Chapter One

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"It's been a year since One Direction alum and solo artist extraordinaire Harry Styles walked off stage during a concert in Phoenix after being hit in the face with a bottle thrown from the audience. He unleashed a profanity driven tirade at the crowd that lasted for two minutes before dropping his microphone and storming off stage. Rumors swirled that the one-time happy go lucky star had a nervous breakdown, the result of the most tumultuous year in the young star's career. Six weeks before his abrupt exit from the industry he grew up in, he lost his fiancee in a tragic car accident. Some say the loss prompted the one hundred and eighty degree turn, causing him to remove himself from a life he claimed to love."

"But word has it, the reclusive star is mounting a comeback. His one-time collaborator Jeff Bhasker has been seen at the artist's house in London. And a paparazzo caught racks of clothing being wheeled into the house. Could this be preparation for an upcoming tour? Stylists working out outfits for a new magazine spread or CD jacket layout? We'll bring you all the latest on the star's movements as the world of entertainment hasn't been the same since he left."

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Crisp spring air wound its way through the streets of London. It was colder in London than usual for this time of year, though weather in this country was usually shitty. It wasn't raining which meant people were out in force, causing traffic jams on the sidewalks as well as the streets. Days like this it was easier to stay home than brave the amount of people trying to get all their errands run before the skies opened up again.

But nothing was going to get in the way of 24 year old Samantha Wattson today. She had a job interview. The first bite since she'd moved to London two weeks ago and sent out scores of resumes. Her savings were running out and though her best friend and roommate Mia was happy to keep paying the rent, Samantha wasn't accustomed to not being productive.

Since graduating college with a degree in English Literature it had been harder to find a job than she anticipated. Seems people expected dues to have been paid before offering up a position being a Professor at any of the prestigious universities in the United States. A late night phone call from Mia had convinced Samatha that an English Lit degree might pay better dividends in London. She'd moved there a year ago to pursue her own dream of living abroad and made London sound so great. Samantha was on a plane a week later.

Weaving her way through the Tube stations and streets now, Samantha wondered if she made a mistake moving here. The city was a lot bigger than she'd expected and being that she was from Atlanta, she was used to big cities. If only it was easier to navigate. She'd left the house three hours early in anticipation for finding the spot where she was going to be interviewed and she still couldn't find it. How on earth she'd ended up in a residential area, she had no idea. But there were definitely no office buildings anywhere in sight.

Google Maps could go to hell.

"Excuse me." Samantha said as a woman who looked to be in her late 70s approached her, "I'm looking for..." Samantha looked down at her paper, pushing her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear while she searched for the address, "3448 Hetford."

The woman smiled and gestured down what looked to be a residential street,

"Right down that way." She answered, her British accent thick, "Three blocks. Should be on your right."

Samantha stared down the tree-lined road. There had to be some mistake.

"Uh," She said, reaching out for the woman before she walked away, "That's a..." She finally turned to look at the woman, tearing her eyes from the street, "I'm supposed to be there for a job interview in a few minutes."

Act Two // Book OneWhere stories live. Discover now