Against Everything Else

18. Really? Really.

Avery's POV

I haven't seen Vince in 3 days.

He'd leave early in the morning and come home when I'm already asleep. I'd feel his warm presence beside me in the middle of the night but when I wake up the next day, his side of the bed is empty and cold.

He'd leave a note for me each morning, apologising that he had important work to attend to, and I'd leave a note telling him what I did that day for him to come home to.

Within those three days, I've visited the Eiffel Tower, I've had brunches at cafes nearby and people watched for hours. I've sat at a random park bench and enjoyed the scenery before me, and explored the bustling city until it became quiet and settled again.

I sighed, taking a bite out of a chocolate pastry as I watched a couple pass me by, taking photos of themselves as the sun settled in the background.

"He's attending?" In the far distance, there were two men dressed up in suits, their hushed voices and cautious behaviour drew out my curiosity and I couldn't help but tune into their conversation.

"Lower your voice." One of the men looked up to scan around the area, as if he was worried someone was listening to their conversation. I lowered my gaze immediately to avoid being caught, and took another bite of my pastry. "He's been spotted near the docks two days ago. But you know how he is, his movements and whereabouts are always hidden well."

"Does Volkov know?"

"You idiot, of course he knows. He's the first one to know."

I looked back up at them, watching as they continued to bicker before lighting up a cigarette and walking away.

"Avery?" I froze at the familiar voice, my heart stilled for second before I looked to my side.

It was him.

He still looked the same despite the years that have passed. His hair was slightly longer than I remembered, but he was still the same in every other way.

"Avery it is you, I - I haven't heard from you since-"

"Since I moved?" I gave him a small smile to avoid the awkward tension as he sat down beside me. I haven't seen him since we were eighteen, we were close during our teenage years, but after I left to New York, we lost contact.

A part of that was because I had left for New York and I had changed my number so that no one could contact me.

"Yeah, well how have you been?" He fiddled with his hands, before finally letting them sit on his lap.

"I'm doing okay, how have you been?" I shoved my pastry back into the brown paper bag that it came in, no longer wanting to eat it.

"I'm doing okay too." His phone began to vibrate, signalling a call was coming through, but he quickly silenced it and shoved it in his pocket. "I didn't expect to run into you in Paris. Are you here on a holiday?"

I fiddled with the paper bag, before replying, "Yeah I'm just here for a few days. What about you?"

"Right. I remember you used to talk about coming here, is it everything you expected?" His phone buzzed again but he simply switched it off as he kept going, "Sorry, I'm just here on a work trip. Few days as well."

"You seem to be busy, I should probably let you answer that." I stood up and gripped onto my bag strap, offering him another small smile, " It was nice seeing you again Alex, I hope the rest of your trip goes well."