Safe Travels

The Goddess and The Outsider

She was like Aphrodite. She shone so bright, I'd be willing to bet the sun envied her. Her hips swayed seductively to the beat of the music, and I just couldn't stop staring. I wanted to run my hands through her beautiful light brown hair. I wanted to feel her pale skin beneath my fingers. My life flashed before my eyes, because suddenly I saw the moon and the sun and the stars all in one.

I gravitated towards her. I couldn't help it. I didn't even know what to say, I just needed to be near her. She saw me coming and flashed me a smile. My knees went weak when I saw that smile. I smiled back lamely and to my surprise the goddess grabbed me as soon as I got close enough, pulling my body flush against hers and swaying to the music.

"What's your name Raven?" God even her voice was beautiful.

"Megan. What's yours?"

"Alaine. You're not from here are you?"

"No I'm not. I'm from America, but I'm living in the UK with my uncle" I nod in Thomas's direction, noting in the back of my mind that he looked very drunk.

"What brings you to France Megan?"

God, the way she said my name.

"I've been in a bit of a.. Funk and wanted to see the world. Thought it might brighten my life a little."

I mentally scolded myself. This girl was beautiful and all, but I hardly knew her. Now here I was, basically admitting that I was depressed and needed to find happiness.

She must've caught on to my uncertainty, because she smiled warmly and pulled me away from the dance floor.

"I'd like to get to know you better. Can I get your number?"

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea... I mean I'm living in London and.."

She shook her head and giggled.

"Give me a chance honey."

I smiled a little and handed her my phone. She put her number in and handed it back to me, her smile big and bright.

"I look forward to hearing from you. You should go get your uncle, he looks very intoxicated."

And right after she said that, I heard the bartender tell Thomas he'd had one too many and should probably leave. Thomas started protesting, saying he had to wait for me. I was just about to intervene when Thomas threw a punch at the bartender.

Suddenly, there was chaos.

Three men around Thomas grabbed him and held him back. The bartender grabbed his phone and called the cops, his nose crooked and bleeding. Thomas was struggling against the men, trying to get away. 

"Thomas! Thomas calm down!"

He whirled around to face me. There was fury in his eyes.

"There y-you are! I was w-worried sick dammit! Where were you?" His words slurred and I flinched at just how drunk he sounded.

"You told me I could wander around." I replied weakly, hardly meeting his gaze.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and suddenly Alaine was behind me. I was very relieved.

"Like h-hell I did! I t-told you to s-stay where I could see you! And w-who's that? Some w-whore you picked up?"

Alaine's grip on my shoulder tightened and I clenched my fists. This man in front of me was not Thomas. The Thomas I knew was thoughtful and quiet and kind. He didn't punch men who didn't deserve it, and he didn't call women rude names.

Maybe I didn't know Thomas as well as I thought.

When the cops showed up, they dragged him away, kicking and screaming like a child throwing a tantrum. An officer approached me and asked in French if I would come with him.

Guess those french classes at school were actually paying off.

I nodded. The man led Alaine and I to his car (I refused to let go of her arm), and drove us to the nearest station. For the next hour I was questioned about Thomas. They were simple questions. Who was he? How old was he? Did he have a history of alcoholism? How were we related?

To my disdain, I could only answer two or three of the questions they asked me. When the officer left Alaine and I alone in the interrogation room (they didn't call it that, but that's what it looked like), I started bawling.

It was in that moment that I realized something. It didn't matter if I knew Thomas's morning routine by heart, or absorbed his paintings through my pores, or studied his facial expressions for the rest of my life.

I did not know anything about the man I was living with.

Alaine held me close and let me sob into her chest for a full minute before pulling back gently and looking in my eyes.

"Let me take you back to your hotel," she put a strand of hair behind my ear in a way that made my heart beat infinitely faster. "I'll stay with you if you want. Just to look out for you until your uncle is released."

I could see in her eyes that she only had good intentions, so I wrapped my arms around her and agreed. The cops allowed us to leave, saying they would call me in the morning and update me on Thomas. I nodded gratefully and let Alaine lead me back to my hotel.

When we got to the room I began my routine of stripping down. Alaine, thankfully, didn't bother me until I got out of the bathroom.

And when I got out of the bathroom, she was down to her underwear. I squeaked and turned around. I'm glad she couldn't see my face, because I've never blushed so badly in my life.

"I'm so so sorry I-"

Alaine giggled and wrapped her arms around me, her fingers tracing my collar bone.

"It's fine honey. I didn't have anything to wear. I don't care if you look," her voice was dripping with seduction. "But you can't touch yet."

When she pulled away, I took a deep breath to recompose myself.

This is gonna be a long night.