Anti-Stall

Cheap wine

São Paulo, Brazil

The rest of the American Grand Prix went by pretty smoothly, a few stolen glances at Arthur here and there got me through it.

I couldn't stop thinking about how all of this was going to come to an end, I may never get to see him again. I might never hear from Erica and Tim again, I'll be back home trying to land a decent job so that I don't stress my parents out anymore.

After the whole episode on Saturday, I hadn't actually spoken to Tim or Erica outside of work. Today I was at the airport in Brazil, waiting for their flight so I could pick them up.

I came to the city a day early, went sightseeing all by myself and had time to reflect and think. I saw the two of them leaving the terminal and waved at them.

"We've missed casual Periwinkle so much!" Erica gave me a hug.

"The silence was golden while it lasted." Tim chimed in.

"And he's back." I laughed.

"I never left, you were the one who became all sad and serious."

"Let's get to our hotel first?" Erica prevented some bickering.

I waited in my room for them while they were freshening up, I decided to call mom and pops in the mean time.

"Hello? Is this a good time to annoy my birth givers?"

"Natalie! My baby how is Brazil?" I could hear the joy in her voice.

"Brazil is beautiful! I went around São Paulo by myself, nearly got lost but I had a lot of fun."

"Hey kiddo! Did you try out the goods from that bakery I asked you to?"

"Yeah! I did, I've eaten so much of bean pastry and Queijada I'm going to explode!"

"I'm glad you're loving it!"

"I need your advice, there's only two ambassador spots open for next year and five of us competing for them..."

"Go on!"

"And I feel like I threw all of my chances out of the window."

"Tell us!"

I narrated the whole incident to them, they heard me calmly and said that they were proud of me for standing up for myself and Erica and Tim. If it costed me the spot for next year, it didn't matter because when a door closes, a window of opportunity opens somewhere.

"Pops, can you give the phone to mom?"

"Sure!"

"I need you to answer me honestly."

"What is it sweetie?" Mom asked.

"Should I take a leap?"

"For what?"

"I may destroy everything that's been built over all this time, I may never come back to this place. Should I still make the leap?"

"You're being so cryptic!"

"This is as clear as I can get mom!"

"Take a leap while you still have the safety net below, go for it!"

"Thank you mom! I love you! I have to go for now,bye bye!" I ended the call.

Safety net, that's what he's been for me. Through thick and thin, for my happiest and my lowest and for my brightest and most stupid days, he had been there.

Erica walked into the room, with a smile on her face. I wanted to ask her about the job but we had decided to not speak about work related things outside work. I wanted to tell her about Arthur too, but I knew she was going to be all smug about it.

"So, how are you doing?" She asked me.

"I'm doing fine! I just have so much to ask you and tell you, I don't know where to begin..."

"You know that if it's work related it's already strikes out, I can't tell you anything about the openings because I don't know myself!"

"Yeah I figured that out, I want to ask about our friendship. What happens to it if I don't make it?"

"Then we still remain friends silly! We have the whole of winter break and of course the days when I'm back home!"

"That's reassuring to hear."

"Speaking of reassurance, where did you disappear last Saturday?"

"I was in my room, sobbing-"

"And then Arthur came along." She smirked.

"You sent him didn't you."

"Of course I did! Tim and I were at a position we couldn't really comfort you, he came looking for you. When he learnt about what happened, he came straight to you."

"Eri, can I tell you something? Will you promise not to tell anyone?"

"Sure."

"No! Say it! Say that you promise!"

"I promise not to say it to anyone!"

"I came to a really big realisation. All this while, everyone I've ever caught feelings for has one thing in common."

"What do you mean? What's the one thing?"

"I fell for a specific trait of theirs and guess who has all the traits?" I smiled to myself.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"What's on your mind?"

"No you say it first!"

"It's Arthur, it's always been Arthur."

"YES YEEEESSSSSS!" She hollered.

"Calm down!" I laughed.

Just then, Tim walked into the room with snacks in his hands. On seeing Erica literally hollering he looked at me in confusion.

"What's happening here?"

"SHE FINALLY REALISED ITS ARTHUR!"

"OH MON DIEU! THE GODS HAVE ANSWERED!" He beamed.

"Erica, I thought I told you not to tell anyone you promised!"

"I'm sorry but I'm so excited I'm literally giddy with happiness." She grinned.

"This calls for celebrations! I'm getting wine." Tim walked out of the room.

Erica was already on her phone texting Pierre the whole story, she really couldn't keep her lips shut at all. Tim walked back in with three glasses and a bottle of wine.

"It's the thought that counts, here's the cheapest wine I could find." He handed the bottle to Erica.

"Wow it's really a six pound wine, better taste good or we're going to not like you Tim!" She took the bottle reading the price.

"What? The price is Brazilian Real how did you-"

"There's this thing called conversion, you can do it in your head." She gave him a glass.

We sat there, drinking wine and relaxing. It felt so good to have such a big lump of thoughts had finally settled down.

"Um, guys. I just realised something."

"What?" Both of them looked at me.

"I don't know what Arthur thinks about me, what if I'm being delusional? What if-"

"What if you ask him to find out? Tim shot back.

"And do it as soon as you can so that you can actually focus on other things.

"You know what? I'm going to ask him on Thursday itself!" I gulped down the wine.

"Woah miss! Just because the wine is cheap doesn't mean you drink it cheaply!" Tim reprimanded me.

We spent the whole day, holed in the room. Eating, drinking and watching shitty reality TV. Tim complained about how garbage the shows were but somehow was the most invested in them.