with some inside information on this guy. In fact, I'm desperate for anything you can tell me. His company is mentioned a lot in press just now. Apparently it's about to go public, and he's one of the youngest multi-millionaires in The Isle of Man. Everyone's trying to dig up his past, but he doesn't appear to have one- so if you can tell me anything about him, you would be giving me a great story.”
Teddy laughed at her brother's enthusiasm.
“Hold your horses, Dan! We don't even know if this is definitely the guy yet. I'll get back to you if it turns out that it is.”
Dan pointed out that there couldn't be more than one Nick in their early thirties who lived in the Isle of Man and was stinking rich. Teddy agreed, but she couldn't discuss anything with her brother until she had spoken to the others. She promised to get back to him as soon as she could.
Yet again, Amy was picked to try and get more information out of Lisa, including Nick's surname. She'd tried bringing the subject up several times, but she seemed to be getting nowhere. The more she saw Lisa, the more concerned she became about her. She had lost a lot of weight since she'd arrived two weeks before, and she was beginning to look ill. She had dark circles under her eyes which proved that not only was she not eating, but she wasn’t sleeping either.
Amy got the others together to update them and see what they thought. Chloe suggested that she might be bulimic because she'd heard her being sick two mornings in a row, but Linda said that was rubbish.
“You have to eat something first to make yourself sick if you're bulimic. Lisa's hardly been down to breakfast since she arrived.”
The news about Lisa being sick in the morning made the rest of them jump to conclusions.
“Christ, you don't think she's pregnant, do you?” suggested Linda, imagining the trouble Lisa would be in, if she was.
Amy shook her head and confirmed that she had seen an opened packet of Tampax in Lisa's bedroom the day before. She knew, because she had helped Lisa unpack, it had been unopened when she arrived. Everyone was relieved, and they all finally agreed that they were correct. Nick must definitely be the root of Lisa's problems. Yet again, Amy was given the impossible task of trying to get Lisa to talk.
She went into her room the following Saturday and asked her if she wanted to go down to the local shop, but Lisa didn't want to come. Amy eventually lost her temper.
“You know, you really are turning out to be a real pain in the ass, Lisa.” she snapped, ready to give up trying to help her.
Lisa looked back at her and felt hurt. Since she'd arrived at the school, Amy had always been so nice to her. The look on Amy's face proved that she'd had enough and was now seriously pissed off with her. Lisa realized she had been so preoccupied by her grief that she'd taken everyone's patience for granted. She looked back at Amy apologetically.
“I'm sorry I've been so pathetic, Amy. It's hard to explain, but I've had a lot on my mind since I got here. I haven't felt that I can talk about it. It's really complicated...”
Amy looked at Lisa sympathetically, and put her arm around her. If nothing else, she sensed that Lisa needed to confide in someone. She just hoped it was her.
“Try me.”
Lisa wanted to tell her about Alan, but what was the point? He had loved her, now he didn't.
“I loved someone very much, but I've found out that he doesn't love me anymore- and I just can't get over him,” she said, as the tears started travelling down her cheeks again.
Amy automatically assumed Lisa was referring to Nick, and just wished that she'd read his letter.
“How do you know this guy doesn't love you?” Amy asked.
Lisa laughed sarcastically.
“Oh, believe me- I know!”
Amy pretended she didn't know who Lisa was referring to, still believing it was Nick.
“But how do you know? Perhaps you’ve got it all wrong. Perhaps you're sitting here crying when he's desperately trying to get hold of you.”
Of course, Lisa immediately thought of Alan, and a sad smile came to her face with the thought. Seeing that what she had just said seemed to cheer Lisa up, Amy carried on.
“What would you do if this guy suddenly turned up and told you how much he loved you?" She asked.
Lisa closed her eyes and imagined Alan holding her in his arms doing just that. “I would be the happiest person in the world, Amy. It would be the answer to all my prayers.”
Satisfied that she had got the answer she wanted, Amy stood up and told Lisa not to worry. Everything would work itself out…
Amy couldn't wait to get back and tell the others. Everything was beginning to fit into place. Lisa obviously didn't know Nick had forgiven her for whatever had happened and was still madly in love with her. She must have ripped up the letter because she was convinced he wouldn't give her a second chance, and she couldn't cope with his rejection. Only they knew different, so their decision to contact Nick was definitely a good one. They were all amazed that such a wonderful love story was actually going on in their own school.
Veronique had been quiet up until then.
“And how do we know that this Nick is not ugly?”
They all looked at her and told her to be quiet. They were sure Lisa wouldn't have got engaged to someone who was less than perfect. It didn't bear thinking about. Anyway, she had told Amy that he was good-looking.
Veronique still wasn't convinced.
“Well, I am still nervous. This man must have something wrong with him, or why has Lisa not, how you say, engaged herself to him?”
Nobody was certain about the answer to that, but most of them were convinced it was because Lisa hardly knew him, and she didn't know how much he loved her. Veronique came up with another suggestion.
“What if there is somebody else- we might have the wrong man.”
Amy said she had thought about that, and there had been loads of times Lisa could have mentioned it if there was.
They were totally convinced that Nick was the reason for Lisa's unhappiness, and they all agreed to put their plan of action into place, naively thinking that they knew all the facts.
As usual, being the one closest to Lisa, Amy was picked for the first part of the plan…
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
Nick had got back to the house, having played golf all afternoon. He went through to the bar and poured himself a stiff scotch, hoping it would warm him up. The wind had been bitter on the golf course, and Nick wished he hadn't played. Feeling the warm amber liquid thaw him out, he walked over to the French doors and took in the magnificent view.
When he had built the house overlooking Port Erin bay, he had fallen in love with the spectacular views across the Irish Sea. His architect had managed to design the house, which had six bedrooms, in such a way that all the main rooms could enjoy some aspect of the view. The large balcony, which led off the main lounge, dining room and master bedroom, created a perfect terrace where he had entertained often. The games room was linked to the lounge via a well-stocked bar, affectionately called the 'nineteenth' by the many locals who frequented it. He knew his obvious wealth had attracted a lot of new friends, but it hadn't brought him happiness, or love.
His thoughts went as usual to Lisa, and he wondered if she had received his letter. He assumed her mother probably hadn't passed it on, but he couldn't think what else he could do for now.
The pain came back when he remembered the day he had waited for her to arrive, only to be told by her mother that she had run off with some guy she hardly knew. God, he wanted her so much. Ever since he had first seen her, he hadn't wanted anyone else. Hannah had been the only one who understood the living hell he had gone through in the last month, and if it hadn't been for her, he would have gone out of his mind with grief. Only the call from Lisa's brother telling him that she was going back to boarding school for a year had given him the faintest hope that he might get her back, and that’s when he had written the letter.
He didn't care how long it took, but he had to try to contact her. He would never love anyone else in the way that he loved her. It wasn't just her beauty and her innocence that attracted him, but her disregard for his money. He had deliberately not brought her back to the house in case it had the same effect on her as it had on everyone else. He had wanted her to be the first one to love him for who he was, not what his wealth had made him. When the phone went at seven-thirty, he assumed it was Bob wanting to know if he fancied a pint at the local pub later. It wasn't Bob, it was the answer to his prayers.
Amy looked from one face to another after she dialled Nick's home number, knowing they all depended on her to get it right. She could feel her hand shaking as she held the phone to her ear. After a couple of rings Nick answered and Amy stuck her thumb up to the others.
“Hello, Mr Corday?”
Nick confirmed that it was. At least they'd got the right guy.
“You don't know me, but I'm a friend of Lisa's- we're at St. Michael's together.”
Nick couldn't believe he was at last in contact with someone who could tell him where Lisa was. He’d asked her brother for her new address, but he wouldn't give it to him.
“I'm delighted to hear from you, Miss…?”
“Amy, Amy Matthews.”
Amy was pleased to hear the enthusiasm in his well-spoken northern voice.
“Where are you calling from, Amy? Would you like me to phone you back?”
Nick wasn't going to lose the first contact he’d had regarding Lisa's whereabouts, and there was no number registering on the call monitor.
“That would be great if you could,” Amy answered gratefully; already anxious as to how she was going to explain the long distance call to her parents when they got the bill. She gave him the telephone and extension number, and then put down the phone.
She hardly had time to tell the others how nice he sounded, when Nick rang back.
“Hi, Amy, please, first things first, is Lisa okay?”
Amy thought how mature he sounded, and how caring.
“Yes, she's fine, but she's very depressed about you guys splitting up, that's why I'm phoning you.”
Nick wanted to believe what Amy was saying was true, but he found it hard to because Lisa hadn’t even tried to contact him.
“I think you might have that wrong, Amy. You see, her mother told me quite the opposite, and I haven't heard from Lisa in over a month, so I assume she was telling me the truth.”
Amy thought for a moment. The expression on everyone's faces was tortured trying to work out what he was saying.
“No, that’s where you're wrong, Nick. Lisa does love you, she's just really frightened, and she can't forgive herself for letting her mother tell you, and not coming to the Isle of Man to tell you how she felt herself. When I spoke to her earlier, she said she couldn't get over losing you- and how she would give anything to have you back…”
Nick felt the tears pricking in his eyes. He just prayed that this girl wasn't winding him up.
“You don't know how much I want to believe that, Amy but she hasn't even answered my letter, so I have no reason to believe you.”
Hearing Nick's voice thickening at the other end of the phone, Amy decided to come clean.
“That’s because she hasn't read it yet- she's convinced that you hate her for not turning up on the day she was supposed to come to the Isle of Man to announce the engagement, so she refused to open it.”
Nick began to feel a sliver of hope. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
“So where is the letter now?” he asked, letting the excitement show in his voice
Amy took a deep breath. She had rehearsed this half a dozen times.
“We have it, or at least we did- it was the only way we could find out whether you still loved her or not.”
Nick was still confused.
“So why don't you give my letter back to Lisa, and let her phone me herself?” he asked.
Everyone was staring at Amy, holding their breath. She obviously couldn't tell him the truth, because he would be heartbroken if he knew Lisa had ripped up the letter. Amy took a deep breath before telling Nick her well-rehearsed story.
“I can't, because I’m afraid it’s gone missing. It was just lucky I took a note of your telephone number before it did. Lisa thinks she's lost the letter, and it's breaking her heart. We all feel awful because it's our fault the letter went missing in the first place. You’ve got to believe me, Nick, we're all really worried about her…”
Not only did he believe her, but Nick wanted to talk to Lisa immediately. Amy was reluctant to give him her number, thinking Lisa would never trust her again, but Nick eventually persuaded her by promising not to tell Lisa about their conversation, or the fact that he knew about the letter.
By the time Amy said goodbye and put the phone down, the other four had nearly gone mad trying to work out what he had said. After Amy had recounted as much of the conversation as she could remember, they all sat looking at each other and hoped that they had done the right thing…
Nick sat and stared at the piece of paper with Lisa's number on it, and felt the tears smarting in his eyes. A month before, he had wept the bitter tears of sadness, but now he wept for joy. Nick thanked God for Amy's phone call. He had thought Lisa didn't want him, far less love him. Now he knew that she not only loved him, but that she was wretched at not knowing if he still cared. He was ecstatic. It was as though all his prayers had been answered in one phone call, and the pain, the humiliation, and the heartbreak, had only been a test which proved his undying love for her all this time.
....................
Lisa lay on the bed staring up at the ceiling, wondering what to do. Nick had just called. When she'd picked up the phone and heard his voice, she’d burst into tears and couldn't speak, but it didn't matter because Nick did enough talking for both of them.
He told her how much he loved her and how, whatever happened when she ran away, he didn't care. He told her of the agony and despair he’d gone through for days on end when he didn't hear from her, and how he had been close on occasions to taking his life. That made her cry even more, knowing exactly how he must have felt. She was now where he was then. She tried to tell him how sorry she was to have treated him so badly, but he kept telling her that it was alright- just being able to talk to her made life worth living.
He was sweet and understanding, and above all, he forgave her, which lessened the guilt she felt for having treated him so badly. They talked for over an hour, and it was as though the previous month hadn't existed as far as Nick was concerned. He just wanted her back…
When Nick put down the phone, he was the happiest man alive. Amy had been right. Lisa hadn't actually told him that she loved him, but she had wept at the sound of his voice, and repeatedly tried to tell him how sorry she was for hurting him, which made all his pain disappear. It was almost as though he had gone through some kind of endurance test, and had come through it feeling stronger and loving her even more. He picked up the phone to call Amy. He wanted to thank her from the bottom of his heart, but he also needed her help…
The next day Teddy called her brother. When he answered, she excitedly told him her news.
“Dan, it's him, the guy I asked you about. It really is the same millionaire who's in love with Lisa Collins, the girl in my year.”
Dan heard the excitement in Teddy's voice and asked her again if there was a possible story. He could do with an exclusive on Nick Corday. It would be a journalist's dream.
“Story! Are you kidding? Hey, does the paper pay for exclusive interviews?” she asked excitedly.
Dan laughed at his little sister’s naivety. He knew she was going to tell him, whether it paid her or not…
.................
Carla was beginning to lose heart, as were Alan's parents. They stopped sleeping at the hospital and tried to lead their lives as normally as they could.
She restricted her visits to a couple of hours after University every afternoon, and Alan's sister and parents covered the mornings and evenings. They were all running out of new things to say to him, having lost faith in the old things because they weren't working. At least it meant that Carla could go home every night and catch up on the studies she had missed in the first few days, but she still felt guilty when she wasn't at the hospital. On the Friday night some of the girls talked her into going for a drink in town, and she asked Alan's father if it was okay to stay over at Alan's flat.
“Of course you can, love. It's about time somebody checked on it. Have you still got the keys?”
Carla still had them and promised to give the flat a tidy up on Saturday morning before she came to the hospital to visit Alan.
The night out did her the world of good. She didn't get in until well after two, and she was seriously drunk. All her mates had made a concerted effort to get her rat arsed, and they had succeeded. She climbed into Alan's bed and fell fast asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
She woke up the next morning with a rotten hangover, and lay on Alan's bed, trying to get her bearings. When she rolled over she felt something hard digging into her shoulder and looked for the offending object. It turned out to be a bottle of Jean Paul Gautier perfume. At least that explained the scent she couldn’t identify on the first night that she'd slept there.
She thought it was typically sweet of Alan to buy her a present and leave it on her side of the bed, waiting for her return. It didn't cross her mind for one second that it might belong to someone else. Nor did it occur to her that Alan's accident had happened on the Friday, and she wasn't due back until the Monday, so why would a gift for her be in the bed three days before? Carla resolved to wear it to the hospital that afternoon because he must have liked it if he had bought it for her. Who knows, she thought. It might have some effect on him. God knows, nothing else had worked.
.....................
On Saturday morning Lisa woke up feeling better than she had since she arrived. The pain was certainly easing, and she knew that she owed it all to the call she'd had from Nick, even though he hadn't rung since.
When she’d told Amy about the phone call, she seemed to be pleased but then changed the subject, so Lisa didn't mention it again. After that either Amy or one of the others had called in on their way to breakfast every day, claiming that Lisa was beginning to look anorexic, and they wouldn't take no for an answer.
It was Teddy's turn today, and she frogmarched Lisa down to the dining room like a sergeant major. When they were all sitting around the table eating cereal, Lisa decided to say something and thank them all for being so understanding.
“You know, guys, I don’t know what I would have done without you.” she announced warmly, wanting them to know how much she appreciated their friendship.
They all looked a bit embarrassed. Amy said it was a pleasure, and then nonchalantly carried on munching her cornflakes.
“What's up, guys? Why are you acting so weird?” Lisa eventually asked, looking at them all suspiciously.
Teddy nearly choked, and Linda started slapping her on the back. Chloe seemed to be the only one capable of speaking.
“Pay no attention to us, Lisa. We're just a bit excited about the string quartet that’s coming to play in the grounds this afternoon.”
Lisa looked at them quizzically. “What string quartet?”
Linda stopped munching for a minute.
“Chloe just told you- the one that’s playing in the grounds this afternoon...”
Lisa sensed a bit of irritation in Linda's voice and decided not to ask anymore. She thought she must have been half asleep at the assembly that had mentioned anything about a string quartet, because she couldn't remember anything about it at all…
...................
Carla was still feeling a bit fragile when she arrived at the hospital, but the night had recharged her flagging spirits, and she was looking forward to seeing Alan.
The Sister said that there was no change, but he'd had a good night and his vital signs were fine. She sat on the bed beside him before taking his hand.
“Hi, honey, guess who had too much to drink last night and is feeling like shit today. You'd better go gentle with me.”
As usual, she leant over and kissed him…
Alan could smell Lisa's perfume. She had come back to him, and she was kissing him gently on the lips. When she took his hand, he could see the love in her eyes as she talked to him, but he couldn't quite hear her. He tried telling her- but no words came out. It was as though someone was controlling the volume with a remote control, and they wouldn't turn it up.
“I can't hear,' he tried shouting, and looked over at Mike who had brought Lisa back. He had the remote control, and was smiling at him while he was pressing the buttons. 'That’s it Mike, turn it up!” he begged him- and suddenly, he could make out what she was saying. It was exactly what he wanted to hear.
Carla noticed that Alan's hand was twitching in hers, and she leant over him and kissed him again. It was the first time she’d seen any reaction from him since the accident, apart from the epileptic fit.
“What is it, baby?” she cried, and saw his lips moving, although no audible words were coming out. His eyelids flickered, and she knew instinctively that he was regaining consciousness.
“I love you, Alan- please wake up,” she begged, clutching his hand tighter still.
“I bet that I'll love you for longer.” he whispered, and slowly opened his eyes....
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends |
By alexisleech
Lisa was becoming very confused by everyone's mood swings on Saturday morning. Firstly, she couldn't work out what the big deal was with the string quartet. She hadn't appreciated that any of her fellow students were that much into classical music. Secondly, she wasn't the only one who hadn't registered that it was even happening. There were others in the convent boarding school who didn't seem to know anything about it. Lastly, there seemed to be some weird fascination with what all her friends were going to wear, and Amy seemed to dislike everything she put on.
Teddy came into her room when she was getting changed yet again under Amy's watchful eye. She looked great, and Lisa realised she had swapped her glasses for contact lenses and done something with her hair.
“Teddy, what's so important about this thing this afternoon?” she asked. “And why is everyone getting dressed up? Amy won't tell me anything.” she added, shooting a look of frustration in Amy's direction.
Teddy shrugged her shoulders. Unbeknownst to Lisa, their days of planning were hopefully about to pay off.
“I'm dressed up because my brother's coming to take me out for the weekend, but I'm not going until I've heard the concert. I'm really looking forward to it, aren’t you?”
Lisa nodded and tried to look enthusiastic, but she still couldn’t match that of her friends. She put on a cream sweater, matching jeans, and beige boots. At last Amy seemed satisfied.
Eventually they all went out into the grounds, and sure enough, there was a string quartet set up on the grass beside the playing fields. The girls who had assembled there were sitting about in groups on the grass, chatting and waiting patiently for the musicians to finish tuning their instruments. Lisa sat down beside the rest of the gang who were under a large oak tree. She then waited for them to start, which they didn't.
“What are they waiting for?” she whispered to Chloe
.
Everyone had gone silent and looked towards the sky. Chloe turned to her with a big grin on her face, her eyes bright with anticipation.
“They're waiting for the conductor,” she whispered back, as though it was some kind of secret.
Lisa looked around for the conductor but couldn't see any sign of one.
“Where is he?” She asked as quietly as she could.
Chloe just carried on smiling and pointed up at the sky by way of explanation. Lisa could hear the sound of a helicopter in the distance. She now understood why everyone was looking up.
The whole thing was bizarre, and Lisa wondered why they needed a conductor in the first place. She thought you needed a full orchestra to justify having one. Stranger still, when the helicopter landed on the playing field, a man dressed in black tails jumped out and started walking towards the musicians. Lisa nearly burst out laughing thinking that it was all a bit over the top.
By the time the blades of the helicopter stopped rotating, the conductor was standing in front of the four musicians with his baton raised. Everyone fell silent again.
They started with a beautiful piece from Vivaldi, and Lisa realised why everyone had been looking forward to them playing. They sounded exquisite. She lay back against the tree and shut her eyes letting the autumn sun warm her skin while the music soothed her soul. She didn't see a second figure get out of the helicopter and start walking over towards her.
Lisa felt her mind wander as she listened to the sweet sound of the music when suddenly she felt the sunlight cut off from her face. She thought a cloud must have passed over them, so she opened her eyes to look up at the sky.
Nick was standing in front of her and she nearly jumped out of her skin. He looked down at her smiling, with his two hands outstretched for her to take. Lisa looked at her friends sitting on the grass beside her and saw them all smiling back at her. They must have known about this all along because not one of them looked surprised. She instinctively took Nick's hands and stood up to face him as he looked into her eyes. It was like some kind of crazy dream, and she couldn't believe what was happening. He was taller than she remembered and his grey blue eyes softer, as they stared into hers.
When the music ended, she stood in a trance as his lips came towards hers, and he kissed her with incredible tenderness. All she could hear were the cheers of the girls all around her, and all she could feel was the love radiating from Nick, the same love she had seen in his eyes. Lisa couldn't believe he still wanted her, and the guilt came flooding back. She didn't deserve a second chance. She had treated him so badly, but there he was, showing the world how much he loved her, unlike Alan, who couldn't even answer his phone.
When their kiss finished, Nick held her at arm's length before the musicians broke into a whispered version of 'Evergreen,' the music haunting and romantic.
“Lisa, I love you so much…”
Nick let go of her for a moment and took a small leather box from his pocket. When he opened it, there was a magnificent diamond solitaire nestled in the royal blue silk. Everyone watched, thinking how romantic it was as he got down on one knee. Nick was giving her a second chance, and this time she was glad- not because she needed to escape from her mother, but because she needed to love and be loved in return. The pain she had gone through since she'd arrived at the school had proved to her that she couldn't live without knowing that someone wanted her. It was as necessary as the air she breathed.
“Lisa…will you marry me?”
His question hung in the air like the musical notes that were playing. She looked back at Nick, not knowing what to say.
“I don't want you to answer me until you're sure. I'll wait for your answer for as long as it takes. Forever if necessary...”
He had taken the pressure off her, but the others still waited, and she knew what they wanted to hear. Dozens of eyes watched as she tried to regain her composure. Everything went through her mind as time stood still and she looked back at Nick. Lisa remembered how uncertain she had been when he had asked her before, but this time it was different. He had proved to her that his love would be there forever. She knew from their conversation on the phone that he believed he couldn't live without her.
“I don't deserve you,” she whispered.
Nick stood up and took the ring out of the box, holding it up so the light caught its brilliance.
“Is that a yes?” he asked tentatively.
Lisa held out her left hand so Nick could put the ring on her finger.
“Yes.”
That tiny little word filled the air, and everyone was cheering except for her and Nick. He had taken her in his arms again and held her so tightly that she could hardly breathe. When he eventually let her go, he started kissing her face, her neck, her lips, even her hands.
Teddy looked over at her brother, who in turn looked over at the photographer who was taking shots of the happy couple with the crowds of excited cheering teenagers behind them.
“Well, was it worth the trip, Dan?” she asked him.
Teddy's brother couldn't believe his luck. This would be the scoop of the year.
“It sure was, Sis. This is unbelievable!”
It was at least half an hour before Nick and Lisa were allowed any time to themselves. Nick took her hand and steered her towards the privacy of one of the disused courtyards, so he could hold her without everyone watching. When they got there, he kissed her again with such passion, she couldn't help but respond.
The warmth of his lips melted away all the pain that had engulfed her broken heart, and she kissed him back in a way she had never kissed him before. All thoughts of the bitterness she’d felt because of Alan’s rejection were washed away, and replaced by the adoration Nick was showing her.
After a few minutes Nick broke away and walked a few steps away from her, knowing that if he didn't, he might get carried away.
“God, Lisa, you have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment. When your friends told me you still loved me, and how upset you were at the thought of losing me, I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t have arranged all this without them. They’ve been absolutely fantastic.”
Now she understood. Little did her friends know they had misinterpreted her words when she had confided in Amy about how she was in love with someone who didn’t love her in return. She felt so foolish. While she had been pining for a selfish bastard who wouldn’t even speak to her, a wonderful loving man had been breaking his heart over her. They had been given a second chance, and she would be eternally grateful to her friends for making it happen.
At that moment Teddy arrived. She had been looking for Lisa and Nick everywhere.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, Nick, but the pilot wants to know if you’re returning to London with him. He’s ready to take off.”
Lisa looked disappointed. Surely Nick wasn’t going to disappear so quickly? They had so much to talk about, including what had happened with Alan. She didn’t want to restart this relationship with any secrets. She needed to be honest.
Teddy burst out laughing when she saw the expression on her face.
“Don’t worry, Lisa, your chariot awaits. Everything’s arranged for you to come up to London with me and my brother for the weekend. We didn’t think Sister Newsom would be too impressed if you jumped into a helicopter with Nick, so we thought a little bit of planning would insure your privacy. If Nick goes back in the helicopter, it should throw everyone off your scent.”
Lisa turned to Nick with a look of panic. Everything was happening so fast, and she felt overwhelmed by everyone’s assumption that this was what she wanted. Getting engaged to Nick was one thing, jumping into bed with him five minutes later was another.
It was Nick’s turn to burst out laughing when he saw her standing there like a frightened rabbit.
“It’s okay, Lisa, I’ve booked a suite at the Hilton with two bedrooms. I thought it would give us a chance to catch up without the media breathing down our necks. You don’t have to come up to London with Teddy and her brother, it was just an idea...”
She smiled at him, genuinely wanting to make him happy, which she knew she could. She remembered Alan's amazement at her not having slept with Nick the first time she'd agreed to marry him. Perhaps if she had, neither of them would have suffered so much.
“ No, I’d like that,” she answered with a smile. I’ll come up with Teddy later. You better get back in the helicopter and stop the tongues wagging.”
“Are you sure?” Nick asked. God knows, he didn’t want to frighten her off again.
She smiled happily before she answered
“Yes I am- very sure.”
The crowds of girls had dwindled, but there were still a few left standing around who watched Lisa and Nick kiss goodbye before he flew off. She raised her hand to wave and felt the unfamiliar weight of the magnificent solitaire on her finger, before her friends all crowded around her, delighted with the outcome of their efforts.
Amy was the first to congratulate her, and she gave Lisa a big hug. Veronique then kissed her on both cheeks.
“Well done, Cherie, he looks like a wonderful man, and so handsome!”
Lisa felt better with every compliment that came her way. Everything had happened so quickly, she was feeling a bit shell-shocked by it all. She momentarily thought about Alan, and how much she had loved him. What she'd felt for him was different from the way she felt now. It wasn't the heady roller-coaster ride feeling she'd known with Alan in the two short weeks they were together. It was more like the love that grows out of respect, and the belief that someone will always be there for you. Maybe this was the way it was meant to be. A lover to teach you about sex, and a husband to love and cherish you. At least that way you could only remember your first love in one way, and the memory wouldn't be tainted by every day, mundane life. What she’d experienced with Alan had been wonderful, but it was over, and however much she had loved him, she had to put him to the back of her mind.
As they got closer to London, Lisa was beginning to get nervous. The last time she had been with Nick, she had been a virgin, and had allowed him to do no more than kiss her. That seemed like light years ago now, and she knew what he wanted or expected. She still thought that telling him what had happened between her and Alan, and how they had become lovers, was essential, but when she remembered how important her virginity was to him, she realised that the truth would probably break his heart. If Nick asked, she would tell him, and if he didn't, she would let him believe what he wanted to believe.
When Nick got back to London, he went shopping. Before, he had tried to hide his wealth from Lisa, but her reaction today to his extravagance made him want to give her more.
He went into one of the exclusive lingerie shops in South Molten Street, and with the help of a very pretty assistant, managed to pick out some exquisite underwear. After that, he bought a beautiful negligee fit for a princess, his princess. The long skirt of the dressing gown was made from ivory silk taffeta and trailed on the floor at the back. The black velvet, empire bodice was cut low and had a taffeta stand up frill, which reminded Nick of the sort of outfit Snow White had worn. He knew Lisa would look fabulous in the gown and the delicate black silk nightdress that went underneath. Nick had the assistant gift wrap everything while he went to find a necklace. He was determined that this was going to be a perfect night.
By the time Nick got back to the hotel, he was laden down with boxes, and he couldn't wait to get up to his suite and lay the presents out for Lisa in his room. When he had finished putting everything in place, he rang room service and arranged for dinner to be served in his suite, ordering the foods he remembered Lisa had ordered when he had taken her out for dinner in the Isle of Man. Satisfied that he could do no more, he went for a shower.
Lisa looked up at the hotel as Dan parked the car, and felt her heart pounding. It was one thing to thrill a crowd as she had done that afternoon, but alone with Nick, knowing what was probably going to happen; Lisa was beginning to lose her nerve. She needed to know that she could love Nick in every sense of the word and replace her feelings for Alan with something as passionate as she knew real love could be. The fact that everyone thought Nick was great helped, and she knew she was very lucky, but she was scared all the same.
Dan and Teddy didn't come in with her, and Teddy just winked as she said goodbye by the car.
“We'll pick you up at four tomorrow- Don't do anything I wouldn't do.” Teddy shouted through the open window of the car.
Lisa laughed nervously and thanked them for their help.
As she walked into the hotel, she felt her body trembling. She asked for Mr Corday's suite, and was immediately given the red carpet treatment. The staff had been told what to do. She was escorted to the fifth floor, suite 516. When she knocked on the door, Nick opened it almost at once. She expected him to take her in his arms, but he surprised her by ushering her into the lounge where a pile of beautifully wrapped presents was lying.
Nick had changed into a v-necked sweater and black chinos, and Lisa could see what the girls meant when they went on about how good looking he was; he looked gorgeous. She suddenly realised she had never really looked at him in that way before. When they had dated on holiday she'd found him attractive, but because of the age gap he hadn't really turned her on- as she now knew a man could. There was no question that the comments of friends her own age had changed her perception of him. Because of the age gap she had always felt she was somehow doing Nick some kind of a favour in agreeing to marry him. It was only just occurring to her that it was actually the other way around.
Nick was behaving like an eight-year-old at Christmas, except it was Lisa who had to open all the presents. She was disappointed he hadn't kissed her because she had come expecting him to want to as soon as she walked through the door, but he seemed more interested in her opening her presents.. What she didn't realise was that Nick had thought long and hard about their first night alone together. Their romance in the summer had been so rushed, and he realised he had tried to pack in too much, in too short a time. The end result was self-explanatory. Lisa had bolted and ran. He was determined when he and Lisa made love for the first time, it would be because she wanted to, not because she should. He would wait until she made the first move, however frustrating it might be.
While Lisa started unwrapping his presents, Nick poured her a glass of champagne. When she opened the silk taffeta robe, she loved it immediately.
“Can I try it on?” she asked excitedly, like a child asks a parent when they want to play with a special present.
“Only if you promise to be wearing something underneath. I've ordered dinner for eight thirty, and I can't have the waiters dropping everything,” he replied, smiling happily back at her.
Now she was totally confused. He referred to the waiters and not to himself.
She went into the bedroom with the gown and some of the exquisite underwear Nick had bought her. As she put it on, she had a flashback to Liam's studio and the underwear there. There was no comparison. This was silk and, although delicate, not see-through. Amazingly, it fitted like a glove. When she put on the robe, it also fitted perfectly. It was low cut, but not provocative, and the matching black high heels made her feel tall and elegant. She caught her hair up on top of her head so he could see her neck framed by the stiff frill which rose from her bust. When she looked in the mirror, she didn't need the twelve hundred pound price tag to tell her how good she looked.
When Lisa came back into the lounge, she recognised the same look in Nick's eyes that she had seen in Alan's when she had walked in wearing the red dress. Nick just looked at her for a moment and then rose from his chair, smiling appreciatively, before handing her a red leather box. Inside, nestled in the white silk lay a gold necklace with small sapphires and diamonds, their radiance catching the light from the candles. Nick took the necklace from the box as she was still staring at it and fastened the catch. At last he allowed himself to touch her, and he kissed the back of her neck tenderly just below the gold clasp. Lisa expected him to carry on kissing her, but he didn't.
Just one single kiss, which left a tingling sensation where his lips had been, and she felt worshiped in a way she had never known before.
There was a knock at the door, and Nick was relieved. He knew he couldn't hold back much longer. He wanted to hold her so much.
The two waiters who laid out the food were silent as they pulled out a chair for each of them, and the atmosphere was thick with sexual anticipation. As soon as they had served the first course of asparagus and hollandaise sauce, Nick told them they could manage on their own. He tipped them generously and told them to leave. Nick stretched the glass in his hand over to Lisa, and toasted her for making him the happiest man alive. Then, much to Lisa’s consternation, he picked up his fork and started to eat.
By the end of the beautiful meal, which Lisa hardly touched, she was utterly bewildered. What was she doing there if he didn't want to make love to her? He had told her so many times that he wanted her, and God knows his actions had proved it, but she had never made the first move with him before. She didn't know how to now because she was in total awe of him. It had been so different with Alan; everything had been so spontaneous between them.
Nick got up and poured her another glass of wine. Sensing her confusion, he stood behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. She leaned her head towards his hand and closed her eyes, hoping he wouldn't stop, but he did, and she turned to him completely confused.
“Please, Nick; I don't know what to do… don't you want me?”
He couldn't help himself, and felt his hand moving from her shoulder down to her breast. The very touch of her skin made him excited, and he was glad he was standing behind her. She tilted her head back and searched for his lips, which met hers with such force, she thought her neck would break...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
When Lisa woke up the next morning she took a few seconds to get her bearings. She was alone.
Nick couldn't have done more to make their first night together unforgettable. The gifts, the champagne, even the surroundings should have made it a perfect evening, but when he’d taken her hand to lead her to his bedroom, all she could think about was Alan.
It didn't matter that she believed he was back with Carla. It didn’t even matter that she believed he didn't love her anymore. She couldn't get him out of her head. His smile, his eyes, his touch, all the things she loved about him, came between her and Nick from a physical point of view.
As she’d looked at Nick, the love shining from his eyes, she had momentarily frozen inside. She wasn’t ready. If she had never known how wonderful making love could be with Alan, she would probably have been able to respond to Nick when he started to kiss her outside his bedroom door. She had been taught a wonderful lesson. A lesson which seemed destined to tarnish any experience that followed.
It was as though she had been forced into being unfaithful to an uncaring lover, and the feeling of guilt had intensified by the second when Nick had taken her in his arms. He had felt her body suddenly go rigid, and he’d stepped back from her and looked into her confused eyes.
“It’s okay, Lisa, I understand...”
Did he? she wondered. She didn’t think he could possibly understand what was going through her head at that precise moment. How could she tell this wonderful man who loved her so much, that her heart still belonged to someone else?
The fact was, Nick genuinely did think he understood. The plans he'd made with Lisa’s school friends after they misguidedly told him Lisa was still in love with him, had given him a purpose which had made him focus on only one thing, getting her back. Now that he had, he wanted nothing to ruin things again. He was just going to have to learn to be patient and give her the time she needed to get used to the idea of them being back together again.
“How about we just sit and talk for a bit,” he suggested, leading her back to the table where the remnants of the magnificent meal he’d ordered lay abandoned.
She looked at him across the table after he’d topped up their glasses, and asked him why he loved her so much. He stretched his hand across the table and took hers.
“I don't know, Lisa. I just always have. I’ve been in love with you since the moment I first saw you...”
Something snapped inside her when she remembered being told the same thing before.
“Alan said that he loved me too…”
The words spilled out before Lisa could stop them. She waited for Nick to react. He didn’t. He just looked over at her, let go of her hand, and gave her a sad smile.
“I know.” He said quietly, sitting back in his chair.
His words hung in the air with such weight; Lisa could do nothing but stare back at him across the table. After a moment or two, she shook her head and looked back at him, her expression incredulous.
“But how do you know?” She asked hesitantly. "Why didn't you say something?”
”Scott phoned and told me about Alan after he met up with you in Chelmsford. When he told me Alan was in love with you, I thought that I'd lost you forever. It wasn’t until he phoned me back to tell me you had decided to go to the school, I thought there might be a chance you didn’t love him back. When your friends phoned and confirmed that it was actually me you loved, I was the happiest man alive.”
Lisa felt really stupid for thinking he knew nothing about Alan. She would have to tell him the truth. Their eyes met and she saw the fear behind his expression.
“Don't you want to know what happened when I was in Chelmsford?”
Nick stared at her across the table trying to control the emotion in his voice.
“No, Lisa, I don't want to know anything about it. All that matters is that you’re here with me now, and that you’re here because you want to be, not because you have to be. Can you understand that?”
Knowing now how much he loved her, she did.
“Yes, I do,” she said, before offering him her hand again.
He had taken the pressure off, which was what needed to be done. So many things had happened to Lisa in the five short weeks since she’d run away from her mother’s drunken abuse. What she needed now was calm and understanding. Nick was determined that she would find exactly that with him.
Not long after that, they called it a day, with Nick going to his room, and Lisa going to hers...
Nick looked at Lisa across the breakfast table and started pouring their coffee. As usual, he had ordered everything with Lisa in mind, and she stared hungrily down at the tantalising plate of creamy scrambled eggs accompanied by Scottish smoked salmon.
“What do you want to do until you're picked up this afternoon?” he asked with a patient smile.
Lisa delighted him when she popped a forkful of eggs and salmon into her mouth and closed her eyes for a moment. She looked as though she’d died and gone to heaven.
“I don't know, what do you suggest?” she answered as soon as she’d swallowed.
Nick knew what he wanted to do, but however tempted, he wasn't going to make the same mistake he'd made the night before. He knew if they stayed in the suite until four o'clock, he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off her. Just sitting across the table from her while they ate breakfast was driving him crazy already. They would have to go out.
“Why don't we indulge in a little retail therapy?' he asked.
Lisa shook her head and laughed.
“You don't have to do that. You’ve bought me far too much already.”
Nick was delighted with her answer. Unlike most of the women he'd met since he'd had money to burn, Lisa didn't seem to want anything from him, which just made him want to give her more. He did, however, think of a good excuse to go shopping.
“I thought it was your eighteenth in a couple of weeks. Can't I get you something for that?”
Lisa had forgotten about her birthday with everything else that had been going on.
“I've told you Nick- you've bought me enough already-- this for instance.”
She was holding out her left hand showing the magnificent diamond engagement ring he’d put on her finger the day before.
Nick remembered back to the day he had bought it, the week before she was due to arrive on the Island. Since then it had lain in the safe, trapped in its metal tomb. Only after Amy had called him, had he dared to look at it again.
“I can't wait to show you off to everyone now that you're wearing it, Lisa. When do you think you'll be able to come over to the Island?” He asked, before he started tucking into the plateful of scrambled eggs in front of him.
Nick noticed her expression change and thought that the memory of her last planned journey to the Island must be as painful to her, as it was to him. She thought for a moment before she answered. She tried to push the memory of her mother attacking her, to the back of her mind. This time it would be different.
“I have half term the week after my birthday. Why don't I come over and spend it with you?” She suggested.
Nick thought back and remembered getting ready for her last visit. He couldn't live through that again.
“Lisa, I would love that, but this time, if you don’t mind, I'll make the travel arrangements.”
Lisa laughed. Everything was so simple when you had money.
“So what are you going to do, hire a private plane?” she asked jokingly.
He grinned back at her.
“Yes, but I think a helicopter is easier to land at the school. It can then take you straight to the airport in London.”
Lisa nearly choked on her coffee. He couldn't be serious.
“Where I’ll organise a private plane to take you to The Isle of Man,” he added.
He had never enjoyed indulging anyone with his wealth as much as he did now. Lisa's jaw had dropped open at the very idea.
“You wouldn't?”
Nick wasn't leaving anything to chance. He had to make sure she arrived. He got up and went over to her side of the table before he looked down at her earnestly.
“Absolutely… if that’s what I have to do to make sure you get there this time, then that’s what I'll have to do,” he decided.
This time when he kissed her, Lisa had no difficulty kissing him back. He had managed to make her feel like the most precious woman on the planet, and she pushed the memory of Alan’s face to the back of her mind. Never again would she let him come between her and Nick...
Despite Lisa's protests, they ended up grabbing a taxi and hitting the shops in Knights Bridge. Nick propelled her around, insisting that she tried everything on she stopped to look at. Every time he would tell her how wonderful she looked in whatever it was, before he would hand the assistant his credit card. It was a bit like the scene from ‘Pretty Woman’ with Richard Gere. Like the character Julia Roberts played; Lisa was blown away by the attention she received because she was shopping with a man who was rich and famous. The shopping spree made any she’d had with her extravagant mother look positively pathetic.
After an hour she felt embarrassed at how much he was spending, and tried to make him stop. She kept telling him she had more than enough already.
“Nonsense.” he replied firmly. “When you come to the Island I want to show you off to everyone. You'll need a wardrobe to match that engagement ring.”
Lisa eventually gave in. Nick insisted on buying her at least half a dozen stunning outfits, including a midnight blue evening gown, which hugged her body wherever it touched. Lisa looked at the price tag and nearly passed out when she saw what it cost. Even by her mother’s standards, it was extortionate. She didn't want him to buy it, but he insisted. Not only did he insist on buying the dress, but also the matching shoes and handbag as well. The dress was a couple of inches too long and Lisa was relieved when the assistant said they could have it shortened and sent directly to Nick in the Island of Man. The thought of returning to the school with everything he had bought for her made Lisa feel uneasy though, so she asked Nick if he could take most of it back with him.
Nick was delighted. Lisa couldn't have done more to prove that she wasn't after his money, or what it could buy her. From Lisa's point of view she knew exactly what the other girls would think if she went back to the school laden down with presents. It would demean the romantic illusion everyone had about their relationship, and make her look cheap.
Lisa finally talked Nick into buying a large suitcase to put all his wonderful gifts in to take back to the Island. She only kept a couple of things to take back to the school.
When they got back to the hotel it was quarter to four, and she barely had time to pack the case before they had to be back downstairs in reception for Lisa to get picked up. The staff at the Hilton had done well. There wasn’t one member of the press to be seen.
They kissed outside the hotel as Teddy and her brother looked on, before Lisa got into the back of the car and waved Nick goodbye. It had been an emotional twenty-four hours in which Nick couldn't have done more to show her how much he loved her, or how much he cared...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
When Alan opened his eyes and saw Carla and the nurse standing over him, he was totally confused. He had been dreaming about a girl called Lisa, but she wasn't there. Carla just stood there crying and holding his hand, which momentarily made Alan believe that Lisa had just been a figment of his imagination.
It took an hour or so for him to absorb what Carla had told him about the accident, but by the time his elated parents and sister arrived, he had remembered it all.
Alan lay there and thought only of Lisa as his family shed tears of relief. If he had been unconscious for three weeks, she wouldn't have been able to contact him on his mobile. God knows what she must be thinking. His mother was still holding his hand and telling him how happy she was that he’d regained consciousness, when he interrupted her.
“Where's my mobile, Mum?” he asked.
Kathy looked surprised at such a strange question. She didn't know, but Carla did.
“It's back at your flat, Alan. Why? Is it important?”
How could he explain to Carla, or his parents for that matter, just how important it was?
“It's okay, I'm sure if I had any calls, Mike would have answered them.”
They all looked at each other not knowing what to say. The one thing Carla had omitted to mention to him was the fact that Mike was dead as a result of the accident. Alan looked at their stricken faces and tried to work out what was wrong.
His father took a deep breath and told him. All thoughts of Lisa went out of Alan's head as he tried to absorb what his father had just said. Mike dead? He just couldn't take it in. He asked them if they could leave him alone as he felt the tears welling up in his eyes.
His parents turned to go, but Carla refused to follow them. She believed Alan needed her more than ever. She held his hand as the tears rolled down his cheeks. He turned to her, the heartbreak showing clearly in his eyes.
“Do you know if Mike died in the car- or did he make it to the hospital?”
Carla thought carefully before she answered. She wasn’t sure how much she should tell him.
“He died instantly when he went through the windscreen and hit a wall, Alan. It wasn't your fault, he wasn't wearing a seatbelt.”
He remembered the car careering down the hill just after Mike had taken his seat belt off. The poor bastard hadn't had a chance.
“Have the police established that the brakes failed?” he asked.
Carla didn’t know, but she decided she better tell him about the police finding out that he had been drinking. It was bound to come out sooner or later.
Alan’s reaction was one of horror.
“I only had a couple of drinks before we set off. I couldn't be!”
Carla wasn’t sure what to say. Her parents had been adamant that Alan’s drinking had been somehow contributory to the accident.
“Where did you have the drinks?” she asked, remembering the two empty glasses at the flat.
Alan thought back and remembered how depressed he'd been after Lisa had gone, and how he had tried to drown his sorrows. He’d only wanted the pain of her going to fade…
"In the flat, just before I gave Mike a lift to the pub, I was going to get cigar…”
Alan started sobbing uncontrollably when he realised he had no idea how much he'd had to drink before Mike asked him for a lift. He'd been upset when he poured them. He started to absorb the fact that he might have been somehow responsible for Mike's death, which made him break down completely.
“Oh, God, it's my fault; I killed him. Oh God…”
Alan's hands had risen to his face, and he was sobbing so loudly, the nurse called for the doctor. Seeing how upset Alan was, he insisted on giving him a sedative. As the drug took its hold, he drifted back into oblivion, and Carla and his parents decided to leave.
When he woke up again later in the afternoon, the pain was still there, only ten times worse. Alan tried to remember what had actually happened, and he relived the terror he had felt when the brakes had failed in his car. Surely that was the only reason for the accident, and not the fact that he had been ignorantly over the limit?
What if the amount he’d had to drink had made him incapable of controlling the car once the brakes had failed? He could still hear the noise of his car hitting the lorry when they careered down the hill, and he remembered Mike's face frozen in terror. The vision would always be with him, especially if it was his fault.
By the time Alan's parents came back with Carla in the evening, Alan was awake, but even more depressed than he had been at lunch time.
They all tried to cheer him up, but try as they might, they couldn't raise his spirits. All he seemed to want to talk about was his damned mobile phone, and the only way his father could stop him going on about it, was by promising to bring it in the following day.
After they left, Alan lay thinking about Lisa and how much he loved her. He knew for sure Lisa was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. She had become part of his soul, the very pinnacle of his existence. Alan knew he wouldn't be able to rest until he’d found her. It was a long and lonely night as he lay trying to sleep. At last, with the help of another sedative, he drifted back into oblivion.
The next morning his father kept his promise and brought in the phone.
“There you are, son, but it won’t be much use to you because it hasn't been charged. I'm afraid we forgot all about it. I’ve got the charger in my pocket though, so you can plug it in by your bed.”
Alan knew that wasn’t an option because mobile phones were banned, especially in intensive care.
Jack Turner couldn't believe how upset Alan was just because his phone wasn't working, so he promised to charge it up when he got home, and bring it back in the next day.
After his father left, Alan lay staring at the ceiling. He wished he had never woken up. If he had been physically capable of leaving the hospital and going to look for Lisa himself, he would have, but he wasn't, so he had to content himself with staring into space and waiting for his phone to be charged. He imagined Lisa trying to call him, not knowing what had happened. The only thing that gave him hope was knowing how determined Lisa was. Hopefully she would still be trying to ring, and she would be able to contact him when he got his mobile back the next day.
Alan thought long and hard about how he was going to tell Carla about Lisa, and felt the guilt return he had felt before the accident. She had been so sweet when he had woken up the day before, and his mother had told him how she had just about lived at the hospital for the first few days, not leaving his side until he looked as though he might pull through. She was now his best friend, especially now that Mike was gone. God, it was all such a mess. Alan closed his eyes and his thoughts returned to Lisa, and the fact that she would have no idea what had happened and had probably been trying to call him.
“Please, please keep on trying, Lisa,” he said under his breath as he lay there feeling desperate. “Please don't give up…”
....................
When Lisa got back on the Sunday evening, she was the talk of the school. Those who hadn't actually witnessed Nick's dramatic arrival and his romantic proposal, had heard all about it from their friends, and everyone was enthralled by the story. As she walked through the school to her room, everyone she saw stopped and congratulated her.
Sister Newson, the head mistress, sent for Lisa as soon as she got back. Lisa thought she was going to get a telling off, but quite the opposite. Sister Newson's main concern was that Lisa had contacted her parents, and she didn't do anything to jeopardise the school's reputation. Lisa smiled diligently and felt doubly relieved she and Nick hadn’t made love in his hotel suite the night before. As far as Sister Newson and everyone else was concerned, Lisa had stayed at Teddy' parent’s house in London. So it was with a clear conscience that she tried to put the kindly nun's mind at rest.
“I'm going to ring my parents this evening. I just wanted a little time to think things through and be sure I was making the right decision, Sister.”
Sister Newson thought that was very sensible, but urged Lisa to contact her parents as soon as possible, especially as the press were involved. Lisa didn't know what she was talking about.
“What press, Sister?” she asked, genuinely confused. Nick was the one who was famous, so why would the press be interested in her?
Sister Newson explained that she had been phoned earlier in the afternoon by the Daily Mail, who had pictures of Nick and Lisa kissing in the grounds after he proposed to her. They had wanted her to give them a statement regarding the engagement.
“I told them that I couldn't comment, so they asked for your parents' telephone number. I obviously refused to give it to them, but the press are very clever, Lisa. You’d better make sure you speak to your parents before a reporter does.”
Lisa shot back to her room and phoned her parents immediately.
Her father answered and sounded annoyed. He had been phoned by the paper all day, and a reporter had actually turned up on the doorstep with a photographer by his side. He was disappointed Lisa hadn't phoned him to explain to him what had actually happened.
“What the hell’s going on, Lisa?” He asked.
Lisa felt awful, she should have phoned them the day before- but she’d been frightened they would ask her for Teddy's phone number in London, and her mother would have screwed everything up again when they couldn’t get hold of her there.
“I'm so sorry, dad. I needed time to think things through. Are you very cross with me?”
Lisa knew how to get on the right side of her father, and it worked.
“No, I'm not cross, pet. I'm just concerned that you're making the right decision. We've all been here before, remember?”
Lisa didn't need to be reminded, and nearly said something about her mother's involvement the time before, but decided against it. The damage couldn't be undone.
“It's okay, dad, I know what I'm doing. Nick has been wonderful, and you should see my engagement ring - it’s fabulous.”
Her father tut tutted down the phone at her.
“I don't care about your engagement ring, Lisa. I only need to know that you love the man enough to marry him. What about that boy you ran away with?”
Lisa closed her eyes as she held the phone tightly in her hands. What about Alan? He wouldn’t even answer her bloody calls. She took a deep breath before she answered.
“He’s got nothing to do with this, dad. He's engaged to someone he’s been going out with for years,” she added, trying to conceal the bitterness she felt growling deep inside her.
Her father seemed relieved. Scott had told him the boy was in love with her. Lisa changed the subject back to Nick, hoping her father couldn't sense how upset she was at him mentioning Alan.
“I wanted to ask you, Dad. Can I go over to the Isle of Man for half term? Nick wants us to announce our engagement to his friends there. He says he’s got plenty of guest rooms, so it will all be above board. I could even take one of my friends from school if I want.”
Her father didn't like the idea of her staying in Nick’s house. It wasn't right at her age, he said, staying with a single man she hardly knew, whether she was engaged to him or not. There was silence at the other end of the phone for a moment as Lisa held her breath. She knew she could remind him that they had promised her she could stay wherever she wanted during the holidays, but she preferred to have her father’s blessing.
“The only way I can see it working, is if I book us all into the hotel for a few days, and you stay there with your mother and I,” he suggested.
Lisa's heart sank at the thought of her mother being in The Isle of Man at the same time as her. It was a recipe for disaster. She tried to change her father's mind, but she couldn't.
“Okay, Dad, whatever you say- as long as you don't mind me going.”
He said it was fine, as long as she was happy. He started to discuss travel arrangements with her but Lisa interrupted. She assured him that it was all in hand. Nick would be arranging and paying for her to get to the Island.
Amy and the others came charging into her room as she was finishing her conversation with her father, and she could hardly hear herself speak because they were making such a racket. She said goodbye, and laughed when she turned round and saw them all sitting on her bed, eagerly waiting for her to tell them all. Teddy had told them as much as she had been able to glean from Lisa in the car, but it wasn't enough. Lisa found their enthusiasm infectious, but she would only tell them what she wanted them to know.
“It was wonderful, and Nick couldn't have been nicer. Thank you guys. I know you all played a big part in arranging it all, he told me.”
They wanted to know all the details, but the only thing Lisa would admit to, was staying the night in Nick’s suite at the hotel, nothing more. After a while they realised it was useless, so gave up asking.
“God help you if we get you drunk, Lisa Collins. We'll get more information out of you than that,” threatened Teddy.
Lisa looked at them all and realised what great pals they had become in such a short space of time. She knew she could never tell any of them about Alan now. They would never forgive her for loving anyone but Nick.
The following morning, Teddy rushed down to the library to grab the paper, and screamed out loud when she saw the half page article in the middle of the fifth page. There was a huge picture of Lisa and Nick kissing goodbye with a helicopter in the background, and a close up of Lisa's finger showing her fabulous engagement ring. The article was headed 'Millionaire Nick gets his girl.'
It followed on to describe how Nick had flown in by helicopter, and romantically proposed to Lisa while the string quartet played in the background. It also described how the seventeen-year-old Lisa was currently studying for her 'A'-levels at St Michael's Convent of The Sacred Heart, and how she had burst into happy tears when Nick had proposed.
When Lisa read it, she couldn't believe that Nick was so well known. The article detailed his various companies, and how he had cornered the market with his chain of fitness centres across the country. She found out more about his business from the article, than he had ever told her himself.
When she read about her delight in accepting Nick's proposal, she wondered how Alan would feel when he found out. She hoped that he read it, and would regret choosing Carla instead of her…
On Sunday morning, Alan sat waiting impatiently for his father to arrive with his charged mobile. When he did, Alan pushed it under the covers and tried to find out if there were any missed calls. There were none. Unbeknown to him, Carla had deleted all the missed calls after she had spoken to Lisa, believing that all his friends would know by then what had happened to him, thanks to an article in the local paper.
Alan put the phone in his wash bag beside his bed and willed it to ring. All day he kept checking on the phone, just in case it wasn't turned on, which he knew it was.
“Come on, Lisa, ring,” he kept muttering under his breath. Unbeknown to Alan, Lisa was in Knightsbridge at the time, being treated like a princess by Nick.
. His parents couldn't understand why he seemed so low when they visited in the evening, and neither of them could get a word out of him. He suggested they all leave before visiting time was over, claiming he was tired.
He thought he might try directory enquiries, but he knew it would be a waste of time without the name of the school. Anyway, he didn't want to bring the phone out in case any of the nurses saw it, and it was taken away from him. So, for a second night, he lay sleeping fitfully.
When Alan awoke the next morning, he was beginning to feel desperate about not knowing where Lisa was. He was all too aware that she might think he had turned his mobile off deliberately after Carla was back, but he really believed that she knew how much he loved her, and she would keep on trying. Little did he know that half the country was talking about his Lisa, as a result of the article in The Daily Mail.
When his father and sister visited him that afternoon, they were disappointed to find Alan just as down as he had been the night before. Karen believed she had some news to cheer him up, so she pulled out the paper and handed it to him.
“Check out page five, Alan. You won't believe it,” she enthused.
Alan pushed the paper away. His sister didn't understand that he had other things on his mind.
“I'm not interested, Karen.”
She looked disappointed.
“No, go on. It's about someone we all know...” she enticed excitedly.
Alan still wouldn't look. He had decided to confide in his father about his love for Lisa, and explain why having the phone was so important. He might be able to find out the names of the all-girls schools in Surrey for Alan to call.
“Dad, I want to talk to you about something…”
Karen had opened the paper and laid it in front of him. Alan realised that she wouldn't stop going on about the bloody paper until he looked at it, so he did.
His eyes slowly read the headline, and then focused on the picture. He felt the blood drain from his face as he recognised Lisa. She was kissing someone under a large oak tree…
Karen studied his face as he read the article. She noticed the paper was shaking in Alan’s hands and he was deathly pale.
“What's wrong, Alan? I thought you'd be pleased for Lisa.”
Alan was staring straight ahead, having skimmed through the rest of the article. His father and sister heard him muttering something under his breath, before he put the paper down. Seeing that the article had upset him, his father quickly changed the subject.
“What did you want to talk to me about, son?” He asked.
Alan looked back at him blankly.
“It doesn't matter now…” he answered distractedly.
Alan reached into his wash bag and took out his mobile phone.
“You might as well take this home, Dad. I don't need it anymore.”
The single tear that had escaped from his right eye, left a hot and bitter track as it slowly travelled down his cheek....
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
Lisa couldn't believe how fast the week had gone. Magazines tried to contact her for interviews, reporters started trying to get into the grounds to take pictures of her, and Nick kept sending her flowers. It had all got ridiculously out of control, but it was also incredibly exciting.
The news had obviously reached France, because Lisa’s engagement was mentioned in a letter Veronique received from her mother, and Chloe had an e-mail from her brother in The States suggesting that her classmate should have picked a husband in The Virgin Islands, instead of The Isle of Man. The romance of Nick and Lisa’s engagement had certainly caught the media’s attention.
As the week wore on, Lisa was beginning to feel as though she was living in a goldfish bowl. When she’d accepted Nick’s surprise proposal, she had known he was a millionaire, but she hadn't known just how wealthy and successful he was. It was all a bit scary.
When she first went out with him on the Island, he had never done anything flashy or over the top. Now they were engaged, it was as though he wanted the world to know how much he loved her, and how much he was worth.
Now everyone, including Nick, the school, her parents, and of course, her friends, were dependent on her not to let them down in any way. It was all a huge responsibility for any seventeen-year-old to take on. Even Lisa's popularity with the staff was high, because requests for information on the school flooded in from parents from all around the world. Everyone seemed to assume Lisa had been there for years, and that was where she had been groomed to catch such a wealthy husband. The school was now fully booked for over five years, with a waiting list that went on for ever, so even Sister Newson was delighted.
Lisa realised she was very lucky, and that fate had turned her shattered life without Alan into something resembling a fairy story. Even her mother enjoyed the pressure from the press. One paper actually quoted ‘Like mother, like daughter,’ and showed a picture of her on her husband’s arm looking particularly attractive. It seemed that everyone was happy with the end result, especially Nick.
He phoned her briefly every morning, and after eight every evening. They would chat for ages discussing how their days had gone, and in the process, Lisa learnt to relax completely during their conversations. She felt that it was a bit like an arranged marriage, in as much that their relationship was building up to intimacy, as opposed to the way it had been with Alan, where the physical side of the relationship turned out to be all there was.
When she thought of Alan now, it seemed so long since she last saw him, and yet it was barely five weeks. He kept coming into her mind when she least expected, and when she stopped feeling angry, a huge feeling of loss took over. Lisa knew that deep down she would always love him, but deep down was where she was going to keep her feelings. It was as though their short time together was just a dream, and existed only in her mind.
As the day rapidly approached, Lisa was beginning to get excited about her birthday. Nick had said he was planning something special, but she had no idea what it was. After his proposal, and their shopping spree in London, she didn't doubt that the word ‘special’ would be inadequate.
When her birthday actually arrived, Lisa received dozens of birthday cards, some from girls at her last school who she could barely remember, and some that she did. It was a strange feeling knowing everyone knew where to contact her. She wasn't sure whether she liked it or not.
The girls all bounced into her room at eight-thirty to find Lisa sitting on the bed with a pile of envelopes in front of her. They all gave her their cards, and then got stuck into helping her open her mail.
They had twenty minutes before assembly, and there must have been forty envelopes to open. Veronique opened a card from someone called Sasha.
“Es this Sasha a school friend you ave?” she asked in her quirky French accent.
Lisa looked at her blankly.
“I've only ever met one person called Sasha at primary school, but that was at least twelve years ago,” she replied.
Veronique was waving the card in her face.
“Well, now she is your best friend!”
Everyone fell about laughing. It was becoming ridiculous, the number of people claiming to know her. Teddy opened another card, and waved it in the air to attract Lisa’s attention.
“Do you know someone called Alan?” she asked.
Lisa stopped in her tracks, feeling the blood drain away from her face. She looked over at the card in Teddy's hand and tried to sound calm.
“Yes - why?”
Teddy handed her the card and everyone noticed Lisa's hand shaking when she took it. She stared at the simple 18th birthday card for a moment before opening it and reading the message inside.
Many congratulations on your engagement, I hope you'll be very happy... Alan
Lisa was still staring at it when the bell for assembly went off, and the others dragged her downstairs to the main hall, the card still in her hand.
All through assembly, Lisa stared down at the card trying to glean the underlying message inside. Alan hadn't signed the card ‘love Alan’ just ‘Alan’, which conveyed some bitterness. Or did it? Perhaps because he knew her date of birth from their trip to Somerset House to get a copy of her birth certificate, he thought he should send it. Maybe he was just being courteous, and didn't want to say love, in case it gave her the wrong impression. During the fifteen minute assembly, Lisa managed to read a dozen possible meanings into the card, none of which made sense. The only thing that was definite was that Alan knew where she was, and he knew she was engaged to Nick. The card told her nothing more.
Lisa decided she was reading too much into it. If he had regretted his decision to choose Carla instead of her, it was too late. She had promised Nick she would never let him down again. If it was sour grapes because she had ended up going back to Nick so quickly, then who could blame her, Alan had, or had not, as was the case, made his feelings quite clear when he’d failed to answer her calls.
All these thoughts went through her head as she stood mouthing the words of the morning hymn and pretended to listen to the assembly prayers.
By the time she went to her first class, she had decided Alan's card didn't really mean anything, except, perhaps he was disappointed in her for going back to someone he regarded himself as saving her from in the first place. There was no question in her mind it had been proved that Nick was the better man. When she got back to her bedroom, she was tempted to put the card in the bin, deciding that Alan's motives were cruel and vindictive, but she couldn't. Apart from the ripped up train ticket, it was all she had left to mark one of the most important times in her life. For that reason, she left it on the desk.
Lisa started clearing up the mess of envelopes ripped open by her friends that morning, and she saw the envelope with Alan's handwriting on it. She picked it up, and was just about to put it in the bin, when she noticed something written on the back.
Just in case you've forgotten -07860 863076
Now she was totally confused. Why the hell had he written that? She must have rung the number a hundred times in the space of a week, she knew it off by heart. Now she thought he was playing games with her. Why did he want her to ring him now, after all this time? The envelope was even more confusing than the card itself. She started to feel angry. She cursed Alan for sending the card, and picking it up from the desk, threw both the card and the envelope in the bin.
Later on that afternoon, Lisa was getting anxious. Apart from his usual morning phone call at eight o'clock, when he had wished her a happy birthday, she hadn't heard from Nick.
It was four thirty, and classes had finished for the day. Nick hadn't sent her a card or a present, and she assumed he had taken to heart what she had said about him giving her too much already. But she just wanted something small to remind her of how much he cared. It was as though she needed a constant reminder that it was Nick who loved her, not Alan. It was the only way she could forget him and get on with her life.
Amy waltzed into her room and asked her how it was going. Lisa admitted to her how disappointed she was at not even getting a card from Nick, and asked her if she thought she was being daft.
“Absolutely, you spoilt bitch!” she answered sarcastically. “God knows what's waiting for you in the Isle of Man. He's spent a fortune on you already with that engagement ring. What more do you want?”
Lisa knew she was right. She was just getting too used to Nick making a fuss of her. Amy, who was already eighteen, asked Lisa if she wanted to sneak out to the pub in the village later for her first legal drink. Lisa thought it was a great idea, but was concerned as to how they would get back. It was now getting dark at about nine, which would make walking back impossible. Amy didn't seem too bothered.
“We'll grab a cab to drop us back for ten thirty, don't worry.” she suggested, and they arranged to meet at the front of the school at six thirty after supper.
Lisa got changed into a pair of new jeans and a sweater Nick had bought her in London, and tried to concentrate on her English essay for the next day. By the time she’d finished, it was nearly six and she tried Nick's mobile again. He didn't answer, and she had to leave yet another message.
After supper, Lisa went to the common room to find some of the others. It was empty. Disappointed, she knocked on a few of her friend’s bedroom doors to find the same. Everyone had disappeared, and Lisa couldn't believe how quiet it was.
She made her way downstairs to meet Amy and passed the library where there were usually a few of her year swotting away after supper. There were only a few 4th and 5th years there, and they all smiled knowingly at her as she walked past them on her way to the front door.
Lisa was beginning to get the same feeling she'd had on the morning when Nick proposed. When she walked out of the front doors, she could see most of her year crowded around something in the car park. She started walking towards them, and a whisper travelled around the crowd causing everyone to peel off towards the sides. At last she was able to see what they had all been gathered around.
There, in the middle of the car park, was a brand new, bright yellow Volkswagen Beetle, with a huge blue ribbon on the bonnet, and Nick standing holding the driver's door open.
When he saw Lisa walking towards him, his face lit up, and he smiled at her, holding up a set of keys. Lisa walked towards him holding her hands up to her face.
“Oh my God,” she cried, realising the car must be for her.
Nick was grinning from ear to ear by the time she reached him. The look on her face made all the planning worthwhile.
“Happy birthday, Lisa,” he said, before taking her in his arms and kissing her. He then handed her the keys to the gorgeous car, and she looked back at him in disbelief.
"Is it really for me?" she asked, trying to take it in.
Nick burst out laughing. He thought it was pretty obvious.
“It certainly is...”
Lisa screamed, and started jumping up and down. When she kissed him it was with total gratitude. She couldn't believe how lucky she was. Now she knew why he'd asked her what her favourite car was in the phone the week before.
Nick handed her two envelopes and looked pleased with himself. Getting the car in time for her birthday had not been easy.
“That’s your insurance for the year,” he said, proudly pointing to the first envelope.
“And that...” he pointed at the second envelope. “Is twenty- five prepaid driving lessons. The rest, as they say, is up to you.”
Lisa kissed him again and told him he was crazy. Nick kissed her back slowly and tenderly, before he held her chin in his hand and looked deep into her eyes.
“The only thing I'm crazy about is you...” he replied, his heart full of pride because she looked so happy.
She smiled back at Nick feeling more loved than she ever had before. As he showed her the car with its black leather heated seats and CD player, she couldn't decide whether she was going to laugh or cry. She kept running back to Nick and hugging him, telling him how wonderful he was, and how she didn't deserve him. Nick couldn't stop smiling.
Watching Lisa's excitement reaffirmed to him yet again that he had made the right choice. Her young innocent excitement over the car made him laugh, and he wondered if she knew that the car had cost a fraction of what he had paid for her engagement ring, not that it mattered. He would have paid ten times that, just to see the way she was looking at him now.
When the crowd of girls finally went back inside, Nick drove Lisa, Amy and Veronique down to the pub. They were the only ones who could legally drink, and he knew the press might get wind of it if he took anyone that was underage. Since their engagement, they seemed to follow him everywhere he went.
Lisa looked at the interior of the car as Nick drove them to the pub and noticed that there was a small laboratory style vase beside the wheel in which Nick had put a single red rose. It was more romantic than all the bouquets he had already sent her. As she looked over at him driving the car, she felt so thankful, not only for his kindness and generosity, but his thoughtfulness as well. He seemed to take delight in paying attention to the smallest detail.
Nick had also arranged a small celebration at the pub which included three bottles of vintage champagne, and a deliciously wicked chocolate birthday cake. The whole evening was perfect, well, as perfect as it could be for an eighteen year old at boarding school, and Lisa thanked God, yet again, for giving her and Nick a second chance.
At quarter to ten, Nick, who'd had barely anything to drink, ordered a taxi to follow them back to the school and take him to his hotel after the girls had been dropped off. That way Lisa's car could be left in the school car park for her to start driving as soon as she got her provisional license. Yet again he had thought of everything.
As they kissed goodbye in front of the school with the noise of the taxi purring behind them, Veronique and Amy looked on, and Nick consoled himself with the thought that Lisa would be back in his arms in less than a week.
“This is going to be the second longest week of my life,” he groaned, reluctantly letting her go before he got into the taxi. Lisa took his hand through the window, sensing the fear in his voice.
“Don't worry…I'll be there. Nothing will stop me this time,” she assured him.
He looked up at her, the concern showing in his eyes.
“I do hope so, Lisa. I couldn't go through that again…”
When the taxi left, Lisa linked arms with her two pals, and still giggling from the champagne, they wove their way back to their rooms...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
When Lisa woke up the next morning, she thought about the day before. Nick's generosity with the car and the driving lessons made her feel guilty. Every time someone came up to her and complimented her, it intensified- and when she tried to concentrate in class, she couldn't.
She was feeling so confused. She knew the reason these doubts had started coming back into her head was because of Alan's card. Why had he put his mobile number on the back of the envelope? He must have realised she'd been trying to phone the number constantly when she'd arrived at the school. If he wanted to talk to her, then why had he turned it off? She wondered if he'd put his number on the envelope to confirm to her that his phone was not only switched on, but he would answer it should she call. None of it made sense. What if there had been another reason for his phone being switched off? It didn't bear thinking about. What she did know for sure was she couldn't go to the Isle of Man the following week to announce her engagement to Nick without knowing the answer.
She reached down from her desk and picked both the card and the envelope out of the bin…
Alan looked around his old room at his parents' house, and felt as though he was going out of his mind. When he’d agreed to come home after he was discharged from hospital the week before, it had seemed like a good idea because he was still very weak, and the possibility of him having another epileptic fit meant he couldn't be left alone. But his mother was driving him mad.
Every half an hour or so she would find some excuse to pop her head around the door and check up on him. He heard her familiar footsteps on the landing, and sat up and pretended to be absorbed in a book. If his mother had known he spent all of his time in his room staring into space and thinking about Lisa, she would have been even more worried than she was already. As it was, everyone was concerned about the depression which had engulfed him since he'd regained consciousness, and it hadn't got any better since he'd come home. He had fallen out with Carla the night before when she’d tried to get him to go out for an hour. He didn't want to go anywhere, and just sat in his room, his mobile phone by his bed, waiting for it to ring.
When Alan had sent Lisa the card, he had been full of bitterness. He couldn't get over the fact she had got engaged to Nick again so quickly, while he lay fighting for his life. He still couldn't believe he had once loved such a scheming, devious bitch. Just as her brother had suggested, she needed someone who could keep her in the manner to which she was accustomed, and had given up on him the minute she could.
The worst part of it was that Alan knew she hadn't loved Nick at all. Money had to be her only reason to go back to him, which made her nothing but a scheming whore…
His mother tapped on the door before coming in. She had brought him a cup of tea, the third that day. Alan tried to look engrossed in his book.
“Do you not want to come downstairs for a while, Alan? It's not good for you lying up here all the time, love. Why don't you come down and sit with me while I'm getting dinner ready?”
Alan looked up from the book, and wished she would leave him alone. If Lisa took the bait and rang his mobile, he didn't want anyone to hear what he was going to say.
“I want to finish this book, mum. I'll come down later.”
Kathy looked down at the book and was relieved to see it was open close to the end. She just hoped he didn't start another one. Alan's self-imposed isolation was worrying her and his father to death, so much so, she had phoned his doctor at the hospital seeking advice. He wasn't much help, and suggested she rang him back the following week if the situation didn't improve, and he would recommend some form of counselling to help Alan get over the death of his friend.
“I thought your father and I might pop over and check out your flat after dinner tonight. Do you want to come?” she asked before leaving the room.
Alan felt the pain rising up inside him as he remembered his room in the flat where he and Lisa had made love so often. The thought of going there and being reminded of not only her, but also Mike, was unbearable. He doubted he could ever go back there again. He looked up at his mother with tormented eyes.
“It's too soon, mum…” he replied, before pretending to return to his book.
Lisa started shaking as she dialled the number. Her heart pounded so hard, she thought it would explode in her chest. She felt the sweat on the palm of her hand as she grasped the phone. She had to know.
Alan jumped when his mobile rang, and he picked it up to look at the number display on the screen. It was unlisted, and he was sure it was Lisa. If it was, he felt relieved that he could at last vent his anger upon her. Then, perhaps, he could forget all about her, and stop pretending to read books…
When Lisa heard Alan's voice at the other end of the phone she started to shake again, and felt the tears rising as she remembered how much she had loved him. She struggled to control the emotion in her voice when she spoke at last.
“Hello, Alan? It’s Lisa…”
Hearing her voice affected him more than he’d expected. She sounded as though she was crying, and he almost lost his resolve to say what he had to say. But it had to be done.
He cleared his throat and answered her cheerfully.
“Hi, Lisa - how you doing?”
The call obviously wasn't affecting Alan as much as it was her. She wiped away the tears and took a deep breath before she replied.
“I'm fine- how about you?”
Alan assumed she didn't know about his accident, and he wondered if it would have made any difference if she had.
“Yes, I'm fine - thanks for asking. Congratulations by the way, it seems like a perfect match. I've been reading all about it in the papers.”
Lisa falteringly thanked him, dazed by the cold tone of his voice.
“I was just saying to Carla, I hope you love him, as much as I love her.”
He smiled bitterly, hearing the silence at the other end of the phone. Lisa felt the pain engulf her. It was like having an old wound reopened, being reminded that he had chosen Carla instead of her. She had to put her hand over the mouthpiece as she choked back a sob. She reminded herself why she had phoned, and struggled to try and sound normal when she asked him why he had sent the card. Little did she know he had only sent it in the hope she would be curious and call.
Alan launched himself into his prepared speech.
“I was concerned that you might have read too much into the time we spent together here before you went to the school. I wanted to explain, in case you'd got the wrong idea. Now that we're both getting married, I just wanted to clear up any loose ends, and wish you all the best.”
Lisa felt as though he had slapped her in the face. Alan was telling her that what they’d had in those two short weeks, meant nothing. She couldn't believe he could be so cruel. He must have known how she had tried ringing him for days on end, and the misery he had put her through by turning off his phone. Alan steeled himself, hearing the tears in her voice.
“Did it mean nothing to you, Alan...?” she asked.
“No, I'm sorry, Lisa - it didn't mean anything at all.”
Lisa choked back another sob when she heard his answer. She was now past caring if he heard how upset she was.
“Were you lying when you told me you loved me?” she asked, her voice barely louder than a whisper.
Now Alan was beginning to feel the tears smart in his eyes too. It was harder than he thought it would be. He tried to control the emotion in his voice, so he could convince her.
“Come on, Lisa.“ He cajoled. “It was just a bit of fun. You wanted to get laid, and I needed someone to screw until Carla got home. I didn't mean you to take it so seriously...”
Lisa felt the room spinning. Surely he couldn't mean what he was saying?
Alan knew he was going to break down at any minute, and Lisa would know that he was lying if he did. He was determined she didn't know just how much he had loved her. She had broken his heart, and he wanted her to suffer.
“Anyway, that's Carla coming in now, so I’d better go…”
He pressed the red button on the phone, cutting her off without even saying good bye. A moment later he started sobbing pitifully into his hands. It was done…
Lisa still clutched the phone long after Alan had hung up. She couldn't bear to put it down, unable to believe the finality of his last words. Now she knew how he really felt, and how he had just been using her until his beloved Carla came back, she felt humiliated. How could she have been so naïve? All he had wanted was sex, and she hated him for making her believe it was more. The love she had felt for him turned into a bitter anger, and she dried her tears, determined never to cry over him again. From that moment on, there would only be one man in her life, and that would be Nick...
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
As arranged, the helicopter picked Lisa up from the school at eleven-thirty on Saturday morning. She stared out of the window as she sat by the pilot, and watched the countryside below slowly disappear as it got nearer to Gatwick airport. At first she was nervous, never having been in a helicopter before, but by the time they had been in the air for ten minutes, she was relaxed and enjoying the experience. It all felt so strange being treated as though she were somebody special. She didn't think she would ever get used to it.
When they arrived at Gatwick, she was met by Malcolm, one of Nick's staff, who treated her like royalty and escorted her through the airport to the VIP lounge to wait for the private plane that was going to take her on her last leg of the journey. It was a different world when a man with so much money loved you. Nick seemed to have arranged everything down to the very last detail in order to make sure she arrived. He needn't have worried. After the conversation with Alan the week before, Lisa was more determined than ever to not only get there, but to do everything in her power to feel as much for Nick as she had for Alan.
By one-thirty, Lisa was in Nick's arms feeling loved and pampered. When he at last stopped kissing her, the relief showing clearly in his eyes, he took her hand and steered her towards the car park.
He had brought his Mercedes convertible because, this time, he wanted to show Lisa exactly what kind of lifestyle she was marrying into. Lisa looked suitably impressed when she saw it. As he drove her back along the coast road to his house in Port Erin, he kept looking over at her and smiling. The years of loving her had finally paid off, and the pain of losing her for those agonising few weeks was gone.
It took her breath away when she saw Nick's house set on the hill above the bay with its views across the Irish Sea. It looked magnificent and, as they drove through the electric gates and up the long sweeping driveway, she was bowled over by the beauty of the gardens surrounding the stunning white, Art Deco house.
When Nick opened the front door, he scooped Lisa up in his arms and carried her inside as though she was already his bride, and he wouldn't put her down until she told him that she loved him. When she did, Nick was the happiest man alive. Lisa would never know how long he had waited to show her the house which he had built primarily with her in mind. Once inside, he proudly showed her around.
Lisa thought that it was beautifully designed, but was struck by the fact that it was all fairly impersonal. The only pictures were those of her taken when she had been on holiday in the summer, or when Nick had visited her in Scotland two weeks after she returned. An interior designer had obviously picked all the ornaments, because they matched the décor perfectly. It was more like a luxurious hotel than a home.
When at last they got to his bedroom, she thought the six-foot bed almost looked small, because the room was so large. The furniture in the bedroom picked up on the tones of the cream and taupe fabric framing the windows, and what seemed like dozens of cushions sat at the top of the bed, giving the whole room an air of opulent luxury.
Nick watched her and tried to gauge her reaction.
“I notice you’ve left the master bedroom till last,” she said coyly, smiling nervously back at him.
Nick looked sheepish. He wanted nothing more than to love her, feel her skin next to his.
“Can you blame me? I can't believe that you're really here,” he replied, and unable to hold back any longer, he took her in his arms. Lisa knew that he wanted to make love, but she needed more time. She gave him a mischievous look.
“Not yet, you wicked man. You need to feed me first, I'm starving.” She said in an effort to stall just a little longer.
With that, she grabbed his hand and dragged him back to the kitchen where she'd noticed some sandwiches covered in cling-film had been left out on the counter top. She helped herself to one with smoked salmon and lemon mayonnaise, while Nick watched her with a contented smile on his face.
“You didn't make these, did you?” she asked, helping herself to another. Nick shook his head and passed her a plate.
“No, I'm afraid not. I asked my housekeeper to make them before she left this morning. I knew you wouldn't have had time for lunch.”
She put her plate and half eaten sandwich down, and then wrapped her arms around his neck.
“You're so considerate, Nick. I bet you asked her to leave some champagne on ice as well- didn’t you?” Nick laughed. She had him completely sussed.
“Yes I did, but I had hoped we wouldn’t have to wait until tomorrow to open it. Would you like some now?”
Lisa looked back at him and felt guilty. She knew that letting Nick make love to her couldn’t be put off any longer. He had done everything to show her how much he loved her - as much as Alan had proved that he didn’t. She opened the fridge, took out the cold bottle of Moet Chandon, and offered him her hand…
They got to the hotel just before Lisa's parents. Lisa checked into her room and ran up the stairs to unpack. By the time she got back downstairs, they had arrived, and Nick had taken them through to the bar for a drink. Lisa saw her father standing at the bar, and she gave him a big hug. She hadn't seen him since that awful night at the police station, which seemed a million years ago because so much had happened since then.
Her mother looked as though she’d already had something to drink on the boat because she was slurring her words and draping herself on the barstool while she spoke to Nick. Since Lisa had left, her need to drink had extended into the day as well as the night. She lent over unsteadily towards Lisa when she’d finished hugging her father, her arms outstretched.
“Lisa, darling,” she gushed. “Come and give me a kiss.” Lisa got to her just before she nearly toppled off the stool, and gave her a perfunctory peck on the cheek. Her father handed her mother another glass of wine, and Lisa gave him a dirty look. She had obviously had enough already. Unfortunately, Fiona's drunken behaviour carried on for most of the evening, and Lisa let out a sigh of relief when her parents went to bed early and left her alone with Nick.
Nick seemed to think Fiona's behaviour was amusing, but Lisa found it downright embarrassing. She knew her father felt the same way. Lisa wondered if she would ever be able to forgive her. If it hadn't been for her, she would never have run off to Chelmsford with Alan, and Nick would have been the first to make love to her.
.
After her parents had gone to bed, Lisa and Nick went outside for some fresh air. He put his arm around her and pulled her close to him, not wanting to leave.
“I can't bear the thought of going home without you. Can't I stay here, or you come back with me? I could bring you back first thing in the morning.”
Lisa shook her head. She would probably have got away with it, but her mother's behaviour, and what had happened earlier, made her say no. She definitely wanted to go to bed on her own. That afternoon, when Nick had made love to her, she had felt as though she was playing a part. He had been sweet and considerate, but her body had refused to relax, which had made the whole experience awkward and embarrassing. When he had at last entered her, it truly did feel like the first time any man had. Her cries of pain sounded like those of passion, and she lay on the bed as Nick thrust into her over and over again, with her praying that it would soon be over.
Nick realised she was tired, and reluctantly kissed her goodnight as they stood beside his car. He had intended keeping the party he'd arranged for the next day as a surprise, but he thought he'd better warn her, especially as her father already knew all about it.
“You have a good night’s sleep - you'll need it. I've arranged a small party tomorrow night at the house, so you better catch up on your beauty sleep,” he told her, before kissing her one last time and getting into his car. Lisa promised that she would.
As she waved him goodbye, Lisa knew he was disappointed, but there was too much going on in her head. She just wanted to be on her own. Even though she had vowed to forget Alan after their conversation on the phone, the only way she had managed to respond to Nick in any way was to shut her eyes and pretend it was Alan who was making love to her. She just hoped that eventually she would be able to banish him from her mind completely, and stop seeing him every time she closed her eyes…
The following day her parents didn't come down to breakfast, so when Nick arrived at nine-thirty, he took Lisa for a drive until they surfaced. They drove through to Douglas Head and sat looking at the sea crashing below them while Nick chatted happily about the people who were coming to the party that evening. The list included several pop stars, and in some cases, their equally famous partners, a couple of well known millionaires, and a few T.V. celebrities. Lisa thought it sounded more like a list of ‘Who's Who,’ than a list of party guests. She lost her patience and interrupted him.
“I thought you said it was going to be a small party? You’ve invited dozens of people,” she protested. She was beginning to feel more nervous by the second. Nick looked sheepish.
“That’s how it started out, but I want everyone I know to meet you, Lisa, I'm sure they all think you’re a figment of my imagination.”
She doubted that very much, with all the press attention they'd had. Lisa didn't realise that Nick was thinking about the last party he’d arranged for the evening she was due to arrive two months before. He had planned it down to the very last detail, and he had ended up humiliated, the object of everyone's pity.
Lisa didn't notice the distant look on his face, and asked if there were any ordinary people coming. She was beginning to feel apprehensive about the whole thing. He assured her that there would be plenty of nice people there who she would never have heard of, so she wasn't to worry. But she did, especially as her mother could ruin it all, irrespective of all Nick’s planning.
She voiced her fear that her mother might drink too much and embarrass them all, but Nick reassured her that it would be fine.
“She'll just be one of many, if she drinks too much. There are a lot of hardened drinkers coming tonight, so nobody will notice her. Anyway, if last night's anything to go by, your parents will leave early, and I'll have you all to myself.”
Lisa burst out laughing.
“How can you have me all to yourself when you’ve invited all those people to the party?” She teased.
Nick stretched over and kissed her.
“Believe me, I'll find a way - especially if you’re wearing that stunning blue dress I bought for you in London.”
Lisa was surprised.
“Is it going to be that formal tonight?”
Nick was amazed she could ask.
“You’re not suggesting that I would introduce my beautiful fiancée to my flashy friends with anything less than a black tie affair, are you?” He asked with a cheeky grin. Lisa smiled at the way he always made her feel good about herself. She just hoped his friends wouldn't be too disappointed.
They decided to get back to the hotel and see if her parents had surfaced, but when they got back, they couldn't find them anywhere. Eventually Lisa asked for them at reception, and she was given a hand written envelope from her father by the receptionist. They had checked out.
In the note her father explained that her mother had woken up feeling unwell, and he had thought it best to take her home to see her own doctor, in case it was serious. He apologised for not being there for the party, and said the hotel had swiped his credit card, so if she needed anything she was to charge it to his account. As usual, he had been thoughtful enough to put cash in the envelope with the note. Lisa sighed with relief, and Nick looked ecstatic.
“That’s a whole week I have you all to myself--fantastic!” he cried, picking her up and swirling her around the hotel reception area.
Lisa thought the real reason her parents had gone early was because her father knew her mother might spoil things for Lisa in some way, especially after her performance the night before. She was absolutely right. When they’d got back to their room the night before, Lisa's father had been disgusted with his wife's drunken behaviour, and they'd had a blazing argument. Since the incident in Chelmsford, he’d realised that Fiona didn't necessarily have Lisa's best interests at heart. When she drank heavily, which seemed to be most of the time now, she didn't seem to care who she hurt. He wasn't going to let her ruin things for Lisa again.
He had taken her home, not to see her doctor, but to book her into a clinic, to try and do something about her drinking. It had taken over their lives, and couldn’t be ignored anymore.
Lisa collected some of her things from her room, just leaving enough to make it look like she could still be staying there, and Nick smiled happily for the whole fifteen-minute journey back to the house.
Lisa couldn't believe how it had been transformed since she'd been there the previous day. Nick had booked one of the top party caterers to organise everything, and they had, very efficiently. The house was filled with beautiful flowers, and the kitchen was full of trays of delicious looking food, all waiting to be cooked or heated up at the appropriate time.
Nick introduced Lisa to his housekeeper, Mrs Farrell, who was fussing about making sure that the house was spotless. Lisa took to her immediately, and she followed her through to a beautifully decorated guestroom with it’s own ensuite.
“Mr Corday asked me to put your clothes in here, Miss Collins. He said you would be staying for a few days, and you’re to tell me if he’s forgotten anything. Is there anything else I can get you just now?”
Lisa thanked her, and said that there wasn't. She looked about the room and found all of the clothes Nick had bought for her in London neatly folded in the drawers, or hanging up in the wardrobe. That was with the exception of the blue dress, which was hanging up in the mirrored bathroom, with the matching shoes and handbag beside it.
On the dressing table there was a selection of expensive perfumes, and a full make-up box from Estee Lauder containing every possible cosmetic any girl could want. As usual, Nick had thought of everything.
Lisa wandered back to the main lounge, where Nick was discussing some last minute arrangements with the caterers. She watched him talking to the man and was reminded again how much effort he was putting into making the night a success. She started to feel nervous about meeting so many of his friends in one go, especially as they all seemed to be successful, in one way or another. They would probably think she was some stupid schoolgirl, out to pick Nick clean. She resolved to prove them all wrong if that was the case.
When he was sure everything was running to plan, Nick took her hand and led her through to his study. It was a lovely room with deep red walls and green damask curtains edged with a heavy fringe. In the centre of the room there was a huge mahogany partner’s desk, where she could imagine Nick sitting as he ran his empire on a daily basis. As soon as he closed the door, he took her in his arms.
“I've got something for you,” he said, looking down at her lovingly.
Lisa felt her body stiffen, thinking that he wanted to make love.
“I can’t imagine what that is.” she replied nervously.
Nick laughed and let her go, realising that she had misunderstood him. It wasn't surprising, when he had taken her in his arms, the feel of her skin, and the memory of them making love the day before, had made the fact that she had excited him pretty obvious. He would have liked nothing better.
He walked over to an oil painting of a raging ocean behind his desk, and opened it like a book. Lisa watched, fascinated, as he tapped in the numbers 1733 on the front of the safe, and the door opened. She suddenly realised he had chosen their two ages when they’d met as the combination, and she was reminded yet again of how much he thought about her.
Nick brought out the box with the necklace in it he had bought her in London, and put it on the desk. He then took out another smaller box, and handed it to her.
“I bought you these to go with the necklace. They'll be perfect for tonight.”
Lisa opened the small leather box and found the matching earrings to the sapphire and diamond necklace nestled in the royal blue silk. They were exquisite. She didn't protest as she usually did, but simply went over and kissed him, letting him see how grateful she was. Nick considered locking the door and making love to her there and then, but he knew they didn't have time.
“Go and make yourself beautiful, woman! I can’t wait to show you off...”
Lisa took the jewellery back to her room and started to get ready. Knowing how important it was to Nick that she looked as good as she could, she took extra care doing her hair and applying her make-up before she put on the dress.
Lisa looked back at her reflection when she was finished, and remembered the night of Vikki's party. The dress Nick had bought her in London was magnificent, and completely different to the borrowed red dress she had worn then. She tried to put that night to the back of her mind, but she knew the circumstances were the same. She had dressed to please the man in her life, and he would be making love to her at the end of the evening.
Sadly, it would not turn out to be in the way she expected...
| Author Notes |
I shall be posting the next chapter this evening, as it contains a lot of adult content. Pleased be warned, it is not for the faint hearted, or anyone who doesn't like sexually graphic scenes.
Lisa Collins...Main Character Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
Warning: The author has noted that this contains strong violence.
By the time Lisa walked into the lounge, quite a few people had already arrived. They all looked up when she made her entrance, and many of them gasped. She looked absolutely stunning.
She had put her hair up in much the same way as she had when she wore the red dress, and the sapphire and diamond necklace and earrings Nick had bought her in London matched the rich royal blue of her dress perfectly. The dress clung to every part of her body, and there was no question that she was not only the most beautiful woman there, she was the sexiest as well. Every eye was on her, but she felt the critics ready to carve her up - should she put a foot wrong.
She walked over to Nick with slow sensuous steps, the skirt of the dress making a swishing noise as she moved. As the rest of the guests scrutinised her from every angle, she put her arm through his and looked up at him with the adoration he deserved.
There was a photographer there from ‘Okay’ magazine who took several pictures of Nick and Lisa before starting on the many celebrities who had already arrived. Within half an hour there were over a hundred people there, and Nick proudly introduced her to every one of them.
After an hour Lisa reached up and whispered conspiratorially in Nick's ear.
“I just love these small parties, don't you?”
He burst out laughing and bent over and kissed her on the lips, much to the delight of the photographers and everyone else there. They made the perfect couple, and everyone seemed to be pleased that Nick had at last found the woman of his dreams.
The food and champagne flowed all evening, and the noise of the guests laughing and talking increased as the night went on. Lisa hadn't seen Nick for about fifteen minutes, so she went into the games room where she found him talking to an attractive blonde woman who looked about the same age as him. Lisa studied the woman as she walked towards them, and felt that there was something familiar about her face. She couldn't put her finger on it, but Lisa knew she'd seen her before.
Nick looked slightly uneasy as Lisa walked up. He seemed even more nervous when he introduced them.
“Lisa, this is Hannah, a very good friend of mine - from way back.”
From the look on his face, it was easy to work out that Hannah had once been a lot more than a friend. Lisa held out her hand, and Hannah shook it as she studied her face.
“I believe that you're still at school, Lisa?” Hannah said condescendingly.
If her question was supposed to undermine Lisa's confidence, Lisa was determined not to let it.
“Yes I'm studying for ‘A’ levels at St. Michael's. I'm only there for a year.”
Hannah patted Nick on the arm, and Lisa noticed that her eyes were slightly bloodshot, as though she'd been crying.
“Well done, Nick - brainy and beautiful, a rare combination.”
Lisa noticed the look of embarrassment on Nick's face. If they had been lovers, she could understand Hannah's resentment. She must hate her for taking Nick away from her.
Lisa tried making polite conversation until Nick was called over by the waiter to discuss something to do with the food, leaving her and Hannah alone. Lisa was still trying to place her. Hannah's face was so familiar, only she was older than the memory Lisa had in her head.
“I'm sure I know you from somewhere,” Lisa said, as they struggled to carry on a conversation in Nick's absence.
Hannah shook her head. She couldn't recall meeting Lisa before.
Suddenly Lisa remembered, and when she did, she understood why it had taken her so long. She had tried so hard to forget that day…
“Did you use to be a model?” Lisa asked, remembering the beautiful images staring back at her as she made her way through to Sarah Peter’s office at the modelling agency.
Hannah looked down at her hands and thought bitterly about the words 'use to be'. Was it that obvious she no longer was? She tried to hide her resentment.
“Yes,” she answered simply, not wanting to discuss it further.
Not put off, Lisa carried on.
“Did you work for an Agency in Chelmsford called ‘Tip Top?’”
Hannah looked back at Lisa, surprised that she knew.
“Yes, I used to live there. That’s where I met Nick. I modelled for one of the brochures for his Fitness studios.”
Lisa was pleased she'd remembered, but confused at Nick being associated with Chelmsford in any way. There was so much she didn't know about him.
“Nick didn't live in Chelmsford, did he?” she asked.
Hannah looked back at her, understanding why Lisa might think that he did after what she’d just said.
“No, I did. Nick was based in London then, but we used to meet up there occasionally.”
Lisa was relieved. The thought of Nick having anything to do with Chelmsford made her feel uneasy. There was an uncomfortable silence until Hannah came straight to the point.
“Do you love him?”
Lisa was caught off guard by the question, and was just about to answer when Hannah continued.
“Of course you do, otherwise you wouldn't be marrying him- would you?”
Lisa could feel her hackles rising. She didn't like the suggestion that she could be marrying Nick for any other reason. She stared back at Hannah with disdain.
“You're absolutely right, but what's that got to do with you?”
Hannah looked back at her and her eyes misted over.
“I've loved him for years. I know what he went through the last time when you said you'd marry him and you ended up running off with that boy. Nick nearly went mad trying to find you.”
If Hannah was trying to make Lisa feel even guiltier than she already did, she was succeeding. She looked down at her hands while Hannah continued.
“I just need to know that you really mean it this time, and that you really want to marry him. If you don't, then let me know, so that I can be ready to pick up the pieces again.”
Lisa was rendered speechless. They watched Nick walking back towards them and they both tried to smile, but Nick looked at them and sensed the tension between them. He hoped Hannah hadn't said anything to upset Lisa, and he steered her away to the other side of the room, leaving Lisa on her own.
She was still shaken by her confrontation with Hannah, and she went back to the bar to get a glass of white wine, the novelty of the champagne having worn off. As she waited for the barman to serve her, she felt a hand on her shoulder and thought it must be Nick, but it wasn't. It was a ruddy-cheeked man in his sixties with a large Scotch in his hand, which nearly went all over her as she turned round to face him. Lisa couldn't help noticing that he was very drunk by the way he was slurring his words.
“My God, that Nick is a lucky bugger!”
He was staring at her breasts, which were outlined perfectly by the fine material of her dress.
“Best pair of tits on the Island, I reckon...” he chortled drunkenly, much to Lisa's embarrassment.
To make matters worse, he tapped the shoulder of the man standing next to him, making him turn round.
“What do you reckon, John, are they not the best pair of tits you’ve seen in a long time?”
The other man had the courtesy to look embarrassed.
“Yes, Julian, very nice,” he replied, before turning back to the bar.
Julian staggered closer to Lisa, who was by now trapped with her back to the bar, and placed his sweaty hand on her right breast. Lisa was mortified and tried to push him away. She looked about furiously for Nick and assumed he must still be with Hannah next door. Julian's hand was back trying to grope her again, and this time Lisa slapped him hard on the face.
You could have heard a pin drop. It was as though someone had used a remote control to cut the volume. Lisa felt her face turn scarlet and she grabbed her glass, escaping past him to the other side of the room.
Someone must have hit the button again because the volume of voices returned to normal. She took a gulp of wine and looked again through the sea of faces for Nick when somebody spoke behind her.
“You shouldn't mind Julian, he's always getting pissed and groping some poor female. He can't help himself when he's had a few jars. That's just the way he is.”
Lisa turned to look at Julian's defender. He was tall and stocky, and Lisa recognised him from the television. Nick had introduced him and his wife to her earlier. She wasn't interested in whether Julian could help himself or not, she was furious.
“I can't believe that you find that kind of behaviour acceptable. Do you men treat all the women like that on the Island-- like a piece of meat?”
He laughed at her outburst.
“Of course not, but surely you must be used to it by now? I would have thought that posing for the kind of magazines that you do, you would have been hardened to the likes of Julian by now.”
Lisa stared back at him in disbelief.
“What are you talking about? What magazines?”
He looked at her with a cynical smile on his face.
“Well, to be honest, I've only seen the one with the pictures of you lying on a bed with nothing on but a pair of see through panties. Ken Tyler has just been showing them to me in the snooker room. I'm not sure what magazine it was. I don't go in for that sort of thing myself.”
Lisa stared back at him, her head swimming as the enormity of what he had just said hit her. Liam must have sold the pictures to a porn magazine.
When she remembered lying on the bed, her eyes closed as she tried to look provocative on the slimy satin sheets, she felt sick. If someone at the party had the magazine, she had to find them, before he showed them to Nick.
“I think you must be mistaken, I've never posed for a magazine…The only modelling I've ever done was for a catalogue.” she said, trying to convince him that it wasn't her. He shook his head and pointed to the small heart shaped mole at the top of her left breast.
“No, it's definitely you all right. Ken only brought it to the party to see if it really was, and that rather attractive little mole confirms it all, I’m glad to say.”
Lisa turned and ran into the games room to find Nick, wishing that he had let her tell him what had happened in Chelmsford. He would be bound to get the wrong idea from the pictures if he saw them, but Nick was nowhere to be seen. Lisa asked several people if they knew where he was, but no one seemed to know.
At last she found Mrs Farrell, who told her that Nick had gone to his study, and had asked not to be disturbed…
As Lisa approached the door, she felt her heart beating loudly in her chest. If Nick had seen the pictures, she could imagine what he must be thinking. When she knocked on the door, there was no answer, so she took a deep breath and went in.
Nick was sitting at his desk, the open magazine in front of him, his face grey and tense. He looked up as Lisa came into the room and smiled bitterly.
“Oh look it's my wonderful fiancée - the porn queen...” he muttered sarcastically, as she stood staring back at him from the open doorway.
“Why don’t you come in and tell me how many more sleazy magazines my sweet little virgin has modelled for, so I can go out and buy a few copies!”
Lisa shut the door behind her and went over to him. She tried to put her hand on his shoulder but he shrugged it away.
When she looked down at the pictures in the magazine in front of him, she could understand why. She looked like a whore.
“I can explain, Nick…”
He looked up at her and shook his head.
“I don't think you can, Lisa.”
He looked back at the pictures before returning her gaze.
“Have you any idea how I felt when Ken showed me these?” he asked, his voice catching in his throat.
Lisa stared back at him pleadingly, hoping he would understand.
“Believe me, Nick, I had no idea these pictures would turn up in a magazine. The photographer who took them conned me into posing for them. I'm so, so sorry. I didn't want to do it, but I didn't have a choice...”
Nick's hand rose to his face as he tried to hide the pain and humiliation he was feeling. It was almost worse than the last party he'd arranged when she didn't turn up at all, and he had sat in the same chair while Hannah had told everyone that the party was cancelled. The pictures were bad enough, but the thought that his friends had not only seen them, but had been turned on by them as well, filled him with a resentful anger.
“Have you any idea what it feels like knowing every man out there wants to fuck you?” he asked bitterly, looking up at her with disgust.
Lisa looked at his tortured face, and seeing the pain in his eyes, tried to think of something to say to reassure him.
“I don't want anyone but you Nick - believe me.”
Nick jumped up from the chair and took Lisa roughly by the shoulders. He wanted to believe her, but nothing she had said or done when they'd made love the day before had proved it to him.
“Then show me!” he shouted hysterically. “Show me that you want me.”
She moved closer to him and raised her lips to his, wanting to prove that she did.
Consumed by the way the pictures had both disgusted and excited him, Nick grabbed her, and his mouth crushed down hard against hers, his hands searching frantically for the opening at the back of her dress. When Nick felt her naked skin through the fine material, he groaned, feeling the familiar hardness in his groin. He had ached for her all day, and the pictures on his desk only confirmed that he was not the first. He had tried to convince himself otherwise, refusing to face up to the truth, but during the only time she’d allowed him to make love to her, she had been cold and tense…
Lisa looked at him and felt frightened when she saw the expression on his face.
'Nick-- we better get back to the party, they’ll be wondering where we've got to,” she pleaded, and managed to get away from the vice-like grip he had on her.
As she turned her back on him he grabbed her again and pushed her over the desk so that she was forced to stare at the pictures of her fondling her breasts and pouting with a look of simulated rapture on her face. The sight of her lying almost naked on the disgusting bed brought the whole horrible memory of Liam trying to rape her flooding back and made her feel physically sick. She tried to turn her head away.
“How come you can't look like that for me, Lisa?” Nick asked coldly from behind her, forcing her to look again at the pictures now inches away from her face.
Feeling Nick pulling up the skirt of her dress to her waist, exposing her near nakedness underneath, Lisa tried to stand up, but he pushed her back down on to the desk with one hand and unzipped his trousers with the other.
The more she struggled, the more he seemed turned on as the sight of Lisa's naked body on the satin sheets stared back at him. Unable to hold back any longer, he entered her with the brutality of a rapist.
Lisa cried out as he rammed into her again and again, reaching deeper into her body every time, until all she could feel were white-hot needles of pain. She thought she was going to pass out and prayed that he would stop, but he only continued to ram into her even more viciously than before.
“Tell me again that you want me Lisa!”
Lisa cried out as he crushed her body into the sharp edge of the desk.
“I want you Nick….I want you…” she cried, hoping that he would stop, but he couldn't. He had passed the point of no return. His rhythm only increased and Lisa felt as though her insides were being torn apart.
“Tell me that you love me Lisa!”
Lisa shut her eyes and prayed for release.
“Tell me!”
She couldn't take anymore. The pain was unbearable and the room was beginning to spin all around her.
“I love you Nick,” she cried over and over again…until Nick filled her with one last excruciating thrust.
Lisa looked down at the pictures in front of her on the desk where her tears had made dark circles on the cheap paper.
She had paid dearly for their existence…
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
Warning: The author has noted that this contains strong language.
When Nick let her go, Lisa slid sobbing to the floor in front of the desk. He looked down at her, his face full of remorse when he realised exactly what he had just done in his fit of jealous madness.
When she had come into his study, her beautiful face full of guilt, something inside him had snapped, and he'd wanted to hurt her for making him feel such a fool. He had succeeded more than he could ever imagine. He knelt beside her and took her in his arms as the sobs racked her body. She tried to push him away, but he held on to her and tried to undo the pain he had inflicted so viciously. It was too late. He had irrevocably hurt the most precious thing in his life.
Lisa broke away from his arms and got shakily to her feet, holding on to the edge of the desk which moments before had been her sacrificial altar. She looked over at Nick for a moment with tears in her eyes, wishing that she could love him in the way that she should. She knew now that if she was going to marry Nick, she would have to accept that she would never know the joy of loving someone completely again.
Nick watched as she walked towards the door. “Lisa, where are you going?” he asked, terrified that she might leave him. She looked back at him with a tortured smile before she answered.
“To bed, Nick - and I want to go alone.”
Nick was relieved to see that most of the guests had gone by the time he emerged from his study. He didn't know how he could face them without Lisa by his side. He was relieved to find out from the few guys who were left, that everyone had known about him and Lisa escaping from the party, and they couldn't blame him. The consensus of opinion, having seen her, was that no hot-blooded male would be able to keep their hands off her, given half a chance. The pictures in the magazine only led them to believe that Lisa had enjoyed whatever they had been doing, especially when her cries of adoration were heard through the study door over the noise of the party.
Nick let them believe it. He joined the diehard drinkers who were left in the bar, determined to get drunk himself. He needed to forget the look on Lisa's face before she went to her room.
While Nick drowned his sorrows, Lisa lay on the bed, and tried to work out what to do. She knew Nick had only done what he had because of the pictures in the magazine, but the thought that he might come into her room and rape her again disgusted her. She got up and looked for a lock on her bedroom door. There was none.
Nick downed his drink, and contemplated having another. Only Colin and Stephen were left, which wasn’t surprising, because it was nearly four o'clock in the morning.
Colin turned to Nick and asked him what it was like having sex with a babe like Lisa. Nick thought about it for a moment, before he drunkenly replied.
“It's fucking fantastic,” he answered sarcastically. His two friends were too drunk to pick up on the underlying bitterness of his statement.
“So why are you still here drinking with us?” Stephen asked as he tried to focus. “I know where I'd rather be.” Nick stared at him, and wondered why there was two of him.
“I don't fucking know,” he replied, shaking his head.
He got off the barstool unsteadily, and then went behind the bar to pour himself another scotch. Having downed the contents of his glass in one, he thought about what Stephen had just said. Suddenly a look of enlightenment spread across his face, and he looked back at his two friends as though he had just experienced an epiphany.
“It must be because you guys are still here...” he decided. Stephen looked at Colin before draining the contents of his glass.
”I think we better go, mate. I wouldn’t like it to be said that we were stopping Nick from getting his end away. No, no, no,” he slurred. “That certainly wouldn’t be fair.” Colin took the hint, and stubbed out his cigarette. The two of them stood up as best they could, and wove their way towards the hallway and the front door having given Nick a drunken, backward wave as they went.
When Nick staggered into her bedroom, Lisa's eyes snapped opened. She had left on the light by the bed, and seeing how drunk he was, she sat up and pulled the duvet up to her chin. She just hoped he wouldn't see the silk nightdress he had bought her in London. It was her only alternative to wearing nothing at all. He came over to the bed and tried to focus on her face.
“I love you so much Lisa – but you know that, don't you?”
She could smell the Scotch on his breath as he spoke, and memories of her mother’s drunken abuse came flooding back. Lisa humoured him by assuring him that she did, in the hope that, like her mother, she could talk him into going to his bed.
“If you ever left me, I would die - I couldn't live without you…” he told her, his eyes glazing over.
Lisa tried to stay calm. She had never seen Nick drunk before. He reached over and pulled away the duvet, revealing Lisa's naked shoulders and her silk clad body. He stared at her for a moment before shutting his eyes and smiling, as though he was reminiscing.
“I remember when you were fourteen - I knew then. You were so, so lovely...”
Lisa hesitantly interrupted him.
“You mean seventeen, Nick, not fourteen...”
Nick shook his head, knowing he was right the first time. Lisa didn't understand - how could she? She had no idea how long he had waited for her to grow up. He reached for her, wanting her again, all memories of what he had done to her earlier eradicated by the alcohol.
Lisa looked at him, and felt revulsion rising up inside her. She knew then, it would never go away. After what he had done, she never wanted him to touch her again.
“Why don't you go to bed, Nick? We can talk in the morning,” she suggested, hoping that he was drunk enough to fall asleep. Sadly, he didn't want to go to bed without her…
Lisa had dressed and packed what few things were really hers. There wasn't much, because she had left most of her own things at the hotel. When she'd eventually talked Nick into going to bed with the promise that she would join him in a few minutes, she had known exactly what she was doing.
Just like her mother, he was asleep within seconds, and Lisa knew she was only safe until he woke up. She had decided to leave. When she had gone to bed earlier, she’d fooled herself into believing she could forgive Nick for what he had done, but she couldn't. The very thought of him being anywhere near her, made her feel physically sick. She knew she had to leave before he tried to touch her again, or she wouldn’t be able to hide her feelings. Lisa knew that if she waited until the morning, Nick would try and talk her round, and she might never get away. Just like when she ran away with Alan on the day her mother attacked her, she didn't want to give Nick the opportunity of getting her back. It was over.
Lisa picked up her bag and looked at the jewellery Nick had given her, which she’d left on the dressing table earlier. She decided that it would be better if she put it all back in his safe along with her engagement ring. She didn't care what they were worth, she didn't want any of them.
She would leave Nick without anything he'd given her, that way she owed him nothing. She would sort out the car when she got back to the school. The pain she felt inside was the only thing she would take with her, and she knew it would be a long time before it went away and she would be able to love again, if at all.
Lisa turned off the light in her room, and made her way down the hall to Nick's study. She pulled open the painting that covered the safe, and pressed in the code to open it. It had been easy to remember after she’d seen Nick opening it the day before. Seventeen and thirty-three, the ages they were when they met. Nick had referred to the numbers as being a perfect combination. It couldn’t be further from the truth. The age gap between them was obviously too great. She knew now that his love for her was obsessive, and he wouldn't be happy until he controlled her completely, just like her mother had before. In her haste to escape, she had only picked a different jailer.
Lisa pulled the ring off her finger, and it felt as though she had taken off a chain, the chain that bound her to Nick. As she placed the two boxes with the necklace and the earrings at the back of the safe, she searched for the box for the ring, and found it underneath a large red photo album with ‘Lisa’ written on the front….
The cold air bit into her as she walked down the road. Lisa had no idea how she was going to get back to the hotel, but she was determined to get there.
When she passed through the village, she started to panic because the streetlights finished at the end of the street, and the road ahead looked dark and threatening. She remembered back to the year before when she had tried to get to her brother’s flat in Glasgow and had nearly got raped because she came off the main street in the early hours of the morning. She would never make that mistake again.
Lisa looked around for a call box in the hope she could call a taxi, but there were none. Lisa froze when she heard a car coming because she thought it might be Nick. She stepped back into the shadows of a shop doorway, but she had already been seen by the two occupants of a police car doing its nightly rounds.
When the policeman in the passenger seat told his partner to slow down, he put down his window and asked Lisa if she was all right. She stepped out of the doorway, and told them she was trying to get back to her hotel in Castletown. She then asked if they knew of any taxi firms who operated at that time of night. The driver looked at her suspiciously, but his partner couldn't see the harm in giving her a lift. They were going back that way anyway on the way to the station.
She still had to suffer the embarrassment of one of them escorting her into the hotel to check that she was actually a guest, but fortunately Charlie, the night porter, recognised her immediately. When Lisa got up to her room, she locked the door and sat on the bed. It was half past five.
She picked up the phone and dialled nine for an outside line. Lisa didn't care what time it was, she had to speak to her father. She let out a sigh of relief when his sleepy voice answered the phone.
She told him that Nick had lost his temper, although not that he had raped her. She knew her father would have been in a terrible state if she had. All she told her father after that was that Nick had threatened her with violence, and she would feel safer if she got off the Island as soon as possible. Lisa could hear the panic in her father's voice as he asked her if she was all right. She told him she was, so he asked her if she thought she should ring the police.
“No, Dad - I just want you to get me the first plane out of here. I don't care where it's going to.”
She didn't have to say any more. Donald Collins could hear how scared she was and promised to phone back as soon as he could. He told Lisa to sit tight, and keep her door locked.
Lisa looked down at the brown envelope she’d found at the back of the photo album she’d discovered in the safe. When she’d first looked at the album in Nick's office, she had been confused. It contained pictures of her on holiday at the hotel going back three years.
There were pictures of her when she was just fourteen, a skinny teenager without a care in the world. There were pictures of her by the pool, walking by the sea, even sitting looking bored after dinner. Some were close ups of her face, some of her eyes. It was a pictorial diary of her change from a gawky teenager into the young woman who had been back at the hotel for her usual family holiday that summer - the summer she had met Nick for the first time - or so she had thought.
Lisa now understood Nick's apparent obsession with her. She had always thought his urgency to get engaged was strange, considering they’d only met. He hadn’t given her time to get to know him, and she now knew that was because he had waited too long already. He must have watched her all that time, waiting for her to grow up.
As Lisa tried to get her head around Nick's obsession with her, she looked in the envelope at the back of the album. It contained more pictures in black and white, and they looked as though a professional photographer had taken them. She couldn't make out the faces of the people very clearly in the time marked pictures, but as she focused, she recognised her own face in nearly every one. The first picture was one of her and Alan walking into the police station in Chelmsford, the second of them walking back out, Alan's father behind them. The third picture showed Lisa going into Alan's parents' house, and the fourth of them coming back out on the morning they went to London for the copy of her birth certificate.
The fifth showed her and Alan kissing in the car when they had stopped in the lay-by when the windows had steamed up. The sixth showed them kissing goodbye at the station, their faces sad as their lips parted. The seventh showed Alan and Mike getting into Alan's car outside the flat. The time was 10.10pm. September 4th, the day Lisa had left for the school.
But it was the eighth picture which was the most heartbreaking of all. Alan's car lay on its roof, the bodywork beaten and crushed. The time was barely ten hours after she'd left. Through the shattered window of the car you could see Alan's hand, the fingers curled upwards towards the night sky like that of a sleeping child. You could just make out his face, his eyes closed below his blonde hair which was matted with his blood.
Lisa’s hand had risen to her mouth as she looked at the pictorial evidence of her and Alan’s shattered dreams. If she hadn’t spoken to Alan since the pictures had been taken, she would have assumed, from the pictures, that he had died on the night that she went to London to meet her mother. Of course he couldn’t answer her calls. The enormity of that was bad enough, but when she read the cut out article from the Chelmsford Observer, she broke down completely. It was dated the sixth of September and explained that Alan was fighting for his life after a serious car accident which had claimed the life of his flatmate Michael Parker. Lisa sobbed as she read it. Wonderful, funny Mike was dead…
Even though Lisa didn't know about Alan's accident, it was obvious that whoever had taken the pictures in the envelope knew in advance that the accident was going to happen. The fact that she had found the pictures in Nick's safe confirmed he was behind it all. He had tried to have Alan killed after she left Chelmsford. All the time she had been ringing Alan’s mobile, believing he had chosen to stay with Carla,he had lain in a coma. The whole thing was too much to bear, and she felt bitter, angry hatred enter her heart at the thought of how Nick had shattered both their lives.
When the phone eventually rang just after six, Lisa nearly jumped out of her skin. Her father had managed to get her a seat on the 7.15 to London and, if she wanted, he could book her a connecting flight to Glasgow at 10.50. That wasn’t an option as far as Lisa was concerned. She was in no doubt as to what she needed to do.
“It's okay, Dad, I know somebody in London who might be able to help me. I'll phone you when I get there.” Her father wasn’t happy and wanted her to come back home immediately, but she told him she couldn’t. She promised to explain everything to him later.
The airport was only ten minutes away, and she had to check in at least half an hour before, so she phoned down to Charlie and ordered a taxi for six-thirty.
“Charlie, can you make sure that it comes to the side door, please?” He assured her it wasn’t a problem.
“And can I ask another favour, Charlie? If Mr. Corday turns up before I go, can you not tell him I'm leaving, but give me three rings to warn me that he's here?”
The old man was happy to oblige, all this excitement made his shift much more interesting…
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Mike...Alan's friend and flatmate, who is tragically killed in Alan's car accident. Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
Nick woke up at six o’clock, his mouth dry, and his head pounding. He looked over to the other side of the bed expecting to see Lisa there, but she was gone, and he tried to remember what had happened before he fell asleep. Bit by bit, in the space of less than a minute, it all came back to him.
He drove like a maniac all the way to the hotel. He knew he was probably still over the limit from the night before, but he didn't care, he had to speak to Lisa and explain what his pride and jealousy had made him do. Little did he know that she already knew the whole story regarding what he had done to Alan, and how his actions had resulted in the death of Mike, Alan’s wonderful friend and flatmate.
He got to the hotel just before six thirty and ran into the reception where the elderly night porter was sitting reading one of the papers. Nick ignored him, and ran up the stairs two at a time. As he got to Lisa's room and banged on the door, he could hear the phone ringing inside. Lisa didn't answer, so he pounded the door some more. After a minute or so, the guest in the next room opened his door and angrily asked him to stop making such a damned racket.
Nick ran back down to reception and looked for the night porter, but he had gone through to the kitchens to turn on the ovens for the chef to make breakfast. Nick had to wait for the receptionist to arrive just before seven o'clock when he demanded a passkey for Lisa's room, claiming that he thought she was unwell. The receptionist checked on the computer screen in front of her and told him it wasn't necessary. Miss Collins had already checked out…
Lisa looked down on the Island as they took off. Her heart was still pounding as hard as it had when the taxi drove past the entrance of the hotel where she’d seen Nick's Mercedes convertible, the driver’s door wide open, parked right outside the front door. Fortunately the warning from the night porter hadn’t been necessary. She’d been waiting at the side entrance for five minutes before her taxi had turned up
When she’d arrived at the airport, she’d checked in and hid in the ladies toilets for fifteen minutes until her flight was called. It was the longest fifteen minutes of her life, and the short walk from the ladies room to the boarding gate felt like a hundred miles, as she almost ran towards it looking neurotically around for Nick's face.
Right up to the moment of take-off, she expected him to charge through the cabin door, she was so convinced he had the power to find her. But he hadn't, and now, thank God, she was safe.
Lisa thought again about the pictures in her bag, and a feeling ran down her spine like a dizzy spasm. Nick must have known all along about her and Alan, and still he had wanted her. Her brother must have phoned Nick and told him when she was meeting her mother in London, and that would have been confirmed by whoever took the pictures if they had waited at the station on the morning she'd left for her new school. She knew if she gave the pictures to the Police, Nick and his accomplice would probably be arrested for their part in the attempted murder of Alan, and the murder of Mike. Her biggest fear was that Nick would realise that too. She had to get some legal advice and make sure the pictures fell into the right hands. But whose? If she had given the pictures to the police in the Isle of Man, where she knew he had friends in high places, they would mean nothing to them.
No, she needed to get them to the Chelmsford police because that’s where the accident had happened, and where she knew she had friends to help her until she could go back to school.
As soon as the plane landed, Lisa jumped into a cab and gave the driver the address in London. Lisa wasn't absolutely sure why she had kept hold of Richard's card, but she suspected it was because he was the only person, apart from Mike, who knew anything about her and Alan’s love affair. Because of that, his card represented much more than his address, or the fact he was a lawyer. She had also known that, if she ever wanted to know anything about Alan, Richard would have been able to find out via Vikki or Karen. Whatever the reasons, Lisa thanked God she had kept it.
The offices of Turner and Clark were quaintly old fashioned. Reference books lined the bookshelves in the reception where the girl behind the large leather-topped, mahogany desk seemed to spend most of the time answering the phone. After two or three minutes of patiently waiting for a gap between conversations, Lisa asked if Richard was in and was told he was with a client. She would have to wait, and even then, the girl politely explained, she might not be able to see him.
After twenty minutes or so, Richard came out of his office door and shook hands with the client he had just seen. He was just about to go back into his office when he saw Lisa sitting in the reception area. He smiled warmly when he recognised her and came straight over to where she was sitting. He couldn’t help noticing how pale and drawn she looked, compared to the last time he'd seen her.
“How lovely to see you, Lisa! What are you doing in London?”
Lisa stood up and was just about to reply when Richard went to kiss her on the cheek, his usual mode of greeting a female acquaintance. He couldn't help noticing her recoil when he lent towards her.
“So you're not here for my body then, Lisa?” he joked. Even in her anxious state, Lisa had to laugh. Richard was inwardly relieved because she seemed very tense.
“No, I'm not, I'm afraid, Richard. I wonder if I can speak to you in private?” she asked, looking apprehensively around the reception area as though someone was about to jump out of nowhere and grab her.
Richard ushered her into his office after ordering coffee for them both from the receptionist. Lisa looked as though she needed it. He had noticed the dark circles under her eyes, and there was a nervousness about her that certainly wasn’t apparent when he’d met her at Vikki’s party. When she sat down opposite him at his desk, he tried to make polite conversation until the coffee arrived.
“I believe congratulations are in order, Lisa. I've been reading all about your engagement to the famous Mr. Corday and bragging to all my friends about how I met you in Chelmsford.” Lisa hoped he was referring to the paper, and not the sleazy porn magazine that had made her look like a whore.
“I was a bit surprised though,” he continued with a puzzled frown. “Weren't you in love with that guy called Alan, the one who was at the party?” Richard saw her expression change.
“I was, but it's all over now. That’s one of the reasons I'm here.” She added, the tears welling up in her eyes.
Richard passed her a tissue from a box in the top drawer of his desk. He was used to women crying in his office, especially the divorcees. They could go through a whole box in one sitting.
“I'm afraid it's pretty serious, Richard, and you're the only person I could think of to turn to, because you’re the only one who might understand. I didn’t know what else to do.”
He looked back at her, his ego flattered. He wasn't sure how he could help, having met her only once.
“Do you want to tell me all about it? I'm told that I'm a pretty good listener,” he said, and sat back in his chair with the assured air of an understanding mentor.
Lisa hoped he was. It was going to be hard to explain. She asked Richard if he had time to listen, and he looked at his watch. He had nearly half an hour before his next client arrived, so he told her he had. At that moment the coffee arrived, and Lisa gratefully picked up her cup before taking a deep breath. She wasn’t sure where to start, so decided to start at the beginning.
She told Richard everything, including how much she'd loved Alan, which he already knew. When she got to the part about Nick raping her the night before, he sat up and looked at her anxiously. That at least explained why she'd been so jumpy earlier on in the reception area.
“Why didn't you tell me about this when you arrived, Lisa?”
She realised that she hadn't made herself clear. Richard obviously thought she was there just because of what Nick had done to her.
“Richard, I'm not here because of that. I'm here because of the pictures,” she said, not making herself clear at all. He looked at her with an exasperated expression.
“What pictures?”
Lisa was so tired, she was getting confused. She took the brown envelope out of her bag and shook the contents out onto the desk, trying not to touch them.
“There was no point in showing you these until I told you the whole story. Nick hired a photographer to take pictures of me when I was in Chelmsford, and then tried to have Alan killed after I left to go to the school. He nearly died in a car crash, and his flat mate Mike was killed when he went through the windscreen.”
Lisa handed Richard the cutting from the paper so he could read it. He didn't need to. His cousin Vikki had phoned him and told him all about it when it happened. It seemed that everyone had known all about it, everyone except for Lisa. By that time she was conveniently tucked up safely in her new boarding school in Surrey.
Richard examined the pictures and realised why Lisa had to tell him the whole story. He noticed a slip of paper with a mobile number at the bottom of the pile of pictures, and asked Lisa whose it was. She didn't know because she’d never seen it before. Richard picked up his phone, got a line, and tapped in the number before handing the phone to her.
“There's only one way to find out,” he suggested, as Lisa gripped the phone nervously to her ear.
“See if you can recognise the voice,” he whispered to her across the desk.
She nearly dropped the phone when it was answered, and she slammed it back down on the receiver as though it carried a deadly disease. She had recognised the voice instantly as Liam’s, the slimy photographer who had handcuffed her near-naked to the brass bed in his studio.
It all fitted into place. Hannah must have given Nick Liam's number when he found out Lisa was in Chelmsford, Hannah’s home town. It might just have started as another job doing some undercover photography, but the beating Alan had given Liam after he attacked her had probably tipped the balance when Nick had asked him to do more. Selling her pictures to the porn magazine had most likely just been a bonus to Liam. He probably hadn’t even told Nick anything about them. That would explain Nick’s surprise when he saw them in the porn magazine at their engagement party.
When Lisa explained it to Richard, he agreed that the best place to take the pictures was the police station in Chelmsford where the accident had happened. He looked anxiously at his watch. It was ten to twelve, and he knew his next appointment would be arriving soon.
“Lisa, I can take you to Chelmsford this afternoon, but my next client will be here any minute. Before he arrives, I want to talk to you seriously about Nick raping you last night.”
Lisa looked surprised. Surely that didn't matter after what she had just told him about Alan and Mike?
“What time did it happen?” he asked, picking up his pen. Lisa tried to think back.
“About midnight, I think-- I can't be sure.”
Richard hoped Lisa wouldn't be embarrassed by his next question, but he had to ask.
“Did Nick use a condom when he raped you?” She shook her head and smiled bitterly.
“No, it all happened too quickly.”
"Well, unless you're on the pill, or any other form of contraception, Lisa, we're going to have to arrange for a morning after pill - that is, if you don't want to face the possibility of falling pregnant with Nick’s child.”
Lisa couldn't think of anything worse, and said so. Richard looked at his watch, conscious of the time. His client was due any minute.
“Right, Lisa, if I can get you an immediate appointment, do you mind being examined by a doctor. If you do decide to press charges, you'll need a medical report for the police anyway.”
Lisa nodded, glad that he was being so business like. She was close to breaking down, and very, very tired.
Richard picked up the phone, dialled a number, and outlined the situation to the person at the other end. He thanked them profusely before he put down the phone and smiled with relief.
“Right, Lisa, that's sorted. I'll get you a cab. The doctor's a friend of mine and will see you right away. Don't worry- he's very nice, and more importantly, he's very discreet. If you get a cab back here afterwards, I'll drive you up to Chelmsford this afternoon as soon as I'm free, and we can go to the police station there - okay?”
Lisa was so relieved that she nearly started crying again. Fortunately the telephone rang to tell Richard his next client had arrived, so she just had to pull herself together.
When Lisa got to the surgery, she was treated with kindness, but she still found the examination a bit humiliating. Because of the possibility of HIV, she had to give a blood and a urine sample. She hadn't even considered the possibility of infection, but it was explained to her that this was normal procedure in any rape case, although it was unlikely the tests would prove positive.
After Graham Caldwell had completed examining her, he looked concerned.
“Richard has asked me to give you the morning after pill, Lisa, but I think it's a little bit late for that...”
Lisa assumed there was a time limit for it to work, and asked if there was an alternative. It was obvious she had no idea.
Graham broke the news to her by asking the question.
“You do know that you're pregnant, don't you Lisa?” The surprised look on her face confirmed that she didn't.
“Pregnant…?” she asked, her voice trembling.
There had only been one occasion Alan hadn’t used a condom. It was the night of Vikki's party when they had made love so passionately upstairs in the guest room with no regard to the consequences. Her menstrual cycle had never been very regular, but when she had bled for a day or so the week after she went to the school, she had assumed that it was her period. The timing was right, but she had been surprised at the short time it had lasted. She was so distressed about Alan not answering his mobile at the time, she hadn’t given it much thought.
A few seconds after she’d absorbed what he had just told her, she asked the doctor if he knew how many weeks pregnant she was.
“It's hard to be exact, but I would hazard a guess at approximately eight or nine weeks. Would you like an ultrasound to confirm the dates? I can arrange one right away, if you like.”
Lisa shook her head. She didn’t need one. She had to decide what she was going to do. Her mind went back to the conversation she'd had with Alan about getting pregnant, and she remembered how opposed he had been to the idea then. It didn't matter now. He didn't want her, far less a baby. Lisa knew if she decided to keep the only thing that bound her to Alan, she would have to manage on her own. He had made his feelings quite clear...
As they drove to Chelmsford, Richard could see Lisa was exhausted, so suggested she sleep for a while.
She lay back and listened to the music while she thought about the life growing inside her. When the doctor first told her she was pregnant, Lisa had been horrified, but now, she was looking at things differently. The thought that a part of Alan was now inside her made her feel glad. She had no idea how she could cope with a baby, and she knew her parents would go ballistic when she told them, but she didn't care. If anything good were to come out of the whole tragic story of her love for Alan, then it could be this child.
Seeing that her eyes were still open, Richard spoke, bringing her back to reality with a jolt.
“I hope you don't mind, but I phoned my aunt.” Lisa was so tired, she couldn't understand the relevance of his statement. She looked at him blankly.
“Vikki's Mum,” he reminded her.
Lisa realised who he was talking about, and felt stupid. She had been miles away. Richard changed into fifth gear after they joined the motorway, and looked over at her for a moment.
“I phoned her up, and without explaining too much, I asked if you and I could stay there tonight. Is that okay with you?” Lisa didn't care where she stayed as long as she got there and managed to expose what Nick had done.
“That’s great,” she answered with a sleepy smile. “But is it all right with you, do you have the time for all this?”
Richard overtook several cars in the middle lane before turning on cruise control on the walnut dashboard. His Porsche reacted like a good horse to its rider, and continued effortlessly along the motorway at eighty miles an hour.
“As long as I'm back in London for lunchtime tomorrow, it’s okay. Your timing's perfect. I was supposed to be in court this week, but it's been settled, so I don’t need to.”
Lisa thought ruefully that it must be the first time she had ever got her timing right. Richard was being very kind, and she was glad she'd turned to him for help. She knew he was taking her seriously, and more importantly, he believed everything she’d told him. Lisa shut her eyes and, still thinking about the baby, she fell asleep at last.
Richard looked across at her, and seeing her sleeping, felt very relieved. When Graham had phoned him at the office while Lisa was on her way back from his surgery, he had not only told him about Lisa's pregnancy, he had also voiced his concerns. Assuming that Lisa was Richard's client, he recommended that Lisa should go to the police immediately because the extent of her internal bruising, and the bruising to the front of her thighs and abdomen, confirmed that she had been brutally raped. He was amazed she hadn't miscarried as a result.
Richard thought back to the abhorrence on Lisa's face when he suggested that she might get pregnant by Nick, so he assumed the child had to be Alan's. He looked over at her again and wondered how such a lovely girl could have so much happen to her in such a short space of time. Under normal circumstances, he would be trying to work out a way to seduce her himself, which he now knew was totally out of the question. Apart from help he’d given friends and family, this was the most decent thing he had ever done for an unattainable member of the opposite sex in his life. He was just glad that she'd asked for his help.
Ten miles before Chelmsford, Richard noticed he was low on fuel so started looking for a petrol station. At last he found one, and having filled up his tank, he left Lisa sleeping and went into the garage to pay for his fuel and pick up a couple of sandwiches. He absentmindedly made his way back to the forecourt where he had left his car, and when he got there, he stood, the sandwiches in his hand, his jaw hanging open.
Lisa and his car had disappeared…
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Mike...Alan's friend and flatmate, who is tragically killed in Alan's car accident. Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
Warning: The author has noted that this contains strong language.
Lisa started to stir, and sleepily looked over towards Richard. He wasn't there - and Nick had taken his place. It was like waking up from a nightmare, only to find out that the horrors of the dream were in fact reality.
Nick saw her head move from the side of his eye, and looked over at her with a tortured smile.
“I'm sorry, Lisa, I know this is a bit drastic, but you shouldn’t have left without saying good-bye. I had to find a way to talk to you, and this was the only option you left me with.”
Drastic wasn't the word. It was terrifying. Now that she knew what he was capable of, Lisa didn't want to be anywhere near him. As she tried to work out what to say, she looked down at her stomach and felt surprisingly protective towards the life she hadn't even known existed up until a few short hours before. If Nick knew, he would probably kill her.
“Where are you taking me, Nick?” she asked as calmly as she could. She hoped he couldn't detect the terror in her voice, because that would make him feel even more in control than he already was. The abuse she had received from her drunken mother had taught her to think on her feet when faced with a deranged and bitter mind. She had talked Nick around before; she just prayed she could do it again.
He looked back at her, and smiled cynically before his eyes went back to the traffic in front of them.
“I don't know, Lisa. Where do you want to go?”
It was as though they were out for a drive in the country. Nick was acting as though nothing had happened, which made the whole situation even more frighteningly surreal. Perhaps he hadn't found out that she'd been in his safe, and he didn’t know that she knew what he had done? Reassured with that possibility, she felt a little calmer.
“How did you know where I was, Nick?” she asked, playing for time while she desperately tried to think of something that might make him stop the car, enabling her escape.
“It wasn't that hard, Lisa. When I found out you were on the plane to Gatwick this morning, I hired a private plane and followed you, while Malcolm, the guy who met you off the helicopter on Saturday, tailed you into London. All I had to do was ring his mobile when I landed, pick up a hire car, and meet him outside that office you went into. It was fairly easy, actually - why? Did you think I would let you disappear out of my life for a second time, and not try to get you back? You should know me better than that, Lisa. You know how much I love you.”
She stared at the side of his face and saw a nerve twitching in his jaw. He looked insane. Feeling her gaze boring into him, Nick turned to her again, taking his eyes off the road.
“So, who is the guy you went to see, Lisa? Why do you need a lawyer - and why were you headed for Chelmsford with him?”
How could she explain to Nick that Richard was the only person she knew who could help her expose him for trying to kill Alan without putting both their lives in danger?
“He's just a friend, Nick - I met him at a party,” she answered, already defensive in case Richard was added to his hit list. Now that she knew what Nick was capable of, she certainly didn’t want to antagonise him, or give him any more targets to focus his jealousy on.
His mouth had set in a grim line, and Lisa waited for a response to her answer. Nick changed gear and overtook two cars in one go, making Lisa stiffen with fear and grab the door handle.
“You can't just take someone's car and hijack me, Nick. For God's sake, slow down - you're terrifying me...” she cried. The Speedo hit ninety.
“Just promise me that you'll come back to the Island, and I'll turn round and go back to the garage with your boyfriend's car, Lisa, It's up to you,” he replied, as he prepared to overtake again.This time he overtook a car before a bend, pulling over just before they came face to face with a lorry coming towards them. Nick swerved and managed to avoid it, but Lisa couldn't take anymore.
“Stop it, Nick - you're going to kill us both!” She cried hysterically.
Nick seemed to ignore her, and negotiated a bend at sixty miles an hour, making the tyres squeal as they fought to hold the road. Then, almost as abruptly as he had raped her the night before, Nick brought the car to a screeching halt in a lay-by half a mile after the bend.
The silence surrounded them, and the only thing Lisa felt she could hear was her heart beating loudly in her chest. After a second or two, Nick turned to look at her, his eyes pleading.
“I want you to come back with me, Lisa. I'll make it up to you, I promise. Please, please don't do this to me again. We can work this out, I know we can...”
Lisa remembered back to her mother and her generosity in the mornings after she'd been drunk and she'd abused her. She didn't doubt that he would. Like her mother, he naively thought that money could buy back her love.
“I don't want you to make it up to me, Nick. It's over,” she blurted out before she could stop herself. Nick took both of her hands in his and she could see the desperation in his eyes as he stared at her intently.
“It can never be over, Lisa. You promised me you would never leave me again. You know I can't live without you.”
Lisa looked down at her hands in his, and Nick followed her gaze. He noticed her engagement ring was missing, and looked at her suspiciously.
“Where is it, Lisa?” he asked, holding up her hand.
She didn't think before she answered him, but the second after she told him she'd left her engagement ring in his safe, Lisa realised that she had probably signed her own death warrant.
Nick was silent for a moment and he stared back at her, shaking his head slowly as the penny dropped.
“So you know, Lisa,” he said quietly, his eyes boring into the side of her face.
Lisa felt the tears running down her cheeks and nodded. Nick stretched over and put his hand up to the side of her face, forcing her to face him and look into his eyes.
“Then you're right, my darling Lisa. It really is over,” he said quietly, before he kissed her gently on the lips.
Lisa felt her body trembling as Nick sat back in his seat and turned the key in the ignition...
...................
Fortunately Richard’s mobile was still in his pocket so, as soon as he realised his car was missing with Lisa still inside it, he phoned the police. He couldn't give a damn about his car, but he knew, from what Lisa had told and shown him, there could only be one person who could have taken it. Richard cursed himself for not realising that Nick might have followed them, especially when he saw the abandoned hire car on the forecourt, the keys still in the ignition. It didn't take a genius to work out that, with what she knew now, Lisa was in terrible danger.
By the time the police turned up, there had already been reports of Nick's maniacal driving from other drivers who had called in on their mobiles, and Richard had visions of Lisa being killed. The only good news was that the police knew the make and registration of his car, and there weren't too many silver grey Porsches in the area.
Unable to hang around any longer, Richard jumped into Nick's hire car and set off down the road in the same direction as his car had been pointing. He knew it was futile, but he had to do something.
As Richard drove the car along the road Nick and Lisa had taken twenty minutes before, his mind was in turmoil. He knew how terrified Lisa must be, and he felt incredibly guilty because she had come to him for help, and one moment of stupidity on his part had put her life in danger. Just as Alan had done two months before, he took responsibility for the safety of a girl he had only met once.
After fifteen minutes driving along the winding road, Richard got stuck behind a line of traffic. He waited impatiently for ten minutes before the traffic started to move slowly, and when he reached the next corner he saw two policemen redirecting the traffic back in the direction from where it had come. Like many of the other drivers, he stopped and asked one of the policemen the reason why they were being turned back, only to be told that there was an accident up ahead…
...................
When Lisa saw the crash barrier coming towards them at over a hundred miles an hour, she braced herself for the impact, screaming at Nick to stop. It was too late. He had already decided to kill them both. After they crashed through the barrier, the car seemed to stop momentarily in the air like a bird on the wing, until the bonnet turned downwards and the ground came racing up to meet them. She screamed as she looked over at Nick and saw him staring straight ahead, a sad tight smile on his face…
..................
Richard ran along the road to where the police cars and ambulances were gathered with several people from the various emergency services. They were all looking over a steep embankment. A policeman came towards him as he got nearer, and asked if he could help him, thinking he might be yet another inquisitive member of the public.
Richard bent over and put his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath before he asked the officer if he could confirm whether it was a silver grey Porsche that was involved in the accident. It was.
When Richard ran over to the edge of the road, his breath caught at the back of his throat when he saw what was left of his car lying twenty feet below. It was surrounded by firemen who were trying to cut through the twisted metal. The paramedics were lifting someone onto a stretcher a few feet away from the car, and he tried to make out who it was, but they were too far away for him to see. When he tried to climb over the twisted metal of the crash barrier so he could see more clearly, the police stopped him. He had to wait as the paramedics picked their way up the side of the hill with the stretcher. He recognised Nick's face immediately. He was not only alive, but conscious.
“What have you done to her, you bastard!” he shouted insanely at Nick, as they raised the stretcher to put him into one of the waiting ambulances. Nick stared back at him, his eyes glazed with pain.
“None of you can have her now...” he replied with a sick smile.
Richard tried to get to him, but the two policemen grabbed his arms and stopped him as the paramedics put the stretcher into the ambulance.
“You don't understand” he shouted at them hysterically. “That bastard took my car and deliberately drove it off the road. He knew what he was doing, he meant to kill Lisa!”
The policemen let go of his arms as the ambulance doors shut.
“I know you’re distressed, sir, but we’re doing everything we can to get your friend out. She’s still alive, but she’s trapped, so the boys are trying to cut her out without making her injuries any worse.
Richard ran back to the edge of the embankment again with renewed hope. He watched, his heart in his mouth, as the firemen sliced into his car with their cutting equipment, the sparks showing up clearly in the fading light like small sparklers.
The fact that Lisa was now in the same position that Alan had been in two months before because of Nick’s actions filled Richard with a bitter hatred. As a lawyer, his profession supposedly dictated that he remain impartial under normal circumstances, but he was incensed with a feeling of abhorrence at what Nick had done.
After what felt like an eternity, the other group of paramedics moved in and eventually Lisa's limp body was removed from the wreckage and placed on a stretcher. Even in the poor light, Richard could see traces of the bright red of her blood covering her clothes. If she was still alive, it would be a miracle…
| Author Notes |
Bonnet...hood
Lisa Collins...Main Character Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Mike...Alan's friend and flatmate, who is tragically killed in Alan's car accident. Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
Warning: The author has noted that this contains strong language.
As Lisa was rushed down the corridor of the casualty unit in Chelmsford General, she tried to ignore the excruciating pain, and focused on the cold white lights on the ceiling speeding by above her. Richard was running beside the trolley, and he held her hand until they reached the doors of the emergency room where he was told he could go no further. As he reluctantly let go, Lisa looked up at him, her eyes full of pain.
“Tell Alan I'm sorry. I didn't know…”
Assured by the nurses he could do no more, Richard went to the front of the hospital so he could use his phone. He was still shaking when he spoke to his aunt and told her what had happened, before asking her to find Alan and to get a message to him immediately. If Lisa was going to die, it was only right that he should do as she asked, whatever the consequences.
As Richard paced the corridor outside, Lisa slipped in and out of consciousness, oblivious of the doctors and nurses working on her. All she could see in her mind’s eye was Nick's face before they crashed, and all she could remember was the pain that followed. She knew Nick was still alive, and that he had tried to kill her in the way he had tried to kill Alan. As she lay in the emergency room, Lisa tried to come to terms with the fact that if she had never run off with Alan, or she had phoned Nick and gone to the Isle of Man - none of it would have happened.
.....................
Alan sat in the bar and nursed his drink as he listened to his friends' idle banter. Since he'd split up with Carla the week before, he had sought their company more and more, in order to get out of the house where his mother's constant fussing was driving him mad. Kevin asked him if he wanted a drink, and he shook his head wishing he could. The medication he was on wouldn't allow him to drink alcohol, and neither would his conscience since the accident. The possibility that what he’d drunk beforehand might have contributed to Mike's death, would never leave him. Having said that, a part of him wished he could get rat arsed and reach the place his friends were already at - drunken oblivion. No, he would never drink again.
When his mobile started to vibrate, he took it out of his pocket, and seeing that it was his home number, he switched it off. It would only be his mother checking up on him again…
..................
It was past midnight, and Lisa was still in theatre. She had been in there for over two hours, and no one could tell Richard anything except that she had internal bleeding, and that her condition was classed as critical. It didn't look good, and he was told her pregnancy only made it more complicated.
He decided to go outside for some fresh air and try phoning his aunt again, because Alan still hadn't turned up. He scanned through the numbers in the memory of his phone, and when he found the right one, he was just about to press the call button, when he heard the screeching of brakes and saw Alan jump out of a taxi. He came bounding up the steps towards him, and Richard let out a sigh of relief.
“Thank God you're here, Alan. I thought you weren't going to show.” he snapped.
Alan looked back at him with tormented eyes, and ignoring the acidity in Richard's voice, asked him how Lisa was.
“Not good, I'm afraid. She's still in theatre.”
Alan closed his eyes as though saying a silent prayer before turning back to Richard and asking him what had happened. Richard wasn't sure where to begin. He opened the door and gestured for Alan to go in, and waited until they were inside in the corridor before he answered him.
“Nick stole my car when I stopped for petrol. Lisa was asleep in the front seat and didn't know anything about it. I think he was trying to kill them both when he drove the car off the road.”
Alan remembered back to his accident and the terrible fear that had gripped him when his brakes had failed. He could imagine how terrified Lisa would have felt if she'd known what was going to happen.
“Why would Nick try to kill her - or himself for that matter?” He asked, his voice shaking with anger.
Richard remembered that Alan knew nothing of what Lisa had told him that morning.
“Lisa was trying to get here to expose Nick for his involvement in your accident. She'd left him when she found the evidence, and he followed her.”
Seeing the confusion in Alan’s eyes as he tried to absorb what he was telling him, Richard gestured to a line of chairs in the reception area.
“I think you better sit down, Alan, I have a lot to tell you.”
As Richard recounted what Lisa had told, and shown him that morning, Alan kept shaking his head. When he told him about Carla answering his mobile, convincing Lisa that they were back together, he broke down completely. When he remembered what he had said to her on the phone, he realised how spiteful he had been. He could now understand why she was convinced he didn't love her. It had been his sole intention to make sure she believed that he didn't. The only thing that didn't make sense, was the speed with which she had turned to Nick before he'd even spoken to her.
“Why didn't she wait?” he asked Richard, desperate to understand how Lisa could forget him so quickly, especially if she really loved him.
Richard shook his head realising that Alan had no idea just how much pressure Lisa had been under. It had all made perfect sense when she’d explained it to him that morning in his office.
“Lisa didn't run back to Nick. I think you can blame that one on her new friends at the school. They read an unopened letter from him, and mistook her heartbreak at not being able to get through to you as a sign that she still loved him. They were the ones to contact Nick and set up the whole engagement thing that was in the papers. She didn't know anything about it until Nick arrived and proposed to her. By then she was totally convinced that you and Carla were back together.”
Now it all began to make sense. Alan put his head in his hand, remembering the bitterness he’d felt when he'd seen Lisa and Nick engagement splashed all over the papers.
“I couldn't answer the phone - it was still at my flat when I was unconscious in hospital. I didn't know anything about it, Richard – honestly. I had no idea Carla had answered my phone, she never told me.” Richard put his hand on Alan's shoulder, feeling genuinely sorry for him.
“I'm sure if Lisa had known about your accident, none of this would have happened, but she didn't even find out about it until after Nick raped her, and she found the press cutting about it in his safe.”
As Richard's words sank in, Alan's face contorted with anger.
“He raped her?” he shouted, jumping up from his chair.
Richard looked up at Alan and nodded.
“That’s why Lisa came to me, she didn't know what to do - and she seemed to think you didn't care. She needed to get the evidence to the police in Chelmsford to help you, so I agreed to take her. That’s why she was in my car when Nick took it.”
Alan sat down again and put his head back in his hands, still unable to take in the enormity of what Lisa had been through. The fact that she had put her life at risk trying to help him, made it ten times worse, especially after what he had said to her. He couldn't forgive himself. Richard watched him and knew that he had to tell him about the baby. It had to be better than him hearing it from a stranger.
“I'm sorry to be the bearer of such bad news, Alan - but there's something else I have to tell you.”
Seeing how grave Richard's face was, Alan wondered what could possibly be worse than what he had already told him. Richard took a deep breath and was about to speak, when the doctor came through the swing doors at the end of the corridor. He was still in his green theatre clothes, and he introduced himself to Richard, assuming, from the description he’d been given, that he was Lisa's partner.
“Mr. Clark?” he asked, offering Richard his outstretched hand. Richard reciprocated, and confirmed that he was.
“I'm glad to tell you that Lisa is going to pull through, but I'm afraid she's lost the baby - I'm so sorry, there was nothing we could do.”
Richard looked over at Alan's stricken face, before turning back to the doctor.
“Does Lisa know yet?” he asked, wondering how she would take the news.
“Not yet. I was hoping you would be with me when she wakes up, and I tell her. Do you mind me asking if you’re the father?”
Richard looked at Alan again and seeing his ashen face, wished he'd had a chance to break the news to him more gently.
“No, no I'm not. I'm just a friend, but I do know who the father is, and it's not Nick Corday, the driver who was brought in before her.”
Richard was saying this more for Alan’s benefit, than the doctor’s, and looked over at him to gauge his reaction. If he looked pale before, he now looked deathly white. He was obviously in no fit state to see Lisa; in fact,he would probably make things worse. Richard frowned, and looked back at the doctor.
“I think it would be best if I come with you when you break the news,” he said, looking back at Alan sympathetically before continuing.
“I don't think the baby's father knows that Lisa was pregnant. It might be best not to involve him at the moment,” he added.
The doctor agreed, and Richard diligently followed the doctor down the hall way to the recovery room.
Alan sat in the chair for a couple of minutes before he let the tears fall. Finding out that Lisa had loved him all along, and it had only been because Carla answered his phone, and her school friends getting it wrong, that she’d agreed to marry Nick again, was hard to take in. He vowed to himself that he would do whatever it took, to make it up to her. He prayed harder than he had ever prayed in his life, that she would forgive him...
....................
Lisa lay on the beautiful bed, and looked up at the cream drapes above her. It was just as she remembered when she'd been there before with Alan, only this time she wasn't a virgin, and she didn't have to rush home with a bottle of wine for her mother.
When they'd made love, it was as though they had never been apart, and the pain and heartbreak of their separation, and the horror of being raped by Nick, disappeared. Lisa rolled onto her side and watched Alan open the bottle of champagne, his hair still tousled from their passionate love making a few moments before.
Alan had shown her how much he wanted her the moment they'd walked through the door. When he’d kissed her, she’d responded immediately, and her body had come alive again, her fears banished. Every touch, every kiss, was as electrifying as the first, bonding their bodies with a force as natural as sunlight. Before long he was inside her, reawakening their love with every thrust.
He walked back to the bed, a glass in each hand, and put them on the gilt bedside table, before taking Lisa in his arms. He kissed her again, this time slowly, and less urgently than before.
“Are you happy?” he asked, looking into her eyes.
“Very,” she answered, reaching across and gently touching his face.
They both looked across to the floor where the red dress lay abandoned, forgotten as their bodies had merged and become as one.
As they drank the champagne, they lay entwined on the bed until the sun started to set and the swans had gathered in family circles of togetherness in the bay in front of their bedroom window. Before long their need to be united returned, and they made love again, this time less urgently.
It was after six when Alan checked his watch and kissed Lisa tenderly on the lips, before getting up.
“I'm sorry, Lisa but I'm going to have to go,” he stated matter-of-factly, before getting dressed.
Lisa stared up at him, a puzzled frown on her face.
“Where to?” she asked, genuinely confused.
Alan looked back at Lisa with an irritated expression on his face.
“Back to Carla of course...” he answered, and then walked towards the door…
Lisa slowly opened her eyes and tried to focus on Richard's face. It was full of concern, as was the doctor's behind him, and she knew it had all been a dream. She tried to talk but her mouth was so dry, her voice was reduced to a cracked whisper.
“I've lost the baby haven't I?”
Richard nodded, and looked down at his hands as the doctor came closer to the bed and looked down at her sympathetically.
“I'm sorry, Lisa, but you're going to be fine, and there's no reason why you can't conceive in the future. Sadly, the baby didn't survive the impact of the crash.”
Lisa turned her head away, and closing her eyes, tried to hold back the tears. Now she had nothing to live for at all.
When the doctor left them alone, Richard took Lisa's hand and told her that Alan was outside. He hoped the news would cheer her up. It didn't, and only seemed to make matters worse.
The dream had reminded Lisa that, although she hadn't known about the crash and how Alan couldn't answer his phone, he had chosen Carla instead of her. She had believed everything he’d said on the phone, and accepted the fact he had never loved her.
“I don't want to see him,” she said, turning her head away again. This time she let the tears come, unable to hold them back any longer.
“But I thought you wanted me to tell Alan what had happened?” Richard asked. This was the last thing he had expected.
Lisa shook her head slowly and looked back at him. She had thought she was going to die when she’d asked Richard to tell Alan she was sorry. Now, she wished she had.
“I only wanted you to tell him that I was sorry for ruining his life. If he'd never got involved with me, Nick wouldn't have tried to have him killed, and Mike would still be alive. I wanted you to explain that I didn't know about his accident, nothing more...”
Richard looked embarrassed, remembering everything he'd told Alan. If Lisa didn't want to see him, he assumed he would be devastated.
“You're tired and upset, Lisa. I'll tell him that you're not up to it just now. Perhaps later…”
Lisa interrupted him, her voice hysterical, her face twisted with all the pain and grief she’d endured.
“NO - I told you," she cried. “I don't want to see him - there's no point. Alan never loved me. He told me he was only using me while he was waiting for Carla to come back. If he's here, it's only because he feels sorry for me - so please, tell him to go away.”
Richard watched with embarrassment as the tears rolled down her cheeks and the sobs racked her body.
“Alan knows about the baby, Lisa. He was in the corridor when the doctor told me. I'm so sorry. I would never have let him find out if I'd known any of this.”
Lisa looked back at him and smiled bitterly.
“Well he should be pleased then. He more or less told me that if I ever got pregnant, he would want me to get rid of it. It looks like Nick's done him a favour.”
Alan jumped up from his seat when he saw Richard coming towards him, his face stern and angry. He looked like he was going to hit him.
“Why the hell didn't you tell me that you didn't love Lisa when we were talking earlier?” he asked acidly, his face white with anger. Alan stared back at him open mouthed while he continued.
“No wonder Lisa doesn't want to see you. If I'd known you were just using her while your precious fiancée was away, I would never have told you everything that I did. You're a heartless bastard!”
Alan tried to explain, but Richard wouldn't listen.
“Did you, or did you not, tell Lisa that you didn't love her, and that you were just using her till Carla came back?' he asked, his courtroom experience taking over.
“Yes, but…” Alan stammered.
“And did you tell her that if she got pregnant, she would have to get rid of it?”
Alan couldn't believe what was happening. The memory of the conversation he’d had with Lisa came flooding back.
“Yes, but I only said that when we were talking about the stupidity of teenage girls getting pregnant and…”
Richard interrupted him again and came up to him, his face inches away from his.
“Then, as they say in my profession, I rest my case,” he spat at Alan, amazed that Lisa could ever have fallen for such selfish, egotistical bastard. If it was down to him, he would make sure Lisa never had to suffer him again.
“Well, I tell you this, Alan. If I see you anywhere near Lisa in the future, I'll make what Nick did to you look like a walk in the park,” he hissed. “Do I make myself clear?”
With that Richard turned and marched back down the corridor towards Lisa's room, leaving Alan alone…
| Author Notes |
Rat arsed...Drunk as a skunk
Lisa Collins...Main Character Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Mike...Alan's friend and flatmate, who is tragically killed in Alan's car accident. Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
Lisa was sad to be leaving the school. Apart from the first term, it had been a happy time, and she knew she'd made many lifelong friends.
She had studied hard for the four ‘A' level exams she’d taken, and she was optimistic about her results. The amount of studying she’d needed to do to catch up on the first few weeks when she was in hospital had been fairly excessive, but she was glad of it, if only to keep her mind off the accident and all the tragedies that went with it. Her friends had coaxed her back from the brink of depression and taught her how to be a teenager again; their friendship supporting her every time she felt that she had no reason to carry on.
As she packed up the last of her things, she picked up the pile of eighteenth birthday cards which had lain on her top shelf for the last seven months. Lisa looked again at the card Alan had sent her. She hadn’t seen him since the year before on the day she’d left for the school, but she still thought about him often.
Despite her protestations, Richard had talked her into keeping the car Nick had given her, claiming it was a birthday present, and she deserved it after all he’d put her through. She used her driving lessons to pass her test after she was well enough, and she was proud of herself for passing first time. She eventually conceded that Richard had been right talking her into keeping the car in the first place. It had given her something else to focus on apart from studying for her exams, and it helped take her mind off the accident while she was waiting for Nick's trial date to be set.
Now that it had, she just wanted to get the whole thing over and done with so she could start again. Hopefully, her exam results permitting, she would get into Bath University to study law in September.
Both Nick and Liam had denied having any involvement in Alan's accident, claiming the pictures were only taken because Nick had commissioned Liam to find and follow Lisa, and he was tailing Alan at the time of the accident. The only thing the police could charge Nick with was raping and kidnapping her, both charges which Nick denied. If it hadn't been for Eve and Dave Wilson's involvement, and the medical examination Richard had organised, Nick would probably have gotten away with those charges as well.
He had written several times to Lisa, but she had put each letter, unopened in the bin - after she had ripped it up into tiny pieces. Not that she had anything to worry about from her school friends interfering. When she returned to the school after the accident, and told them what had actually happened, they promised faithfully never to interfere again.
All in all Richard had been fantastic. They had become close since her accident and he'd visited her regularly at the school, cheering her up every time he did. He never pressured her to make their relationship anything other than platonic, and it was Lisa, not Richard, who kept it that way. It would be a long time before she could learn to love another man after what had happened - and she sometimes wondered if she would ever love again in that way. The last time she had made love had been in her dream at the hospital and that, she decided, was the way it would stay.
Lisa took the last box down to the car and squeezed it into the boot, feeling the nervousness inside her again at the thought of the journey she had ahead. Thankfully, she hadn't used all her lessons before her test, and she'd used the five that were left to get more experience on the motorway before the end of term.
If it wasn't for the fact that she was staying at Vikki's in Chelmsford for the trial before she returned to Scotland, she would have happily backed out and taken her brother up on his offer to come down and drive the car back for her, but she knew she had to get over her nervousness, and ensure that she was never dependent on man to drive her about again.
Lisa went back upstairs and looked around the room she'd called home for the last ten months, thinking how bare it looked without all of her things. She had another look in the drawers, just in case she had missed anything, before reluctantly closing the door for the last time.
Lisa stood by the car, dreading having to say good-bye to the others. The thought of leaving them all, as they scattered and left their childhood behind them, filled her with unbelievable sadness. They had shared a closeness that bound them all together for life.
Amy had already arranged to come and stay in Dunoon for a couple of weeks at the end of the summer, and Chloe and Teddy promised to come and visit too, as soon as they could. Needless to say, she had an open invitation to visit Linda in the States and Veronique in Paris, and she promised that one day she would.
As they said their goodbyes, they all cried and hugged each other, promising never to lose touch. When Amy looked at Lisa, they both burst into tears. Theirs was the closest friendship of all. They had shared so much, which meant they both felt the sadness of parting the most. They hugged each other for a long time before Lisa at last got into her car, hooted the horn, and waved her arm out of the window as she set off down the driveway.
For the first part of the journey, Lisa barely went over forty miles an hour, but as her confidence grew she increased her speed and began to enjoy the drive. The men in her life had always driven her and dictated, to a certain extent, where she ended up. The knowledge that she could go where she pleased, at a time and pace that she chose, made her feel free for the first time in her life. It seemed ironic that it was all thanks to Nick, and his generosity in buying her the car.
When she thought about him now, all she could remember was their last night together when he had raped her, and the look in his eyes just before they smashed through the crash barrier. Although the pain had faded, she knew that she would never forgive him.
When she eventually pulled into Vikki's driveway, Lisa was pleased to see Richard’s car was already there. She hadn't seen him for a few weeks while she was sitting her exams, and she'd missed him a lot more than she'd expected.
When he came out to meet her at the car, he didn’t give her the usual kiss on each cheek, but kissed her gently on the lips. There was a moment of embarrassment before she looked into his eyes and smiled. Although he had caught her off guard, she was surprised at how nice the sensation had been, which pleased her immensely because she’d felt like a block of ice since the night Nick had raped her.
“How was the drive?” he asked, breaking the silence. He grabbed the bag Lisa prised out of the boot and, encouraged by her smile, took her hand as they walked towards the house.
“Better than I expected,” she replied, looking down at her hand in his.
Richard let go of her hand so she could hug Vikki and her parents who were standing waiting for her at the front door. After the accident, they had regarded Lisa almost as one of the family, and she’d stayed with them at Easter, three months before.
Richard had asked them to think of some diversions while Lisa was there for the five days before the trial and boy, had they pulled out all the stops. Lisa hardly had a minute to herself between Richard and the rest of the family. Consequently, when the eve of the trial finally arrived, Lisa had almost forgotten the fear she’d felt at the thought of seeing Nick again.
She and Richard sat on the sofa finishing their wine after dinner and, taking advantage of the fact that the rest of the family had disappeared, he took Lisa's hand for the second time since she’d arrived.
“How are you feeling about tomorrow?” He asked.
Lisa looked down at his hand and tried to work out how she felt about it being there. It was fine, she decided, although it still felt really strange.
“I don't even want to think about it, Richard. It's as though I can't start my life again until it's all over.”
“Then what?” he asked, looking into her eyes.
“I don't know. I only know it will be clearer after I've seen Nick and Alan again at the trial tomorrow. I need to face up to what happened, and the trial is my only way of doing that. For the last eight or nine months, I've been able to put it all to the back of my mind with my exams, because tomorrow seemed such a long way away. But I do know that I couldn't have got through it without you, Richard.”
For the first time since she'd arrived and he'd met her at the car, Richard put his arms around her and kissed Lisa gently on the lips. At first Lisa held back, but after a second or two, her lips parted and she felt herself responding. When at last they pulled apart, Richard looked into her eyes and, sensing her confusion, smiled understandingly back at her.
“Don't worry, Lisa. It was just a kiss - not a lifelong commitment.” he said softly, before letting go of her hand.
The next morning, Lisa woke early feeling sickeningly apprehensive. She couldn’t face any breakfast however much everyone tried to tempt her. By the time she got to the courtroom, she was visibly shaking. Richard took her arm as they approached the front doors in the hope it would steady her nerves a little. As a rape victim, she had been asked to come to the courthouse early, so that someone from witness support could show her around the court room before the trial and familiarise her with the whole procedure.
Lisa lent against Richard when they got inside, feeling as though her legs were going to buckle underneath her. When she looked up, she saw Alan and their eyes met for a moment before Richard squeezed her shoulders reassuringly and steered her towards the private room where she would stay after her tour of the courtroom until she was called to give evidence.
“Are you sure you’re going to be alright, Lisa?” he asked, when he saw the witness support officer coming towards her. Lisa nodded. She knew how worried Richard would be if he knew how upset she really was. She let out a nervous laugh and told him she was fine before kissing him goodbye.
Alan watched with a sense of déjà vu as Lisa kissed Richard. When he’d seen her come through the courtroom door, he had been taken aback seeing Richard by her side. Even though Karen had told him that Vikki had said they were close, the reality of seeing them together still hurt. All he could see was the vision of her standing in the red dress, which had haunted him when he was unconscious, and all he could remember was the way he had felt then. The agony he felt inside now, was even greater than the pain he’d felt at the hospital when Richard had told him that Lisa didn't want to see him. The way Lisa had leant against Richard when she arrived left no doubt in Alan's mind that she'd been attracted to him right from the start.
Lisa was amazed at how quickly things moved on after she’d been shown around. She knew she would be called as the first witness after the prosecuting barrister had opened the case, but she’d expected it all to take much longer. By eleven thirty she was being ushered into the courtroom, her heart in her mouth.
The calm, unthreatening courtroom which she had been shown around earlier had changed into a sea of staring faces when the public gallery had filled, and Lisa felt her legs shaking again as she made her way to the witness box. She searched the faces in the gallery, looking for Richard. Only when she found him did she look across at Nick, who was sitting in the dock. As their eyes met, she shivered inwardly. He looked much older than the last time she'd seen him, and he stared back at her with a knowing smile on his face which made her feel physically sick.
After she was sworn in, Lisa looked back up at the gallery and spotted Alan again sitting in the back row. Their eyes met momentarily, and he looked back at her with a sad expression similar to the one he’d had when she’d watched him through the hotel window in Dunoon. She tore her eyes away from his and looked across to Richard, who smiled back at her encouragingly, giving her strength.
The prosecuting barrister stood up and approached her…
| Author Notes |
Lisa Collins...Main Character
Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Mike...Alan's friend and flatmate, who is tragically killed in Alan's car accident. Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
After thirty minutes, Lisa had outlined the events that led up to her being raped by Nick at the party, and her subsequent kidnapping. She had been over it so many times before in her mind that she was able to answer clearly and truthfully without breaking down. By the time Nick's barrister, Peter Halliday stood up to cross-examine her, she was wondering why she had felt so nervous.
“You have told us today, Miss Collins, about the alleged rape which you claim took place at the residence of my client, Mr Corday in the early hours of October 26th of last year. Do you mind if I clarify a few points regarding the matter?”
. “Not at all,” Lisa answered confidently. She looked over to where Richard was sitting and drew strength from his encouraging smile. All she wanted to do was tell the truth and ignore Nick's eyes, which she could feel boring into the side of her face.
“Could you confirm for me, Miss Collins, that this is not the first time you have alleged to have been sexually assaulted?”
“I'm sorry,” she stammered, thrown off her guard. “I don't understand the question.”
“Then let me remind you, Miss Collins.”
Peter Halliday walked over to the desk and picked up a piece of paper while Lisa stared back at him with a worried frown.
“I have here a copy of a report nearly two years ago from the Strathclyde police where you claimed to have been attacked and nearly raped by persons unknown.”
Lisa felt the blood drain from her face as she remembered the humiliation she had suffered at the hands of the two police officers who’d taken her home after she’d run away from her abusive mother. She’d told Nick all about it.
“I believe on that occasion you gave the police the name and address of the only witness you suggested could substantiate your story, and it turned out to be fictitious. Is that correct?”
Lisa felt every eye in the courtroom staring at her as she tried to stay calm.
“One of the men who helped me, gave me a false name and address,” she stammered, when she realised what Nick's barrister was trying to do.
He walked back to the desk again and picked up another piece of paper, a copy of which he again gave to the clerk.
“And this, Miss Collins, is yet another claim you made against the photographer, Liam Smith, whom my client appointed to find you when you ran off to Chelmsford. Yet another occasion, I believe, when you ran away from home. You claim, yet again, to have been attacked and nearly raped by him also. Can you tell me why you waited nearly two months to report this matter to the police?”
Lisa felt the sweat break out on her brow as she answered him.
“I didn't know then that Liam was involved with Alan's accident . I just wanted to forget all about it...”
Peter Halliday smiled at her sarcastically before turning back to the jury.
“Well, that is understandable, Miss Collins, considering Mr Turner's accident didn't happen until a week after you claim to have been attacked. What is also understandable is the fact that you only reported this alleged attack two months later whilst being interviewed by the police in Chelmsford after the accident. That was only after you found out that Mr Smith had sold naked pictures he had taken of you, with your consent, to a pornographic magazine.”
Lisa felt exactly the same way as she had felt on the night the police had driven her home in Glasgow. There was no way she could tell the court about the way Alan had broken down the door and kicked Liam until he was unconscious. They should have reported it to the police when it happened.
Peter Halliday could see that he had the jury's attention, and he played his trump card.
“So, would you like to explain to the court how you actually got a lift from two police officers, the night you alleged to have been raped by my client, Mr Corday - and failed to mention it?”
Lisa looked over at Richard and saw him frowning. He couldn't help her now. The facts were stacked against her, and Peter Halliday had succeeded in making her look like a liar.
“I was scared that they wouldn't believe me,” she replied, and tried to fight back tears of frustration.
Peter Halliday looked at the jury as though he shared a secret with them.
“Yes, I'm sure you were, Miss Collins, especially with your track record. I put it to you - that the only reason you didn't mention it was because, like the other two occasions you claimed to be attacked - it never actually happened.”
Lisa didn't know what to say. The prosecution lawyer made an objection, claiming that the witness was being harassed in order to discredit her.
The judge looked at Nick’s barrister over the top of his glasses and asked him to explain his line of questioning. Peter Halliday looked delighted.
“I believe, your honour, that I can prove that Miss Collins is a less than credible witness due to her past history.”
The judge drew in his breath before looking back at him.
“Well, as Miss Collins is not on trial here, Mr Halliday, then I must insist that the jury is removed if you are going to cross examine her on that basis.”
Peter Halliday stood up and agreed, as did the prosecuting barrister. Two minutes later, the jury all filed out of the courtroom.
Lisa tried to regain her composure, hoping that the worst was over. It wasn't. The worst was yet to come. Peter Halliday stood up again and approached Lisa, a conceited smile on his face.
“Tell me, Miss Collins, about the baby you lost as a result of the tragic accident you and my client were involved in.”
The prosecuting barrister objected again, insisting that Peter Halliday qualified his line of questioning, jury or no jury. When the judge asked him to explain, Peter Halliday looked smug.
“I am merely trying to establish, your Honour, that the child was not that of my client, but the result of Miss Collin’s liaison with somebody else, several weeks prior to her accepting a proposal of marriage from Mr Corday. I think it only fair that the court should know all the details leading up to her allegations.”
The judge let him proceed with his line of questioning, so he walked back to Lisa with a condescending smile on his face.
“Miss Collins, am I right in saying that you were at least six weeks pregnant with another man's child when you accepted Mr Corday's proposal of marriage?”
Lisa felt the room spinning as she shook her head. She looked up at Alan and gave her answer more for him than anyone else.
“I didn't know that I was pregnant when Nick proposed,” she almost shouted back at Peter Halliday. She was very close to breaking down.
He gave a small theatrical laugh before continuing.
“No - of course you didn't. You were a seventeen year old girl whose period must have been at least two weeks late, the month after you had, I can only presume, unprotected sex with your lover. It's presumptuous of me to assume that you hadn't worked that out for yourself.”
Lisa couldn't believe what was happening. She couldn't take much more, and sensing that she was about to break down, Peter Halliday moved in for the kill.
“So, remind me again. When exactly did you report, not only my client allegedly raping you, but also his alleged involvement in Mr Turner's accident?”
Lisa closed her eyes for a moment and tried to concentrate before answering.
“When I was interviewed by the police in the hospital, after the accident.”
Peter Halliday went back to the desk and checked through his notes as everyone in the courtroom watched in wrapt silence.
“So that would be three days after the alleged rape, two days after the tragic accident when you lost your baby, and six weeks after Mr Turner's accident, is that correct?”
Lisa nodded silently.
“I'm sorry, Miss Collins, I can't hear you.”
When she looked at his supercilious face, she hated him for what he was doing to her. “Yes, that’s correct…”
Peter Halliday crossed his arms as he approached Lisa in the witness box, the look in his eyes cutting right through her.
“I put it to you, Miss Collins, that you were not in fact raped by my client on the night in question, but went to his study where you were heard to willingly have sex with him before he confronted you with the magazine one of his guests had shown him which contained several lewd and naked pictures of you.”
Lisa started shaking her head as the tears rolled down her cheeks.
“It wasn't like that-- he raped me!” she cried hysterically.
Peter Halliday ignored her and carried on.
“I also put it to you, Miss Collins, that when my client told you he no longer wanted to marry you as a result of the humiliation you had caused him, and demanded his engagement ring back, I suggest, Miss Collins, you returned to your room and concocted the entire cock and bull story about, not only the rape, but his involvement in Mr Turner's accident - just to get back at him.”
Lisa looked over at Richard only to see him slowly shaking his head, his hand over his face.
“Lastly, I put it to you, that my client followed you to London, knowing that you were going to blackmail him with your story, and he only took your friend's car at the petrol station because he was desperate, and that was the only way he could talk to you.”
“NO” Lisa cried out. “It wasn't like that - he raped me!”
Peter Halliday approached the bench with a sheaf of papers in his hand.
“I have here, your Honour, several testimonies from guests at the party, the night that Miss Collins alleges to have been raped by my client, which prove quite clearly that she not only sought out Mr Corday in his study, but was heard to shout out how much she loved and wanted him whilst she was having sex with him. Surely if she was being raped, we would be able to find one witness who could testify to Miss Collins shouting out the word "no" or "stop" even? What I have here is over forty affidavits testifying to the same words. "I want you Nick, I love you Nick" They all consistently say the same thing.”
Everyone in the courtroom seemed to be staring at Lisa as Peter Halliday continued.
“Not only did she not ask anyone at the party for assistance, or claim to be raped, but she neglected to mention the matter to the two police officers who gave her a lift back to her hotel some four hours or so later. Put that together with her two precious claims of assault, where not one witness can be found to support her stories, I would suggest that it is Miss Collins who is the problem here.”
He walked back to the judge, stopping momentarily in front of Lisa and giving her a disapproving look.
“The main evidence of this trial is based on the testimony of Miss Collins, and I would suggest that the court's time isn't wasted any further by this less than credible witness. I would request, your honour that this case is dismissed, and that the charges against my client are dropped.”
The judge looked over at Lisa for a moment before calling both the barristers and the officer in charge of the case over to the bench. They spoke for a few minutes in hushed voices before both the barristers returned to their seats, and the judge addressed the court, his voice carrying clearly across the courtroom.
“I have had time to consider the evidence of the complainant in this case and I, and those behind me, have taken the view that the complainant’s evidence has been so severely damaged by cross examination, there is now no longer a realistic prospect of securing a conviction. To save any further waste of court time, I would recommend that when the jury returns, that no further evidence is submitted in this prosecution - and that the case against Mr. Corday is dismissed.”
The courtroom erupted, and Lisa looked over at Nick. He smiled back at her. It was the cold slow smile of a man who had the money to buy revenge, and humiliate the very person they’d abused...
| Author Notes |
Anyone wishing to read the rape scene can find it in Chapter thirty-nine.
My sincere thanks to Michael Thompson for advising me before writing this scene in his capacity as an English barrister. With only four chapters to go, my sincere thanks to those of you who have supported a 'newby' like me since I joined three months ago. This is an amazing site, with a system that not only nurtures new writers, but creates a passion to do better with every word. Lisa Collins...Main Character Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Mike...Alan's friend and flatmate, who is tragically killed in Alan's car accident. Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
Richard was beside Lisa as quickly as he could get to her after the case was dismissed, but it wasn't fast enough. The sea of faces slowly went out of focus as she sat there feeling humiliated, and she had slumped to the floor before he had managed to get halfway across the courtroom.
When she came round in one of the side rooms a few minutes later, Richard was cradling her in his arms, and a court official was hovering behind him with a relieved look on his face. Having confirmed that Lisa was okay, he left the door ajar and went to advise the judge.
“I'm sorry, Richard. I’ve let everyone down” she said, as the horrible nightmare of the dismissed case against Nick came flooding back to her.
Richard looked down at her, concern etched all over his face.
“No you didn’t, Lisa - everything was stacked against you. The prosecution knew that the defence had the facts concerning the two previous allegations, but without knowing about the stuff you hadn’t told the police, nobody could foresee the way he was actually going to use them. It's not your fault; it's just a shame you didn't report what Liam or Nick did to the police sooner.”
Lisa tried to sit up and leant against him as she felt her head clear.
“I couldn't…”
Richard stared into her eyes which were inches away from his.
“Why not, Lisa? You could have saved yourself a lot of heartache - and given the police a much better chance at the prosecution if you had.”
Lisa gave a small apologetic smile. She was about to answer him when a voice from the doorway answered for her.
“Because of me…”
They both looked up and saw Alan standing there.
“Lisa was trying to protect me after Liam tried to rape her because I beat the shit out of him, and we thought I might end up getting arrested. If she hadn't been trying to get those bloody pictures to the police in Chelmsford - no doubt she would have reported Nick sooner too. I'm sorry, Lisa, I feel as though it's all my fault.”
Lisa had got to her feet, assisted by Richard, and started shaking her head. “No it's not, Alan. Richard’s right - it's just the way things have worked out. Nick’s gotten away with it, and we just have to accept that and get on with our lives.”
Alan looked at Lisa and Richard standing close together, his arm draped protectively around her shoulders, her body leaning into his for support. He remembered with acute sadness how it was once him who was the one she depended on. It was obvious to anyone who saw Richard and Lisa together that they were very close. He was a very lucky man.
Like a fighter after he had been beaten by an adversary, Alan held out his hand to Richard and, after he had shaken it, looked back at Lisa with a resigned look on his face.
“Have a good life, Lisa. You deserve it," he added gently before slowly turning around and walking away.
All the way back to Vikki's house, Richard tried to cheer Lisa up by going on about how she had the world at her feet. He assured her that she was capable of doing anything she liked now that the trial was over. His words fell on stony ground. All Lisa could think of was the look on Alan's face before he’d walked away. She was sure that if Richard hadn't been there, he would have said more, just like his eyes had when they’d stared into hers. It was as though they were full of regret. For the first time since she'd phoned him before she went to the Isle of Man the year before, she questioned the fact that he had told the truth when he’d said that he never loved her. Now she would never know - because she would probably never see him again…
When they got back to Vikki's house, Lisa left Richard to fill in the family on what had happened in court and went up to her room to lie down. Although the outcome had been a disaster, she felt strangely at peace, and she lay on the bed trying to work out her feelings.
Nick had secured his freedom, but she decided that he wasn't going to ruin her life any more. From now on she was going to live life to the fullest and put the last year behind her. It was over.
When Richard knocked on Lisa's bedroom door an hour and a half later, she told him to come in. He expected to find her lying on the bed in tears, but was delighted to find out he was wrong. Not only had Lisa showered and washed her hair, she had changed to go out. When she saw the relief on Richard's face, she was glad she'd made the effort. She went up to him and playfully kissed him on the lips.
“So where are you taking me, you gorgeous man?” she asked teasingly, as she looked up at him, her arms around his neck.
Richard put his arms around her and pulled her close, delighted that, for the first time, she’d made the first move.
“I don't know - where do you fancy going?” he asked.
“Anywhere we can have a few drinks and forget everything that's happened,” she replied with a determined expression.
.............
Richard took Lisa and Vikki to Cosmos, the latest club in town. He was delighted to see that Lisa seemed to have put the trial behind her and hopefully accepted that it was all over at last.
The place was absolutely jumping, which made it nigh on impossible to have a conversation while they stood at the bar waiting to get a drink, so Richard found them a table in the corner in the hope that they could have some time alone together. Vikki went off and strutted her stuff with her friends on the dance floor, leaving Lisa and Richard alone.
A part of her longed to join her, but Lisa knew Richard wanted to talk to her. He had wanted to wait until after the trial to talk seriously about their future together, and it would seem that this was the only chance he was going to get because Lisa had announced that she was sticking to her original plans and driving back to Scotland the following day. He didn't get a chance because they were interrupted when Lisa felt a tap on her shoulder.
When she looked up, she saw Karen, Alan's sister, smiling down at her with a big, cheesy grin.
“Hi stranger!” she cried, as Lisa jumped up and put her arms around her. She hadn't seen her since she'd left Chelmsford to go to the school ten months before, and she was delighted to see her. Karen looked over at Richard, before turning back to Lisa, a knowing look on her face.
“I knew you guys would make a perfect couple. I laid money on it, remember?”
Lisa laughed out loud. Nothing changed. It was the same old Karen, but at least a stone lighter. She looked absolutely terrific.
Karen went over to Richard and gave him a kiss on each cheek before asking if she could join them, not that he had any choice. Lisa was already patting the seat beside her and moving over.
Seeing that he wasn't going to get a word in edgeways, Richard left them alone while he went to get another round of drinks. He would have to wait until later to talk to Lisa on her own. Lisa and Karen watched him going to the bar before Karen turned back to Lisa.
“I'm sorry about what happened in court today. Alan told me all about it.”
Lisa looked down at her hands, wishing that Karen hadn't reminded her.
“You know all about us then?”
Karen looked embarrassed. When Alan had admitted he’d been in love with Lisa, he’d sworn her to secrecy.
“Yes, he told me, but he also told me that you were in love with Richard - and that it was all over between you two now…”
Lisa pursed her lips together before giving her a sad smile. She remembered back to the party when Karen had thrown her and Richard together that night. It all seemed so long ago now.
“Yes, it's funny the way things worked themselves out. I'm with Richard, Alan's back with Carla…”
Karen stared back at Lisa with a confused expression. She obviously didn't know.
“Alan isn't back with Carla. They split up shortly after he came out of hospital last year. She's engaged to some guy she met out in Spain when she was over there. In fact, I think she might be married to him by now.”
Lisa felt the people around them pan out of vision, leaving her and Karen in the centre of a stage. For months she had learnt to push Alan to the back of her mind, his love for Carla forcing her to forget. Knowing that he’d been free was really hard to take on board. If he'd wanted to contact her, it wouldn't have been difficult; he'd had her address, and Vikki could have given him her telephone number. She had obviously got it wrong when she'd seen him earlier. The fact that he hadn't got in touch with her only proved that it wasn't Carla who had kept them apart.
Richard came back with the drinks and Lisa excused herself and went to the ladies room. She didn't want either of them to see the pain rising inside her, which threatened to show in her face. Richard asked Karen if Lisa was all right because she'd looked very pale when she'd got up from the table. Karen answered him with a puzzled expression on her face.
“I’m not sure. I might have said something I shouldn’t...”
Lisa stayed in the ladies room for as long as she dared without drawing attention to herself. An hour before, she had resolved to start her life again with no ghosts to haunt her. Finding out that Carla wasn't the reason why she and Alan weren't together was a bitter pill to swallow. He must have been telling her the truth all along when she rang him. He'd obviously never loved her at all…
By the time Lisa got back to the table, Richard and Karen had gone for a dance, and as she watched them she felt like such a fool. Richard had waited patiently for months while she tried to get over Alan. She hadn't wanted to ruin their wonderful friendship by letting it get more serious. Karen had done her a favour telling her about Alan and Carla’s bust up. The dream that had stopped her from letting Richard get closer was now gone.
It was the first time Richard had seen Lisa look so blatantly sexy since the first night they'd met. When he and Karen had gotten back to the table, she'd thrown back her drink and insisted on dragging him back onto the dance floor. Once there, she danced with him in a completely different way to the way she had danced with him at Vikki's party. This time she looked only at him, and his resolve not to come on too heavy faded fast.
For the first time in months, Lisa let her hair down. She danced, she drank, and she had fun. By midnight she was ready to go home and, high on the alcohol and the atmosphere of the club, they left. She was determined to show Richard that Alan was history. Vikki and Karen had teamed up with a couple of good-looking local guys, and they assured Richard and Lisa they could make their own way home.
By the time they got back to Vikki's, Richard was sure that Lisa wanted the same as him. They stood at the bottom of the same stairs he had watched her come down in the red dress, and he could feel the sexual tension between them as he took her hand. When Lisa staggered slightly towards him, he caught her in his arms and she laid her head on his chest as she spoke.
“Thank you for a great time tonight, Richard. I haven't enjoyed myself so much for a long, long time," she said dreamily, leaning against him and feeling the warmth of his body next to hers.
When Richard cupped her face in his hands and kissed her slowly, Lisa responded by kissing him back, her body longing with the need to be loved. Richard took her hand and led her up the stairs, holding her gaze until they reached the top step, where they kissed again.
“Are you sure?” he asked hesitantly. He had waited so long for this moment.
She nodded, and by way of confirmation, took his hand in hers. Lisa led him back to his bedroom, where there were no memories of Alan to haunt her. They were barely through the door when Richard lifted her in his arms and laid her gently on the bed…
Richard woke up the next morning and looked over to where Lisa had lain. He had been so sure their first time together would be the experience of a lifetime. Sadly, it was not.
As soon as he’d lain on the bed beside her, she had frozen, and he had seen the confusion in her eyes. He knew she hadn't been with anyone since she’d been so brutally raped by Nick, and suddenly he felt self-conscious, aware of her pain and her fear. He tried to kiss away the tears, but they wouldn’t stop. He lay with her in his arms, stroking her beautiful hair until the early hours of the morning, and told her it was okay. Now she was gone.
When Lisa came downstairs to breakfast, she looked at Richard with shattered eyes across the breakfast table, her guilt at being unable to make love the night before showing on her face. She knew he was disappointed about what had happened, and so was she. It was as though Alan had cast a spell on her that made her unable to love anyone else in that way.
After she put her bag in the boot of the car, she turned to Richard, determined not to let what had happened ruin their friendship.
“I'm so sorry, Richard. I don't want to lose you, but I'm so confused at the moment. I need time to work things out…”
Richard gave her a hug before standing back and giving her an understanding look.
“You still love Alan, don't you, Lisa?'
She nodded silently, wishing she could pretend otherwise.
“I don't think I ever stopped…” she replied, before kissing him goodbye on the cheek.
Lisa drove slowly down the drive feeling wretched. When she looked in the mirror, she could just make out Richard over the piles of black bags in the back of the car, which had lain there since she arrived. He stood with his hand raised in farewell, his face sad.
By the time she had driven through Chelmsford, she felt so upset she considered turning around and driving back. She desperately wanted to speak to Alan and tell him what she had told Richard, but she couldn't bear the thought of his rejection once again, face to face. She looked down at the mobile phone her parents had given her at Christmas, silently repeating his number in her head. She had never put it into the phone's memory because she could never forget it.
As though in a dream, her hand shaking, Lisa picked up the phone and pressed in Alan's number.
“If you never stopped loving him - does that mean that you never loved me, Lisa…?”
Lisa nearly drove the car off the road when she heard Nick's voice coming from the back of the car. The sea of boxes and black plastic bags which had represented her ten months at the school erupted in the back seat and she saw Nick’s face in the rear view mirror. She felt the cold feel of steel against the back of her neck, as Nick’s breath warmed the side of her face…
| Author Notes |
Yes, just in case your wondering, Nick did hang onto the spare set of keys to the car he'd given Lisa for her birthday the year before...
Lisa Collins...Main Character Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Mike...Alan's friend and flatmate, who is tragically killed in Alan's car accident. Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
Alan walked slowly up the steps of the police station and into the reception area. When he’d spoken to Eve earlier, she had agreed to meet him to discuss what had happened in the courtroom the previous day. The fact that Nick had gotten away with causing Mike's death had been bad enough to accept, but the fact that he had also gotten away with raping Lisa and trying to kill her as well, was almost too much to bear.
He had lain awake all night thinking about her and how he’d felt when he saw her at the courthouse. When Karen got back from her night out, she had tapped on his bedroom door when she saw that his light was still on. She’d told him that she’d bumped into Lisa at Cosmos, and how she had reacted when she’d found out he had split from Carla the year before.
“I think she’s still in love with you, Alan,” Karen had said, which confused him even more.
“What makes you say that? I saw them at the courthouse, and there’s no doubt in my mind that they’re a couple. Richard obviously adores her.” Alan had replied dejectedly.
Karen playfully tousled his hair and laughed sarcastically.
“You men are all the same,” she mocked. “You see two people together and assume far too much. I know when one of my friends is in love, and I know Lisa well enough to know that she’s not in love with Richard. She genuinely seemed to believe you were still with Carla. When she found out that you weren’t, she looked devastated. It was as though her world had just fallen apart.”
Karen got up from the edge of his bed where she’d plonked herself down just a few minutes before.
“Anyway, big brother - this party girl needs her beauty sleep, so I’ll leave you to think about it.” She then affectionately gave Alan a peck on the cheek before making for the door.
After Karen had gone, Alan had lain on his bed staring at the ceiling above him for hours. What Karen had said all made sense. Of course Lisa would assume he was still with Carla. He was the one who had not only told her that he was marrying Carla, but also how much he loved her. He had as good as forced Lisa into Nick’s arms when he had. If Karen was right, he just hoped there was something he could say or do to explain to Lisa just how much he loved her. He just prayed that he would get the chance to do it before she left Chelmsford.
Eve was told that Alan had arrived, and she met him in the reception and escorted him through to one of the all too familiar interview rooms. She and Dave were just as frustrated about the outcome in court the day before as Alan was, having spent months putting together the case. But there was nothing else that she, or anybody else for that matter, could do.
“I know how disappointed you must be, Alan. We all are. People like Nick Corday can afford the best when it comes to lawyers, and it proves yet again that sometimes we're wasting our time even trying to prosecute men like him.”
Alan shook his head as he remembered the look on Lisa's face after Nick's slimy barrister had humiliated her. He could have quite happily shot across the court room and murdered Nick with his bare hands.
“So there's absolutely nothing that can be done to reopen the case, Eve?”
She wished there was, but there was nothing more the police could do. Realising that he was wasting both their time, Alan stood up and thanked Eve for seeing him just as his mobile phone started to ring. He took it out of his pocket and was about to turn it to message mode, when he noticed it wasn't a number he knew. He excused himself and answered it...
While Nick climbed into the front seat beside her, Lisa pressed the call button on her mobile and just thanked God she had tapped in Alan’s number before Nick had appeared in the back seat of the car. Knowing what he was capable of doing, and that unlike before, nobody would know she was in danger, Lisa hoped and prayed Alan would answer his phone and realise what was going on. As soon as she pressed the button she dropped the phone onto the floor just before Nick turned to her, his face threatening, a gun in his hand.
“You haven't answered me, Lisa,” he shouted at her, his eyes scrutinizing the side of her face.
“If you say that you never stopped loving Alan Turner, does that mean you never loved me?”
Lisa's body shook uncontrollably as she tried to keep the car on the road. There was no way she could answer him.
“I need to know, Lisa!” he shouted insanely.
“I don't know!” she cried, trying desperately to concentrate on the road ahead. “I thought that I did, but I was confused. Everything happened so fast when I met you. Believe me, I never meant to hurt you, Nick.”
Lisa saw the signs for the M1 up ahead and turned to Nick, the desperation showing on her face.
“Let me pull over, Nick, we’re coming up to the motorway and there's no way I can drive… “
“You’re not stopping, Lisa, so you better get used to the idea. Nearly three hours of being stuck in the back of your car covered in plastic bags waiting for you to leave lover boy has really pissed me off - so just do as I tell you.”
Lisa tried to stay calm as they came onto the motorway, grateful again for the extra lessons she had taken before she left the school. Nick watched her in silence for a few minutes before he spoke again.
“Your driving instructor told me you were a natural. He's done a good job.”
Lisa took her eyes off the road for a moment and stared back at him.
“How do you know my instructor?”
“You forget who paid for your lessons. It's quite normal for a father to phone up and discuss his daughter’s progress - and her future travelling arrangements.” he added smugly.
Lisa had worked out that Nick had used the spare key which he'd kept to get into the car, but she couldn't understand how he knew she would be driving up to Scotland on her own the day after the trial finished. Now she knew. She had discussed every aspect of her journey, even the route she would take, with Ronnie Yates, her driving instructor.
“Are you going to kill me, Nick? Because if you are, I might as well drive the car off the road right now, just like you did last year. I’d rather get it over with!”
Nick stared back at her, surprised at her sudden bravery. He brought his hand up to the side of her face affectionately and stroked her cheek.
“I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet in the long term, Lisa. Let me think about it until we get to Saffron Waldron. We'll be coming off there soon.”
Lisa looked at the petrol gauge and cursed the fact that it was nearly full. She had stopped just outside Chelmsford on the way up the week before to fill up before arriving at Vikki's. She had enough petrol to keep going for at least two hundred miles - and Nick knew it.
Remembering the phone, Lisa hoped that Alan was listening and he had contacted the police. Hopefully Nick would say something to incriminate himself. She decided that whatever else happened, she would keep Nick talking in the hope that he would. She tightened her grip on the wheel and looked over at him again.
“Why did you try to have Alan killed, Nick? It wasn't his fault that I fell in love with him.”
“Oh wasn't it,” he snapped. “Turning up in Dunoon, the night before you were coming to me in the Isle of Man. Pissing your mother off - and then being your knight in shining armour. It was only his very being there that caused the problem in the first place.”
Lisa stared at the traffic up ahead and tried to stay calm.
“But it wasn't his fault ! it was my mother’s for attacking me. If she hadn't done that, I would have flown to the Isle of Man that day as arranged, and you and I would probably be married by now.”
Lisa actually shuddered at the thought, but she tried not to show the anger and revulsion she was feeling. She had to try and keep as calm as possible.
Nick sat silently for a moment and Lisa thought she had blown it. When he looked up again, Lisa noticed that his eyes were slightly glazed.
“Have you any idea what I went through after you ran off with him, Lisa? Scott told me that Alan was in love with you - and the pictures Liam showed me proved to me that you felt the same way.”
Lisa stared straight ahead and tried to control the emotion in her voice, as she prayed that Alan was listening.
“So you told Liam to tamper with Alan's brakes in the hope that he would be killed and I would forget all about him? Is that what you’re trying to tell me?”
Nick started laughing, surprised that Lisa thought Liam had that much bottle.
“I can't pretend that he didn't want to, Lisa, and I couldn’t understand why at the time, but now that I know what Alan did to him at his studio, I can see why he was all for it. No, I wanted to make sure that it was done properly. I sorted out Alan’s brakes out myself.”
Lisa stared straight ahead.
“But why did you try to kill us both when you found out that I'd been in your safe?” she asked, trying to hide her anger.
Lisa noticed Nick's hand shaking, the gun he was holding reflecting the sunlight onto the dashboard with spasmodic flashes.
“Because I knew you would never come back to me if you knew what I'd done - and I was right. How many times do I have to tell you, Lisa? I can't live without you.”
Something snapped inside her and, seeing an exit up ahead, Lisa swerved the car into the inside lane and indicated that she was turning off.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Nick shouted as she forced the car up onto the hard shoulder and brought it to a screeching stop. Before she could open the door to escape, Nick had the gun at her throat and his face inches away from hers.
“Let me go, Nick! I don't care anymore. You’ve already destroyed everything I care about.” Lisa shouted back at him hysterically.
Nick pushed the gun menacingly against her throat. He was enjoying the control he felt when he saw the fear in her eyes.
“No I haven't, Lisa. If you don't do as I tell you, I'll make sure that Alan's out of your life forever - and I'll do a better job this time, I can assure you.”
Lisa sat back in her seat and closed her eyes. The thought that Nick might try to kill Alan again, and probably succeed, was more than she could bear.
When Nick let her go she leaned her head on her arms across the steering wheel and unashamedly wept. Unable to resist touching her, Nick reached out and stroked the back of her head, his fingers playing distractedly with her hair.
“You really do love him don't you, Lisa?” He asked, the bitterness sounding clearly in his voice.
“Yes I do,” she sobbed pitifully. She just prayed that Alan could hear her…
| Author Notes |
Tomorrow I post the last two chapters, and it is almost with a feeling of sadness that I do. My baby is now out, and away from my protective womb. My sincere thanks to those of you who have constructively criticised, gently cajoled, inspired, and on occasion, downright bullied me! (but very nicely!) You have been an absolute inspiration, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Alexis x Lisa Collins...Main Character Alan...A boy Lisa met whilst visiting her friend in Chelmsford. Carla...Alan's girlfriend Mike...Alan's friend and flatmate, who is tragically killed in Alan's car accident. Fiona Collins...Lisa's mother Donald Collins...Lisa's father Scott Collins...Lisa's brother Nick Corday...A multimillionaire who has fallen in love with Lisa. Vikki Clark...Lisa's friend from Chelmsford. Dave Wilson... Policeman Eve Brookes...Police woman who befriends Lisa Jack Turner... Alan's father Kathy Turner...Alan's mother Karen Turner...Alan's sister Richard Clark...Vikki's wealthy cousin from London. Amy...the girl who befriends Lisa when she arrives at the school. Teddy, Veronique, Chloe and Linda...Lisa's new school friends. |
By alexisleech
Nick has abducted Lisa after he hides in the back of her car before she sets off on her journey back to Scotland. Unbeknown to Nick, Lisa had just put Alan’s memorised mobile number into her phone before she founds out Nick is in the back of the car. As he climbs into the front seat beside her, Lisa presses the call button. Alan receives her call just as he’s about to leave Chelmsford police station. Nick has told Lisa that he will find and kill Alan if she doesn’t do exactly what he tells her to do, so feels that she has no choice but to follow his instructions.
Alan put his mobile onto speaker phone the minute he realised what was happening. Within seconds Eve and Dave were also listening to the bizarre conversation between Lisa and Nick in her car.
Alan could hear the sheer terror in Lisa's voice, and the madness in Nick’s. When he heard her weeping and admitting to how much she loved him, he wanted to grab the phone and scream back that he loved her too. But Eve grabbed his phone and held it well out of his reach.
Within seconds, Eve had instructed one of her colleagues to put out an APB on Lisa's car, the details of which were fortunately on file due to their investigation on Nick. A bright yellow Volkswagen Beetle wasn’t an easy thing to miss, and with a bit of luck it wouldn’t be long before she would be tailed by at least one unmarked car.
At one point, Alan jumped out of his chair and begged Eve to do more, but there was nothing else she or any of her colleagues could do until they were found. A road block or an active chase was deemed out of the question due to their knowledge of Nick’s past history. Nobody doubted what he was capable of, especially if he was put under pressure.
They were forced to sit and listen to the macabre conversation as Lisa drove her car further north. For the first time since he’d waited at the hospital for Lisa to come round after the accident, Alan prayed a silent prayer...
..........................
After a few moments, Nick held up the gun and told Lisa to start the car again. She dried her eyes and slowly drove to the top of the slip road, his right hand still cradling the nape of her neck, his left holding the gun on his lap. His threat to try and kill Alan again being her only motivation to do as he asked.
“I want you to turn left here,” he told her after studying the signposts. As she indicated and turned into the road, Lisa felt Nick staring at her again.
“You don't think I really want to kill you, do you, Lisa?” He asked.” His fingers had moved from her neck and distractedly played with a strand of her hair while he talked. His very touch made Lisa's skin crawl, but she knew she couldn't say anything. She was surprised he hadn’t killed her already.
“I don't know, Nick. I don't know what you want...” She replied as calmly as she could. She knew she mustn’t upset him again, or God knows what he would do.
“I want you to understand, Lisa. You and I are destined to be together, one way or the other…”
Lisa took her eyes off the road for a moment and stared at him, unable to believe he could think that it was possible, especially after everything that had happened. She shook her head and turned her eyes back to the road.
“Even if I don't love you?” She asked, fighting back the tears.
Nick laughed bitterly.
“Well, you managed to pretend successfully before, Lisa. Who's to say that you can't do it again? You certainly had me fooled.”
“I didn't know about Alan's accident then, Nick. I thought he didn't love me.”
Nick stopped playing with her hair for a moment, and looked at her intently.
“And what makes you think he loves you now?”
Lisa looked back at him, a sad smile on her face.
“I don't…”
Nick seemed encouraged by her answer.
“So what's different, Lisa? If you could forget what happened, then so can I. We could start again…”
Lisa nearly told him that she would never pick him over Alan, but thought better of it., A voice inside her screamed out her revulsion at what Nick was suggesting, but she believed that, if he thought Alan wasn't a threat, he might not want to harm him. All she had to do was live long enough to warn him.
“Where are you taking me, Nick?' she asked, praying that Alan was listening.
Nick looked pleased with himself and smiled back at her.
“I've rented us a little love nest in the woods, Lisa. I thought it would give us a chance to get to know each other again without other people interfering.”
As they came towards a turn off after a bend, Nick suddenly told her to turn left. The unmarked car that was following them rounded the bend fifty metres behind them - then carried straight on.
After what seemed like an eternity, Nick told her to turn into a country lane signposted to Short Grove, which was three miles away. Alan and the other officers listened in horror as the line started to break up and eventually, having broken on and off for a few seconds, it went dead. A few seconds later, the officers in the unmarked cars radioed in to advise that the car had disappeared. They were going to have to retrace their steps.
Lisa drove her car down the long dirt track that led to the wooden chalet at the bottom, unaware of whether she had been connected to Alan's phone, or not. When she stopped the car, there was an eerie silence before Nick got out of the passenger seat and walked round towards her door before opening it.
“Don't think of trying to run off, Lisa,” he warned as he held up the gun. “I don't want to use this, but I will, if I have to. I have nothing to lose, remember? The sound of gun shots won’t alert anyone here. This woodland is a favourite spot for hunting, so people hear shots all the time.”
Lisa nodded her head while she tried to feel under her seat for her phone, but Nick reached down, having seen it by her feet where it had ended up when she’d stopped the car. After he picked it up, Lisa held her breath as he studied the screen.
“You'll need this later to tell your parents that you've stopped off to stay with a friend for a few days. I'll look after it till then.” he added smugly, putting the phone in his pocket. He then took Lisa's arm before he frog marched her into the chalet and locked the door behind them.
Alan's face was contorted with anger and his hands gripped the table in front of him until his knuckles turned white. Now nobody knew where Lisa was; only that she was in danger.
“What the hell are you going to do?' he shouted at Eve across the room. The other officers all looked back at him compassionately as Eve tried to calm him down.
“We're bound to find them soon, Alan. Our guys know the approximate location, and they're checking every side road as we speak.”
Alan started shaking his head, the frustration showing in his voice.
“And in the meantime, we just sit here while that bastard is doing God knows what to Lisa? Don’t you understand? He'll probably try and kill her again...”
Eve grabbed her cap from the table and went up to Alan and put her hand reassuringly on his shoulder.
“No, Alan, we can't do anymore here, but I think you should be there for Lisa when we find her. Oh, and don’t forget your phone,” she added, as she made for the door.
Alan followed Eve out to the back of the station where Dave had already organised a waiting squad car.
As they drove towards Saffron Waldron, the siren screaming most of the way, Alan sat in the back seat, staring down at his phone. For the first time since it had rung over an hour before, he realised that he had never questioned the fact that Lisa had rung him in the first place. He knew it was probably only because his name started with the letter A, so the easiest number to find, but now that he’d heard what she’d said, he knew that wasn't the only reason she had chosen to call him.
..............................
Lisa stared around the chalet, desperately looking for a way out, apart from the locked front door. Nick must have been there before because not only was there wine in the fridge, which he was now opening, but the black silk night-dress and the taffeta robe which he had bought her in London were laid out on the double bed in the corner. It was just as Nick had said, a love nest in the woods. Lisa accepted the fact he had no intention of letting her go until he had what he wanted.
He smiled as he walked over to her, a glass in each hand.
“Here, have a drink. It'll help you relax,” he suggested as though they were out a date.
Lisa took the glass and raised it to her lips, her hand shaking so much that the pale golden liquid cascaded over the sides of the overfilled glass.
“Not yet!” he shouted, as she started to drink. Lisa jumped, nearly spilling what was left.
“We have to have a toast first,” he insisted, as though they had something to celebrate.
Nick came over to her and chinked his glass against hers.
“To us,” he announced triumphantly, before downing the contents.
Lisa stared at him in disbelief and, unable to contain herself any longer, threw what was left in her glass in his face.
“There is no us, Nick!” She cried.
His smile dropped, and wiping the wine from his face with his sleeve, he took the gun from his pocket and viciously pushed it up to the side of her face.
“Oh that’s where you're wrong, Lisa. I have enough provisions here to last out for months. You won't be going anywhere until there is an 'us'.”
“But I don't love you!” she shouted back at him.
Nick's face hardened for a moment before he dropped the gun to his side.
“That doesn't matter, Lisa. You'll learn to love me again, especially when you're expecting my child.”
Lisa felt the tears welling in her eyes thinking that nobody knew where she was. If her phone had been connected to Alan's, Nick would have noticed…
“Please don't do this to me, Nick. Let me go.” she begged.
Nick ignored her and walked over to the bed where he picked up the silk night-dress and the robe before handing them to her.
“Why don't you slip into something more comfortable, Lisa? You'll look much better in these.” he suggested.
He then inclined his head over to the only internal door in the chalet.
“There's a bathroom over there where you can put them on. That is, if you're feeling modest for a change,” he added sarcastically.
Lisa stared at the door and then down at the clothes in her hand, praying that there might be a window in the bathroom to escape from.
As she walked across the room, she felt as though her legs were going to give way beneath her. Before she reached the door, Nick came up to her and, taking her chin in his free hand, stared intently into her eyes.
“Don't take too long, Lisa...”
Once inside the door, Lisa searched for a lock, only to find it had been removed. The only window was a sky light seven feet above, and there was nothing to stand on to get at it. She was trapped.
In the same way as Nick had laid out her things in the main room, the make-up and toiletries from her room in the Isle of Man were placed neatly on all the shelves. Nick must have been so sure he would get off in court the day before. He had planned her abduction right down to the very last detail.
Lisa slid down to her knees, her back against the door…
By alexisleech
Warning: The author has noted that this contains strong language.
Nick is waiting for Lisa to come out of the bathroom in a chalet he’s rented in the woods because he wants to keep her prisoner and make her pregnant with his child. Lisa had managed to phone Alan on her mobile while Nick wasn’t looking, but they got cut off just before the unmarked car that’s following them loses sight of them. Alan is on his way to area that Lisa’s car was last seen with Eve Brookes and Dave Wilson from Chelmsford police station. This chapter starts as they approach the area Lisa’s car was last seen
By the time Dave pulled into the turn off for Short Grove, Alan was beside himself with worry. He was convinced that Lisa was already dead. Her car still hadn't been found, and there were hundreds of dead end roads in the woodland area to search.
A voice on the radio broke the silence. Eve picked up the handset in case it was bad news because she didn’t want Alan to hear the conversation. Eve had asked someone to check with all the major credit card companies to see if Nick had booked any kind of holiday accommodation in the U.K. He had, and they now had the address of the 'love nest' Nick had referred to. Eve assured Alan that it wouldn't be long before he would see Lisa again because the SWAT team was already on its way. He had no option but to sit in the back of the car and pray they would get there in time.
. ...................
After ten minutes, Nick hammered on the door, sending the vibration of his fist on the wood through Lisa's body.
“You’ve got two minutes, Lisa - then I'm coming in there. OKAY?”
Lisa tried to speak but her vocal cords were paralysed with fear.
“I mean it, Lisa! I'm going to count to fifty, and you
better be out here before I’ve finished.”
“ONE…TWO…THREE…FOUR…FIVE…SIX…”
Lisa put her hands over her ears and stood up, her heart beating loudly in her chest. The thought of Nick coming into the room and ripping the clothes off her forced her to pull herself together. Her fingers trembled as she started to get changed. By the time Nick had reached forty-five, she was opening the door.
....................
When they arrived at the end of the driveway, Eve told Alan to stay put in the back of the car. He watched as she got two bullet proof vests from the trunk of the car before she and Dave put them on. Alan also noticed she had a gun in a holder around her waist that Dave had handed her when they left the station. Seeing Alan staring at it, she tried to placate him.
“It's only a precaution, Alan. We've got trained marksmen down there. We'll have her out in no time, I promise you.”
Alan watched as Eve and Dave skirted around the trees by the track that led to the chalet. As soon as they had disappeared from sight, he got out of the car. There was no way he could stay there and wait. Irrespective of the danger, he had to get as close to Lisa as he could.
Eve looked over her shoulder at Dave once they were a safe distance from the car and lowered her voice to talk to him.
“I thought you'd better know that the holiday chalet wasn't all that turned up on Nick Corday's credit card.”
Dave stared at her questioningly.
“Why - what else did he buy?”
Eve unclipped the safety catch on the gun at her waist.
“Ammunition for a revolver. He's armed in there.”
.........................
Still counting, Nick was sitting on the bed as Lisa walked hesitantly out of the bathroom. When he saw her, he stood up and he picked up the gun and a leather box from the bedside table. He walked towards her, an appreciative smile on his face. It was just as it had been when he’d given her the gifts at the hotel. On that occasion, she had worn them to please him. But this time, she was his prisoner, and she didn't want him to touch her.
He put the gun down on the table beside her, and opened the leather box, taking out the necklace just as he had before. When he came up behind her, he gently pushed her hair to one side over her shoulder, exposing the back of her neck. After he had closed the catch on the necklace, she felt his warm breath on her skin before he slowly kissed her above the clasp, just as he had done at the hotel. The revulsion she felt made every nerve ending in her body react, and this time, a very different type of shudder passed through her.
Lisa felt her body freeze as he turned her around and untied the velvet bow that held the front of the robe together. That done, he slowly eased it off her naked shoulders and dropped it to the floor behind her.
“God, you're even more beautiful than I remember, Lisa,” he gasped passionately in her ear as he pressed his body against hers. He nuzzled her neck with his lips and caressed one of her breasts through the fine silk. Lisa tried to pull away from him, but he held her in a vice like grip from behind while he carried on kissing the back of her neck. Lisa closed her eyes and just prayed for it all to be over…
........................
Alan had waited behind a hedge, fifty metres or so from the chalet, for over ten minutes. Nothing had happened. Every second was agony, and eventually, convinced that the police had waited too long to act, he pulled his mobile out of his pocket and stared at it. He waited another minute before pressing the last call redial key…
..........................
Nick had turned Lisa around to face him and was slipping one of the straps off her shoulder when her mobile went off. At first, Nick ignored it, but when it didn't stop, he cursed under his breath and pulled the phone out of his pocket. After reading the number on the screen, he thrust it under Lisa's nose and asked her who it was. Seeing that it was Alan, she pretended not to know.
“Everyone knows I'm driving up to Scotland today, Nick. If I don't answer it, whoever it is might think I've had an accident and ring my parents.” She suggested in the hope that he would let her answer it.
“Well, answer the bloody thing then,” he snapped impatiently, handing her the phone. “And remember, Lisa, I'm listening to every word...”
Lisa felt the trembling start again as she pressed the green answer key and raised the phone to her ear. She just hoped against hope that she could think of a way to tell Alan where she was, without letting Nick know.
“Lisa, are you okay…?”
At first there was silence at the other end and then she falteringly answered.
“Yes, I'm fine. How are you?” she asked as calmly as she could.
Alan could hear the terror in her voice and wasn’t surprised. He knew Nick couldn't be far away. He lowered his voice to a soft whisper.
“Lisa, just hang on. We know where you are and the police are outside...”
Lisa let out a gasp of relief, which made Nick look at her suspiciously.
“Who is it?” He demanded.
Lisa hesitated for a moment before she answered.
“It's Alan…” she admitted when she realised that Nick’s outstretched hand would mean he would find out for himself.
Nick grabbed the phone from her, a smile of victory on his face.
“Hello, Alan! It’s Nick here. Can I help you?”
Alan tried to stay calm, conscious that he could put Lisa in more danger than she already was.
“I want to speak to Lisa, Nick. Is that a problem?”
Nick looked over at Lisa and saw the confusion on her face. He couldn't have wished for a better outcome. His hatred for Alan knew no bounds.
“No, it's not a problem. We were just about to hit the sack though. Your timing is a bit inconvenient.”
Alan stared at the phone, not knowing what to do. He came out from behind the bushes and started walking towards the chalet, the tears blurring his vision.
Nick looked back at Lisa's anguished face and ran his finger down her cheek, determined to make Alan believe she wanted to be there.
“I can understand why you're interested, Alan. She is so gorgeous. I'm so glad that she's chosen me, instead of you.”
Alan closed his eyes for a moment and tried not to lose it completely. If Nick knew that the chalet was surrounded, he might hurt Lisa, or worse, kill her.
“Where are you Nick?” Alan asked, trying to sound as though he had no idea.
Lisa watched as Nick, mobile phone still at his ear, picked up the gun from the table and started circling her left nipple through the silk with the cold, hard steel.
“Lisa and I have gone away together for a few days - haven't we, darling?” Nick moved the barrel of the gun back up to her throat with one hand, and the phone to her mouth with the other.
“Yes,” she stammered as convincingly as she could.
Pleased with her response, Nick put the phone back to his ear.
“God, it's going to be a long night, isn't it, Babe?”
Lisa shook her head with disgust until the gun returned to her throat. She didn’t doubt that Nick was capable of killing her, especially if he could torment Alan at the same time. For that reason only, she answered obediently.
“Yes, a very long night…”
There was silence at the other end of the phone while Alan desperately tried to work out what to say or do. Turned on by the thought of torturing Alan at the other end of the phone, Nick carried on regardless.
“I'm touching her breast at the moment, Alan - and it feels so, so good…”
Alan couldn't take much more. The thought of what Nick was doing to Lisa made him feel physically sick.
“Leave her alone you bastard!' he shouted insanely down the phone as he looked frantically around for Eve outside the chalet.
Nick burst out laughing when he heard the agony in Alan's voice. He moved the gun from Lisa's breast and started running it down her abdomen, a sick smile on his face.
“But you don't understand, Alan. This is what Lisa wants. Don't you, Lisa?”
Nick thrust the phone up to her face again.
“Yes…” she replied holding back a sob. She didn’t know how much more she could take before breaking down.
Lisa cried out when Nick pushed the barrel of the gun into her ribs and motioned for her to lie down on the bed.
“God, Alan. She's going to enjoy this so much. It might have taken me nearly a year to get her back, but I can assure you, I’m going to make this a night that she’ll never forget...”
Alan broke into a run, oblivious of the police marksmen who were positioned in the trees around the chalet.
“If you touch her again, I'll fucking kill you!” Alan shouted down the phone.
“Oh yes? You and whose army, Alan?'
The cold sarcastic tone of Nick's voice made something snap inside Alan and, as he approached the front of the chalet, he threw down the phone and shouted Lisa's name at the top of his voice.
Realising that Alan's voice had come from outside, Nick knocked Lisa to the ground with the butt of his gun and made for the chalet door. Lisa tried to get up and stop him, but he had already opened the door and aimed at Alan by the time she had staggered to her feet. Lisa heard two shots and watched Nick fall to the ground in front of the chalet as she stumbled towards the door. There was a moment's silence before she ran out and saw Alan lying on the ground three feet away from him, his eyes closed.
The cry that came from Lisa's lips was like that of a tortured animal. As though in a dream, she ran towards Alan and fell to her knees beside him and cradled his head on her lap. As the police rushed towards them, Lisa kissed Alan gently on the lips.
“I promise I'll love you forever,” she cried, her tears coursing down her cheeks, every salty droplet saturated with the love she felt for him.
“I bet that I'll love you for longer than forever…” he whispered back, and slowly opened his eyes.
The End
Postscript
The sun was shining in a clear blue sky, and Gerry was delighted. The wedding was going to be lovely.
They had managed to get permission to hold the ceremony on the lawn in front of the hotel if it was fine, and he had organised a rose entwined bower for the bride and groom to stand under for the ceremony. The Library was set up as usual, just in case it rained, but it wouldn't be necessary to have the ceremony there because the gods were smiling down on them.
The groom was in the bar with the best man, and Gerry took them through a glass of champagne to calm their nerves. Only the best man would drink it because the groom had sworn never to drink alcohol again after a tragic accident the year before.
It wasn't a big wedding, only seventy or so, but most of the guests were from the bride's side because the groom was from down south, as was the best man. Although it wasn't a big wedding, there were five bridesmaids, and they were all dressed in white, which Gerry thought was a bit strange until he saw the bride walking slowly towards them on the arm of her father.
She was wearing a beautiful long red dress…
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