FALLEN (NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON)

7.

"Have a nice day, boys.  Don't miss us too much." Sophie tells Lucas and Ash, both still half asleep, looking gorgeous in their underwear.

I walk to Ashley, before leaving with Soph to get to Wright Books, to say my proper goodbye.  I put both of my hands on his chest, still warm from the sheets of the bed, and slide them up around his neck.  I lift my body on the tip of my toes to kiss him.  I can't believe how hard it is to leave him.  I hug him tight and bring my lips to his ear.

"I still can't believe this isn't a dream."  I admit, caught up in my strong infatuation with him.

"You are so cute."  He laughs at my cheesiness and it gets me smiling at him widely.

"Grace, we really need to go.  You might not be late, but I will."  She whines and I kiss Ash one last time, looking up into his gorgeous hazel eyes.

"OK, OK..."  I roll my eyes and smile to the man making me feel all giddy and happy.

He kisses his hand and blows his kiss to me.  I respond with a wink just in time, Sophie tugs on my hand, climbing down the stairs.

"Quickly, we are going to miss our bus."  She tells me as she opens the outside door.

We run to our stop when we see that it has already arrived.  We make it in just in time, tap our Oyster card and head on the top floor to sit at the back, where we can talk freely without having to worry about being heard.

We chat the whole fifteen minute ride to Heathrow about the whole Ashley thing and how we decided to be 'friends', which gets her rolling her eyes, but listens to everything I say anyway. 

Once we are at the airport, we transfer to the tubes for another almost-hour of traveling to work.  Sophie is actually someone that is a hard shell to crack.  I have to question her a lot to get answers on her life and the boys.  It's nothing compared to Marcel.  He wears an armour that no emotions can get through or come out.

Thinking about him, I decide to text to inform him the time I will be there.  I told him I would be here today, but never the precise time.  I just joined in in Sophie's routine and didn't think the details through, for once. 

Wow, I really didn't!

It surprises me, a lot.  I am always the first to plan everything and review to make sure everything's in order and I won't impose myself or do something wrong.  I think I am turning over a new leaf.  It might be for the better.  I'll see and decide if I stick to my habits later.

"Mind the gap."  A voice warns us as we leave the tube and get outside to walk to the office.

As soon as we get inside, Sophie gets her stuff behind her desk and turns on her computer.  I stand awkwardly by her office and look around.  The entrance is very vast and bright.  Lots of chairs are sitting empty, waiting to filled like most of them were the last time I was here.  I see the silver doors of the lift that brought me to the last floor.

It reminds me Marcel and I's last meeting.  It went really bad and I left crying outside of these doors.  Big, heavy doors made of glass that represented both the weight of the pressure I felt coming into this first meeting and the weight of the anger consuming me when I got out.

I get my attention back on my friend as soon as she starts to speak through the phone at her desk.

"Mr. Wright?  Good, I was just making sure you were in your office so I could send up Grace to see you.  Of course.  Have a nice day, Mr. Wright."  She says professionally and hangs up.

"So formal."  I tease her and grin widely.  "You are the first to call him by his first name when we are home."

"I am used to hear about him as Marcel, I guess I better change my bad habits."