Last Kiss in Paris

Chapter 11 - The Calm After the Storm

Suggested Song: Somebody That I Used to Know by Gotye ft. Kimbra

But you didn't have to cut me off
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing
And I don't even need your love
But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough
No, you didn't have to stoop so low
Have your friends collect your records and then change your number
I guess that I don't need that though
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Now you're just somebody that I used to know
Now you're just somebody that I used to know

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"Hey Amrisha, wake up," Saige said. Amrisha's eyes snapped open, and the first thing she saw was the bouquet of red roses on her bedside cabinet. Pain seemed to rip through her heart. She didn't want to wake up. Not after what had happened yesterday. Sleep was the only escape to all her problems now.

"Saige, do me a favour and keep those roses for yourself," Amrisha muttered, getting up slowly and trying to ignore the pain both in her head and the ache in her heart. She saw Saige walk over and pick the roses up, inspecting the card.

"From Alek? Amrisha, can you please tell us what's going on? Sophie and I are going to go mad not knowing what happened to you two yesterday."

Amrisha sighed. "It's complicated. I'm not really...ready to tell you yet." Saige nodded, and started arranging the roses into a vase.

"C'mon, let's head to breakfast."

"Lil Chan's concert is tonight!" Sadipoh announced excitedly at the table.

"Is Amrisha allowed to go even if she didn't meet Lil Chan?" Sophie asked.

"Well, if she isn't, we'll just replace Mel with her," Luc said, eyeing the group of kids at the other table, who were making a lot of noise as usual. This time, they were group FaceTiming even though they were seated right next to each other. Mel and Emanda seemed to have wormed right into their inner circle, as they were seated between Ashton and Aiden, waving their knives and forks around as they danced to kpop.

There was a dull thunk and everybody turned to see Alek setting his plate rather loudly on the table and sitting down a good distance away from Buvhi. His usually tidy dark brown hair was sticking out in all directions, and his eyes lacked the usual mischievous glint, and were instead framed by dark shadows. It looked like he too, along with Amrisha, had a restless night.

"Finally decided to join us?" Luc said. Alek ignored him, and started to attack his singular piece of toast with a knife and fork. Amrisha tried to catch his eye, but he was now busying himself by pouring cereal into his mug of milk.

"Ok now what's the problem Alek?" Luc demanded loudly. "I know you are the biggest advocate of pouring milk after cereal, and now you're violating your own rule, and can't even bother using a bowl."

"Not to mention he came back late last night, comes to breakfast late, and is on a diet," Alexander added. Alek continued to ignore them.

"Yup, something's up all right," Buvhi said after a long silence.

*

"Dude, tell us what's wrong," Sadipoh asked again, as Alek threw down the cards in a game of Evolve the Frog that lunchtime. They had spent the morning sightseeing at the Notre Dame and the Conciergerie, and were now in the Square Jean XXIII park, having a picnic lunch. They sat underneath a large oak tree, and while the weather was pleasant and sunny, Amrisha's mood was the complete opposite. She had tried acting normal the whole morning, and was a lot more successful in doing so compared to Alek, who hadn't even bothered to pretend. He had been abnormally quiet the whole morning, and when he did talk, he was moody and sniped at his friends. She was relieved that they didn't have to go to school and see Marcelle until the following Monday. However, this was just delaying the inevitable. Amrisha tried to keep her mind off the horrible thoughts circulating through her head as she focused her mind back on to the game of Evolve the Frog.