Cruella My Darling

The Boss

After walking for a short 10 minutes, Horace and Jasper lead me to the abandoned building they called home.

Climbing through a whole in a panel of fencing and then making our way up the side of the building onto the roof proved a difficult and unexpected task. I persevered and made it up in one piece never the less.

I watched the two men disappear through a whole in the roof as they jumped down into a room of some kind. I did as they had done and flung my suitcase with me as I hurled myself down into the unknown.

I landed on a pile of about 4 or 5 mattresses, sliding off and greeting the floorboards of my new home.

Horace had already become preoccupied with finding a place for the lamp he found by the train station, and Jasper had disappeared into the kitchen area looking for something.

I stood still, taking everything in for 5 minutes or so before Jasper poked his head around the corner, "Want some coco crispies?" he said inquiring.

"Um sure, yeah" I left my suitcase by the mattress landing pad and make my way over to the table, where Jasper had already laid out two sets of bowls accompanied by spoons and a jug of orange juice.

I felt cared for in this moment, even though these people I had befriended were petty thieves.

Jasper poured the cereal and the milk to follow before sitting down himself and tucking in the simple meal he had served us both.

"So why are you here then?" he said in between mouthfuls.

"In London? I want to be fashion designer and I suppose here would be a good place to start," I began.

"Shut. The front. Door." Horace appeared, to my left, mouth agape.

Jasper and Horace shared a look of disbelief. I must have had a look of visible confusion plastered across my pale little face for Jasper turned to me to explain.

"There's another woman that lives with us here, and from what we've heard about you, I think you're literally the same person, no kidding, it's kinda weird how similar you two are," he said.

"Bloody hell I dunno if i can put up with two of em" Horace walked away with his head hung dramatically.

"Well when do I get to meet this mysterious 'other me' then" I asked as I finished my bowl of coco crispies.

Almost on cue, a lift over on the far side of the loft moved up into view and the most fabulous person had ever seen in my entire life walked forward into the light, her chunky black heeled boots thumping on the floorboards.

"Right, Horace, Jasper, how are the preparations for tomorrow night, it must be perfect my darlings," she cried in the most intense and pure English accent.

Carefully sliding her leather black clothes from her fingertips, she looked over at Horace and his lamp, rolling her eyes as she turned to her other side and saw me sitting at her table.

She raised a finger and pointed at me as she sauntered over, "Who is this now?"

"Y/N, I'm staying with you," I said as a raised to stand. I met her body centimetres from my own and there we both stood, running our eyes over each other, getting aquatinted as it were.

"Yeah, sorry you didn't know about this but it all happened quite fast so you can't shout at me ok?" Jasper was cautious, holding his hands up.

"Shh" she let out sharply, holding a single finger up to Jasper to stop him from saying another word, all the while not averting her gaze from me.

Eventually she relaxed her shoulders, "Don't worry, It think this little arrangement with suit me just fine."

She had a little glint in her eye that intrigued me terribly. She reached out towards my face and twirled a strand of loose hair with her fingers before she smiled and bite her lip a tad.

"I'm Cruella," she said.

Her perfume was intoxicating and my lungs were drowning, however I took no notice. All I could hear was the sound of my heart beating madly in my chest as I scanned her face.

Cruella had wide, pale eyes that contrasted with the dark eye makeup and shading around her bone structure. Her hair was the most peculiar colour. One side black, and the other white. I had never seen anything like it, but it looked fabulous.

"Your hair," I looked up at her and said softly,"is it natural?"

"Unfortunately," Horace yelled from the sofa without removing his eyes form the little tv by the window.

"Yes, it is darling," she replied in sort of sultry tone of voice that make my whole body shudder. She released the strand of hair and stepped back.

"You're good with fashion aren't you?" she said thoughtfully with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yes I suppose I should be, I came to London to begin a fashion career," I told her.

Now that she had stepped away from me, I could see her whole body, her boots were gorgeous, she was was wearing all black, layered tops and skirts, with a beautiful black fur coat to top it all off.

"That's so funny," I heard her say and snapped out of my trance,"That's exactly what I wanted when I came to London."

I knew that the boys told me we were similar, although I didn't realise how just many things we had in common. It was also going to be such fun. I had never been friends with anyone who enjoyed fashion as much as I did. I could finally talk about it with someone other than my bedroom walls.

"Well then, I think you and I are going to get on like a house on fire," I smiled at her.

"Nah we don't talk about houses on fire in this family," Horace shouted again from the sofa,"PTSD mate."

I looked alarmed and felt a little embarrassed.

Cruella waved a hand, "A story for another time, my mother tried to burn me alive."

"What-" I wanted to know more but i dare not ask.

She flaunted over to an in-cove at the edge of the loft, where I saw a bed and a desk with a sewing machine sat upon it's surface.

Her room.

"Come," she patted a seat next to her her own at the desk,"I'll show you some tricks of the trade."