La Douleur Exquise

Chapter 1

Fox Rain

Chloe was a well-loved child. Ever since she was born, Chloe's parents had showered her with immense care and undivided attention. Being the only child of John Beale, an award winning cinematographer and Victoria Beale, an elite socialite, former model and now a fashion designer, she became the center of their world. Her parents always had high hopes and dreams for their beautiful, bright-eyed daughter. It is as if they already knew that the young Chloe would soon grow up to become the center of everyone's world. With a smile that instantly brightens someone's day, mesmerizing baby blue eyes, glossy red hair that would catch anyone's attention and unlimited amount of charm to soften even the hardest of hearts, the young Chloe was destined for stardom.

Her mother, Victoria, with whom Chloe inherited most of her stunning features, immediately knew her daughter was meant to be a star so, when the opportunity that calls for beautiful young girls to be modelled for a famous clothing brand arises, she brought the then 7 year old Chloe with her. As for the little ray of sunshine, Chloe happily smiled her way to the hearts of everyone in the room.

That was basically how it started.

Now, if anyone were to say that Chloe Beale was only a pretty face then they better be prepared to eat their own words and bury themselves in shame. The talented little girl also knew how to sing, dance, could play the piano and guitar, and had a promising future in the acting industry. Add up her sociable personality and nothing is stopping her from making the world fall in love with her.

Come her 13th birthday, Chloe was already on magazines and fashion advertisements, confident enough to stand amongst famous models who have been in the industry far much longer than she had. But it wasn't when she turned 16 that her career launched in to greater heights. A famous producer had heard one of her demos and offered a contract with which a very eager Chloe was quick to take. Victoria couldn't be more ecstatic about this good news, Chloe was in fact on her way to living the dream she herself failed to achieve.

At 18, Chloe Beale was already a name familiar to the younger generation. After 2 successful albums, highly anticipated concerts, endorsements and awards under her belt, Chloe was ready to jump to the next level, acting. So as she turned 20, Chloe Beale was walking down the red carpet of her movie premiere, it wasn't the first movie premiere she attended but it was the first movie where she was proclaimed an actress, her proud parents standing by her side. At this point, there was no stopping Chloe's fame. The little girl with big dreams and an infectious smile was close to achieving world domination.

Perhaps people would call it luck or good genes as the reason for such success but to Chloe, good fortune and genetics aren't the only things that one would need in a very gruelling industry. It was more of hard work, stability and discipline that got her to where she was. Sadly, in a world filled with glitter and glamour, people tend to look past all those important things and fail to realize that she isn't entirely immune to the dark side of life.

Chloe had her first major heartbreak when she turned 21, he was an actor and things just fell apart between them. He wasn't her first boyfriend but this was the first serious relationship that she had. Being in a highly publicized romance made it even worse. Every little thing that people could connect them both with was up online. Moreover, false accusations and speculations followed her wherever she went. Questions about him were unavoidable. It was a nightmare to be honest but Chloe being the professional that she was, smiles in the midst of all of that and steps on stage like she hadn't cried just an hour ago. Despite that, Chloe still strongly believes in true love and in the thought that someday she'd find her soulmate.

Other than the lack of privacy, there were also a lot of things people fail to realize in the world Chloe is living in. One, no matter how many celebrities give the 'Haters are going to hate' speech followed by the usual 'I don't really care' and then the diplomatic 'Thank you anyways for the criticism that made me even stronger than ever before', it still gets to them. It still hurts and the only reason they aren't showing it is because that would only make them look pathetic. On the other hand, ignoring the issue means you acknowledge the false fact and in the end makes you a female dog or in vulgar terms, bitch. Either way, there's nothing you can do about it but wait for the issue to die. Obviously, Chloe has had her fair share of hate no matter how unreasonable it was—aka being spotted with a famous male friend who has a horde of overly possessive teenage fans.

Two, physical appearance. Yes, Chloe may be one of the prettiest faces out there but that doesn't stop the haters from playing the 'she had surgery done' card or the infamous 'she gained weight' card. So, yes insecurities happen to celebrities like Chloe once in a while especially when they are shamelessly pitted against each other. However, her mother can vouch that Chloe had never once went as close as to changing her face and the small lovely scar on her forehead, her trademark feature, was enough evidence to back that up.

Lastly, the most important of all, trust. There's a reason why the entertainment world is also described as 'fake'. Unfortunately, Chloe has experience this countless times. The only difference now is that she is much more aware of it than she was years ago. People love you when you are the hottest celebrity but when scandals catch up on you those very people will be the very first ones to throw rocks your way. The friends whom she thought were her real friends ended up being opportunistic rats who only want to be seen with you when you are at the top. Even the once most loyal fans can turn their backs at you with one wrong move. And don't even get her started with the men who only want to date her for the sake of bragging rights, asshats who think of her as some sort of trophy or conquest.

Nevertheless, there were still a lot of things Chloe loved about the world she grew up in. She was living her dream while inspiring people at the same time. The music she makes and the passion she pours in to everything she does becomes an outlet for all her bottled emotions and feelings. Even though it made her life as crazy and loud as it is now, it was still her form of escape.

However, if the currently 23 year old Chloe Beale had one regret, it was not getting a chance to live the kind of life outside the spotlight. Admittedly, she was jealous of those people who'd post photos of their mundane lives. They didn't have to hurry from one place to another because cameras were following them. They could walk in crowded places on a lazy Sunday afternoon and watch a movie without being wrapped in another scandal or wearing a disguise—still very useless on her part if you'd ask her. Chloe wanted to know what boredom felt like, and not the kind of boredom you got when the interviewers just keep asking the same questions over and over again or hours of waiting in between takes. She wanted to know the boredom people experience when they aren't doing anything at home, just sprawled out in bed without being called for a scheduled event. Or even simply getting to watch the sunrise and sunset in peace, eating ice-cream while walking in the park, dancing in the rain, going on a relaxing road trip, drinking beer until she gets hammered without having her photos scattered everywhere and just trying new stuff she hadn't gotten to experience, like college. Chloe had been home-schooled all throughout college. If it wasn't for that creepy stalker her parents would have allowed her to enter in to Barden University, the university she had been dying to enter. In the end, she sadly had to give that one up and focused on all her projects instead—or that one song about the desire for freedom.

"It's 4:30pm so we still have a lot of time to rehearse before your scheduled performance at Club Bellissimo," the voice of Chloe's manager, Alex, snaps her out of her reverie yet her gaze remains fixed outside of the car, the world outside her own.

Chloe tiredly sighs, wanting to head home instead. She had just came straight from filming a new movie, set to be released next year. Still, she had been scheduled to perform for the famous club months ago and she hated to disappoint the fans who had been lining up for tickets ever since it was announced that she would be one of the guests.

"Also, you are going to be in three interviews tomorrow morning and then after lunch you will have another scene to shoot—we've already chosen a body double by the way. She's a little taller, sexy, not as sexy as you though hon, but yeah she got the curves and all," Alex adds, his hand gesturing sassily in the air for emphasis whereas Chloe continues to stare longingly outside as she watches a group of friends happily swaying to some music at a diner.

"I don't need a body double," she finally says after Alex pauses to check the papers he was reading. Without even looking, she could tell that he had just rolled his eyes in exasperation. Alex has been her manager since she released her 1st album so he wasn't just a manager, he was also one of her good friends.

"And get your ankle sprained again? No, you need a body double for this one especially if the scene requires you to 'slam yourself against a window'," he quotes in the air using his fingers and this tears Chloe's eyes from the world outside to look at him.

"I can do it. It'll be more realistic that way," she counters and he gives her a look.

"We've talked about this already. You do know that your mother will kill me if she finds out that we've let her daughter crash in and out of a window. Aubrey will kill me as well and you know that witch is going to do it," he says with a dreaded look in his face. "And if something happens to you, your fans will have me assassinated," he adds putting his hand next to his head in the shape of a gun and seemingly firing it, all with the matching emotionless face.

"I'm too young and too beautiful to die, Chlo!" he says jokingly while checking himself in his silver compact mirror.

"Oh c'mon, Lex. What's the worst thing that could happen? Besides, it'll be fun," she asks, throwing her hands in the air. Alex squints his eyes at her in return, a frown on his face as he shifts in his seat to look at her fully.

"Seriously, Chlo. What is with you these days? You suddenly crave for Slurpee at 7-Eleven, learning how to play beer pong out of the blue, begging to go skinny dipping at the lake, you even wanted to go to some a capella concert in some university and if I hadn't intervened you would have actually went there!" he lists down with his fingers.

"Now you want to slam your body in to glass because it's fun?" he crosses his arms in front of him, his questioning look making Chloe look down on her Louboutins.

She hates to admit it. Honestly, she was embarrassed about it. She doesn't want to tell Alex about the desires that have been creeping inside her but maybe telling her friend about it might make him understand whatever it is she is currently going through.

"I need a break," she finally breathes out. Silence fills the car as she says those words. Looking back at her friend, she sees sympathetic eyes and she immediately knows what he was about to say.

"Chlo—"

"I know, I have a free month after filming—well sort of, since I'll be working on the album, but that's not what I meant about needing a break," she immediately says, running a hand through her hair.

"I need a break from all this," she waves her hand around her. "I want to do things I've never done before, things I've missed out. I want to go on an adventure, try those things people my age have already tried, no matter how simple they are," she looks back out of the window, seeing the people walking and passing by the streets.

"What do you think it'd be like to live someone else's life for a day?" she suddenly asks, not really expecting an answer to the question she asks herself every single day.

"I want to experience being… normal," she almost whispers the last word as if it was something forbidden or foreign. She feels Alex's hand rest on top of hers. Turning back towards him, she finds a small smile on his face.

"Look, how about we finish all these scheduled activities we need to finish and then we plan to go on this simple, boring, normal adventure you want to go to?" he suggests and for the first time in a long time Chloe feels excited about something different. Her eyes burst into life as she smiles.

"For real? We're really going to do all those things?" she asks in a hopeful tone as Alex sighs like a mother finally giving in to her child's wishes and nodding his head.

Unknowingly, they've reached the club at the same time, as always, a couple of fans were already camping out of the club's back door, waiting for even a glimpse of the Chloe Beale.

"Just promise me, you'll stay focused before we go do something your mother or the media must never know. If you think I haven't noticed you spacing out these days, then you underestimate just how much I know you," he reminds her as she mutters a 'Fine' his way, her exhaustion gone with the prospect of having to try at least half the things she wrote on her bucket list.

Once Chloe steps out of the car, cameras automatically go up, clicking away with her every move. Her smile shines and this time, there's much more meaning to it than the usual. She was in the middle of signing an autograph for a very ecstatic woman—who was telling Chloe about a friend who is secretly a huge fan of hers—when rain starts pouring down on them. It wouldn't exactly be surprising if it wasn't all bright and cloudless. Nobody could have possibly predicted it to happen.

Chloe had only experienced sun showers once or twice in her life thus, the look of amazement in her face. She always found it to be quite magical which is why she has always kept the belief that when sun showers occur everything you wish at that moment comes true. Childish it may seem, Chloe's uncontrollable thoughts which she had voiced out earlier made its way back in her head, forming an innocent wish even though she knew it to be impossible. But hey, there's no harm in trying.

In contrary to her calmness, everyone around her however was scramming to find shade to hide. It wasn't only when Alex pulls her along does she realize that she isn't done signing for the woman, who is sweet enough to wait for a couple of hours in front of the club only to have Chloe sign a dedication for her friend.

"Wait, wait!" she calls out at Alex, managing to write a short message and the first letter of the name of said friend. She and the woman were slowly getting drenched in the rain and before she could write the last letter she was successfully dragged inside the club by additional security, her hand forcibly separated from the other females' grasp while the pen she used she realizes, is still in her other hand. The doors close behind her, separating Chloe from the world outside, a situation she has grew up in to. Both her parents were known in their own field and ever since she was young, Hollywood has become her home, red carpets and movie sets were her playground and famous people in the industry were her extended family.

So when did it start? When did Chloe start dreaming of breaking away from the life she was born in to? The answer lies simply in the eyes of a 7 year old girl at an orphanage she went to last Christmas in support of a friend's foundation. Moved by the sad predicament of the children, she immediately asks Anna, the adorable 7 year old she had been easily drawn to, what gift she wanted for Christmas. Chloe remembered her own Christmas wish when she was the same age, an expensive music set she begged her father to buy. Little Anna however, didn't seem interested with dolls or any toy in particular as she points towards the ice-cream stand the foundation brought in. Surprised at such a simple request, she watches the child eating the treat as if she had never had the luxury of doing so. She found out later that day that it was some of the children's first time eating ice-cream, little Anna included. In short, after a whole day of running around barefoot across the huge backyard, playing games she wasn't familiar with, eating children's snacks her mother had deemed too unhealthy, laughing at funny stories she was hearing for the first time and listening to such innocent dreams, Chloe was suddenly getting a peak of some kind of world she has never known until now. It was like her eyes opened for the first time.

Tonight, however, she was opening her eyes to the bright lights that illuminated the stage, people screaming her name and the electronic beat of her song. Chloe's music style had evolved through the years. She started with acoustic and pop songs, to hiphop mixed with RnB and now with her recent collaborations with famous DJs, she has mixed all of those styles with electronic dance music. As always, Chloe's performances start and end with a bang as she poses at the end with her back-up dancers, a smile on her face as the crowd cheers. Another outstanding performance finished.

Staying for only a short while, she eventually bade her goodbyes to friends and acquaintances lounging at the VIP section before heading back out to her car. The light sun shower earlier had now turned in to a downpour as she holds on to Alex's arm. They quickly make their way in to the vehicle, umbrellas shielding them from getting wet. In the midst of all that, familiar flashes from cameras continue to assault her eyes. Thankfully, they made it in safely and finally Chloe could take a much needed rest. She can finally be alone, as she has always been behind the cameras. Leaning her seat back, she settles down comfortably, closing her eyes and humming a response to Alex's complaints about the weather.

Then it all happened so fast.

Chloe felt the loud cracking sound of thunder as if it was just in front of her, a blinding flash of light appeared, she heard the screeching of car tires, the heart stopping sharp turn of their car, all her stuff flying in the air, screams and shouts, her life flashing in front of her eyes and then it went black.

After that, it was so quiet, so still.

That is until, she sees a small spark of light. It grew bigger until she was bathed in it. Instinctively, she shuts her eyes back again when a figure blocks the intrusive light. She tries to speak but her mouth felt so dry and that's when pain shoots from her body. She moans softly as a response and that's when she heard a relieved female's voice, one she doesn't recognize.

"Thank god! Dude, did you know how much you scared me?" the woman says as Chloe feels a cold hand on her arm. The woman sounds young, probably about her age. Confused and scared, she tries to open her eyes once more, this time successfully grasping images of the ceiling, white curtains, medical equipment surrounding her and gorgeous dark blue eyes.

"How are you feeling?" the unfamiliar female asks softly before thinking twice about it and adding "Well obviously not good but you know what I mean, right?" she says cocking her head to the side. The woman looked rather pale, a dark blue and violet coloured bruise formed at the side of her face along with the small cuts that still failed to ruin her beautiful face. How she got those, Chloe could only guess.

"Where is… Alex?" Chloe tries to ask, her voice rough and weak. Her question is only met with a frown and confused look. The female's lips open, forming a silent 'who?' as Chloe starts taking in the room she was in. She was definitely in the hospital and a sudden thought instantly fills her with panic. They had just been involved in a terrible car crash and her friend is nowhere in sight.

"Alex," she calls out this time much louder, looking around in bewilderment. "Where is my manager?" she looks back at the woman who now looked lost and helpless.

"Stacie, who is Alex?" she carefully asks and this time its Chloe's turn to frown because last time she checked her name wasn't 'Stacie'.

"I need to call my mother," she says instead, fearing that the woman may just be one of those persistent reporters who just wanted a good scoop. After all that wouldn't be a first. There was in fact, that one time when someone pretended to be some lost foreigner and intentionally bumped in to her table.

"Uhm, Stace… your mother died 4 years ago," the woman slowly admits, a conflicted and worried look now displayed on her face.

"I need a phone. Where's my phone?" Chloe insists weakly, ignoring the woman as she already starts to feel frustrated, looking around in search of her belongings and that's when she realizes something very wrong. Her body didn't feel right. As a matter of fact, it didn't look like her own. She raises up her hands, although having hooked on an IV she instantly knew the difference. She looked at her palms as if she's grown ten more sets of fingers before her eyes fell down to her body. Her legs were longer, her hair, now a lighter shade of brown, swept down to her chest, and her chest—good lord—is well, slightly more blessed than before.

She tries to sit up, only to be met by more pain in several parts of her body. Beside her, the woman had kindly placed both her hands on her sides, supporting her so she could sit up properly. Chloe breathes deeply and shuts her eyes tight to calm down her—or whoever this is—body's protests. She opens them again before slowly looking at her left towards the window's glass where a reflection of another woman's face stares back at her.

Maybe all of this was only a dream, a nightmare to be exact. Maybe if she goes back to sleep, she'd wake up in her own house, in her own bed. But that voice was talking to her again about some kind of head trauma she must have suffered and probably some of the drug's side effects. What annoys her the most however, is whenever the woman calls her by a different name and that finally makes Chloe erupt, panic and fear fuelling it.

"I'm not Stacie! Stop calling me that!" she screams before breaking in to a sob. "I want to go home," she cries while the woman watches her helplessly, her ring clad fingers anxiously running through her dark brown hair. At this time, the doctor finally arrives and the woman instantly explains the situation earlier.

"Is it amnesia? How long does this last? Isn't this some sort of temporary thing? She will remember eventually, right?" the woman questions, looking nervously from the doctor to the nurse. Meanwhile, the doctor continues trying to calm Chloe down. His words soft and gentle but it just wasn't working with her. What was happening to her was too crazy to be true. She was swirling down in to a fit of hysteria when she suddenly feels heavy, the world lightly spinning around her. The doctor catches her as she groggily looks around to see those same dark blues worriedly staring back at her. A cold pair of hands clasp her own and as her back gently hits the bed once more, the last words she hears echoing in her head before everything fades back to black.

"Stace, it's me, Beca,"

A/N: Hey. Look at what this weirdo just made. Trippy stuff.