Warmth | ✔️ #wattys2021

31. palm branches

The room at the Carlton was as posh as ever. You could already feel it when you walked through the lobby with the white pillars that carried the building, once you've passed the view over the blue sea and the big palm trees on the street. 

Both were also to be seen when Adam was in his room on his big terrace that was sun fluted and almost as big as his room. The bed was big and comfy, the bathroom full of marble and he had free access to their gym. And still it was just another hotel room. He of course appreciated that he could afford such a room but he rather would have been home on his couch with Adeline. He has been staying in Cannes for four days now and they still couldn't take his mind off of things. In the four minute phone call, he had with Sarah on Sunday he also thought of his L.A. home as a hideaway, but it wouldn't keep him distracted or busy. 

Tomorrow the festival would start, which meant that throughout the whole week he had to go to fittings, interviews and even a press conference. One of the interviewers asked if he had a girlfriend and it hurt to say at least to say no. He was no stranger to that question, people always liked to speculate but now was different. He somewhat hoped Adeline would see him perhaps in articles or interviews, saw the façade on his actually sad face, she knew him, she would notice he thought. And somewhat hoped it would make her feel guilty for how he hurt him. Every morning he sat on his terrace and looked over the sea while enjoying his breakfast he ordered from room service. He would listen to a podcast, answer calls and texts from friends. 

That way he found out that Jim is going to be a dad too. He couldn't believe at first. Jim was a guy with whom he did so much shit in his life already and in the next nine months he would be responsible of a tiny human being. While it was unreal at first the couple seemed to have arranged the situation nicely and sounded actually happy, so he would be happy or them too. He could only suppress the urge to ask for Adeline because sometimes he would think about them, the whole picture. None of his feelings made sense when he did. She always made it clear, she didn't want him for real, she was doubtful all along. Perhaps it's the complex his friends had told him about, she just cant commit. 

But didn't he treat her well enough to show her she could commit to him? He somewhat still blamed himself for the call he took —but she said he could. She was unreasonable and way too insecure for how she looked and behaved. Adeline had no reason to be self conscious and still she was. Once in a while when out at Cannes he'd see a pretty woman on the street or at the beach. And let his mind wander a bit until he was ashamed and thought of Adeline again. As if she was at the end of every labyrinth in his mind.

It was finally Friday morning and he once again sat on his terrace relaxing and enjoying the sun. The event would start today which could also be noticed by the countless dapper people that arrived the night before and yelled at the concierge. He was somewhat excited. Events meant dressing up and socializing and he liked that, plus he got to watch a movie premiere for free. Adam could convince his team to skip the red carpet too since he wasn't really there to promote.

By five he was ready and soon enough sat in his theater seat, his colleagues all around him. With some he hold a brief conversation and Anderson tried to chat him up for so long, he must have a new movie in the plans.

An American movie opened this year's festival, a thriller. Very well made, he noticed, it would probably win a golden Palm d'Or in the end. During the movie though his dapper clothes would already begin to bother him, his blue suit a bit itchy and his bow a bit too tight around his neck.

Walking out he felt tired but happy, he talked to Rosamund for a bit while walking to the auditorium in which the food would be served. They met at the movie he shot at the beginning of the year, the one he left Adeline for. An hour passed, his tummy was full and his tongue loose from the alcohol that was served. 

Wes Anderson also happened to sit next to him at the dinner and once the bottle of champagne was empty, he suddenly seemed to be a very charismatic guy. The venue was huge, there were probably 30  more people here he also knew and liked sober but his drunk mind just loved his spot. He could watch everything behind his new friend's back that happened in the dimly lit venue and still enjoy their tipsy talk. After a while though, he had to shake some more hands and Adam's eyes locked with another unfamiliar pair. They were blue and belonged to a brown haired woman. Most likely a model, with the way she looked. He smiled at her and took another sip if his drink. She walked up to him now but he wasn't scared.

"Hello!" She said flirtatiously.

"Hey there." He said and shook the woman's hand.

"Rebecca, hey!" She said as she sat down on the once occupied seat. She wore a dark red slip dress her hair was open and straight and she only wore a hint of makeup. It was the perfect picture.

"I'm Adam it's nice to meet you!"

"I know!" She said, still smiling. While she might have meant that she already knew his name, which was a phrase he hated she only now saw the part that could be misunderstood easily and smiled sheepishly.

"Which part do you know of?" He asked, now grinning back. They sat closely to one another and they both liked it. For him, it was a reminder of a time in which Adeline hasn't entered his life yet.

"Oh, both I guess." Rebecca said and he only now noticed her French accent, she was  biting her lip and they knew what would happen at the end of the night. Another point they both liked. Yes, perhaps she just wanted him for who he was but who even cared?

A/N: pic: https://www.tagesspiegel.de/images/a-palme-dor-symbol-is-holding-by-a-golden-angel-statue-outside-the-carlton-hotel-before-the-start-of-the-69th-cannes-film-festival-in-cannes/13573874/3-format530.jpg