Not Another Cinderella Story (lxngdon & MaryGold)

[MaryGold]

M A S O N
​

Mason loved music. He loved dancing. And he loved parties.

So, it would only make sense he also loved clubs, wouldn't it? No. He wasn't a club person as much as people pegged him to be. Not that he hated them, it just wasn't for him. And why?

His night blindness, it was damn near impossible to see in the dimly room with the only source of bright lights flashing and spinning all over the place. He found himself colliding with many bodies, almost falling to the floor more than once. He was a stumbling mess.

And yet, he was there. In the club. All because Teddy asked him to be. What an ass. His best friend and partner knew of his condition. But, he didn't care that much, because he was way too high on ecstasy. Literally.

It felt as if his veins were pumping blood faster than ever, that he was on top of the world and no one could take that away from him. And he loved the feeling more than words could possibly express.

Dancing on the dancefloor, no problem. Sure, he may have fell a couple of times. Or a lot. Flirting with girls, despite fumbling over himself, he loved it. Talking non stop and chatting Teddy's ear off, satisfying.

Eventually, Teddy had enough and dragged him over to the bar. It was separate and farther away than the actual dancefloor of the club. And considerably quieter as well. Somewhere he could collect his thoughts and calm down. At least, that was what Teddy was hoping for.

"Oh my god, this tastes like heaven. What the fuck is it?" Asked Mason from his seat on the bar stool.

He sat beside Teddy, holding his drink and staring into the cup that held a clear liquid with eyes full of innocent wonder.

"It's vodka, " Teddy answered with a role of his eyes.

"I love vodka," The dirty blonde smiled, dimples and all.

His partner stood from his seat when his phone started ringing."I know. Stay here, I'll be back."
He directed knowing that Mason could get into all kinds of trouble and it could leak to the media. Which he did not want, at all. But he left after answering his phone and leaving behind the other young man.

Mason didn't mind the absence of his partner in the least, so he scooted over to talk to the nearest person at the bar counter. And it happened to be a girl. A pretty girl. A beautiful girl. Well, either she was or the drugs had him thinking everything was beautiful.

"Hello," He greeted ever so smoothly.

 

[lxngdon]

l a i n e y​

Lainey hated clubs, but the bar she frequented had been closed so for some reason, Lainey Applewhite found herself sitting with a bottle in one hand and her head in her other, trying to ignore the sounds around her.

Lainey hated this stupid, loud, obnoxious, sweaty place, but it was better than home, where Harrison was waiting for her, only to take his anger out on her like he always did. But he knew where to place the bruises so thy couldn't be seen by anyone other than them.

Fucking pig.

Lainey sipped at her drink, grimaced at the bitterness and tried to think of what she had done to deserve such a major fuck up in her life. That injury two years previously had ruined the rest of her life and she didn't know how she had hit rock bottom so quickly, but here she was, hiding a club from her boyfriend while her brother and sister played in the US Open.

"Hello."

Lainey turned her head to see a cute guy who was obviously on something, smiling at her. She cocked an eyebrow. Dressed in jeans and a baggy hoodie, she didn't look like a girl who was looking to get picked up any time soon.

"Can I help you?" she drawled in a faded Hungarian accent before finishing the rest of her whiskey and gesturing to the bartender for another. She tossed her thick hair over her shoulder and hoped the cute guy that looked vaguely familiar would forget about her.

She didn't need to worry about being hungover since her asshole boss had fired her that day. Because he had found a hotter housekeeper. She wasn't offended, but rather relieved. Lainey wasn't looking forward to finding another job, though.

 

[MaryGold]

M A S O N
​

"Well, you can start by giving me your name." Mason swirled the clear liquid in his cup, never taking his eyes off of her for a second.

He couldn't read her, he wasn't focused enough for that. Even if he wasn't as intoxicated as he was currently , he probably still wouldn't have been able to read her well. He wasn't good at those sort of things. He loved people, but rarely did he ever know them.

"I'm Mason." He introduced himself, placing his empty hand over his chest and smirking. "And I'm a pretty big deal."

He shrugged his shoulders as if it wasn't a big deal. As if it was the most obvious thing to be known in the world. He didn't delve any deeper into it, because in his unclear head she should know by now.

"Now, you know me."

 

[lxngdon]

l a i n e y​

Lainey cocked an eyebrow. "Who?"

She genuinely had no idea who this fucker was, but considering how cocky he was and how confident he seemed to be in himself, he could tell she wouldn't like him. Lainey turned back to her new bottle and opened it with her teeth.

"You can't give me a totally ambiguous description of yourself and expect me to know who you are." She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He was cute, but not so attractive that he had the right to be as obnoxious as he was.

"Now, I shall give you an example of a correct introduction," she said sarcastically. "Hello. My name is Lainey and I'd really like to sit here and drink myself to death so if you could fuck off, that'd be great."

 

[MaryGold]

M A S O N
​

"Wow. That was a blow to my pride." Regardless, a perfectly cropped smile was still pinned to his face. In fact, he even chuckled softly at her harsh words finding her to be a very interesting person indeed. It was rare that he wasn't recognized and on those rare occasions the person still indulged him in conversation.

"After such a marvelous introductory, I have no real desire to leave your side. The opposite really." He laid his chin in the palm of his hand after finishing the rest of his drink in his cup.

"It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Lainey." He went on, setting down his cup and sliding it over to the bartender for another fill, which was the last thing he needed.

"Since we're on first name basis, may I ask whats put you into the dumps?"

 

[lxngdon]

l a i n e y​

Lainey gave Mason a deplorable look and brought her bottle up to her lips. She had gotten to the stage where she had drunk so much alcohol over the course of her life, it barely had an affect on her anymore.

"Well, for starters, there's this asshole who seems too high to take a hint." Lainey scowled at him and checked her phone to see that Harrison had peppered her with questions pertaining to her whereabouts. She ignored him.

"And my asshole boss fired me. Also, it's a Monday." Lainey put her phone in her pocket and glared at her reflection in the mirror behind the bar.

She looked angry enough to punch a kitten in the face.

 

[MaryGold]

M A S O N
​

Mason consciously chose to ignore her previous comment on him being an asshole. Oh, and the bit on him being high too. But in no way would he deny the truth of it. And he barely noticed the look of detest she gave him, either that or he didn't care.

It could be both.

"Fuck him and fuck Mondays." He frowned slightly hearing her awful news.

"I'm sure you're a spectacular ... "
He trailed off. What was it that she did? She hadn't told him and the chances if her telling him was very slim. And she looked pissed.

Naturally, he asked her with no sense of danger that might come after."What is it that you do?"

 

[lxngdon]

l a i n e y​

For a moment, Lainey considered hitting Mason over the head with a glass bottle and just walking away. He was so annoying, and clearly stuck-up enough to ignore her hints of leaving her alone.

"I clean houses for rich fuckers who just treat me like a second-class citizen," she said coldly. And he probably did the same with his housekeeper.

She turned away, intending on ignoring whatever he said to her next. She needed to get home so Harrison didn't get too angry at her. Or she could just never go back ...

But where would she go? Her family was touring the world in the sport she yearned to play. And she was stuck in this shitty city in this shitty situation with her shitty life.

 

[MaryGold]

M A S O N
​

"You clean houses?" Mason repeated slowly. "I guess I would be upset too if that was my way of making a living." He mumbled, sipping from his refilled glass of vodka.

He sighed, content with his drink as it warmed his insides. "I need housekeeper." It dawned him as he stared her in the face.

Mason was a mess, and not just as a person. He never cleaned up after himself and always threw things around to add to the problem. His house looked as if a tornado went through it.

The only time he ever tried cleaning was when Kari came over. And most times he never knew when she would come, she simple came and went as she pleased. Just like their relationship honestly.

And it seemed more than strange to pick up a housekeeper at the bar of a club. He was still so high it was comical to him and he was sure he wouldn't remember anything that transpired this night by morning.

"This is weird, it's almost like fate we met. I need a housekeeper and you need a job." He grinned.

 

[lxngdon]

l a i n e y​

Lainey glared at Mason out of the corner of her eye. First he had the audacity to insult her profession -- yeah, it was shit, but he didn't need to say that.

And then he had the gall to ask her to work for him?

"Yeah, I need a job but I'm not desperate." Lainey pulled her wallet out of her purse to pay for her drinks, but unbeknownst to her, one of her business cards slipped out and landed on the bar beside Mason.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have better places to be." That was a lie, but she left anyway.

When Lainey got home, she tried to be quiet so she didn't wake up Harrison, but a gust of wind slammed the door behind her too loudly and she knew he would find her.

 

[MaryGold]

M A S O N​

Mason watched her go, frowning only temporarily. Was it something he said? He knew that his mouth was often a problem, though he was still disappointed to be turned down so quickly.

He turned back around and immediately noticed the card before plucking it up and holding it between his fingers as he read with wonder. "Lainey Applewhite?"

A smile returned to his face.

H A R R I S O N
​

The moment after the door slammed closed behind Lainey, the lights flicked on, illuminating the living room and revealing Harrison's presence. By the ugly glare he directed at her and the irritation in his eyes it was evident he hadn't gotten much sleep, if any at all, in. And though she had only just arrived, he was already blaming her.

"And where the fuck have you been?" He growled dangerously, approaching Lainey.
"Do you any idea what time it is? Or how many times I've tried contacting you."

There was no excuse for her. He should only have to call or send a text once to get an immediate reply. No, he shouldn't have had to do that all, because Lainey should just be there.

Harrison sniffed once, smelling something amiss on her. He grabbed the collar of her shirt and roughly pulled her close to him, sniffing her once more.

She reeked of alcohol.

It was something he was used to by now, but still."Were you out drinking on a Monday night? Don't you have a job to attend to tomorrow?"

His grip tightened on her shirt collar. He was getting tired if this idiot of a woman and her shit.

 

[lxngdon]

l a i n e y​

Instead of the glare she had held for Mason, Lainey looked up at Harrison with a mix of fear and loathing in her eyes. She hated him. She really hated him, but there was no escape.

"I got fired," she said through gritted teeth.

He'd hit her. She expected it and she braced herself for it. She would be surprised if he let her go without a hit.

"Wasn't hot enough for him." She tried to push Harrison off her.

"Come on, let's just go to bed, you need sleep ..." Maybe she could hit him over the head with a vase while he was asleep and run away.

 

[MaryGold]

H A R R I S O N
​

"You got fired and you want to go to bed?" Harrison's eye twitched, his irritation changing into something more, anger.

He released his grip on her shirt and seemingly let her free. But no, that wasn't his style. If he let it go than she would keep doing as she liked.

He punched her shoulder, once, twice three times as he spoked to her, backing her up against the wall. "Maybe if you put some actual effort in your appearance you would still have a job right now." His tone contained utter annoyance.

"You should be so lucky that you have me. On days were more than some you're absolutely appalling."
He clenched his teeth, tightly squeezing her shoulder he strikes. There was sure to be some bruising amongst difficulty of using that arm, but he could care less. If anything, it didn't feel like enough.

However, he was tired and for the night he didn't have the energy to completely beat some sense into her. "You better fix this unemployment problem right away." He reluctantly let her go and walked away, presumably to bed.

 

[lxngdon]

l a i n e y
​

Lainey woke up the next morning with a throbbing arm and a slight hangover. Neither were the worst thing she had experienced, however.

Since she didn't particularly fancy going job hunting with a black eye, she got off the couch in which she had slept and trudged into the kitchen to make Harrison breakfast. Bacon and eggs and toast. Hopefully he'd go easy on her.

Lainey had no idea if he was awake or even in the house. But he'd be home eventually and she didn't want another fight. Sometimes he was alright, tolerable.

Other times she wanted to die.

She absently sipped on her own herbal tea and turned the TV onto the US Open so she could watch her sister play tennis. Piper, her almost identical twin. Playing the sport Lainey would be playing too if she hadn't injured herself.

 

[MaryGold]

H A R R I S O N
​

Swinging open the front door, Harrison walked inside holding a bouquet of red and white roses and a cup of coffee. His wandered to the television shortly before he focused his attention back on his girlfriend on the couch. He kickef the door closed and approached her.

"Hey." He began, taking a seat next to her on the sofa. "I bought these for you." Said Harrison, handing her the bouquet and then the coffee."It'll help with your hangover."

"I wanted to apologize about last night. I was really tired, I didn't mean any of it." Harrison leaned in and kissed her cheek and down to her neck. He only pulled away when smelling his breakfast. He smiled at her. "You know I appreciate all you do, right? I love you."

 

[lxngdon]

l a i n e y
​

Lainey had heard this a hundred thousand times before. And every single time, he had done it again, he had proven to her that he didn't love her and that she was just a toy to him.

But ... he seemed genuinely sorry this time. Maybe if she accepted the apology -- and tried to be better -- he'd get better and they could be happy. Because as much as Lainey didn't want to admit it, even to herself, Harrison was all she had.

"I love you, too," she murmured. And she guessed she did -- she wouldn't have stuck around for so long if she didn't. And he was gorgeous, he could have anyone. She guessed he loved her, too.

Lainey accepted the flowers and the coffee and inhaled the pretty scent of the roses. "These are beautiful," she murmured, turning her head to plant a sweet kiss to Harrison's lips. "Thank you."

She got up to hand Harrison his breakfast, kept warm under the grill, and put the roses in a vase. She had just set the vase on the bench when her phone rang, an unknown number.

"Hello?"​

 

[MaryGold]

M A S O N
​

"Hello," Mason greeted through the phone, his voice hoarse and tired. And despite not being in the presence of the young woman, he smiled nonetheless.

He felt like shit. But there was nothing new there.

"Might I be speaking to Ms. -" He flipped the card over in his fingers to read her surname once note. "Applewhite. Lainey Applewhite?"

He didn't bother waiting for an answer an and continued.
"I've heard you're an excellent housekeeper and I'm hoping you have an opening." He said using a posh version of his accent

 

[lxngdon]

l a i n e y
​

"Um, yes, that's me," said Lainey, looking over the bench at the back of Harrison's head. If she got this job, so soon after losing her other one, maybe he'd be a bit happier.

She didn't even stop to think of who this was and how they had gotten her card. Her name was passed around through several rich families in London. It wasn't a new thing for Lainey to get calls from random people.

"And, yes, I do indeed have an opening." She went to get her planner out of its drawer at the computer desk and sat with a pen in her hand.

"I'm available every day from ten in the morning to four in the afternoon. The hours and days are up to you. It's twenty-one pounds per hour, or if you hire me for more than three days a week it's one hundred pounds a day. A full week is four hundred and forty pounds."​

 

[MaryGold]

M A S O N
​

Mason didn't bother doing the math. Why would he? He had enough for her price. More than her price. And she had done it for him already. So, things would go smoothly.

"I'll hire you for the full week then," Mason nodded his head softly though wasn't there to see him do so."When can you start?" He asked more out of curiosity than actual business.

He twirled her buisiness card in his hand and tossed it to the side. He wouldn't be needing it anymore when she'd practically work in his house everyday. Unless she came to quit. And that was a possibility seeing how much she disliked him the prior night.

But boy, he couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she'd see him.

 

[lxngdon]

l a i n e y
​

"I can start whenever you'd like," Lainey replied. She checked the time to see it was nine-thirty, meaning this man, whoever he was, could still get her to come in that day.

She glanced at Harrison. Would he be happy with this?

"I'll just need your name, address and a time you'd like me to show up at."

She'd have to get Harrison to drive her if it was too far and she wasn't really looking forward to that. Lainey could drive, but not with her sore arm.

"We'll discuss further details when I get there, if you like."​