Darkness and Hope

Chapter 1

I was on holydays in London with my best friend Katy when I saw him for the first time in my life. I didn't have a clue we were at the same hotel. I didn't even know the band was in town. One morning, when I was about to meet Katy in the lobby and the elevator's door opened in my floor, I saw a silhouette inside it, and I froze before I got in. His hair wet and tangled, eyes still swollen from the sleeping, hands shove in his pockets and his blue gaze staring back at me. The scent of fresh shower intoxicating me. His inked arms calling for attention, I was marveled.

"Are you coming in?" He asked me at what it seemed to be a bit of impatience. I got out of my trance and stepped inside. I stood with my back turned at him. I didn't want to look at him. My heart was racing franticly for sharing the lift with James Hetfield. I had been a fan for so many years, but I tried to behave. He was gorgeous, even more gorgeous than I ever expected him to be. "Good morning." He said greeting me. I even forgot about my manners. That voice I knew so well coming right behind my ear. I almost jumped when I heard it. I turned my head a bit around and greeted him as well.

"Good morning." I said. His eyes met mine again in a disturbing way, I turned my head again to the door to distract myself from his incredibly addictive blue eyes. I swear I heard him chuckle, but I didn't dare to look back to confirm it. All our way down I fought hard, against my will of looking at him again. What and amazing man he was. Finally, and much to my relief, when the air was getting too thin to breathe the doors opened and we reached our destination. I almost run out of the elevator.

Katy was already there waiting for me and her eyes widened open when she saw the figure of a perfect man coming out of the elevator after me. I reached her but she ignored me, her eyes followed him.

"Bye." He said when he was passing by us. A soft smile curved on his lips and I felt my knees failing a bit. Katy looked back at me with her mouth opened.

"That was..." She said shaking her head.

"Yeah, James Hetfield." I said. My voice trembled a bit and I felt my hands shaking too.

"You lucky bitch!" She exclaimed. I smiled at her still trying to understand what just happened. Of all places I had to meet him in London when we were both American.

"Jesus, the man is gorgeous." I could finally say when my nerves began to calm down.

I never saw him again. Every time I had to go to the elevator I thought I would find him again, but I never did. For the rest of the week we had fun in crazy London. When our last night in town came we were both too drained and exhausted to go out. We decided to spend a quiet night at the bar of the hotel. We sat at the counter sipping in our Martinis.

"Well, to us." Katy said raising her glass in a toast.

"What a fucking vacation we had." I said toasting against her glass, but I saw Katy's eyes opening big again and I bet she didn't hear word I said. I looked at my back to see what she was looking at. Imagine...All dressed in black, there he was again, sitting on a table right in front of us.

"Oh my god...I am in heaven." She told me smiling not straying her eyes from him. I looked at him. He looked even better than the first time I saw him. He must have recognized me because I saw him smile when my gaze met his one more time. "He's smiling at you." She said between her teeth.

"He must have recognized me from the elevator." I explained to her. That was the most reasonable reason. There couldn't be another one. There was no one in the bar but us, him and the bartender, who was cleaning some glasses. I saw him raising an arm and ask for a water. I was surprised but then I remembered he had stopped drinking some years ago. I knew everything about him, like I said I had been a fan for many years.