City Lights [#TheGlamDiaries]

Prologue

—•POV: Adeline Evans•—

"We are now at cruising altitude. You are free to move about the cabin. Enjoy your flight, Ms. Evans," a woman's polite voice sounded from the private jet's intercom above me.

I leaned back into my seat, shifting to get comfortable for the 3 hour flight ahead and sighed as my head hit the back of my plush, reclined chair.

The memories and events from the previous months washed over me as my eyelids grew heavy.

My surroundings came into focus and I was once again standing in my mom's house. The soft beige and purples gave the walls a soft look, bringing me a familiar comfort.

Looking down, I held a breakfast tray complete with with pancakes and juice. My feet moved on their own accord to my mom's white wooden door, as if I had been set on autopilot. Smiling to myself, I knocked softly before entering quietly.

Mom was already awake, with her body propped against the pillows and her blanket falling just above her waist, exposing her floral pajamas.

"Hey, honey." Mom's voice came out groggy and, though she fixed a smile on her face, exhaustion from yesterday's battle was obvious.

"Good morning, mom. I made you breakfast," I smiled back at her, mentally taking in her state of health.

Her face lit up and a genuine spread across her light pink lips. "Oh, sweetie. You didn't have to do all that."

"I wanted to," I said dismissively, handing her the tray. I waited a moment for her to settle in before I spoke again more hesitantly. "How are you feeling?"

The question was simple, but the context behind it was bottled up, like a shaken up soda can that was waiting for someone to come by and open it so it could finally burst.

"Much better than yesterday. I think I just needed a good night's rest," she forced a smile, but both of us knew that was a lie.

"So how was school?" she asked, steering away from the subject.

"School was whatever, filled with boredom and studying, the usual," I replied dully.

"Oh! I forgot to water the tulips," mom groaned.

"I watered them for you," I smiled. Tulips were mom's favorite and she had a beautiful garden full of them and a few other plants. Unlike my mom's health, the tulips were thriving in full bloom.

"Ms. Evans."

I looked around the tiny room, breathing in the fresh scent of Tennessee and loving the soft feeling of home.

"Ms. Evans," the soft voice called a bit louder. I looked to my mom, but her mouth was closed. Taking in her appearance again, her eyes looked almost hollow. Suddenly, her body went limp. Her lifeless head lulled to the side and a distant, haunting look filled her still open eyes.

"Mom?"

No answer. The room shifted as my stomach plunged.

"Mom."

I tried to reach for her but the room was getting longer as I slowly got further and further from her.

"Mom!" I yelled desperately.

A hand fell on my shoulder, causing me to jolt in my seat. "Ms. Evans, we have landed."

I blinked rapidly, adjusting to the light streaming in from the plane's window from the setting sun. The stewardess was looking down on me with a worried expression.

"Um, thank you." She smiled back politely, a notion that didn't dissipate the concern in her eyes, before leaving.

Stretching, I stood up and peered out the window. Even though we were in a private section, there were a few people with cameras being held back by security guards just outside the gates.

"Ms. Evans," a deep voice caught me off guard, nearly making me jump out of my skin. Spinning around clumsily, a big muscular man stood in front of me in a black fitted shirt and jeans. "I'm Parker, one of Mr. Evans' bodyguards. Your uncle requested that I escort you to the mansion immediately."

Nodding, I took my suitcase from the compartment above. Since it was a private jet, all the luggage could be stored with the passengers.

"I'll get the rest of your bags, ma'am. Where are they?"

"This is it," I replied, fiddling with the handle.

Parker furrowed his eyebrows. "All your stuff fit in one case?"

"Yes?" I answered confused, though it came out as more of a question.

"Never mind, I'll get your suitcase," he dismissed the subject, taking the luggage from me. "Here, put these on." He handed me a pair of huge Guess sunglasses and a large, beige floppy hat.

I shot him a puzzled look. "I'm supposed to wear this?"

His lips tilted into a small smile as he explained. "They're so the paparazzi don't get a good shot of you. Those people out there are crazier than women at a shoe sell."

I chuckled lightly at his joke and decided he wasn't as scary as he looked. Suddenly more nervous than before about the paparazzi outside, my palms started to sweat as I slipped on the items.

"So here's the plan. I'm going to get you through the crowd, without being trampled on, to the black SUV that is waiting for you. Then we head straight to Mr. Evans' mansion. Got it?"

Apparently it was time for my stomach to answer instead, because it let out a noise equivalent to the sound a dying whale would make. Parker raised an eyebrow causing my cheeks flushed.

"You think we can make a detour to McDonalds?" I asked sheepishly.

"Sure," Parker chuckled. "Ready?"

Upon my nod, Parker opened the door. Light flooded in as well as all the sounds of chaos from behind the gate.

Screams, flashes, and questions were fired at me, but I just followed Parker's lead until we were in the safety of the SUV.

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A/N: Short background info chapter. Already dropping a few clues to the reader ;)

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