The Fault in Our Stars: Second Chances

XIII

"Can we stop and get something to eat soon?" Kaitlyn questioned. 

I laughed to myself, "I didn't even know you were still awake." 

"I literally just woke up," she assured me, "By the way, where are we?" 

"Paris..."

"YOU DROVE US TO PARIS?" Kaitlyn shouted out, alarmed.

"Kaitlyn, please tell me you don't actually think it is possible to drive from Indiana to Paris." 

"I dunno." She replied with a blank look on her face. 

"We're in Paris, Indiana." 

The sun had gone down and it was beginning to grow darker and darker out. 

"Where would you like to stop?" I asked.

"One second, let me check and see whats around here." Kaitlyn pulled out her phone and searched for nearby restaurants. 

"Anything good?" I asked as she scrolled down lists upon lists of restaurant names. 

"There are like a million places to choose from." She replied.

I pulled over and grasped the phone from her hand. 

There were indeed many places, but we both agreed on a small diner that was located right inside of town. 

The food was good, and I enjoyed the scenery. The diner was at the top of a mountain and overlooked the city, the lights glimmered in the moonlight, that was now showing bright as a spotlight.

Kaitlyn asked a few more questions about exactly where we were going and when we would be back, but even I didn't have an idea of how to answer her questions. I just needed a break, some time to move on. I didn't want to have to think more about when and where I would be redeeming my little break.

"Just look around, Kaitlyn," The entire diner was filled with calm, quiet people who were enjoying their meals. "I need that, I need this calmness. No pressure, it's just a simple life." I replied.

She understood that I was being put under a lot of pressure lately, after Gus' passing, Isaacs' passing and Alexander. 

"I kind of wish you hadn't met him. He was bad news, I could tell. And Hazel, I never believed any of the things he told you. I still think he lied about  it all." She made me feel even worse about the whole situation.

"Can we just not talk about it, now?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry." She apologized and continued eating.

>>>>>>>>>>>>

After dinner, I decided that I was too tired to drive, so we stopped, right outside of Paris, to find a hotel. 

Although the room itself reminded me of Filasoof, I liked it. And that just happened to be one of my favorite memories with Augustus.

"I'm going to take a shower, will you be okay by yourself for a while?" Kaitlyn asked gathering up a change of clothes and a towel.

"I'm not eight," I rolled my eyes, "I'll be just fine." 

She giggled and made her way to the unusually small bathroom. 

After Kaitlyn started the water, I headed to the lobby. A very young looking man who was working the front desk was quietly fiddling with his cellphone. "Can I interrupt you for a second?" I asked.

"Yes, sorry. How may I assist you?" 

"I'm staying here overnight with a friend; do you know of any places around here that would be worth visiting?" 

"Umm, no actually, I just moved here from Indianapolis, my uncle owns the place, he might. Let me grab him, hold up." he replied and left me at the desk alone. 

Only a few seconds later, he re-entered with a man maybe a few years older than he. 

"Hello." he greeted me, "How may I help?'

"I was wondering if there were any places around here that would be worth my time."

"Oh, yes! I'll put together some brochures and you can look through those."

"Thanks!" I replied and waited. 

He gathered up more than enough things and handed them off to me. I returned to the room shortly, Kaitlyn had just gotten out of the shower and was blow drying her hair. 

"Where'd you go?" She asked. 

"Just down to the lobby, I got these!" I held up the brochures.

She took them from me and searched thoroughly through them.

"Let's go here!" her face lit up, "Oh, and here!"

I laughed, "Tomorrow."

"Okay."