Healing Hearts

32 || city of love

Emmalyn ⋆｡°✩

"How many pairs of underwear should i pack?" i ask Mateo as i pull open the drawer filled with my panties.

He pauses for a moment, deep in thought, before shrugging.

"Two," he finally replies, and i almost choke on my surprise.

"Two? Are you actually insane?" i exclaim, clutching my chest dramatically as if the mere thought of it causes me physical pain.

"I'll need at least two for the nights we're staying, two extra in case of emergencies-like if i accidentally pee myself, another pair for special occasions, a white one and a black one to match my outfits, and a backup pair, just in case." i take a deep breath after rattling off my list, and Mateo's eyes widen in disbelief.

"So, eight pairs," i conclude with finality, and i can see him trying to suppress a smile.

"You definitely don't need all of those," he says with a hint of amusement in his voice. I shake my head firmly, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Well, it's not my fault i like to be prepared for anything!" i retort, and he bursts out laughing.

We're in the middle of packing for our senior trip to Paris, France—yes, the real city of love.

While most seniors end up going to nearby states or not-so-distant countries, we're incredibly lucky to be heading to France.

I haven't set foot in an airport, let alone an airplane, since my mom passed away, so on top of being excited, i'm also pretty nervous about the whole trip.

My three friends have all traveled before, and they keep reassuring me that it's no big deal.

I continue folding clothes neatly and placing them in my suitcase, while Mateo does the same with his.

We're staying in a pretty nice hotel that the school is covering, but we still need pocket money for everything else—food, souvenirs, and any little extras we might want.

I keep my outfit simple for the journey, slipping into a pair of grey sweatpants and a white long-sleeved shirt.

Mateo has already promised to lend me one of his hoodies if i get cold, so i'm not too worried.

I let my wavy hair fall naturally and pop in a pair of white headphones that i borrowed from Mateo, who seems to have a whole collection.

I feel a bit guilty about constantly borrowing his things, but until i can save up enough money, i need his help.

Mateo has promised to help me find a job once we're out of risk, though he's tried to convince me not to work at all, insisting that he always has enough for both of us.

Still, i want to be independent and have my own money, so i don't feel like i'm taking advantage of him—even though i would absolutely never do that.

Mateo's outfit is almost identical to mine, he wore matching sweatpants, a hoodie, and headphones—making him look effortlessly handsome.

Not too long after, Elias and Melina arrive to pick us up, and we load all our suitcases into Elias's car.

He drives us to the airport, where we're supposed to meet the rest of the seniors and teachers at 6:20 PM.