TORN

Chapter 1

"Mom, mom...MOM!!!!" Zena screamed as she slammed the front door. The Alexanders lived in a standard three-story house, including a basement, nothing special. Zena's friends always thought her family was rich, but, to be honest, they were just blessed beyond measure. "MOM!!!!"

"What? What is it? Is something wrong?" Margaret came running into the foyer with a scared look on her face. She was an accomplished engineer in her early 40s and could handle anything life threw her way, except the mini heart attack she got whenever her daughter screamed through the house. "Zena, what is going on?" Margaret asked as she watched her giddy daughter jumping up and down, clasping her hands.

"Mom, I just got the biggest assignment of my career. I'm covering a story on the world's biggest boyband, and it's in London. LONDON. This could make or break my shot as a writer!" Margaret smiled at her daughter. "How are you not freaking out right now?"

"That's great, sweetie, but you aren't into boy bands. You never have been."

"I know, but I'm not going to pass up a chance to go to London. I mean it's London. I listened to their music and, I gotta say, they're not half bad, and they're pretty cute, I think I already have a favorite," Zena pulled up a picture of the band on her phone and shoved it in her mom's face.

"What is up with you liking white boys, are you going to end up dating a white boy?" Margaret laughed.

"Mom, stop." Zena looked at the time. "I have to get packing, my flight leaves at 4 am." She gave her mom a big hug and ran to her room, almost face planting on the way there.

William Alexander, a business consultant in his mid-40s walked through the door not long after and heard everything that had just transpired. "Z, get down here right now!" William yelled from the living room. He always had an angry voice when kidding around.

"Hey, dad."

"What's this I hear of you dating a white boy?" Wow.

Zena turned to her mom. "After all the stuff I told you, that's what stuck out?" She then turned to her dad. "Do you really think I'm going to date a white boy?" William shrugged and Zena laughed telling him the good news. "My flight leaves at 4 AM, so I need to pack." Zena rushed back up the stairs to finish packing.

"I swear that girl loves to travel," William said as her parents watched on.

"And what's wrong with that? She gets it from her father," Margaret jokingly replied before placing a kiss on his cheek as they walked to their bedroom.

Zena's parents were the perfect couple. They met in church and fell in love, got married about a couple years later, and three years after that had her. Three years after that, her brother, Nick, was born and they've been a happy family ever since.

After a while of picking and choosing what she wanted to take, she ended up with three luggage pieces, a backpack she used as a purse, and a carry-on bag. 'I need to pack lighter from now on' is what she always said after every trip abroad, but never seemed to do it. 

"Toothbrush/toothpaste - check

Deodorant - check

Soap - check

Washcloths/towels – check

Shower cap – check

Shower shoes – check

Undergarments – check

Feminine products- check

Rain jacket/sweatshirts/hoodies – check

Appropriate clothing for the weather – check

Sneakers/high tops/flats/pumps/wedges - check

Tea- check

Computer/iPad/iPhone – check

VIP badge – check

Camera/recording equipment – check

Cash/credit card/driver's license/important cards – check"

Zena checked, double-checked, and triple checked her list, and before she knew it, it was midnight. "No point of sleeping now, that's what the plane ride is for." After drinking some honey lemon tea and watching George Lopez, her 12:45 alarm went off signaling it was time to start getting ready. She showered and washed her hair before pulling on her dark-wash skinny jeans, a white studded tank top, her favorite leather jacket, black rhinestone high tops, and a black snapback with 'Fe' Força Foco' meaning 'Faith Force Focus' in white writing. There was no need to do makeup since she would be sleeping on the flight, and to be quite honest, she didn't care enough to make herself look "pretty". After all, the plane left at 4 AM.

It was about 2 AM when Zena woke everyone up and said her goodbyes. "What? You're leaving already?" William groggily asked.

"We want to see you off. I'll drag Nick out the bed and we'll see you in ten minutes in the car," Margaret stated and giddily ran to Nick's room.

"Make it quick!" Zena yelled after her mom. "Can you help me get my bags into the car?" William nodded with a yawn as the two dragged the bags to the car. Within a minute Margaret and Nick piled in the back seat and the family was off to the airport.

The Alexanders arrived at BWI airport, and after about 40 minutes of checking in, TSA lines, and saying her goodbyes, Zena had five minutes to spare, so she went to the only place open at 3 AM...Starbucks. After ordering her usual and finding a table in the corner, Zena called her family to say goodbye once more.

"So are you excited to go to London?" Nick asked on the other end of the receiver.

"Yeah, I'm super excited. I get to see all the major sights that you saw, and meet a famous band, which means VIP concerts and backstage access," Zena exclaimed. Nick went to London two years prior and stayed for about two weeks so he knew a little about it. He started explaining what to do and what not to do, where the busiest places and best tourists spots are, and who to and not to buy from. "Thanks, Nick, I'll keep that in mind." Flight 245 to London the flight attendant announced over the intercom. "That's me. Love you guys. I'll call you when I land." Zena hung up the phone, checked in, and boarded the plane. I'm actually doing this. I'm going to London. She starred out the window as she slumped in her business class seat, thinking of all the possibilities that could transpire over the next month.

During the seven-hour direct flight, Zena drifted off into dreamland as her boyband playlist blasted in her ears. This was going to be an easy assignment...or was it?