Will Ada find the strength to escape this toxic relationship, or will she lose herself completely for the sake of love?
Chapter 1
After holding my smile and waving enthusiastically for about two minutes, I find myself in a flood of tears in the middle of the crowded Heathrow Airport. My mother has just disappeared from my view as the security line has gotten shorter. I’ve always dreamed about the day I start studying abroad and living like an adult. But no one told me that the transition is going to be this hard. I’ve always imagined being destined for something great. But here I am, seventeen years old, feeling like a moth in a big city.
I’ve got to pull myself together and use all my brain cells to get back home using this underground by myself for the first time. Home? I mean a half of a rented room in the neighbourhood of the University of Westminster. At least, the other half of the room is not that bad because it is occupied by a nice Polish girl, Vicki, who I seem to have a lot in common with. For starters, we both love to go out.
*
‘I have no idea what to wear tonight,’ I say to my flat-mate while we are struggling with a careful appliance of a nail polish.
She sighs and gives me the look of understanding. It does sound like a silly problem, but there is a certain importance of an outfit for seventeen-year-old girls who try to enter night clubs and look mature enough so that nobody requests their IDs.
I look around our room – spacious but not enough furnished – so that most of my cosmetics is placed on the book shelves. There are two big granny-style foldable sofas and a dining table that serves as a desk for us. No wonder we never throw any parties here; the place is just too old-fashioned. Nevertheless, it is my first time living alone without parents, so I can’t resist going out as often as I can.
Having Vicki by my side is a true blessing. We didn’t get to choose flat-mates, and it was just a coincidence that we ended up living together. She’s become the closest friend for me here, and we spend most of the time together – we go shopping, clubbing, pub crawling and, of course, we study together.
I’ve never shared an opinion that girls should choose friends who are in some way inferior to them. I did and still do appreciate equality in any relationship. It is a fundamental issue that makes relationship healthy and long-lasting. So, it is no surprise that I admire both my friend’s personality and her extraordinary beauty. Vicki’s got long bleached blonde hair, pale skin, blue eyes and an incredibly cheerful smile. The first time I met her, I knew we would have a pretty exciting student life together.
And it definitely is. Tonight, we are about to go out with a few girls from my study group. But, before that, we have a certain house warming to attend.
‘Who are those guys, anyway?’ Vicki asks me while putting on a vivid cherry-coloured lipstick.
‘I know just one of them; he is in my group. Don’t worry, we don’t have to stay there longer than an hour or two. It is too early to go out now anyway,’ I reply. Even though I have some doubts whether it is a good idea to go to a place full of people we barely know, I’ve made my mind to party tonight, and I intend to do so.
After many efforts to even out my eyeliner, I finally have some time to dress up. I put on a mesh shirt, so that everyone can see the outline of my new push-up bra, tweed shorts that would definitely look like a summer garment if it wasn’t for that material and fishnet beige tights. My goal is to look sassy, not classy. I have to expose my legs because that is the part of my body that I like the most. The rest seems rather mediocre to my taste. My hair is mid-length and neither blonde nor brunette; my eyes vary from green to grey. I could say I’m rather skinny and proud of it, but secretly I am envious of the girls with more than just a cup A. So, I am going to bet on my legs tonight. What helps to expose legs if not a 10 cm high-heeled boots? So, I put them on as well, completing my seeking-attention look.
‘Let’s just get drunk there and leave quickly. I don’t think these guys are fun,’ Vicki says as we are leaving our humble flat, looking determined and somewhat overdressed for the occasion.
*
After having some troubles with finding the place, we finally approach the door and ring it. There is no sound of music or loud talking, so we still hesitate whether it is the correct address. Door opens, and my school mate, Jake, invites us in. ‘Oh, hey, I am glad that you girls made it. Welcome.’
We are surprised because the place is empty. There is nobody except Jake and his two flat-mates. We wanted to be fashionably late but, even so, we are the first ones to show up.
It gives me some weird feeling. What if they haven’t invited anybody else? What if they are a couple of psychos who will do whatever they want to us here? Then, I realise how stupidly dramatic I’ve become, so I decide to grab a drink and wait for the party to start.
Five of us take some shots while waiting for the rest of the group. I learn how to say cheers in three different languages, and it feels like this is going to be a great opportunity to integrate culturally with my international group mates. Every other shot enhances my thirst for knowledge.
One of Jake’s flat-mates has caught my attention. He is undoubtedly handsome, but his emanating confidence is the most intriguing. He seems to be the least interested in all of us. His friends pay attention to what we say and try to keep the conversation going. So, not surprisingly, I am stunned by his indifference and lack of intent to flirt at least. And all of it takes place when I have a see-through shirt on! What if I had a turtle-neck sweater on? Would he treat me as an invisible ghost and try to pass through me?
Slowly but surely, the party is improving, so some of us move to the terrace to breathe some fresh air. I want to take a photo together with Vicki, and Jake and other guys also join; but the “king of mystery” apparently isn’t into taking photos at all.
This type of guys have always annoyed me, however, never left me indifferent. He doesn’t start a conversation first, doesn’t approach anyone and doesn’t show the same level of hospitality as his friends. He is just standing there, next to a wall, wearing white tight t-shirt and black jeans, speaking to some desperate girls I have initially disliked.
After a couple of glasses of whiskey, I’ve toned down my pride and decided to be the one who starts a conversation.
‘I didn’t see you during the classes,’ I say.
‘That’s because I am not taking them. I’ve moved to London a few days ago, and I’m still trying to figure out what to apply for. Some courses start a bit later,’ he replies and seems quite open to talk.
I can’t help but analyse the way he looks. Light brown hair (somewhat similar to mine), he’s not very tall but still taller than me and my high-heeled boots combined, his smile is definitely wicked and even though his eyes are blue, they are in no way naive.
‘What is your name again?’ I ask, pretending to be careless about it.
‘It’s Aiden and yours?’
Damn, this guy knows how to make a girl feel unimportant. I try to do exactly the same in order not to show too much interest in him, but there’s a difference. I am me, and he is him.
‘It’s… ehm… Ada. Adrianna, actually, I’m Polish.’ Our names sound obviously similar, and it is impossible not to notice.
‘Nice to meet you, Ada.’ He smiles so genuinely – I am totally taken by it.
‘Probably everybody asks the same question all the time but why London?’ he asks.
‘Childhood dreams – they are too hard to quit!’ I answer and start laughing. ‘The plan is to pursue journalism career after the studies and to end up somewhere on BBC. But the ultimate goal is to become a writer one day when I retire…’
‘Cheers to that!’ Aiden raises his glass; we both take a few sips of whiskey-coke, looking deeply into each other’s eyes.
‘What about you? Any dream you’d like to follow?’ I wonder.
‘I think I’ll apply to something related to economy. Studies is a formality for me. I am going to join my father’s company once I have a degree,’ he says.
‘Oh, I see. My father is an entrepreneur too, but honestly I could never work for someone with his temperament.’ I laugh.
But our conversation gets interrupted by some girl – Valery. She is clearly very interested in Aiden and tries to show it in all possible ways. I don’t care much because of one feature of my drunken-self – when I am drunk, I like everyone, and I am generally nicer to people around me.
Vicki drags me away for a minute.
‘It is already one a.m. I think we should go if we want to make it to the club still.’
‘Yeah, right, club. Let’s move then,’ I reply, even though part of me wants to stay. But I’ve made the promise before that we wouldn’t stay too long here, and I meant to keep it.
So, Vicki and I and a couple of other girls leave the house warming party sooner than the rest. Before our departure, Aiden asks my phone number, so I take it as a small victory from my side. Of course, I am convinced that I, as a proper “lady”, am not going to text first.
October Snow by Elena Vantroy is available to pre-order now in paperback.
