GAGE

55// m e c r œ r

Nick picked me up in the morning to go to the airport. I didn't even say goodbye to Hailey, but this is probably what she wanted anyway.

I hate the airport. Almost as much as I hate airplanes.

The sky outside my window is cloudy and tinged pink, with hints of yellow as the sun begins to creep up.

The plane ticket Nick gave me earlier said one way to Paris, France. I didn't even think there was a flight from Chicago all the way to Paris without any stops.

I'm so nervous, I don't even know what to do. I haven't spoken to Gage since the phone call, but that was only yesterday.

Only six more hours.

• • •

I nearly panic when I get off the plane and everyone floods the dense airport. It's swelling with people and too many voices.

To my left a girl with short red hair waves a blonde, tall boy away as she visibly holds back tears and her face distorts.

I need to get out of here.

I try my best to push past everyone in the way, but I'm just so tired. The flight was nine hours and the time difference here is seven hours ahead. It's ten P.M. here.

When I finally get outside it takes me a minute, but I see white gloved hands holding a sign with my name on it.

A fancy looking man with black hair in a classic black suit looks around for me. I hope he doesn't kidnap me and has the real guy that's supposed to be picking me up locked in a basement or something. I remember Nick telling me it should be a man named Louis.

"Hi, are you Louis?" I ask as I step towards him.

He gives me an uppity looking smile and his narrow eyes squint further, "Bonjour, Josie! How are you, how was your flight?" His voice is high with a thick accent.

He opens my door and I step inside. "Uh, bonjour. And it was long, but fine, thank you," I reply awkwardly.

"De rien," he says before beginning to put my bags in the trunk.

I'm gonna need one of those apps where I can actually talk to people here and not be confused, like I am currently.

This city is so beautiful, it looks better than Greece. All of the buildings are a pinkish color and cafes and boutiques line the strip.

I kind of can't wait to go in all of them and run Gage's coin.

•••

A little while later I hear the chauffeur on the phone, "Oui, nous sommes en train de lancer maintenant ... Oui. Dites-lui que j'ai dit que c'était un plaisir! Vous êtes les bienvenus, monsieur. Bye Bye."

The only thing I got from that was the part in English.

"We're here," Louis announces as he pulls into the fanciest looking hotel I've ever seen.

The huge building lip up with golden lights has the words Le Bristol with large bold cursive on the front. I stare up in awe, I almost can't believe what I'm seeing.

Fuck, I'm so excited.

"Go ahead inside and tell them your name. Someone will be up with your bags," he tells me.