Last Kiss in Paris

Chapter 8 - Truth or Dare

Suggested Song: One Kiss by Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa

One kiss is all it takes
Fallin' in love with me
Possibilities
I look like all you need

—————————————————————————————————————————————————

"All yours," Pierre grinned and thrust the newly-won Winnie-the-Pooh stuffed toy into Amrisha's already full arms. She was carrying half a dozen or so prizes won by Pierre in less than twenty minutes. As she took the adorable Pooh bear, Pierre had already moved on to the next arcade machine. "Uh, I think that's enough Pierre," she said, as she fumbled and almost dropped a stuffed toy.

"You think?" Pierre smirked. "Okay, I'll do whatever you want." With one arm, he took the pile of prizes from Amrisha effortlessly, and grabbed her wrist with the other. "Where to now?"

Amrisha's skin tingled at his touch, and she checked her watch, before letting out a gasp. "Omigosh, we're running late! We were supposed to meet up with the others in Chanel five minutes ago!"

"What?" he hissed. He gripped Amrisha's arm harder, and said, "C'mon, let's go downstairs." They ran towards the nearest lifts, and Pierre jabbed the down button several times, before peering at the digital display above the buttons. He swore underneath his breath, causing Amrisha to wrench her hand from his and slap him. "Ow! What was that for?" he complained. "The lifts are both on Parking Level 2, it's never gonna go up to Level 5 and down in time."

"Well then do something!" Amrisha squealed, hysteria beginning rise in her. Pictures appeared in her mind...Coach Johnson leaving them, her and Pierre getting lost on the Paris streets, getting mobbed...

"Over here!" Pierre called from a few metres away, where the toilets were located. Confused, Amrisha rushed forwards, before realising that he had opened a side door leading into a stairwell. Without thinking, she dashed in, pulling Pierre along with her. The door slammed shut and the thud reverberated all around them. Closing the door was not a good idea; the stairwell was poorly lit, it's couple of emergency lights emitting a feeble greenish and eerie glow. Half blind, they stumbled down the flights of steps, Amrisha clutching Pierre's hand, and gripping the railing with dear life with the other.

After what seemed like an eternity, they finally reached the end of the stairs. Amrisha groped around in the dark before finding a door handle and turning it. She stepped out, and let out a cry, recoiling. The door had led them to the outside of the shopping square, which was still pouring rain and littered with bits of hail and broken twigs and leaves. Pierre's head poked out from behind her, and he let out another swear word. "Well, looks like you and I won't be leaving the darkness for a long time." Suddenly, Amrisha's phone rang, and relief spread over her so fast that she almost dropped her phone in the effort of trying to answer the call - which was from Saige.

"Amrisha?" the worried voice from the other end said. "Where are you?"

"Saige!" Amrisha cried with relief. "We just made it outside the shopping square, where are you guys?"

"We're on the metro heading towards the hotel now. Johnson and Choux are in a rage that you didn't turn up and that they left you behind. Go back into the shops and stay put please. Coach Johnson will come back later to collect you." Amrisha felt a sickening lurch to her stomach at this news.

"I can't, Saige. I've already gotten in trouble with Johnson once and if he finds out we were late because I was with Pierre, he-"

"Pierre?"  Saige interrupted, her voice suddenly cold. "Amrisha, don't trust that guy and listen to me. If I were you, I'd stay put and own up to Johnson." There was an abrupt beep and Saige hung up.