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Hunter nods.“Its fine,” he says, as if he read my mind. “Go ahead and have a glass. It won’t hurt my feelings or anything.” He takes another bite from his snack.
Hunter had so many issues earlier this year. First, his mom’s cancer relapsed,and he began drinking too much. He was abusing his pain medication for his shoulder. Then, he started doing drugs. How and when he started, I didn’t quite know. It wasn’t until his mother died that he finally began turning things around for the better. He was beginning to put on weight; beginning to look like the Hunter I knew, the Hunter I fell for.
I don’t want to ruin what he’s achieved.
Hunter reaches for me, grabbing my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.“It’s not like we’re in a club or anything. I won’t be triggered.”
I nod. My lips twitch into a smile.“Alright. A glass for me, too.”
Lucas pours me a glass while I stare out the window, watching the chauffeur come around the limo and getting into the driver’s seat. “Everyone ready?” he asks while starting the car.
“Ready!” Seth shouts while holding up his glass, filled with the bubbling liquid.
I hold up my glass while Lucas hands Hunter a water bottle.
“Alright,” begins Lucas, holding up his glass and looking between us. “Here’s to a fun summer.”
“And to my internship,” I add.
“And my marathon,” Seth pipes in.
“Cheers!” we shout in unison while the chauffeur pulls away from the airport.
***
It takes nearly an hour to arrive at our final destination and I feel both woozy from the lack of sleep and the champagne. My head lulls from side to side while the chauffeur slows the car in front of a beautiful area of European style apartment complexes. Deep down, I understand why the airport is so far away from everything, but why all the traffic? Don’t they have subways? Don’t most people cycle?
Apparently not.
I practically roll out of the car as soon as the door is opened. I groan, stretching my arms over my shoulders while looking at what will be our neighborhood for the next seven weeks. The apartments are stained in various colors of white, grey and yellow with detailed balconies jutting out from the sides. Pink flowers cascade down the length of the long bars.
Looking up, I see a couple sitting in one, sharing a bottle of wine. A woman holds a Yorkie in her lap. Large sunglasses cover nearly half her face while she sips at her glass, gazing at something in the distance. Turning around, I gasp seeing the Eiffel Tower in the distance through the alley of beautiful apartment complexes. The park is about a fifteen minute walk away and from where I stand I see many people sitting on blankets, picnicking in front of the beautiful structure.
“This is amazing,” I say while clapping my hands together. “We have to go to the tower as soon as we unpack.”
“And Notre Dame,” adds Hunter while taking my suitcase from the chauffeur.
Seth groans.“I can’t believe you two are already talking about site seeing. All I want is a shower and a nap.”
I cross my arms and tilt my head to the side while watching Seth trudge from the cobblestone streets onto the sidewalk.“You, of all people, want a nap?”
Seth makes a face.“I couldn’t sleep with you elbowing me in my ribs and Thor here snoring in my ear.” He juts a thumb in Hunter’s direction.
“Again, I offered to pay for first class,” says Lucas, taking out several euros from his wallet and paying the chauffeur.
Hunter, Seth, and I scowl in his direction, although in retrospect, first class would have been nice. My seat could have been made into a bed, the movie choices would have been better, and I would have gotten a proper night’s sleep. Instead, I’m this mess of a person in the most romantic city on the planet.
“Well, if you think this is amazing,” says Lucas, taking out his keys and shoving them into the large door. “Then you should see where we’re staying.”
My eyes widen and I quickly grab my suitcase before running after Lucas. I’m already imagining a quaint little balcony withflowersoverlooking a lovely view of the tower. Maybe even a refrigerator stocked with the best wine in the world and cheese.
We cram into the elevator,and I step from foot to foot, feeling giddy and inpatient as Lucas rambles on.“There’s a room for each of us. My parents usually use this place when we’re having a get together with friends.”
“Your parents have friends?” asks Seth with a raised eyebrow. “I thought they had business associates.”
“It’s all the same to them,” says Lucas. “The grocery store is only about five minutes away and the metro is about ten.”
“The metro?” asks Hunter.
