CHAPTER ONE: FIRST ENCOUNTER

Ever since she was a little girl, Diane Westwood had always aspired to be an actress. To be great. To be famous. With her name in lights whilst she performed on Broadway or the West End. Pictures of her on the red carpet, promoting her latest film in Hollywood across numerous magazine spreads. A toy boy on her arm, a bundle of cute children surrounding her, featuring looks similar to their mother. A variety of awards lining the shelves of her mansion in Dubai, money being thrown around like it was paper.

The glitz, the glamour. The world at her feet.

Stepping into Portsmouth University for the first time, Diane knew that those dreams, more like goals in her mind, were far off into the future. To start, she needed the qualifications. During her A Levels, Diane had shone in the Performing Arts section, whilst in her other two subjects, English Literature and Travel and Tourism, she had been average.

Diane had been excited for University ever since finishing year thirteen, furthermore upon retrieving her results. Performing Arts was a distinction, English Literature a B and her final subject a C. It didn't matter that she didn't know anyone attending the same university. Her mother had promised her that she would swiftly make new friends due to her intoxicating personality and the fact that they would all be squished together in the Centre, where first year students resided, like a pack of sardines.

Diane hitched her backpack up a bit more before wandering down the corridor. Her fair hair shoved under her trademark beanie, collared shirt and flared jeans alongside hiking shoes made for a quirky impression. But Diane didn't give a damn. She was a Drama student. They were expected to be weird and wacky. The profession they were aiming to enter was based around hiding behind facades and displaying 'abnormal' behavior.

She observed student's faces as she progressed to the classroom that she had been assigned via her timetable. Part of the whole Performing Arts program was to analyse the people around her and speculate about their issues, their failings and their successes in life so far. Diane re-directed her gaze from an arguing couple, for fear of being subjected to harassment if caught spying on them. However, snatches of the heated conversation drifted to her ears as she neared her classroom.

"I cannot believe that you slept with Jodie! You fucking piece of shit!

"Tia, babe, please! She came onto me!"

"Well, you're the one who put your dick in her! And don't 'BABE' me!"

"Come on, give a guy a break!"

"A BREAK?! YOU BROKE MY HEART BY SLEEPING WITH THAT SKANK! WE ARE SO OVER!"

"Tia! I said sorry!"

Diane tsked as she halted by her classroom, shaking her head. 'Boys never learn.'

In all of her eighteen years, Diane had been in one serious relationship, spanning the two years that were dedicated to GCSE's. The boy, Jordan, had been nice enough and was also a fellow Drama student, but their relationship had crumbled when he proposed to her.

Diane had been mortified at the hell she surely put him through as she rejected him, informing him politely that she wasn't quite ready for marriage at such a young age. She had wanted to stay with him, but Jordan had slunk away, dumping her on the spot. After that, she had thrown herself into acting classes and her rehearsing for performances at colleges, not leaving any time for romance.

As she entered the classroom, beaming broadly at the assembled, Diane thought spitefully:

'It's not like I'm going to clap eyes on someone and fall in love with him instantly.'

Taking one of the remaining spare seats, Diane listened intently to her teacher, eyes at times scanning her fellow students. Most of them seemed dedicated to their craft, hanging onto the teacher's every word, whereas some others seemed light-weight, leaning back in their chair and not taking it seriously.

'They won't last long. This industry is cut-throat.'

Diane stood up when the teacher gestured to her, rattling off:

"Hi! My name's Diane, but my friends call me Di! I'm from London and studied Performing Arts alongside Travel and Tourism and English Literature for my A Levels. My main passion is for the performing arts and I am aiming to be an actress. I like to act out in local dramatics and drink lots of coffee, whilst socialising in a big group!"

She grinned, springing back into her seat. The teacher was baffled at his student's enthusiasm, yet also pleased as this defined Diane as someone who was fully involved in the craft of acting.

Throughout the hour, the students formed a circle, then imitated animals physically. When Diane was given the task of being an elephant, she caused the class to fall into hysterics as she stamped around the room, swinging her 'trunk' and roaring loudly. At the end of it, Diane was buzzing with happiness.

This was heaven!

So eager was she in viewing her starter pack that she did not realise that she was heading into the path of an oncoming door. A shout alerted her and Diane willed her feet to stop, whirling round in order to thank her saviour. And that was when her eyes clapped onto the man who would be pulled apart, limb by limb, in front of her eyes thirteen years later.

"Hi, I'm David."