Anna and the French Kiss: Etienne's POV

29

Today is Anna's birthday. 

About two weeks ago, I ordered a left-handed notebook for her. I figured she could use a new one. I noticed the one she currently has is almost finished. Shite! I don't have any wrapping paper and I meant to buy some. Too late now I guess. It'll do. It's sitting in my backpack, I figure I'll give it to her at dinner tonight.

My friends and I enter Residence  Lambert, and I watch the front-desk girl hand Anna a large brown box. A gift from her Mom I suppose? 

Mer takes the words from my mouth as Anna signs for it. "From your Mom?" 

Anna smiles. "Yes!" We watch her carry the box eagerly to the lobby sofas. As she digs for something to open it with, Josh open sit with his room key. 

"AHHH!" he screams. What could it possibly be?

Rashmi, Mer, and I peek inside. It's just a bunch of colorful boxes. 

"No!" Mer says.

"Yes," Anna says. 

I pick up a slender green box and look at the cover. "Cookies?"

Josh snatches it from me. "Not just any cookies, my fine English fellow. Thin Mints." Josh turns to Anna. "Can I open this?"

"Of course!" Anna is gleaming. 

What's so great about cookies? There's all sorts of delicious desserts here in France. And I thought Anna was trying to be less American. What's more American than crappy, processed American snacks?

Rashmi pulls out another box. "Your mom is the best."

"What's so special about. . .Tagalongs?" I say, inspecting another box. 

"TAGALONGS?" Mer rips them from my hands, and I'm taken aback. 

"They're only the tastiest morsels on the entire planet," Anna explains to me. "They only sell them this time of year. Haven't you ever had a Girl Scout cookie?"

"Did someone say Girl Scout cookies?"

I'm disgusted to find Amanda Spitterton-Watts peering over Anna's shoulder. Why is it she always manages to butt in on our conversations? Doesn't she see none of us care for her?

"Girl Scout cookies?" Another face appears behind us. It's Cheeseburger. Amanda curls her lip in disgust and turns back to Anna.

"You have to give me a Thin Mint," she says. 

"Uh, yeah. Sure," I say. Rashmi rolls her eyes as Anna hands one over. Amanda sinks her teeth into the chocolate wafer and grips my arm. She groans with pleasure. I've never been less aroused in my entire life. And that says a lot. I try to pull away, but her grasp is tight. 

"Have you ever tasted one of these?" Amanda asks me. 

"Yes," I lie. 

Rashmi snorts. 

Anna glares at Amanda and pulls out an entire sleeve of Thin Mints. "Here you go, Cheeseburger." 

"Wow thanks, Anna." Cheeseburger takes the cookies and lumbers toward the stairwell. 

Josh is horrified. "Whyareyougivingawaythecookies?"

"Seriously." Mer gives Amanda an annoyed glance. "Let's go someplace private." She grabs the package and carries it upstairs. Always prepared, she has fresh milk in her mini-fridge. We wish Anna happy birthday, and clink glasses. And then we stuff ourselves until bursting. 

"Mmm." I moan from the floor. "Tagalongs." How have I never had these before? 

"Told you," Mer says, licking chocolaty peanut butter from her rings.