Born and gone

4

Fallon POV

"Mummy this buildings really pretty." Lacey said as we entered the entrance hall of Jackson's penthouse building. I looked around the white and glass hallway, the whole place squeaky clean and the workers friendly all in matching uniforms.

"It's beautiful isn't it." I said as she giggled and I smiled slightly at seeing her happy.

"What numbers that, Lacey?" I said pointing at Jackson's door.

"Fifteen?" She said as I giggled.

"One hundred and fifty , you were so close though baby."

I knocked on the door and waited patiently where Jackson came and opened the door smiling brightly as Lacey yelled his name and hugged him and he hugged her back picking her up.

"Hey, kiddo!" He said before putting her back down. "Hey." He said to me as I smiled back politely.

"Erm, I packed her lunch so make sure she has that at half twelve or she'll get hangry-"

"She is your daughter." He said smiling as I rolled my eyes.

"And don't call her honey she hates it , please let her call u Jackson for now... And no pictures of her on social media or by paparazzi and make sure you give her something to drink regularly and make sure it's in a small glass cause she struggles with bigger ones-"

"Fallon. It'll be fine..."

"Right... my numbers in the lunch box so contact me if you need me and I'll be back for her at six."

"Okay... Thank you for trusting me."

"I don't trust you, I just want my daughter to be happy." I said before walking away after handing him the lunch box.

I went back home and picked up Lacey's toys and tidied them away before giving the whole apartment a deep clean , which I never get the chance to do. I sat on the couch at two o'clock thinking "what am I going to do now?"

I've never had time to do nothing for years... I wonder if work could let me go in today for some extra money?

Nah. I'm going to relax... I walked over to the bottle of white wine and poured myself a glass before turning on the TV, and Jackson's song came blaring from it. I've never let myself watch or listen to it... Scared I'll fall in love with him all over again if I heard him sing. I closed my eyes after taking a few mouth fulls of wine and let my head fall back onto the couch, closing my eyes just listening...

7 years earlier

I opened the door as my mum and dad sat in our living room, so they don't embarrass me.

"You look beautiful." He said as I scoffed and walked out the door to close it.

"Shut up." I giggled.

"No you seriously are. I'm lucky that you're single and that I get this opportunity."

"Stop being so soppy, I want food."

"Yes ma'am." He said as he opened the door to his black truck and I got in after thanking him.

He jumped in the other side and drove off.

"You're not gonna murder me in your car are you?"

"Tempting... but no. We're going to the beach."

"But it's dark and April."

"You'll see."

We pulled up at the beach and he played loud music out the speaker , mainly Bryson tiller which didn't surprise me. He pulled out a McDonald's bag from the back seat. "Take your pick." He said giving me the bag as I pulled out nine chicken nuggets. "What drink would you like?"

"Stra-" I couldn't even finish my sentence as he handed me a strawberry milkshake. "How did you-"

"Just a feeling."  He said as I played with the straw in my drink looking out onto the lit up beach from the head lights.

"I've never thought about doing this."

"That's cause it's my thing and my place but I guess now it can be yours to."

"Oh why thank you for allowing me to come to a public beach." I said sarcastically as he let out a low laugh followed by a sigh.

"Where are you from?"

"England, originally."

"When's your birthday?"

"8th of July..."

"How old are you?"

"18, is this an interview now?"

"It is but one last question, how are you so fucking beautiful?"

"Genes, my mums a milf."

"Wowwwww." He said laughing as I joined in laughing.

"Where are you from then?"

"New Jersey , my birthdays November 6th and I am 19."

"I wasn't going to ask any of them other questions, I'll have you know."

"Well what were you going to ask me ? If you want to know what my race is it's both white and black-"

"No I was going to ask you how your going to reach your dream of being a singer."

"Oh. Well, I'm not too sure yet... Just want to get out there you know?"

"Yeah... You'll get there." I said as he looked deep in my eyes, his eyes intense brown with curled black lashes around them...

"We're going to do great."

"Steady on." I said laughing as he sat up in his seat.

"No I can see it already, Fallon. Just once you let them walls come down."

"They came down enough for me to be on this date, Jackson." I said as he rested his head back on the chair.

"Let me guess, you let an average man determine your value. He broke your heart and now you think all guys are going to do the same , because all we must want is sex and arm candy."

"There wasn't one particular guy, there was just a lot of guys all doing the same thing repeatedly."

"And what's that?"

"Making promises , saying shit they don't mean then when it suits them they leave."

"And now your hurt."

"I'm not hurt." I said sternly as he sat up and leaned against the steering wheel.

"Don't lie, Fallon. Not all guys are like that."

"No but romance is dead, there's no chance of having a guy that'll treat you right. This generation is fucked."

"Maybe, but I believe in romance. Hell, I'm the most soppy guy you'll ever meet when I like a girl. Give me a chance."

Every fibre in my being told me to not believe him. My head was screaming "don't believe him, you've been here before and each time it's the same ending." But my heart was whispering "what if this is the one?" And despite my head screaming the logic, I listened intently to the sound of my heart telling me "Just one more time."