Aurélie

Chapter Five

The evening was mild and the pale rose sky was glowing with golden streaks as the sun embroidered the edges of the clouds. Twenty-four hours after she had arrived in Paris and already Aurélie felt like she had been shunting steel-capped filing cabinets for a month. Her body ached but her mind was restless so Lena had suggested that some fresh air would do her good. A walk along the Seine could fix anything – Lena was always declaring that "(insert random activity) could fix anything." It was her life motto, shame it hadn't fixed her previous relationships, although saying that, Aurélie wondered if her godmother's own mantra was actually "start again." It had certainly worked for her mother.

The river banks were busy with tourists and stands were dotted along the pavement selling second-hand books and charcoal drawings of the regal stone bridges and Notre-Dame. Men walked along with whistles in the mouths, attracting the attention of a group of Chinese tourists as they tried to flog them flashing Eiffel Towers on lanyards. She veered off to the left and found herself around the bag of the Louvre. Crossing another bridge the tower came into view, with the sunlight now dipping down over the Parisian skyline a crowd was gathering at the base of the famous iron lattice structure.

The atmosphere was crackling as tourists tilted their heads up to take in the full scale of the Eiffel Tower. Couples posed for photos and groups of friends crowded into group shots. Suddenly the whole tower lit up, music blared out of hidden speakers and the light display started, the lights flashing out in rhythm to the dramatic score. Aurélie had seen the tower before but had never seen the light show and it sent shivers down her spine, impressive in daylight, it was magical at night-time and the crowd were whooping at the spectacle.

She asked a man in hurried French if he could take a photo, she'd send a pic to Bex and try and lure her over for a visit. He took the snap, handed back her phone (thank god) and then attempted to talk to her:

"English?"

"Partly."

"Live London?"

"Yes."

"Ah, starving Marvin! Apples and pears!" he chuckled.

Baffled by his declaration and Cockney slang curveball she turned to leave.

"Give you my email address, yes? I come to England and we meet for friendship?"

"No computer sorry" Aurélie backtracked. No friendship was needed, thank you.

"Oh, my tour is here! Bye!" Aurélie turned and joined a group of fifteen tourists.

The man in the anorak watched her as she left - completely baffled by the English girl on the Korean speaking tour.

Aurélie continued to walk with the tour for a while, enjoying the feeling of being part of a large group and sinking into step with them. She walked next to three girls, each with a varying shade of flimsy poncho that she recognised from tacky overpriced tourist shops in London. The girls were nattering about something and seemed oblivious to the brunette girl who had attached herself to their row. Not understanding Korean, Aurélie guessed that they weren't discussing the architectural merits of the avenue they had just turned into, instead she reckoned the taller boys walking behind them were the flavour of the conversation - if the nudges and blushes were anything to go by. Body language is a universal language after all and memories of her own crush-filled, boy-obsessed school trips made Aurélie smile and cringe simultaneously.

Deciding that her escape plan from the enthusiastic glow-stick vendor had been a success, Aurélie veered off from the group and crossed the road, heading back in the direction she had come from, to trace the line of the Seine on an adjacent street, which should take her back to Lena's and avoid any more offers of friendship.