𝐁eyond the Lens - b.e

60 -

Ellie was feeling better and better. It was subtle, almost imperceptible to her own eyes, but each day spent in Paris allowed her to breathe a little more freely. The memories of her doubts and fears seemed less overwhelming, softened by the comforting presence of Joan and Aubrey, and by the city itself.

The fear of abandonment was still there, lurking deep inside her like a shadow that never completely faded away. Yet something was changing. Ellie felt a desire to move forward, to no longer be a prisoner of her own walls. Life was far too short, and the scars of her past could not dictate her future indefinitely. The days passed with a disorienting speed, and soon, the departure for London was approaching.

Sitting on the couch in the apartment they had rented, Ellie gazed at the view beyond the large windows. The aroma of coffee and fresh croissants filled the air, reminding her of the moments shared with Joan and Aubrey. That morning, they were engaged in light conversation.

"I feel like this city has a kind of magic," Joan said, slumped in an armchair, a cup in hand. "Every corner of the street makes you reflect on your life, it's completely crazy, or maybe I'm just going crazy, I don't know yet."

Aubrey, wrapped in a blanket, nodded while laughing. "I vote for the second option, Mr. Philosopher. All I remember is the buttery croissant from that little café near the Seine."

Joan shot her an amused look. "Really, Aubrey? With everything we've seen here, your best memory is about food?"

Aubrey shrugged, smiling. "Well, you have to enjoy the little pleasures in life, right? And you, Ellie, what's left the biggest impression on you?"

Ellie took a moment to think. The past few weeks had been a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, moments of peace, and others of intense anxiety. But deep inside her, she felt a change. Slow, fragile, but very real.

"I think it's this feeling of freedom. I'm still struggling to let go, but I sense that something is loosening inside me, like armor cracking."

Joan put her cup down and looked at Ellie seriously. "We can see it, you know? You seem different, more open. I don't know if you feel it, but it's obvious to us. And we're really proud of you."

Aubrey raised an eyebrow, a sly smile on her face. "Maybe it's the Paris effect, or maybe it's because you've decided to stop fighting everything. You're about to join Joan in the very exclusive club of philosophers."

Ellie smiled, amused by the remark, but she knew Aubrey was right. "A bit of both, I think. But mostly, it's thanks to you. You've been there, even when I wasn't ready to talk or let you in. That's made all the difference."

"We will always be there," Joan replied confidently. "No matter where you are or what you're going through. That's what friendship is all about."

Ellie felt a tingle of emotion rising within her. Joan and Aubrey had always been there for her. And it was thanks to their unwavering support that she was finally beginning to allow herself to feel, to live again.

---

The next morning, as the sun rose over Paris, they took the train to London. The journey was long but pleasant, filled with bursts of laughter, moments of contemplative silence, and a sense of anticipation that hung in the air. Ellie, sitting by the window, watched the landscape rush by, but her mind was elsewhere. She was thinking about Kate.

Kate. A friend she had neglected, someone who meant a great deal to her. Ellie knew she could no longer postpone this meeting. It was time to see her again, to apologize, to make up for all the lost time. With a bit of nervousness, she took out her phone and typed a message.