Show No Mercy Read online

  She showed him a lot more places, a lot more things, a lot more people, a lot more buildings … and, as you can see, it would be impossible to describe every single one of them.

  The pair of them were exhausted. It was night time by the end of their massive extravaganza. They both walked out to see the beautiful shimmering dark sky lay out above them.

  “Wow …” Adam murmured.

  “The sky is always beautiful,” Sophie found herself saying. “Even when it’s dark or rainy or cloudy, it’s still beautiful to look at. It’ll be there no matter what, and I know it will always be beautiful.”

  Adam smiled at her, his face filled full of warmth. He was about to reach for her hand, when Sophie saw a blind old man who was trying to cross the road. However, he was struggling to do so because he didn’t know if any cars were coming or not.

  Sophie walked up to him. “Are you OK, sir? Should I help you cross the road?”

  “I – I – well, yes, thank you dear.”

  “No problem,” said Sophie, smiling. She took hold of his arm, and guided him across the road.

  “Where would you like to go specifically, sir?”

  “Oh, lovely, I – I think I’ll go to the Marks & Spencers shop. Do some late night shopping for my missus. I’d be very grateful.”

  “OK, I’ll take you there!” Sophie said softly.

  She guided him there.

  “Thank you so much, my dear,” the old man said, as Adam had finally caught up with Sophie.

  The old man moved his arm and found Sophie’s shoulder. He gently but quickly patted it.

  Sophie slowly took it off. “I hope you enjoy your day, sir.”

  “I will.”

  Sophie and Adam slowly turned around and walked with each other again.

  “What I like about you is your habit of helping people. I guess that’s why you’re so – so – well, nice!”

  “Oh, Mitchell, that’s so sweet. If I wasn’t Adam Attenborough’s boyfriend then I would be yours, but you know that we’re not as much as friends.”

  “Yes, yes, of course.” These were the only words that Adam could manage.

  Adam wanted to add to his sentence, I am Adam Attenborough, and I am your boyfriend before you. But he didn’t have the guts to tell her who he actually was yet.

  Adam finally started to let go of the scandal that Sophie had created. He didn’t care about what people were saying now.

  I shouldn’t take life too seriously. I should punch it when it needs a good hit. I should laugh at it. Adam thought. But there’s one thing I know now, I’m never letting Sophie go.

  “Hello? Is anybody in there?” Sophie grinned at Adam. Adam quickly spun back to reality. “Let’s go grab a coffee. I could do with one at this time of night.”

  “Thanks for showing me around!” Adam grinned.

  “No problem,” Sophie smiled back. She paused. “I’d really love it if we were friends, Mitchell.”

  “Of course we are!” Adam grinned.

  Then Adam’s agent, Mike, called Adam, because he had a heap of paperwork to do.

  “I’m sorry, Sophie, I have to go,” Adam apologized. “You know, this and that to do.”

  “Oh, that’s too bad.”

  “Maybe we could meet up some other time.”

  “Of course,” Sophie flashed him a smile.

  “Well, bye,” Adam said, and left her sipping her milkshake by herself.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The invitation

  After many weeks, it was time for Sophie to go back to work at her Mr. Sandalwood’s studio. Mr. Sandalwood was waiting for her. He had a gold invitation in his hand and he was smiling to his heart’s content.

  “What is it with you, Sandalwood?” Sophie asked.

  “Well, I’ve organised you a great big party to celebrate the new year! Practically everyone who is to do with or participates with the media is going to come!”

  “Oh, right. That’s great, Sandalwood!”

  “Well, you’re going to have to come, ‘cause guess who’s the special guest, guess guess guess!” Mr. Sandalwood was literally jumping.

  “Me?” Sophie tried, because she truly didn’t have a clue.

  “No, your boyfriend, Adam Attenborough, of course!” Mr. Sandalwood took Sophie’s arm and started dancing around the room. Sophie withdrew her arm almost immediately with all the panic in her head. She didn’t even know this Adam Attenborough guy.

  “But Adam can’t come to the party!” Sophie shouted.

  Mr. Sandalwood stopped dancing, and his smile turned into a frown.

  “Why ever not?” he asked.

  “Erm, err …” Sophie couldn’t think of an excuse.

  “Well, you’re going to have to bring him here some way or another. He’s the special guest, I printed it out on all the invitations. And I’ve sent them out, too. So if Adam Attenborough doesn’t come to the party, then my life’s ruined!” Mr. Sandalwood looked as if he was about to burst into tears. His face suddenly turned into a vicious one. “Fuck you Sophie. Fuck you!” he shouted. It wasn’t like Mr. Sandalwood to swear. “If you don’t bring Adam Attenborough to the party you are getting kicked right off my work set, job lost and living alone. I’ll find a decent replacement for you. Be warned.”

  “Stop overreacting, Sandalwood,” Sophie sighed, knowing she had to do it no matter what. “I guess I’m going to have to bring him along.”

  “You do that,” Mr. Sandalwood warned.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Finding the right moment

  Adam was still known as Mitchell to Sophie. They decided to spend another day at town together.

  Sophie dragged Adam around the shops: Claire’s, Boots, Marks and Spencers, New Look, Topshop … All sorts of shops. Adam made fake wolf whistles as Sophie came in and out of the changing rooms in new outfits. Now that Adam and Sophie had grown so close, Sophie couldn’t help blushing whenever he complimented her.

  She was so enviably skinny and beautiful. Right at this very moment, now that they were such good friends, Adam felt like kissing her. Every time they met, Adam couldn’t help but think that she looked more and more beautiful. But then he imagined the press headlines:

  SOPHIE HAS DUMPED ADAM ATTENBOROUGH?

  SOPHIE HAS A NEW BOYFRIEND!

  Sophie’s reputation would go down the line and she would never be respected again.

  Then they sat down in the café again. Sophie started talking about random stuff, like déjà vu, but then she just told Adam where he was going to have to meet her tomorrow.

  “I’ll be at my friend, Billy’s house,” Sophie explained. “He lives at those blocks of flats down the road, room number 5.”

  “Right,” Adam replied.

  Sophie continued to explain all those picky little address details, and then Adam left and promised that he would meet her up at Billy’s house.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Faking Adam Attenborough

  Sophie was at Billy’s house. Sophie made Billy put on his special suit. She was trying to make him be Adam Attenborough at Mr. Sandalwood’s party. He picked at his moustache as he talked.

  “Hi, I’m Adam Attenborough,” he said in a way too funny and sarcastic tone, holding out his hand for an imaginary Mr. Sandalwood to shake.

  Billy had an incredibly thick moustache, that curved around his mouth and curled on the ends. He was so fat that his belly could pop his t-shirt buttons if he wasn’t careful. He always had to get extra, extra, extra, EXTRA large trousers for his incredibly wobbly legs. Sometimes, he even had to get his clothes specially made, since the size had to be so big.

  Who was Sophie kidding? Billy couldn’t pretend to be Adam Attenborough at Mr. Sandalwood’s party. It would become a massive joke. She could imagine it in the news, and she covered her face in shame: YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT ADAM ATTENBOROUGH IS RICH AND DREAMY? WELL, THE TRUTH HAS BEEN REVEALED, FOLKS! ADAM ATTENBOROUGH IS OBESE! WHEN SOPHIE HUGS HIM, IT WOULD PROBABLY BE VERY GOOD EX
ERCISE, BECAUSE HE’S SQUEEZING THE LIFE OUT OF HER!

  “Come on, Billy. You need more oomph in your voice. More confidence. You know. You’re doing it all wrong,” Sophie shouted, and reached for his blazer, shoving it about. “You need to button up your blazer, look formal, look polite.”

  “OK, OK, Sophie. Stop being so irritatingly bossy!” Billy snapped.

  The doorbell rang. Sophie ran to answer it, as there was the faint sound of Billy practising. She looked through the eye hole built into the door, and caught Adam’s eye. She opened the door at once.

  “Oh, Mitchell, thank God you’re here!” she smiled, grabbing his arm and ushering him into the living room. He sat down on the sofa.

  “Mitchell, this is Adam Attenborough,” said Sophie, pointing to Billy.

  “I thought this was Billy’s house.” Adam frowned.

  “Billy’s just nipped down to the newsagents. Now, Mitchell, meet Adam Attenborough,” Sophie lied.

  Billy grinned. “Hi, I’m Adam Attenborough,” he said in the same sarcastic but funny tone, and held his hand out for Adam to shake. Adam burst into hysterics, pointing. He couldn’t stop laughing because Billy’s acting was so funny yet so unrealistic. Adam laughed so hard that he fell to the floor and was punching it to try and calm down his giggles.

  “He – he’s Adam Attenborough!” Adam chortled, unable to stop sniggering.

  Sophie shoved at Billy for acting so hopeless.

  She went over to Adam.

  “The truth is mate, Adam Attenborough’s not my boyfriend. I never even knew him,” she confessed awkwardly. “The story’s gone so far that Mr. fucking Sandalwood has gone to arrange a party with Adam Attenborough as the special guest. But since I don’t know him, I need someone to act in his position.”

  “Right,” Adam said, standing up to face Billy. “Look Billy, you need more of an edge to your voice, and it needs to be normal. Look, I’ll show you the perfect Adam Attenborough impersonation.”

  Adam composed his shirt and held his arm out for Billy to shake. “Hi, I’m Adam. Adam Attenborough.”

  Of course he got it perfect because he actually was Adam Attenborough, but Sophie didn’t see it that way. She jumped around with excitement.

  “You must be Adam Attenborough at Sandalwood’s party, you’ve just got to. You’re impersonation is just so believable and realistic!” Sophie said cheerfully. She pat Adam on the back. Adam gulped.

  “You will, won’t you?” Sophie pestered.

  “Of course,” Adam agreed reluctantly. He just couldn’t turn her down. “My pleasure.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Clearing the dance floor

  It was party day. Sophie had put an extra special effort into getting ready: she was wearing a gorgeous, glittery, shimmering red mini dress with pearl jewellery. She waited and waited for Adam to arrive. Well, she still thought he was Mitchell Anderson.

  Mr. Sandalwood walked over. “Are you sure he’s going to come? Everyone’s waiting,” he said worriedly. He indicated to the massive amount of guests.

  “I’ll phone him,” Sophie promised, and whipped out her mobile. But before she could start dialling Adam’s number Adam arrived in a cool super stretch black limousine. Sophie’s smile widened in delight, but she was angry at him because he’d arrived late.

  Adam was wearing a posh, expensive grey suit and he had his hand in his pockets.

  “Hiya babe! Looking gorgeous!” he grinned, pulling Sophie into a hug and kissing both her cheeks. Sophie winced at this closeness, pulling her eyebrows together in disgust. She quickly pulled away.

  “Pleasure to meet you at last, Mr. Attenborough!” Mr. Sandalwood said, patting Adam on the back. “Now, let’s have dinner.”

  Sophie grabbed Adam’s arm and ushered him to the dining table. There were hundreds of guests, all sitting around. They started cheering for dear life when Sophie and Adam arrived at the table. They thought Sophie was linking arms with Adam when she was actually just dragging him there.

  “Oh, how romantic!” one of the women made out. She was standing next to her husband. “If only my husband would be that romantic with me like you two are.”

  Sophie fake-smiled.

  “Anyways, let’s begin lunch,” Mr. Sandalwood suggested. Sophie and Adam sat together, laughing and chatting to the guests, but then, when Sophie got the chance, she started hissing in Adam’s ear.

  “You hug me like we’re going to get married, and then you kiss me in public? Pull your act together, Mitchell. We’re not really dating, and we’re not a couple. Don’t over do your acting.”

  Adam nodded. “Sorry, didn’t mean to cause any offence.” He grinned cheekily. “I bet you enjoyed it though. Come on, loosen up a little!”

  Sophie couldn’t help but smile, and she cheered up. He’s right, she thought. I DID enjoy it. “Never mind. It’s not the end of the world. Now let’s order some drinks and enjoy the flipping party!”

  Billy was the caterer. He tried the Adam Attenborough impersonation again, but he knew that it was no use now that Adam was here at the party now. Sophie hissed at him to pull his act together: he was the caterer and he wasn’t acting like it; messing around and throwing dirty looks at Adam.

  Soon after, Mr. Sandalwood started to play some music. There were tracks like Mirrors by Justin Timberlake, OMG by Usher, Scream and Shout by will.i.am, Boyfriend by Justin Bieber and many others. Many of the guests had started dancing, whilst Adam and Sophie just watched stupidly.

  Boyfriend started.

  “Come on, Sophie, let’s dance!” Adam tried.

  “Nah …”

  Then Mr. Sandalwood ran over to them. “Come on, you’re a couple! Dance!” He forced them to the floor.

  Sophie reluctantly got up and joined Adam on the dance floor.

  If I was your boyfriend, I’d never let you go

  I can take you places you ain't never been before

  Baby, take a chance or you’ll never ever know

  I got money in my hands that I’d really like to blow

  Swag, swag, swag, on you

  Chillin' by the fire while we eatin’ fondue

  I don't know about me but I know about you

  So say hello to falsetto in three, two, swag

  As Adam put his arms around Sophie and swayed her around the room, Sophie started really listening to the lyrics, really making her think about what they meant. Mitchell, she thought. Oh, Mitchell!

  I’d like to be everything you want

  Hey girl, let me talk to you

  If I was your boyfriend, never let you go

  Keep you on my arm girl, you’d never be alone

  I can be a gentleman, anything you want

  If I was your boyfriend, I’d never let you go, I’d never let you go

  Tell me what you like yeah tell me what you don’t

  I could be your Buzz Lightyear, fly across the globe

  I don’t ever wanna fight yeah, you already know

  Imma make you shine bright like you’re laying in the snow

  Burr

  Girlfriend, girlfriend, you could be my girlfriend

  You could be my girlfriend until the w-w-world ends

  Make you dance do a spin and a twirl and

  Voice goin crazy on this hook like a whirlwind

  Swaggie

  Adam couldn’t stop thinking how beautiful Sophie looked tonight, and how he felt as he danced with her to this particular song.

  I’d like to be everything you want

  Hey girl, let me talk to you

  If I was your boyfriend, never let you go

  Keep you on my arm girl, you’d never be alone

  I can be a gentleman, anything you want

  If I was your boyfriend, I’d never let you go, I’d never let you go

  So give me a chance, ‘cause you’re all I need girl

  Spend a week with your boy I’ll be calling you my girlfriend

  If I was your man (If I was your man), I’d never
leave you girl

  I just want to love and treat you right

  Sophie could feel herself blushing as they danced and he swayed her to the beat. Everyone was watching them, but for once, she didn’t care. She was completely immersed in her own world thinking of to her, Mitchell.

  If I was your boyfriend (boyfriend), never let you go

  Keep you on my arm girl, you’d never be alone (never be alone)

  I can be a gentleman (gentleman), anything you want

  If I was your boyfriend (boyfriend), I’d never let you go, never let you go

  Na na na, na na na, na na na

  Yeah girl

  Na na na, na na na, na na na ey

  If I was your boyfriend

  Na na na, na na na, na na na ey

  Na na na, na na na, na na na ey

  If I was your boyfriend

  “If I was your boyfriend,” Adam sang the last line, not meaning it for the words to slip out, but they had. Sophie blushed even deeper, and everybody clapped.

  It was the end of the party. Sophie and Adam made a big farewell as they left to get to their bus.

  I met a girl in an office.

  A beautiful girl