Illusion

Chapter 1

Avery's POV

I flip the sign on the door to say closed and flick off the lights. Ugh, nine hours is way too long to work for. My feet shuffle around as I blindly grab the handle to the bookshop's door. I swing it open, feeling myself get washed over by a breeze. I step out into the cool London night air and begin my slow journey home, pulling my long black trench coat tighter around my body.

Sitting tiredly on the subway, I pull out my battered copy of The Great Gatsby and open it up to my bookmark, slowly losing myself in the roaring 20's.

Right as I finish my page, my phone rings. I huff silently, digging around in my black leather bag to find the source of the incessant noise. I sigh when I see the name. Please just be ringing to talk, not to go out, I silently pray to myself. I answer after my wishful thinking, 'Hey Maddie, what's up?'

'Hey Aves, so Ivy and I were talking to this guy I met at that party last week and he wants to go out to dinner with us and his friends tonight!'

I cry internally. 'Um, I don't know Mads, I'm really tired and am actually on the subway home right now.' I linger on the last few words, trying to indicate that I'm going home no matter what.

'No! Trust me, it'll be so much fun, it's just at a bar, nothing big. Besides it's near your house, so you'd just be walking from your apartment anyway.'

I stay silent for a moment thinking.

'Please, I promise you won't be bored and I really need you there for moral support because I kinda like Zayn.'

'What about Calum?' I question, dodging the answer to her invite for a little bit longer.

'Yeah, apparently he hooked up with some girl the other night in New York. I mean I get it, we were never 'officially' together. But still.' I can hear the underlying sadness in her voice and know that I need to be there for her.

'So what's the name of this bar?' I question quickly to bring her back from her reminiscence.

Maddie's voice instantly lights up, 'Really!'

'Yeah.' I say with forced enthusiasm.

'Okay great I'll text you the address and I'll see you soon.'

45 minutes later and I'm standing in front of a small brick building, situated away from the busyness of the more popular restaurants. The air around me is quiet, the only disturbance being the sound of a distant car every now and then. There is a set of stairs leading down to the entrance of the bar, with string lights crowding overhead, imitating stars. I take a deep breath and slowly descend down the stairs.

At the base of the stairs there is a closed glass door with a brass doorknob. I slowly turn the handle and slip into the warm atmosphere of the bar. I'm hit with a wave of mellow noise. Not loud, but happy and cheerful.

I glance around at the dark wooden floorboards, black leather booths and dark wood tables, each accented with a ceramic lamp radiating out a warm yellow glow. I feel the tension in my shoulders from my long day start to ebb away. This place bringing me some peace, while still filling me with warmth.

I make my way through the humble, but definitely popular, bar searching for my friends. As I round the corner I see long curly brown hair, Maddie. Who seems to be nuzzled up against a tall looking, dark haired man. I glance to the other side of the table and see Ivy sipping her drink while politely talking to a blond haired man. Before I can look at who else is there, Ivy is calling my name and waving me over, her blond curls flying when she whips her head towards me. I plaster on a smile and make my way over to them.