Stuck in London

1. Well That Didn't Go As Planned

I was almost shaking with excitement. Weeks of secretly planning had finally lead me to where I am now.

I'm usually not the type of person who would fly to a different continent basically on a whim, yet here I stand an ocean away from my shabby apartment back in Seattle.

And all for Noel.

I met Noel back in college and we had been dating a while before he told me that he got into the University of London where he planned on transferring in order to finish out the rest of his degree in politics. Of course I was sad at the thought of him moving away, but I was also proud of him for getting into such a prestigious school. Some people probably would have considered breaking up, but we knew that we could make it work.

We hadn't seen each other in almost two months since he visited during the holidays and I missed him like crazy. Our one year anniversary was coming up, so I decided to drop by and surprise him. (If a nine hour flight from Washington to London can be considered "dropping by".)

I had it all planned out: I was going to take a cab straight from the airport to the nearest coffee shop, get a large hazelnut brew (Noel's favorite), then head over to his apartment where he will be so overcome with joy about my spontaneous appearance that we immediately fall into a bed of roses and partake in wild love making for the next three weeks until I have to sadly return home.

I currently stood outside of Noel's apartment door, steaming cup of coffee in hand, wearing a smile big enough to make others question my sanity.

" 'Ere ya go, love," the plump taxi driver said as he plopped my suitcase down next to me.

"Thank you so much for helping me carry this up. Here, let me get your money," I said as I began digging around in the black hole that I called my purse. I finally located my wallet and pulled out the cash with a flourish. "For you, my good man."

The jolly man chuckled and have a mock bow. "Why, fank you milady. Pleasure doin' business wiv ya!" After giving me a crooked smile, he headed back the way we came.

I turned back towards the door and, after taking a deep breath, knocked on the door.

After a couple seconds, the door swung open revealing a tall red-headed woman who was definitely not Noel.

I felt my smile dim. "Oh, uh, I must have the wrong apartment. Do you know where Noel Fields lives?"

The woman curiously looked me up and down before turning over her shoulder. "Noel! Door for you!"

The smile was completely gone from my face as I heard a familiar voice respond, "Who is it, babe?"

I stood there in stunned silence as my shirtless boyfriend walked up behind the woman and kissed her shoulder before finally looking up to meet my eyes.

The look on his face was priceless. If it weren't for the glaring addition of another woman, I would have said my plan of surprising Noel was a huge success; he looked as if someone had just told him that his mother was an alien that ate his father.

"Avery?" Noel quickly jumped away from the lady as if she burned him.

"You know her, darling?" the woman asked, turning to Noel.

"Uh yes--no uh she's, um, she's--"

"His girlfriend," I finally remembered how to speak. "Who are you?" I asked the anonymous female.

"I'm Piper, Noel's fiancé," she replied scathingly, holding up her left hand, displaying a ring.

It felt like I had been struck by a lighting bolt. I was completely numb, and then suddenly, overcome with fury.

I rounded on Noel. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Look, Avery, this is just a misunderstanding--"

"A misunderstanding?! This chick is claiming to be your fiancé! What the fuck?!"

"Avery, you need to calm down--"

"Calm down!? Don't you dare tell me to calm down you asshole! I came here to surprise you, and I find out that you're apparently getting married to some other person?!"

"Look sweetie you're overreacting, I--"

I don't know what came over me, but the next thing I know, Noel is on the ground clutching a bleeding nose while I try to shake the pain out of my knuckles.

I then remember the coffee in my hand, and without thinking twice, immediately pour it all over his blonde head. Noel makes an embarrassingly feminine shriek as the hot liquid comes in contact with his skin.

"Happy anniversary," I say in a voice void of emotion. Then I turn to a wide-eyed Piper who had been watching in stunned silence. "Best of luck to you two."

Without another word I calmly grab my suitcase and leave the apartment building.

Well that didn't go as planned.

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Hoped you enjoyed the first chapter! What do you guys think of Noel???

Avery pictured above :)