Many have told the tale of romance ending in happily ever afters. What if this one ended with a twist?
Elisabeth Halyard is the epitome of a bookworm. She spends her time reading, apart from her job
and hot boyfriend Felix. Everything in Elisabeth...
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Chapter One: Unknown
“Maya. Do you really think this is a good idea?”
It was barely seven in the evening when I found myself walking up to my door with my purse in hand and a jacket draped over my arm. After climbing the set of stairs all I wanted was to change out of my shoes and put on a pair of fuzzy socks. I grabbed a key from the keychain around my wrist before shoving it into the lock and turning it as my best friend consoled me over the phone.
“Trust me, Elisabeth. This is what you need. A trip to France is a once in a lifetime thing. Don't worry about it.”
Her words sounded comforting but did nothing to consolidate the emotions swirling inside me. I sighed and opened the door to my studio.
“I know, but I can't shake this feeling I have. It's like… I just want everything to fade away so I can eat cold pizza and binge watch Gilmore Girls.”
“I don't know a single person who would run from the opportunity to go to France, but,” Maya paused for a second as if to carefully choose her words, “Do you think it may be you just not wanting to get engaged to Felix?”
As soon as I entered my small studio apartment I kicked off my flats so they went soaring somewhere in the space between my queen sized bed smushed against the wall, and the tiny closet to it's left. Shutting the door behind me, I made sure to do up all the locks lining the doors edge. One can never be too cautious. Even living in downtown Bel Air, Maryland.
“I don't know Maya.”
“Do you love him?”
“Yes.”
“Then why do I feel like there should be a but at the end of your sentence?”
“I don't know.” I said, flipping the last deadbolt before turning to pad across the beige rug. Passing the bathroom, I entered the living room and sat my things down at the small wooden table. With a sigh, I peered out the curved bay windows. The street below was aglow with fluorescent bulbs of Street lamps dotting the sidewalk, the light enough to filter in to brighten my home. I reach up and hold the phone to my ear, relieving myself from the cramp my neck was getting. Maya replied with a gentle tone.
“Well, just take this opportunity to study how you feel about him with a fine microscope. You may just have the jitters as all women do.”
“That's true. Well, at least we're not going to be alone. If you, Kera, and Hollie weren't coming, I don't know if I would go.”
Maya laughed into the phone, “ Yes well. All the more reason for you to not flake out on this trip. I better go now so I'm not late. See you at 8:30?”
“Yeah. See you then, Maya.”
I hung up my cell phone and set the phone down on the table with a sinking feeling of dread.
