Lilly & Leclerc ~ [CL 16]

3. The Stairwell

It's warmed up. Massively so. After coffee and pastry the cloud was quickly burned away and the bright sun revealed itself. My oversized hoodie is now tied around my waist. The shorts and slightly cropped tee expose my waist to the small breeze that brushes past Charles and I as we stroll through the streets. Charles had his eyes on me when I pulled the jumper above my head, that warm look dancing in them that makes me want to melt a little. I didn't comment on it.

Charles has been getting bolder in his stares but more cautious with his words as the morning has gone on. The conversation has remained polite between us for the last hour, no more joking with me like there was when we arrived at the cafe.

I take note that after coffee Charles is at least a lot less hurried in his day. He doesn't stride quite as long, or make me as breathless as he takes his fast steps. I can keep up easily now. It's nice. Calmer. He allows me to stroll and pause when I want, regardless of whether that's to pause and take in the front of  one of the many boutiques or snap a picture of the sea.

"How did you meet Amber?" He asks, it's the first time the silence between us has been broken in more than five minutes. I've been counting how many cars I've seen that I've never seen before - it's a lot (16) and they'll all cost more than what I make in a year. The question from Charles is another polite one to go with the ten others we've asked eachother.

So far I've learned that Charles has two brothers, he can speak three languages (English, French and Italian) and his favourite colour is red - Ferrari red. The wink he attempted to send me with the answer to that one made me snort and push his shoulder playfully whilst shaking my head pitifully with the words. His cheeks flushed as he defended the choice saying he at least 'had the car' to back it up. My hand only lingered against the toned muscles of his shoulder for a second longer than it should've.

"We went to uni together, we were in the same accommodation and have been stuck living together ever since. Well... until the start of this year when she left London." I explain the story like I have so many times already this year. I had cried when she moved out, something she didn't know what to do with since she's only ever seen me cry twice before that in our six years of friendship.

"Oh, cool." Charles says nodding simply to my words. The word 'cool' doesn't seem like one that should come from his lips. "She seems like a good friend. Funny and caring." He adds as if it's an after thought. I can only make a humming sound of agreement. Amber is the best friend I could've asked for. I don't usually believe in fate, but I do believe in Amber and I being fated to be friends. If we weren't I wouldn't have done so many things in my life, I certainly wouldn't be here right now.

"What do you do? In London?" Charles asks and a slow smile graces my face at the caution of his question. I make a face, the same face I make whenever anybody asks me about work recently.

"I'm a business analyst." I say briefly, not expanding any further than that. Usually when people hear the job title they nod and dismiss me. It sounds as dry as it is. Instead, to my surprise he nods, looking at me interested and says.

"That sounds fancy." Charles makes me smile lightly with his words. He sounds genuinely impressed and interested - it's something I'm not used to.

"It's not." I refuse the vague compliment quickly with a shake of my head. "I look at tables all day and compare them to targets." I say with a self depreciating smile. It's boring but I'm good at it and it pays well. So really, all things considered, I can't complain. Only I can, because lately work is getting less and less satisfying.

"Don't say that. It sounds interesting." Charles tries to comfort with a small shake of his head. He's not lying I can tell. I shake my head in return quickly. I stop in my place to take another photo, this time of the Monegasque buildings overlooking the ocean. "We have analysts that help in the team." I pull a face as if to say 'oh really' and Charles just smiles at me softly nodding. I don't know why it never occurred to me they would exist in that...world.