All Over You

Plagued With Envy

The morning of the trip to France finally arrives and I ensure that my alarm rings earlier than usual so that I can spend the morning throwing last minute items into my suitcase. It ends up not mattering because I am awake way before my alarm, filled to the brim with jitters and an overwhelming sense of adventure. In my few years working for Bramble Studios, I have never been on a proper work trip especially not one that requires leaving the country and staying in a hotel. I have been so caught up in the fact Liam will be there that it sort of seems more like a weekend away and I've almost forgotten that I will be working too. 

I throw a grey tracksuit on, the hoodie is cropped and shows off my figure a little more than work allows. It seems strange that I will be spending all this time with my colleagues, usually Keira is the only one who sees me outside of work. I tie the top half of my hair back before sprinting around the house and sweeping everything I need off shelves and out of draws. Albeit, it is only a two night stay, but I want everything well prepared and organised. This is the only way I can ensure that the trip will flow smoothly. I cling to organising and controlling everything so that I can relax and live in the moment later. 

I was never too pleased with the decision to take the ferry to France, after all isn't there a perfectly good train for that? Bramble Studios are hardly in a position to be making budget cuts, especially as Conversations With My Conscience is now one of the most popular day time talk shows. Though there is a smaller train which takes me straight to the doors of the ferry port which makes my journey much more bearable. I contemplated driving but leaving my car in a desolate lot for three days didn't appeal to me. I leave the vehicle safe on my driveway and have to run to catch said train, as I spent several minutes staring in the mirror hoping I look presentable enough. 

I spend my journey listening to music and romanticising the few days ahead. Now I've planned everything and gone over the itinerary in my head at least a dozen times, I am free to relax. I even feel my eyes getting heaving and beginning to shut towards the end of the trip. I have been waiting for an opportunity like this ever since school, and little Tiffany would be so proud that I'm grasping this chance with both hands. It only seems like a few minutes until we are pulling into the station. The train doors open and I clamber out into the ferry port, dragging my case along with me. I sigh exasperatedly as one of the wheels gets stuck in the gap between the doors, so have to yank the whole thing into the air. It somehow lands on my toes and I groan out in pain. It's easy to lose how grateful you are in these sorts of situations. 

"Tiffany!" I hear a familiar voice shout.

I whip around, pretending that my toe isn't throbbing in agony, as I greet Geoff warmly. I grin back at him and giggle, knowing he has just witnessed me wrestle with my overpacked suitcase for five minutes straight. Although it's odd without Keira here, I'm glad Geoff could come. We have always gotten on so well and I am more thankful for our friendship now than ever before. We wander up some stairs and hassle about with boarding passes and security checks, but when we finally make it in I change my mind on ferries completely. 

The lounge is huge with shiny tiled floors and windows which reach the ceiling, allowing us a perfect view of the ocean glittering under the winter sun. There are large, brightly coloured sofas dotted around the lobby which look big enough to lay down on. There's also a small hatch on the far side of the lounge which houses a modest cafe, seemingly serving up some appetising options. For a little vessel, the interior surprises me. You really can fit a lot in.  

As usual, my breath is knocked out of me as I catch sight of Liam. He is half lying over a purple sofa, with one leg cocked up and his hair flopping over his face. It dawns on me that I've never seen him completely without his pristine, gelled look. He has a cream hoodie on and looks effortless, as always. He's one of those people who doesn't have to try to look incredible. Just sitting there, mindlessly scrolling on his phone and he looks like a catalogue model.