Anna and the French Kiss: Etienne's POV

3

After Mer's last night, I went back to my room awfully late.

I opened my eyes in my fresh, detergent smelling blankets and sighed. I probably should get up so I can see Rashmi and Josh at breakfast. Those two are also my close friends here at SOAP, along with Mer. They are dating so of course they are pretty close and probably have already seen each other. I reckon they had a "sleep over" last night, even though it's against the rules to sleep with the opposite gender because of, for example, Rashmi and Josh.

After I get ready, I begin to walk to the cafeteria. It's a two minute walk from Résidence Lambert which is the junior and senior dormitory. The entrance is through a beautiful archway, set back in a courtyard with trees. Ivy and geraniums fall from the windows to the ground and lion heads are carved into the center of the dark green doors, which are really tall. On each side of the door hangs an American and French flag. I finally arrive at the cafeteria where I see Rashmi, Josh and Mer from across the room.

"God no," Rashmi says. "Yeah, Josh. You and St. Clair would look really cute in matching tuxes."

Rashmi has dark brown skin, her hair jet black. She wears glasses with electric blue frames, her nail polish the same color. Josh is tall and lanky, and has a skull tattoo on his upper arm that he drew himself.

"Tails." I join the conversation as I arrive at the table. Mer jumps. "I insist the tuxes have tails, or I'm giving your corsage to Steve Carver instead."

"St. Clair!" Josh springs from his seat and we hug and thump each other twice on the back.

"No kiss? I'm crushed mate."

"Thought it might miff the ol' ball and chain. She doesn't know about us yet."

"Whatever," Rashmi says, but she's smiling which means I won't get a punch on the tricep this time. Josh looks relieved as well.

I drop my bag and slide into the remaining seat between Rashmi and-

"Anna," dammit, I failed to notice her before. She looks startled, maybe she thought I wouldn't remember her, but how couldn't I.

"Nice umbrella. Could've used that this morning." I shake my hand through my wet hair. She doesn't say anything, I guess she's a bit still shaken up from the new setting. Instead of her words coming from her mouth, her stomach speaks for her instead. My eyes grow huge.

"Sounds terrible. You ought to feed that thing. Unless..." I pretend to examine her, then I grow close to her with a whisper. "Unless you're one of those girls who never eats. Can't tolerate that, I'm afraid. Have to give you a lifetime table ban."

She stares at me blankly for a moment. "I'm not sure how to order."

"Easy," Josh says. "Stand in line. Tell them what you want. Accept delicious goodies. And then give them your meal card and two pints of blood."

"I heard they raised it to three pints this year," Rashmi says.

"Bone marrow," I laugh. "Or your left earlobe."

"I meant the menu, thank you very much." She gestures to the chalkboard above one of the chefs. Ah, I'm afraid she doesn't know French. Kind of peculiar considering she's at a school in France. "Not exactly my first language."

"You don't speak French?" Meredith asks.

"I've taken Spanish for three years. It's not like I ever thought I'd be moving to Paris." She looks embarrassed.

"It's okay," Meredith says quickly, as if she felt like she was insulting Anna. "A lot of people here don't speak French."

Thats a lie. Most of the school does.