Someone In The Crowd [Paul Wesley]

44. IRL

"Mum and dad miss you, y'know?" Becky said as they drove from the airport. "They wish you'd come home."

"I'll come back to visit," Cece promised. "But moving back home isn't really an option right now."

"Because of Paul?" Becky asked, raising an eyebrow at her sister.

"Not just Paul," Cece argued. "I moved here for the show, remember? I have a steady income doing a job that I love with people that are like family. Why would I jeopardize that?"

"I'm not saying you should leave everything behind. I'm just asking, do you really feel like you belong here in Atlanta?" Becky asked.

"I..." Cece trailed off. "Yeah, I do. Atlanta is good for me Becks."

"For now..."

"OK, Becky, tell me. What's the problem?" she asked, frustrated. When she first talked about moving to Atlanta, Becky was completely happy with the idea. What had changed?

"It's mum and dad," Becky admitted.

"What about them?"

"You know what. They're worse than before. They need some kind of... buffer. I can't do it alone."

"Then move out," Cece said. "It's not like you can't afford it."

Becky looked at her sister sheepishly.

"Wait, you're moving? Where?"

"I'm looking at a few places. In New York."

"New York?" Cece asked, almost swerving the car in shock. "You're moving to New York but you want me to go back home?"

"You were going to move back eventually right?" Becky asked. "Just... do it a bit sooner."

Cece focused on driving, not wanting to admit to her sister that she was never planning to move back in with her parents, no matter what happened.

***

"I still can't believe you're finally here!" Cece said to Becky as they pulled up outside her apartment.

"Me either!" Becky said, matching her little sister's excitement.

"So, what do you want to do first? We can check out the set, we can go clubbing, we can see Claire?"

"You're kidding right? I want to hang out at your place!" Becky said.

"Which really means that you want to meet Paul, right?" Cece asked with a teasing grin as she unlocked the front door.

"I'm the big sister, it's my job to scare him," she said. "Plus, I want to meet the guy who makes you so happy!"

Cece opened the door to the smell of delicious home cooking.

"Hi," Paul called, coming out of the kitchen and kissing Cece on the cheek.

"Hi," she said. "Are you cooking?"

"Of course, what better way to welcome your sister?" he asked.

"Speaking of which," Cece said, ushering her sister in ahead of her. "Paul, this is Becky. Becky, this is Paul."

"Nice to meet you," Paul smiled as they shook hands.

"You too," Becky said, mirroring his smile. All conversations of moving away completely forgotten.