AUDREY
The sunlight poured through the white silk curtains, annoying the heck out of my closed eyes. After a while, I gave in and got up.
"Sebastian? What time do you have to go to work at?" I shouted, standing by his door. When I didn't receive an answer I shrugged and opened the door.
Empty.
"Sebastian? Sebastian?!" I entered the kitchen and saw him at the stove.
"Goodmorning. Sorry, but I thought I'd help myself to breakfast, I need to leave in half an hour." He smiled over his shoulder and taking out two plates.
"No, help yourself. You live here now. Do you need me to give you a lift?" I asked, leaning against the doorframe.
"Would you? I'd love one." He turned around and I had to stifle a laugh.
"Where did you find that?"
"In a drawer somewhere. I thought it'd be a good idea to show up to work on the first day with clean clothes."
He stood there, in all his glory. He wore a baby blue button-up shirt with a black tie and black suit trousers. On top of that, was a pink apron that said 'Hot stuff coming through'.
"I happen to think I look good in it." He ran a hand through his hair.
Damn, right you do. I woul- woah let's just stop there.
I shook my head and glanced upon my plate. "Eggs, sunny side up. One of my favourites."
He joined me at the table and we began eating. We talked about our plans as if we had done this a million times before. It scared me how natural this felt to me, but at the same time, it was comforting me.
After I dropped him off for work, I returned and set up camp in the living room.
"AUDREY! You haven't called in ages!" Margo's voice boomed through the speakers.
"Sorry, I've been busy." I apologized.
"Busy doing what? C'mon, give me the updates girl." She sat cross-legged on her bed.
I fiddled with my hands, nervousness bubbling up inside me. "You remember Sebastian?"
"Yeah. Your one true love." She teased, making a heart with her hands.
"Oh shut up Margo." I scolded, tutting under my breath. "He's currently living with me until I return.
"Wait...what?" Her eyebrows were raised and her eyes were wide open.
"Yeah. I had a meeting with Mr Cern and Sebastian just happened to work for that same company. It was his first business trip abroad."
"I thought those only lasted for, like, two weeks. You don't come back for another four months." Her eyebrows drew together as she counted the months on her fingers, nodding when she was sure she had the right number.
"He said he told his company that he fell in love with Paris and that he wanted to stay longer, so the company contacted a sister firm here, and since he didn't have a place to stay..." I trailed off.
She giggled a little, holding her cheeks in her hands. "I don't think it was Paris that he fell in love with."
"What? What do you mean?"
"Audrey, Sebastian has been to Paris many times before. His parents own one of the biggest fashion companies in the world, they would be mad not to have a massive store in Paris. Think about it, Audrey." She pointed out.
I raised a brow quizzically. "So what you're saying is...?"
"He fell in love with you didn't he? That's why he came the day you left, he was going to tell you. Of course, he would want to stay longer if it meant spending more time with you. He wants to get you back." At this I threw my hands on my face, trying to hide the blush that was not so subtly forming.
"Oh my gosh, Audrey. You're a genius but sometimes you can be so...oblivious. What's the problem anyway, you love him too, don't you?" She asked, tilting her head to the side a little.
"Wha...what are you talking about?"
Good going, Audrey. Yeah, try to convince you don't know what she's talking whilst looking like the freaking tomato from Vegitales.
"Don't lie to me, Audrey. I can see right through you right now. Remember, I was Cupid too." She grinned like a madwoman.
...Shit.
"Well, it's just that...Uhm. I just, don't think he'll want me." I confessed, looking at my now-oh-so-interesting curtains.
"Why, Audrey? You're amazing. What you and Sebastian had, even before you realised your feelings for one another, it was something special. And judging by your reaction, you still have it. Audrey, you and Sebastian are so perfect for each other, more than you realise. It's undeniable." She smiled in a way that showed me she knew what she was talking about.
"Yeah, but I left him. I betrayed him. I should have been there for him and I wasn't. I hurt him so much, why would he want me?" I played with my bracelet and held my bottom lip in my teeth.
"You aren't worried about that. He forgave you already if he didn't then he wouldn't stay with you. You're afraid that you're not good enough. You're afraid that he'll find someone else. You're afraid that one day he'll stop loving you." Her voice was soft as if she was trying not to scare a child away.
I tried to hold in my tears as I clenched my hands together. "Those are valid feelings and I should really go beat our parents up for giving you the tools to form these feelings but from what I saw, he would never do that to you. He is head over heels for you and would always pick you over someone else. That boy loves you and everything about you. And you shouldn't be scared to feel that same way."
"I...I don't know what to do. How do I know if this is love? I've never had a crush before, I've never had a boyfriend. I've never had a boy like me before. I don't know if this is real, I don't know I should." My voice crackled like fire, burning hot and raw with emotion.
"Audrey. At Rachel's debut ball, you danced with Sebastian. I have never seen you so happy or relaxed. You looked like you felt safe in his arms. You looked like you had found home. You both looked at each other the way our parents look at each other, the same way all the other couples we have paired up look at each other."
"What are you saying?" My voice was barely a whisper.
"I'm saying you should be with him. Audrey, I can feel it in my bones, you can too. You two are meant for each other, that electric atmosphere doesn't just happen."
I took a deep breath and nodded. "So, when should I tell him?"
"When it feels right. You two will be doing...oh, I don't know, something weird, I mean it's you two. You'll just get this feeling and you'll know. You'll just know."
"Okay. I'll work on that then. I gotta go and do some shopping."
"Shopping? Audrey Parkinson is going shopping. Look at my homegirl, all grown up. I'm such a proud momma." She wiped some fake tears off her cheeks.
"Goodbye, Margo."
"Goodbye Audrey, love you."
"Love you too."
"Awe, she even said lo-" I closed my laptop, cutting her off.
Hmm. Maybe I should visit that little cafe down the street.