Everything is Due ; Nothing is submitted

Chapter 20

**NOTE Hi! Sorry for not updating for like a month. I just added nine more chapters since I update this on AO3. I just did not feel like trying to update both but I now I will. 

Arno woke up ecstatic that he and Elise were going to tour Paris and buy Christmas gifts for their friends. Arno got out of bed and put on his best winter look. A lovely navy sweater and a red scarf with a long black jacket. Arno went into the kitchen to get breakfast he knew he needed to buy groceries for when his dad got back. His dad was currently gone for the week for work. Arno's dad did a lot of traveling with his job so Arno was used to being alone in the small apartment. He promised Elise, he would meet her in front of Galeries Lafayette, Paris's biggest department store. He knew they could find gifts for all their friends there. Arno then left and started his walk to Galeries Lafayette. As he waited for Elise, he saw a fancy car pull up and a familiar redhead jump out.

"Arno!" Elise came up and gave him a big hug. She may have seen him only two days ago but she missed him those two days. "I'm so excited to shop with you I have a list and everything" she pulled out a piece of paper and dragged Arno into the mall. Arno was shocked at the car that dropped her off and the outfit she was wearing Arno was pretty sure cost more than his tuition. As she dragged Arno in, he was frozen by how beautiful the interior was. There was a massive Christmas Tree in the middle, tons of light and decorations hanging from the glass ceiling. The balconies were all art nouveau style. Arno had been before but did not remember it being this mesmerizing. "I know it's stunning" Elise had pulled Arno out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, I just can't believe how beautiful this place is" Arno was still looking around.

"Of course, it's the fashion capital. Now come on I saw the perfect chocker for Aveline at Prada" Elise then grabbed Arno's hand and lead him to the store.

Then it clicked for Arno why he never went here it was so expensive. He was now nervous to break it to Elise that he had little to no money. He couldn't just drop hundreds of Euros like Elise was.

"Arno what purse do you think Maria would like the green one or the pink one" Elise then held up the two pursues.

"Elise would Maria want a Prada purse I mean she would probably figure out how to make a weapon with it" Arno could see her now smacking Altair with it. "Also, it's like a thousand euros that might make her uncomfortable to spend that much" he was praying Elise would take a hint.

Elise then put the bag back and had a red blush on her face. "Oh yeah sorry, I just...I would buy my friends from high school gifts from here. We're all rich so I kinda forgot how to buy normal gifts...god talk about first-world problems." She then felt horrible her whole life she was surrounded by rich girls and now she was with more normal people.

"Hey, it's okay" Arno put his hand on her shoulder. "Why don't we go to the markets I know for a fact they decorate them and everything is reasonably priced."

"I would like that" she smiled "oh let me call my driver" Elise then pulled her phone out but Arno slowly put it down.

"Why don't we walk and enjoy the Paris streets".

"Yeah, I would like that" she smiled. They then left and walked the streets of Paris. Elise never knew how beautiful the streets were. The city felt alive in a way she never knew.

Arno noticed how she was taking everything in. "Yeah, I know every street very well. My dad worked a lot when I was a kid so I was just exploring the city."

"Wow, that sounds so...liberating I was stuck in an all-girls school" Elise sighed. She hated that school and was glad to be in college now. Still, it made her sad that Arno had a lonely childhood. They finally made it to the Christmas Market and Elise loved it. All the booths were so cutely decorated and strings lights were everywhere giving it a nice festive glow. They then walked to a booth and started their shopping.