| Kidnapped! |
| I looked at the alarm clock. The red digits read 10:00am. I looked at Kian. He was holding me around the waist, as though he was scared that I was going to leave and never come back. He looked so sweet when he was asleep. Like a baby. I grabbed my dressing gown and got out of bed. Unlike Kian, I wasn�t one for walking around the house naked! Suddenly, Kian let out the sort of whining noise a baby makes when it can�t find its teddy while it�s sleeping. I stroked his forehead and he woke up. �Where you going?� Kian slipped his arm around my waist again. �I�m going down to get my breakfast.� I replied, smiling. �Oh, can�t you stay with me?� Kian stuck his bottom lip out. He was acting like a little kid. �No, I�m hungry. Why don�t you come with me?� I insisted that I needed something to eat. Kian nodded and I leant over. His soft lips touched mine and then I straightened up again. �See you in a minute, babe.� I waved and walked downstairs. I turned the kettle on and the phone rang. I answered it. �Hi, Holly. It�s me, Shane.� I smiled to myself. �You haven�t been doing anything naughty with Kian, have you?� We both laughed. �We both know you�re the one for me, darling.� �I was only joking, babe.� Let me explain this. Shane and I are quite close and he�s like a brother to me. We joke around a lot. Actually, he�s my ex. �So, what did you phone for?� I decided to ask this so Kian didn�t walk downstairs and get the wrong idea! Kian always seemed wary of Shane as though one day he would whisk me away and Kian would never see me again. �I was wondering if Kian was having a day off.� I covered the receiver and shouted upstairs. �Kian! Shane�s wondering if you are going to have a day off.� Kian walked downstairs, dressed in a pair of beige combats and a blue shirt. �Tell him I�m staying here with my honeybunny.� He massaged my shoulders. I placed the receiver to my ear. �Shane, do you want me to tell you literally what he said or in my own words?� �I�ll have what he said.� Shane seemed interested. �He said he�s staying here with his honeybunny, namely me.� What I said cracked Shane up. �Ok, honeybunny. I thought us three could go uptown and make a day of it.� Shane�s suggestion seemed fun so I asked Kian and he said that he was up for a laugh. �O.K Shane. See you in three-quarters of an hour.� �Okay, honeybunny.� Shane was still laughing. �Bye, Shane babe.� I replaced the receiver. �We better be getting ready, then.� I went to walk upstairs and Kian grabbed me by the arm. I turned to face him. �Not before I�ve done this.� He pulled me close and the passionate kiss that followed was heaven on earth! I stroked Kian�s hair. Why hadn�t I realised that him and I were meant to be a long time ago, before I had been with Shane? I walked upstairs. What was I going to wear? A skirt? Too tarty. Jogging bottoms? Too casual. I finally decided on tie-dye jeans, black boots and a white boob tube with a blue rose on. I grabbed my blue jacket and handbag. Back downstairs I went. Kian was at the door, waiting. He kissed me on the cheek. �You take forever to get ready!� I smiled. �Don�t you want your girlfriend to look good?� He laughed and we walked out the house. We got in Kian�s green sports car and drove off. Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at The West End. When I say arrived, I mean we were in a traffic jam by the �Welcome to The West End� sign! Kian got a piece of paper and scribbled something down. When he saw me looking at him, he smiled and placed the piece of paper to the windscreen. It said �life� on it and now the sign looked like it read �Welcome to The Westlife�! We finally got to the car park. Shane was waiting at the pay and display meter. When he saw me, he winked. �Lookin� good, babe.� I smiled. �I like to make Kian look good!� We all laughed and I was ready to go shopping and have a laugh. �So, did Nicky, Bry and Mark go to the studio, then?� I was curious. �Well, Mark�s ill�� I interrupted Shane. �Oh, the poor darling.� Shane gave me a funny look and carried on. �Nicky said he�d meet us at Starbucks at one with Tina.� Tina, my best friend and Nicky�s girlfriend. �And Bry didn�t feel like going anywhere today.� �Drinking last night, I expect.� I made up my mind about that. At one, we sat in Starbucks. �So, usual for you babe?� Shane was buying drinks. �Yeah.� I replied. �So that�s one Espresso for me, one large caramel Frappaccino for the lovely lady and what would you like, Kian?� Shane looked at Kian and I was sure his eyes showed a slight jealousy. Well, I don�t blame him. I did dump him for Kian. �I�ll have a Cappuccino.� Kian replied and I was so sure that Kian had a hint of hatred in his eyes. Was there rivalry between the two for my heart? I was determined not to let this thought ruin the day so as Kian placed his arm around my shoulders I smiled at him. Suddenly, the door opened and Tina walked over. �Tina,� I got up and hugged her. �I�ll just tell Shane what I want and I�ll be over.� As she walked towards Shane, Kian turned to face me. �Look, is there, like, anything going on between you and Shane? Anything at all?� He seemed genuinely concerned. �No, he�s my ex, Kian. We�re just close still. You�re still my darling.� I kissed him on the cheek and that seemed to make him happy. Tina sat with us. �So, where�s the Nickster?� I was curious again. �Nicky couldn�t make it. He was called into the studio. Something about paperwork. So, I decided to come on my own.� Tina filled us in. Shane brought over the drinks and we sat, drank and joked. After we finished, we walked out of the caf� and down the road. Suddenly, three burly men jumped out. One grabbed Kian and another grabbed Shane. The third grabbed me and reached out for Tina but she ran. �Run, Tina. Go get help. Go get Nicky and Bry.� I shouted as loud as I could. The man clamped his hand over my mouth and whispered in my ear as the lads were dragged off. �Don�t worry, my lovely.� He spoke with an evil tone. �You�ll be seeing lover boy and his mate very soon.� He laughed and as he dragged me off, I saw Kian mouth �I love you.� The room was dark. I was alone, tied to a chair and gagged. I struggled, even though I knew it was no good. I was wondering what they were doing to Kian and Shane. Horrible images of torture flitted through my mind, which reduced me to tears. Suddenly, the room lit up and the man who had dragged me here untied me. As I went to run, he grabbed my arm. �Not so fast, my dear. You�re coming with me.� He dragged me out of the room into another elaborately decorated room. One corner was very dark. A voice sounded from the darkness. �Let go of her, Brad. We wouldn�t want to hurt the poor girl.� He let go but I knew it was useless if I tried to run. The voice sounded unmistakably Irish. Well, after hanging around with Westlife, you�d think I was an expert at picking out Irish accents! �Sit down in that armchair.� I did as I was told. �Flick the switch, Brad.� The dark corner was lit up. I couldn�t believe it. It couldn�t be. It was. �Ronan!� I was shocked. �How could you do this? You founded Westlife! And now you�re against them! I don�t understand.� �Well, I regret the day I ever made this boy band. I�m seething with jealousy, can�t you see that? They�re more popular than I am. And now, you come along. Set to ruin my career.� Ronan seemed crazy. Out of his mind. �I don�t know what you mean�� I was puzzled. �Giving the lads more publicity by dating one after the other. Who�s next, hey? Bryan?� Ronan seemed to be teasing me and I didn�t like it. �You think I�m dating Kian for a publicity stunt! And Shane before for the same reason! I don�t believe you!� �Well, Holly.� Ronan smiled. �It�s time to choose between the two. � He pointed towards a pair of curtains, cutting off part of the room. He put on a game show host smile. �Will it be number 1?� Brad drew the left curtain to reveal Kian, bound and gagged. �The lovely Kian, he loves you with all his heart but is that enough to sway your decision?� �Or will it be number 2?� I knew who number two was before Brad drew the right curtain. And, sure enough, there was Shane, bound and gagged. �The gorgeous Shane. He was your ex, but he still has feelings for you. Ah, isn�t that sweet! You�ve become close to him and he�s like a brother to you. But will that relationship save him?� I was horrified. Ronan expected me to choose between my boyfriend and my would-be brother. I couldn�t do it! �Well, I might as well tell you it�s a life or death situation for these two lads. The one you choose, he lives. The one you ditch, he dies. Simple.� Ronan was making it worse. I couldn�t act as God. �Made your decision yet, Holly?� Ronan was grinning. I looked back and forth between the two guys. Kian or Shane? Shane or Kian? �Take me instead.� I had made my decision. �You said I was the one set to ruin your career. So, don�t let me.� Ronan was astonished. But he beckoned Brad. �Take the gags off them. But don�t untie them. I want to hear them as they suffer.� Brad did as he was told. �Holly, don�t do it.� Kian was pleading with me as he was ungagged. �Don�t do it, please. I love you.� �I love you too, Kian. But I�ve got to.� Tears rolled down my cheeks. �Bring her to me, Brad.� Ronan beckoned Brad again. Brad brought me to him. Ronan took out a gun. �Say goodbye, lads. For this is the last you will see of Holly.� I shut my eyes. My life flashed before me. �CLICK.� The gun was loaded. �Stop right there.� A voice sounded. It was Nicky. I knew it and I opened my eyes. There he stood, Tina at his side with a dozen cops, all ready to shoot. He looked like Superman. Bryan was untying Kian and Shane. The cops ran at Ronan. �BANG� Oh, the pain. He had shot me in the chest. As Kian caught me, I looked at his face. It was stained with tears. I reached up and stroked his face. �I�m sorry, Kian.� The pain was unbearable. �Call an ambulance!� Kian shouted at a policeman. As the cop ran off, Kian comforted me. �Hold on, baby, the ambulance will be here soon. Don�t die on me.� He kissed my forehead and a tear fell from his eye onto my cheek. The pain was worsening. �I don�t know�I don�t know if I can�� Everything went black. A year later �Where are you taking me?� I was blindfolded and Kian was leading me by the hand. I had survived the gunshot, with one minor scar, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. �You�ll find out soon enough.� I heard Kian open the door and then the blindfold was whipped off. �HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HOLLY!� The other four guys were standing there, in ridiculous party hats. There was a big banner hanging across the room reading �Happy Birthday Holly.� Tears came to my eyes. �Thank you, guys.� I hugged them all. �I thought you had all forgotten it.� �How could we forget? I wouldn�t let them anyway!� Kian laughed and I kissed him on the cheek. �A toast to a Happy Birthday!� Shane raised his champagne glass and we followed suit. �I�ll get the food then.� Mark went to the kitchen. The guys followed. �And here�s a toast to another year of love.� Kian and I raised our glasses, laughing. |