Alan Walker (ManxMan)

Chapter Two

January 2017

25 years' old

Louis had driven Alan to the house where his work was to commence. The first twenty minutes of the ride was quiet, the noise that filled the car came drifting from the radio where a woman crooned about being scared to be lonely.

"Remember if you want me to get you, just speed-dial me and I'll be there." Louis had said and Alan nodded, trying to push the lyrics to the song playing out of his head because he's sure as hell doesn't need anybody to hold him tonight.

"You need to sleep too, there's only so much you can take, alright?" Louis had said and Alan had nodded in reply.

Now they're parked outside the house, both of them looking up at it. Louis let out a whistle as he stares at the house from the driveway he had parked in while Alan just sighs internally and looks up at the house, his new home for the next six months but he could see the appeal. The house was actually a huge mansion with a driveway that had a huge water fountain in the middle, the windows were huge and lined along the side of the house were small flowerpots with a different flower in each one, on the far side of the house was a garage and Alan almost wants to see if the cars there were as impressive as the house but the thought disappeared as quickly as it came.

"Is someone waiting for you inside or is this going to be an awkward start for you?" Louis asked as he made his way to the back of the car, pulling the trunk open and pulling out Alan's bags. Alan nods his head as he helps Louis pull out his stuff, Alan didn't pack much for he only had two medium sized boxes and a large one and after pulling them out, he along with Louis dragged the bags to the front of the house.

"Do you want me to wait until you're answered or do you want me to go in with you?" Louis asked, a little concerned, a small frown on his face, his eyes searching Alan's face for any sign of discomfort.

"I can do this. I'll call you when I'm all settled, alright?" Alan said, giving his friend a small smile to ease his worries.

"Make sure you do because I can come back and I will make one hell of a ruckus to see you." Louis said with a chuckle before pulling Alan in for a hug, his arms tightening around Alan's middle as he squeezed and hugged him tightly. Alan laughed into the hug, closed his eyes and returned the embrace, they stayed that way until they heard someone clear their throat behind them. Alan didn't jump back but merely pulled back slowly, he then turned to see who it was and he gave Lili a polite smile that she returned.

"Good morning, Alan."

"Morning, Lili. You look splendid." Alan said and she truly did clad in grey jeans, mid-thigh stiletto boots and a see through top, her hair was pulled into a bun and her face highlighted with the little make up she had on.

Louis made his way forward and smiled so brightly at Lili that Alan thought about handing her his RayBans to block how bright it was. "Good morning, beautiful." Louis said to her. "Lanny here, never told me just how gorgeous you are."

Lili raised a brow and laughed, she was both amused and shocked as she stared at the man in front of her. His dark hair that was styled into a fringe, baby blue eyes, pointed nose and pouty lips and she took his words as a compliment, a true one, not words said with a hidden meaning beneath it.

"Why, thank you..."

"Louis, my name is Louis but you can call me Lou. All my friends do."

"So I am your friend?"

"Not yet but you will be if you take good care of Alan, I need to make sure here is safe for him."

Alan felt heat creep up his cheeks as he stared at his friend who was still looking at Lili expecting an answer that he would be comfortable with and trust. It was moments like this that Alan was glad that he had a friend like Louis, who has his back no matter what and Alan smiled where he was leaning against the car. He didn't hear Lili's response as he was lost in thoughts but by the smile on Louis face and the confidence in his steps as he walked back to Alan, the nanny knew that it was a perfect answer that he had gotten.

--

When the car was far gone, Alan turned around and slowly walked to Lili who was standing in front of the door with a hand on the knob, ready to twist and push open the door for Alan.

"You ready?"

Alan smiled and nodded. "As I'll ever be."

Lili took that as a sign and pushed the door open. Alan stepped in after Lili and bit his lip to keep back a gasp. The floors were wood, a gold chandelier was hung high and the window were wide and almost floor length and in front of him was a living room that looked like something out of a vintage magazine with its antique chairs and the details of the center table, hung on the wall to his right was a flat screen television that took up the wall. Everything and everywhere looked gold, pristine and spacious.

"It's gorgeous." Alan said breathily as he stares.

"I know. Dom decorated this himself." Lili said. "The house is divided into three, this is the first floor and here's where the game room and the indoor pool is, along with the kitchen and some other stuffs," Alan nods and follows her as she leads him to the staircase. "This is the second floor, this is where your room and the boy's room are, there's a game room here too and a mini library."

The second floor was just like the first but there's a hallway with three doors and at the end of the hall, there are walls lined with shelves of book and a huge table with a fully connected apple computer and four sets of black leather sofa, on one door there was a poster of The 1975 and on the door across it was a huge sticker of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head.

"The one with the aesthetic poster is Mitchell's room and the one with the cute sticker is Ryker's room."

Alan nods in understanding, his eyes falling to the rich burgundy rug beneath his feet and that's when he remembers he still had his shoes on.

"Is it okay to have my shoes on in the house?"

"If it makes you comfortable." She replies and leads him to the last door that was locked and pushed it open, turning to give him a sly smile before entering inside.

Alan room was big, wide and spacious. It comes equipped with its own bathroom and toilet, a king-sized bed covered with black sheets and white duvet, a huge closet and a reading table pressed against the left wall with a laptop on it and to top it off, it had his own balcony that had a grey looking sofa and a small coffee table.

"This is your room. Isn't it beautiful?" Lili asked, laughing as she twirls.

Alan couldn't believe his eyes, he has been doing this nanny business for four-five years now and he has seen everything seeable, he's seen castles, mansions, houses and nothing could come up to this and he's partially scared because he hasn't met the kids yet nor has he met Lili's brother and he really can't be blamed for being scared because he's had to endure husbands and wives who have come up to him, trying to crawl their way into his bed, but never has he gotten a room half as big as this.

"It's amazing! Are you sure this is mine?"

Lili stops in her tracks and looked at him, noticing how tired his eyes are even though he's smiling. "Of course."

"Thank you." Alan said sincerely as he places his boxes down.

Lili nodded. "It's alright." She said. "I'm going to pick Ryker up from a friend's house and Mitchell would be back by five. Why don't you take the opportunity to rest before we all get back, okay?"

"Okay."

November 2004

12-year-old, Alan.

Snow covered everything and everywhere and Alan is cold. He pulls the worn out coat around him as he quickly walks up the stairs to his school and into the warmth that surrounded the school due to the heater. Kids filled the halls and with every step he took he got shoved, albeit lightly, he made his way quickly to his locker, hoping to quickly get his books and run before his stepbrother caught up to him.

He had successfully grabbed his Home Econs and Chemistry textbooks and was about to grab his French note when his locker door was jammed shut on his fingers. Alan didn't get the chance to scream in pain because he was pulled back and thrown against the locker and even in his state of pain, he still hears the hall quieten as everyone watched.

Alan didn't have to look up to know that it was Will that had done it. His lips fell open in a silent scream as Will grabbed his hair and punched him in the face.

"You are such a worthless piece of s**t!" Will spat, raising his hand to punch Alan again.

At the early age of eight, Alan had learnt screaming still doesn't get you help, so he had stopped. Instead he just lets the tears roll down his face, instead he takes the beating, instead he spits or swallows the blood, instead he screams internally. He's not weak, he's just tired. So now instead of screaming in pain or thrashing around, he just accepts Will's beating with a heart that feels just about ready to give out and a head filled with no hope about someone coming up to help him.

"He takes the beating like the b***h that he is, everyone!" Will yelled and pushed Alan until he was in a crumbled heap on the ground, his clothes already stained with blood and his face with gashes and the forming of a bruise.

He is going to be okay, isn't he?

He's going to grow well and become a strong person, isn't he?