~ Edited ~

"Charlotte! It's 8 a.m. and you have golf with Rodney today!" I groaned, blocking the sound of my mother's angry voice by placing a pillow over my head. I was not in to mood to speak to anyone today. Especially not Rodney.

"Charlotte!" I heard a few minutes later when I was dozing off again, followed by loud steps that got closer by the second. I was so close to suffocating myself with my pillow, but too bad my mother just had to barge in.

 I sank deeper into bed and pulled the thick blanket so I was completely buried underneath it. The scent of lavender detergent filled my nostrils as I plunged deeper into the sheet. My curtains were already pulled back, sending beams of sunlight to hit my bed, making me cower in my blankets even farther. 

"Charlotte Marie, why is it so hard to get you up? You need to start getting ready, now!" My mother yelled as she stomped over and ripped my covers off of my cold body, leaving me shivering. I tried my best not to get angry with her, which proved to be a difficult task.

"Can't I stay in today? I don't feel well," I lied through my teeth, sitting up in bed and clutching my stomach to make it seem like I was in pain. My mother narrowed her eyes and walked over to my closet to pull out a pair of pink capris along with a white v-neck and windbreaker. Looks like she wasn't buying it. She threw the clothing on my bed and dived back into the closet, probably looking for my visor.

I sat there silently watching her raid my closet. "Charlotte, why can't you dress like Donna's or Caitlin's children? They have the latest clothes and oh my goodness, look at this. What is this?" She questioned increduously, walking out of the closet. Her fingers were pinching the black material of my Beatles shirt by the collar, as if she was holding a dead rat. I jumped out of bed and grabbed it from her, hugging it to my chest. Annoyance was prominent in her features as she raised one perfectly-waxed eyebrow. I stared back, my expression dull. The day had only begun and she was already trying to ruin it for me. 

She began walking out of the room, mumbling something along the lines of, "She doesn't even try for me." Then on her way down the stairs she shouted, "Be down before 9:30!"

I sighed and flopped back down on my bed, dreading the golf lesson with Rodney. He was the only child of my parents' best friends, the Fultons', and just as snobby and cocky as every other person my parents associated with.

I got up and trudged into the bathroom with my clothes clutched tightly in hand. I brushed my teeth and stared at my reflection in the mirror, taking in my usual appearance. My curly, light brown hair was all over the place, making me look ridiculous. I traced the heavy bags that were prominent underneath my tired hazel eyes as memories of last week flooded my already preoccupied mind.

"That's not true. You have other reasons for why you smoke." He had said, still looking at me with curious, narrowed eyes. 

"You don't know anything about me." I had responded, feeling annoyed.

"I don't need to know anything to know smoking isn't good for you."

Why did Louis care whether I smoked or not? I mean, of course my parents weren't aware of my addiction and if they were to find out, I'd be shipped off to some kind of rehabilitation center and let's not forget to mention the fact that they'd be embarrassed to even be associated with me. But I do admit, much to my annoyance, that Louis was right. I did have my reasons. Sometimes, carrying the burden of needing to be perfect tweny-four-seven for the image of my parents, who, might I add, didn't exactly care about me, was really stressful. And one day when I had had enough, I decided to do something to make my life not so "perfect." I started smoking and I don't have any motivation or intention to stop.

Just thinking about Louis made me smile. It was silly. I had never been so interested in a guy as I was in him. He was so irritating yet so alluring, his personality incredibly enticing. I could never forget that night even if I tried. Sure, I had thought of him as immature and childish, but he was so different from anyone else I had ever met.

I stepped into the shower and allowed the hot water to scald my skin, ironically making me shiver. After the soothing shower, I got dressed and couldn't resist from reaching into the end of my closet, only to pull out a black coat. I brought it to my chest, hugging it tight. It still smelled like him. 

I was insane to allow that little flicker of hope to burn in my mind. London was a huge city. What were the odds of me just running into him? I sighed and hung the coat behind the rest of my clothes, out of sight.

Before heading downstairs, I reached underneath my bed and pulled out my beloved camera. I had always loved photography and it didn't matter what kind -- nature, fashion, events -- I was actually really good at all. Of course my parents never approved and they thought I gave it up a long time ago, when in reality, I missed golf lessons once a week to go to an attraction and take some shots. I convinced Rodney that it was for my weekly "check-ups" and being the idiot he is, he believed me.

I made my way downstairs and was greeted by a taunting bowl of oatmeal that sat untouched at the dining table. It was the same thing I had yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that. My life was so predictable, each and every day followed the same, boring schedule. I narrowed my eyes in disgust at my mother's dieting plans and decided to have some pancakes at the diner down the street instead, of course, without my parents knowing.

"Morning Father," I said, stopping by my father's office where he was, as always, glued to his computer screen. His reading glasses rested on the bridge of his nose and his glare was intense on the computer's screen. His lips were set into the usual scowl, one that I had grown accustomed to.

He glanced up and nodded in acknowledgement, not bothering to get up and give his daughter a good morning hug or ask her where she was off to. I sighed and walked out of the office and past my mother, who was talking on the phone with some client.

"Mom, I --" I was cut off when she held her hand up, signaling for me to be quiet. Without wasting another second in front of her, I stalked out of the house and slammed the door shut behind me.

You see, this is what I hated. My parents were so formal, even when they were talking to each other it was all about business. My parents weren't in love with each other, they were in love with each other's jobs. I shook the thoughts from my head and began my walk to the diner. I was determined to make today a good day. And maybe, just maybe, London would prove not to be as big as I thought it was.

***

I leaned against the rough bark of the tree and twisted my lens to put it to focus. In front of me, there was a small group of children playing football. I watched as they laughed and allowed their short legs to carry them around the field, the smiles on their faces creating perfect shots for my camera. I didn't notice I was smiling along with them until I removed the camera from in front of me and brought it back to my side. 

I began walking down the jogging trail in the park, and while doing so, toyed with the camera. I brought it up to my eyes and adjusted the knobs on the top, focusing in and out on a blue bird that was resting in a nest on an Oak tree. I froze and tried to get the best shot possible, angling the camera in different ways. Nature was definitely one of my favorite things to capture. The raw beauty was so different than everything else I had experienced in my life. Everything else that had been so luxurious, yet so artificial.

I thought I heard the faint sound of a dog barking but ignored it, and tried to capture the scene. As I was taking pictures, I started to think about how this was really what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a photographer, not a doctor or lawyer like my parents wanted. I didn't fit into this life, it was never made for someone like me. I didn't bother to wipe the tears that rolled down my cheeks, deciding I was being stupid for allowing myself to cry so easily. Just a simple thought should not have been able to make me cry, but sadly, that's exactly what it was capable of.

Before I could see it coming, a flash of golden fur swept my vision and I was on the ground with a loud thud. So was my camera. Immediately, I wiped the tears from underneath my eyes and gasped when I saw my camera smashed into pieces next to me. I looked up to yell at whatever had caused the damage and saw nothing but a dog. A golden retriever, to be exact. I stood up slowly on my unsteady feet as it watched me in fascination, anticipating my every move with its huge chocolate eyes. I picked up what was left of my camera and took a few steps back as slowly as I possibly could. It was no use as the dog jumped at me again, knocking me down on the pavement and sending the camera parts flying everywhere.

"Shoot! Bad dog, get off!" I scolded as it licked my face, obviously thinking I was enjoying it. I was more worried about my camera. I had gotten it a year ago when I had finally raised enough money. Of course, I could have just paid from my parents' bank account, but I wanted to earn this camera myself. 

I tried pushing the dog away and before I could say anything else, I heard a woman shout, "Lucy! Bad girl, come here right now!" She yelled, anger evidently laced through her voice.

The upset dog whimpered and jumped off. She ran back to her owner. I got up and rubbed my throbbing head. My eyes widened and I picked the my camera once again, groaning when I saw that it couldn't be fixed. 

"Oh gosh, was that her fault?! I'm so sorry, I'll pay for it, I promise she didn't mean to do it. I mean, she's a friend's dog and I'm supposed to be watching her. I haven't really figured out the best way to keep her under control yet," The perplexed lady rambled, her voice containing traces of both worry and embarrassment. 

I looked up and saw her, a woman, not much older than myself, with dark brown curly hair and wide brown eyes. She was wearing a black track suit and her hair was pulled back, appropriate clothing because of the chilly breeze whipping around us. She was gorgeous, instantly making me feel self-conscious.

"I'm sorry, really. We can go get a camera right now, I swear, it's no big--"

"It's okay, honestly. It wasn't your fault," I cut her off, my anger diminishing with each passing second. I got up and dusted myself off, hoping she wouldn't notice my puffy and red eyes.

She sighed, seeming slightly relieved. "Okay, but I am going to buy you a new one, alright?" She said, raising her eyebrows. I was a bit taken aback by her friendly and persistent nature. No one had ever been this willing to talk to me so openly. Except, of course, Louis.

"No, trust me it's okay," I pressed. I had known it was a lie, but I also knew that I couldn't actually allow her to buy a new camera for me. I sat down on a bench nearby and shoved the dislodged bits of the camera into my bag. There was no point in being gentle and tucking it into its cover. 

"I won this argument, no excuses!" The woman smiled triumphantly and took a seat beside me. "I'm Danielle Peazer." She stuck a hand out for me to shake.

I stared at her hand for a few seconds. I had learned only a few nights ago that it was acceptable to trust new people. It could be the start of something great, and I wouldn't know if I walked away from it. 

"I'm Charlotte," I smiled warmly and took her hand, "If you'd like, you can call me Char."

"Nice to meet you, and I think I'll stick to Charlotte. I love that name," Danielle smiled. Her smile was contagious, as was her personality.

"McVerry... why does that name sound so familiar?" She then questioned, her eyebrows furrowed proving that she was deep in thought. I thought of a reasonable answer as I watched two joggers run by, petting Lucy on their way past. 

"Um, well my family just moved here..."

"Oh! Of course, the McVerrys. I danced at one of the events hosted by your parents!" She snapped her fingers in realization. That made sense. When my parents threw parties, they liked to go all out. Dancers, singers, everything.

I mentally sighed in relief because she didn't say something along the lines of, "Isn't your family, like, super rich?"

"You're a dancer?" I asked, reverting the subject from my family. It was easy to talk to Danielle and I was going to take advantage of the very fact, mostly because I never really had anyone to talk to.

"Yeah, I really love to dance. It's basically my life," she mused. Her big brown eyes were filled with excitement just at the thought of doing what she loved, reminding me much of myself whenever I had my camera in my hands.

"I actually teach dance downtown," I conceded, "It's really fun. The little girls down at the studio are the sweetest!" 

Dancing was yet another art my parents had forced me to perfect, but unlike the rest, I actually liked it. It wasn't nearly as big of a component of my life than it seemed to be of Danielle's, but it was something I would do to get my mind off of things.

Danielle's eyes lit up and she jumped up in her seat, startling me. "At Pineapple Studios?"

I barely had time to nod, but when Danielle saw the slight upward motion of my head, she threw her arms up. "I used to go there all the time! My mum took me when I was younger, that's where I first started dancing professionally, too!" Her every word was dripping with excitement, and a hint of nostalgia. 

I laughed, "That's pretty cool," I admitted, "you should come down with me sometime. We can teach the class together!" The thought made me smile. It would be fun, finally having someone to spend time with. And just like that, as the bright morning sun became a gloriously dimming sunset, I had made a new friend. Hours and hours were spent strolling around the park, chatting about anything and absolutely everything.

"So you said you just moved here to London. If I'm right, you lived in Buckinghamshire before?" Danielle questioned, as we stood, leaning against the hood of her sleek car. 

"Yeah, that's right," I nodded. I had lived in Buckinghamshire my whole life. It was overflowing with families much like my own, so I was discretely happy when I was told about the move.

"How are you liking it here in London so far?" 

"Well, I haven't really gone out since we moved here, which was just a few weeks ago. This park is by far my favorite place," I spoke, my gaze scanning the beautiful park. The towering trees, which were covered with a thin sheet of snow, and crisp grass brought back memories of my childhood. I used to come to this park all the time when my parents had meetings in London.

"Really? I'll have to take you around sometime! And I'm guessing you don't know many people around here yet?" Curiosity was evidently laced through Danielle's voice. She was right. I didn't know many people at all, at least not people I'd actually hang around. 

"That'd be great! And yes, I'm not the most... social person." I laughed sheepishly. Now that was partially true. The other half was that I was scared. Everytime I opened my mouth to talk to someone, they'd recognize me. I wanted to be friends with a person that didn't find my fame as the only appealling thing about me. And in just the few hours I had spent with her, Danielle proved to be just that person.

"Well, then Charlotte, I can't believe I have the honor of be being your first friend here!" She yelled, clearly happy. 

"You do!" I was just as excited as her, both of us laughing at each other. I was taking a liking to Danielle. I had felt at ease around her. Communicating with her came naturally, and we'd shared plenty of jokes.

"Listen, I'm hanging out with my boyfriend and his friends tomorrow night, would you like to join us? I think you could use a good night out?" She asked, her eyes glistening with hope

My eyes widened and I held my hands out in front of me defensively, "Oh no, I don't drink..."

Danielle rapidly shook her head and let out a small laugh before saying, "No, not that kind of night out. We were thinking more of a movie night! It's at my boyfriend's flat, and we can all just meet there?"

I wasn't exactly good with meeting new people. The fact that her boyfriend's friends were most likely guys only heightened the nerves. What if they don't like me? Or if I embarrass myself?

I gave the invitation some thought. "Are you sure? I don't want to intrude, I mean they're your friends. Would they mind?"

"Not at all, they'd love more company." She pulled out a piece of paper and pen from her purse and scribbled something down, before folding it and holding it out for me to take. "Here's my number. Text me later and I'll send you the address." 

I sheepishly took it from her and tucked it into my purse.

"Thanks Danielle. You said it was your boyfriend's flat? What's his name? I want to actually know before I show up at his house."

"Liam," she replied dreamily, her teeth biting down on her lower lip in an attempt to surpress a smile.

"You really love him, huh?" I said dumbly. Her life seemed so perfect, she did what she loved as a job, had a loving boyfriend, and most importantly could make her own choices. What else could anyone ever ask for?

"Yeah, I really do," Danielle replied quietly, averting her gaze when a shy smile conquered her lips. I smiled along with her, glad that she had someone to make her so happy. That very thought was one foreign to me. I had never met a guy who truly cared for me, not the way this Liam seemed to care about Danielle.

"So, Charlotte. I know you may not want to talk about this, but you were crying earlier..."

"Yeah, I was hoping you wouldn't notice.." I nodded, telling her the truth.

"Whatever it is, I won't judge you and I'd really like to help with anything." She said, placing a consoling hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks, Danielle. That's amazing of you." I smiled, genuinely happy after a long time. I watched as Lucy happily ran over to Danielle and I and begin circling around the bench.

"It's no problem. I have a feeling you're going to enjoy your stay here in London, Charlotte. I can guarantee it." Danielle replied, her proud smile telling me she was quite sure of herself.

I really hope so Danielle. I really hope you're right. 

"I do, too."

After a couple of minutes spent talking, we said our goodbyes went our separate ways. The last thing I was worried about was how to get out of the house the next day without my parents finding out, mainly because I had become an expert at it at it. The nights of sneaking out and spending hours in the park or at a diner, reading, definitely paid off in terms of skill. I was more skeptical of how to act tomorrow, at Liam's flat. Fidgeting with my fingers, I figured I shouldn't be so nervous and just have fun for a change. Things were changing for me and London was full of surprises that I never ever anticipated. 

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