Chapter 2: Chapter 2

“So, you’re taking a vacation?” my best friend and colleague, Leonidas King, said with wide eyes.

I laughed at the look of shock on his face. Everyone in my firm, Paris Events, knew how impossible it was for me to take a break from work and I knew that it would cause a stir but this was long overdue and it was for a good cause. It was for love.

Well, other than that, it was also because my best friend was getting married and I was her maid of honor. Or at least that was what I told myself.

I had been planning on doing my work as a wedding planner but she deliberately chose another wedding planner for it. I wasn’t offended because I knew it was for a good purpose. It didn’t change the fact that I was the best wedding planner in the world.

Paris Events had worked with anyone worth knowing and we always got such good reviews from them that it made us stand tall internationally. We were based in Westhaven but that didn’t stop us from a global outreach.

We had started off with just wedding planning but we widened our scope to planning all sorts of events, designing, florals, running boutiques, amongst many others. What I was mostly proud of was our NGO, Fallen Angels Home.

“Yeah and I’m leaving you in charge. That means making sure all the weddings are checked off and the customers are satisfied. It doesn’t involve using it as an opportunity to find sexual partners. Am I understood?”

Leon shook his head. “You are not understood because I’ve known you for twenty years, worked with you for six, and you have never gone on a vacation. You don’t even go to visit your family. Then you come and tell me you’re going on a vacation for a year? You have to explain what is going on to me.”

I sighed. “You know Brielle, right?”

“Brielle, the journalist? Your other best friend who you trust more than me?” I rolled my eyes. He knew that wasn’t true. “Yeah, I know her.”

“Well, she’s getting married in July and she invited me over as her maid of honor.”

“July is in seven months, Paris. This is December. Or have you suddenly lost track of dates?” he said with a deadpan tone.

Yes, my name is Paris. It’s the name my mother gave me even before she was pregnant with me. She thought it would be cute to have a child named Paris since her name was France and my father’s name was Eiffel but it wasn’t.

You see, she had always wanted to live in France just like her mother did when she gave her the name. My mother said, “My mother believed that since she couldn’t go to France, she would bring France to her.” That caused my mother to have this obsession with France that she chose to go there after she graduated and study French.

That was where she met my father, another oddly named person who was named after the Eiffel Tower, and fell in love with her. In a way, she got what she wanted even though she had to move back to our hometown with her husband. That was when she got the idea to name her first child Paris after the town she fell in love with her husband in, whose Tower was in the same city.

My mother’s sense of humor was whack but I did grow up loving Paris and I was the definition of love in a human body.

“Okay maybe it’s also because she lives in the same city as Emrys Cole and I want to subtly stalk him by auditioning to act as the female lead in that new movie with him.” Leon was quiet for a while and then, he suddenly burst into laughter. “It’s not funny.”

His full-blown laughter reduced to amused snickers. “I want to believe that I am looking at the same Paris Boudoir. The one who hardly reads books and doesn’t watch movies because she claims that the books are better than the movies.

“Now, all of a sudden, you want to act in a movie that is based on the only book you ever read and liked? Added to that, you know next to nothing about acting. You even failed at the play you were supposed to act like a tree. A freaking tree, PB. All you had to do was stand still and you failed at that.”

All my friends called me PB because it was my initials and had a nice ring to it. Their words not mine.

I frowned. “Acting cannot be that hard. Besides, that was in sixth grade.”

“You are so going to disgrace yourself,” Leon said as he smacked me. “What are you thinking? Just stay back here and don’t do anything that will disgrace you and drag your name in the mud. You’ve done a good job so far.”

“I’ve already booked my flight. I’m leaving tomorrow,” I said, crossing my arms.

“It won’t even cause a dent in your account so why are you acting like you have no choice?” “I cherish my money?” I tried but he only raised a brow. “I really want to do this, Leon.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why do my friends have to make embarrassing themselves a life motto? Why?”

“What friends? We both know I’m your only friend.” “There’s Camila.”

“She doesn’t even live here. That girl lives about a thousand miles away.” He shrugged. “It’s a long-distance friendship.”

“Okay,” I said drawing out the last syllable.

“On a serious note though, can you not embarrass yourself?”

“Just shut up. You’re trying to reduce my self-esteem,” I said with a frown. “Besides, if it doesn’t work, I could try to fix myself into being a model and maybe have a shoot or something with him. It could be the beginning of our love story.”

“What book did you get that from?” “I could write it.”

He burst into laughter again. “Are you kidding me?” I frowned. “What? I’m not model worthy?”

“Sweetheart, you are beautiful but that doesn’t mean you should be so willing to make a fool out of yourself. And for what? A man? I thought you were smarter than that.”

“I am. It’s just…this means a lot to me. You don’t understand how much.” He sighed. “Weren’t you the one complaining about my evident lack of a love life? Isn’t this what you wanted?”

“I didn’t peg you as someone who would be into models or even actors, though,” he said tilting his head so he could observe my face better. Probably to find out if I was joking or not.

“I’m not,” I said with a shrug and that was the truth.

I knew Emrys almost about the same time I met Leon. We all grew up in the same town but Leon went to a private school outside town while Emrys and I went to the same public school.

I’d always noticed how awesome Emrys was. I didn’t fall in love with him though. You could just say I was intrigued with the fact that someone like him could really exist. That was until the day he saved my life when I was fourteen. I could never forget him after that.

He was the first person I ever told my deepest, darkest secret. He knew that I was suffering from both Aquagenic Urticaria and asthma, and it was all because he saved me from drowning that day. It was love at first sight. Love at first touch. Love at first kiss. Actually, it was CPR but I considered it a kiss.

“I don’t get it. I don’t get you and I’m not even sure I want to because I don’t even have the mental energy for this,” he said with a loud groan as he stood up from the couch. “I’m just going to raid the kitchen while you think about how stupid you really are.”

I stuck my tongue at him. “There’s a tub of ice cream in the fridge. I bought it yesterday. Get it for me.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Please.”

“Much better,” he said as he walked into the kitchen.

I smiled to myself and decided to pick out some movies. Since it would probably the last time, we’ll see each other this year, I thought it would be nice for us to spend it together before I leave.

I had already decided that we’d watch Jumanji: The Next Level but Leon came in and said that he didn’t want to watch any movie. He just wanted to talk and that was what we did. No matter how much I tried steering it away from the topic of me leaving to Atham City, he kept on bringing it up.

“So, who are you going to be staying with? Or did you rent an apartment or buy a house?”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course not. I’ll be staying with Brielle. She said it would be perfect to talk and we’d fangirl about the wedding and all that girlish nonsense.”

Leon frowned. “I don’t think you should stay with her. What if she has other friends and with your condition?”

“I’ll have my EpiPen with me, dad,” I said smiling to ease his worry but it wasn’t working. “Leon, I still have my injections and the creams. I assure you I’ll be fine. I’ll make sure I have my alarm while I’m in the shower. Anything else?”

“Don’t forget the oil in the water,” he muttered. “Yes, sir.”

“And the food. You have to be careful.” “I promise, sir.”

“Stop calling me sir.” “Okay, sir.”

He threw a pillow at me and I burst into laughter and that was how we started a pillow fight. Leon and I grew up in the same town and even though we weren’t that close then, going to the same college did it for us. We became two peas in a pod and we had lived together ever since then after leaving our hometown to Westhaven.

I had other friends apart from him, mostly because of my work, but I had never been close to anyone like I was close to him and Brielle. I worried about him sometimes because I was his only friend in Westhaven, something that never failed to surprise me.

Thinking about it, I was suddenly worried. I had lived with Leon in all those years, I still did, and it was just like having my parents with me. Looking out for me and I was just willing to drop all that for a guy?

“What’s wrong?” Leon asked noticing my change in demeanor. I frowned. “It’s just…Am I doing the right thing?”

“My honest opinion would be no,” he said with a sigh as he sat beside me. “I don’t even know what’s possessed you to leave everything you hold dear for a man.”

“I don’t know either,” I said with a humorless chuckle. “I guess I just got tired of dreaming that Prince Charming would come to find me.”

He was silent for a while. “Is that why you haven’t been dating?”

I turned to face him. “What do you mean? I have been in a couple of relationships and you know that.”

He smiled. “True but I know your heart was never there.” I didn’t say anything. “And I’m assuming you knew Emrys even before the fame.”

“Maybe,” I muttered.

“There’s my answer,” he said with an accomplished smile. “So, what was he? Your ex?”

I looked up to the ceiling suddenly fascinated by the flowery patten I designed myself. “I wish.”

“You were friend zoned?”

“I wish that was the case because then he would have acknowledged I’m human.” He was quiet. “You admired from afar?”

“Yeah, I guess so. I mean, I always knew he existed but he never struck me as exciting until when I was fourteen,” I said fiddling with the hem of my top. “Dude, he lived in the same town with us.”

“Really?” I nodded. “I never noticed and besides, you’ve never told me this story. What happened?”

“I snuck out of the house to go for a party with one of my friends. I think you’ll remember him. His name was Julien. You guys used to be friends when you actually had a social life. Remember him?”

“I’m social enough, idiot. And was he the one who pranked me when I came to your school for the first time?”

I laughed at the memory. “Yes.”

“Okay I remember him. What happened at the party then?”

“The only problem when I went there was that I had no idea it was a beach party. I told them that I didn’t want to swim but they wouldn’t listen and they tossed me into the sea. No one knew about my health condition at the time. You didn’t if I remember clearly.”

“You were too secretive about it which was very dangerous.”

I laughed at that and continued, “I couldn’t swim and the rashes, God they were so itchy. I wanted to get out but I couldn’t and those idiots were cheering because they thought I was doing some kind of trick?”

He chuckled. “Teenagers. I can’t believe I was ever one.”

I nodded. “Then all I know was that I was drowning, my heart was pounding against my chest and just when I was sure I’d die, someone pulled me out. It was the most dramatic thing that had ever happened and I could swear that I was hearing all the angels sing in my ear.”

“Ever the drama queen,” he said with a chuckle and I punched his shoulder. “That was uncalled for.”

I stuck my tongue at him and continued my story. “I can’t remember what happened after that because I think I blacked out or something. When I woke up, I was in the hospital and they told me I was lucky that he knew CPR or I’d have died before the ambulance came. For some strange reason, I felt like he was my first kiss and I just became smitten.”

“Who still says smitten?” he asked bursting into laughter. “Obviously, I do,” I said, rolling my eyes as I punched him again.

He glared at me. “Did you ever talk to Emrys after that?”

“Yeah to say thank you because it would have been rude not to but he didn’t want to be friends with me. It was like a one-time thing. He didn’t even know my name,” I said with a sigh.

“And your brilliant idea is to leave your home, work and just fly to Atham City hoping you’ll make it in acting and eventually fall in love?”

“Pretty much, yes.”

He shook his head and exhaled. “You’re an idiot.” “What?”

“You heard me. That is the most stupid plan I’ve ever heard and if I didn’t know that you don’t watch chick flicks or telenovelas, I’d assume that’s where you got such a pathetic idea from.”

I crossed my arms. “Well, do you have a better idea?”

“Since you’re going there already, why not just go into full stalker mode? Set up accidents that cause your paths to cross or something instead of embarrassing yourself in his workplace,” he said rolling his eyes and I sat up straight.

“Leon, you’re a genius,” I said pulling him into a bear hug.

When I released him from my hug, he looked like a confused child. Especially with those wide stormy grey eyes and the boyish frown. He was always called handsome by many women but for some reason, I thought he was cute. He reminded me of those couple of months old babies that you hugged every time because they were too cute.

“What is going on?” he asked me with a raised brow.

“You gave me an idea on how to get him to notice me,” I said excitedly. He raised his brow and didn’t say anything. “Emrys has a thing for damsels in distress so I’ll just make myself clash with him and make him my knight in shining armor. Again.”

His eyes widened. “I hope you’re not planning on doing anything stupid that would get you hurt.”

“I’m capable of taking care of myself,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Are you, really?” he asked with a sigh. “Look, maybe you should forget about all this and stop trying to push for a relationship with him. From what you just told me; you don’t even know what he’s like except that he saved your life ten years ago.”

“Which makes for a good person in my books,” I said shooting daggers at him.

I was sure that if we were animated characters, steam would be coming out of my ears to show how angry I was.

“And what if he’s changed from that good picture you’ve painted?” he asked. “He can’t just change. He’s a good person. I know it.”

“The only thing constant in life is change and you fell in love with someone in his past. How sure are you that he would be the same person now? How sure are you that you’ll be in love with who he is?”

“I just know.”

He sighed. “Okay, I get it. You want to do this and as your best friend, I’ll support you even though I’m obviously not happy with this.”

“Was that so hard?” I asked him finally letting a smile slip on my face.

“I just hope you know what you’re doing. You could get hurt,” he said and you could see the concern so clear on his face.

I smiled and nudged his shoulder. “That’s why you’ll be here with a mug of hot chocolate to make me feel better.”

He glared at me. “That’s not funny. The last time you were hurt, you know what happened.”

He was right. I had been a complete mess when I found out that my last boyfriend had cheated on me with one of my staff. It really hurt me which was weird because I didn’t really like him. He was just one of the guys my mother set up with me in hopes that I’d get married and give her kids before cancer killed her.

I had only been with him to make my mother happy and it just hurt that I was being faithful while he was hoeing around. I could see Leon’s point. I didn’t like him that much and I was still a mess. How would it be when it was someone I’d been in love with for years?

“I’ll get over it eventually,” I said with a shrug. “Besides, it’s not like I’m expecting my plan to fail. Emrys and I will be perfect for each other. I just know it and I’m going to help him see that.”

He looked like he wanted to argue but he just said, “Good luck. I’m so sure you’ll need it after all this madness.”

“I’ll be fine. I promise I’ll call you every day once I wake up and before I sleep,” I said with a reassuring smile.

“You better. I’m holding you to that promise,” he said with a frown as he stood up. “I won’t be staying here tonight. Delilah couldn’t make it and Eve hates to stay at home alone. You know how she gets.”

I nodded, understanding. Eve was his younger sister and inasmuch as Leon and I lived together, he occasionally had to go see her because she hated living alone. I’d only met her once and I could tell that the cute thing ran in the blood. They were all like cute pandas that were too huggable.

“Tell her that I’m sending her air hugs and kisses,” I said with a smile then thought of it and added, “Or just let me hug you and you extend it to her.”

“Nope,” he said but I’d already swooped in for a hug and planted two mummy kisses on both his cheeks. ‘Now your saliva is on my cheek. I hate when you do that.”

“You love me,” I said and he rolled his eyes. The good thing was that he didn’t deny it. “Besides, your stupid hair was in the way.”

He glared at me for calling his hair stupid. It was his pride and joy. The dark forest was way too long and despite the demands of his parents, he had refused to cut it. It was his signature style anyway. That and the occasional ponytail.

“Do you need a ride to the airport tomorrow?” he asked and I nodded. “What time is your flight?”

“The only one I found available at such late notice is at five pm.” “Okay, I’ll drop you off. Make sure you remind me.”

“Roger that, captain,” I said beaming at him. He shook his head and headed for the door while I followed behind him. “I’ll miss you, Leon.”

He sighed and turned to me as he opened the door. “I’ll miss you too.”

“If I forget to call, which might be impossible, call me,” I said with a frown. He chuckled. “It’s not yet time for you to go and you look this sad.”

“Be serious.”

“Okay, I’ll make sure to call you if you forget. Is that better?” “Much better.”

He smiled and stepped outside then turned to face me again. “Why did you just tell me today that you were travelling?”

“I decided on it yesterday because of a dream I had,” I said sheepishly and Leon shook his head. “Hey, you’re not supposed to judge.”

“Right, I’m sorry,” he said with a smile. “Now, sleep well and don’t have any more dreams that will cause stupid decisions.”

I glared at him and he just laughed as he walked to his car. He gave me a little wave before he hopped in and drove off. I stayed there watching until his car was no longer in sight. Why was I acting like we were going to die?

Maybe it was because I knew that whatever the outcome of my trip would be, it would affect my friendship with Leon.