The Owls

Chapter One: Life in L.A.

3 YEARS LATER...

I wake up in the dark room of my apartment in the Los Angeles, California. The red numbers on my alarm clock flashing 5:30 AM. I pushed myself slowly out of bed and pulled the cord to my blinds down, allowing warm  early morning light to fill the room. Opening the door to my room, I make my way down the empty hall to my small bathroom to freshen up and apply light makeup.

Last night had really done a number on me, and I already had a hell of a hangover, but i took some aspirin to dull the smashing headache down as I prepared for a long day at work. The whole reason i had moved out to California in the first place was because I had been offered a job for a huge modeling company. They had checked out the application I'd sent them and decided I was someone they wanted to hire. The job gave good pay and I have been working there since then.

Finally, at 6 AM, I was walking out of my apartment and  down the stairwell to my Jeep. She was a bit beat up, but she was also one of the few things I had left from home, plus I had almost paid her off. 

Arriving at the beach, I noticed most of the photographers were already starting to gather at the shore, so i took the liberty of stripping down to my bikini before stepping through the warm sand to greet them. This had become a normal routine for me, so it didn't take long for the sound of pictures being snapped repeatedly to fill my ears. God I loved  that sound.

"Amazing, Christie! Absolutely Fabulous! Ooh, yes! Just like that honey!" I hear Mike encouraging from behind the camera. He had been one of the few photographers who had chosen to follow me throughout my modeling career.

After thirty minutes, someone called a break and we all filed out, someone handing me a towel as I made my way back up to my car to grab a small snack. Wiping the salty sea spray from my face and exposed legs, i pulled my short back on. Before i was able to get a loose tank top over my head, I felt two arms snake around my waist from behind

" Hey baby. You looked amazing out there. If I had been allowed there, I probably would have eaten you out right then." I hear my boyfriend of nearly two years whisper devilishly into the crook of my neck.

"Jasper Holmes!" I shriek, swatting him playfully with my beach towel.

"What! I was only telling the truth! but seriously though, you wanna grab some real food before I have to let you get back to shooting?" He asks, being sure to take a few steps away so he doesn't get anymore swats.

"Ooh. Yes! Smash Burger?" I ask is response, beginning to take note that it was my cheat day.

Sounds great! I'll meet you at the one on Main Street." He says, pecking my nose quickly before walking over to his car on the other side of the parking lot.

I watched him go with a smile before hopping behind the wheel of my own car, noticing a small slip of paper tucked in the middle console. I stop and pull it from its resting place, being extra careful not to damage the delicate sheet. 

I turned it over and over in my palm running my fingers over the dried ink creating what seemed to be a tribal owl. I had never seen one of these before, and definitely had no idea where it came from. Could It be Jasper? I really didn't know, but would ask him to be sure.

Whatever this was, what was it supposed to mean?

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