Last Kiss in Paris

Chapter 19 - All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy

Suggested Song: Happy Now by Zedd and Elley Duhé
You're a world away
Somewhere in the crowd
In a foreign place
Are you happy now?

—
"What the hell?" Amrisha rushed over to the balcony and leaned over, squinting to make sure she was seeing straight. In the distance, a familiar-looking blonde guy wearing a tux and holding an enormous bouquet of flowers had just come out of a blue Maserati parked in the outdoor lot. But it couldn't be him. He was never flashy. He always wore sportswear or polo shirts. Last time he looked this nice – damn, it was at their teacher's wedding in year six.
"Is that Ben?" Saige squealed. A sense of dread dropped into Amrisha's stomach at her confirmation.
"I wonder what he wants," Sophie said.
"What the hell," Amrisha repeated, panic starting to rise in her chest. As Ben passed through the gates into the gardens – where were those damned security guards? – panic turned into rage and bitterness. "Who does he think he is?" Amrisha demanded. "I'm going in. Cya guys and don't tell him where I am," she babbled as she tried to push past her friends to get back into the room.
"Whoa gurl," Sophie shot out her arm, blocking Amrisha. "I know he like, ghosted you and whatever, but if he's got the nerve to show his face, you gotta give him a chance to explain himself."
"How did he get that epic car past the gates in the first place?" Saige said, seemingly ignoring Amrisha's situation. Amrisha swore as she looked down again. Ben had spotted her, and was hurrying toward the building. With his long stride, it was no time before he disappeared into the bar area where a set of steps led to the gym.

Amrisha tried to move again but this time both Sophie and Saige stopped her. "Ugh let me go!" she shouted.
"Amrisha?" a voice called from three storeys below. Despite herself, Amrisha's heart skipped a beat and she turned, slowly, meeting the piercing blue-grey gaze. Amrisha suddenly felt self-conscious in her pinstriped pyjamas. "Amrisha," Ben called again, waving the bunch of flowers at her. Sadipoh, Buvhi and a few others stopped midway through an intense backstroke race and started to stare. Amrisha was mortified. Was Ben trying to embarrass himself, or even worse, humiliate her? He was popular and extroverted, but never so flashy. The weak smile on his face seemed genuine enough, however, and it hurt Amrisha to see it again.
"What do you want?" Amrisha tried to make her voice cold, but the words came out as a croak.
"I want to talk," Ben replied. "Please. I'm so sorry Amrisha. I really am. But you're one of my best friends and I can't stand to lose you. Can we just let things go back to the way it used to be? As friends? Just let me talk to you." Tears stung Amrisha's eyes, and her heart seemed to break again. The past few days, she had tucked the memories of Ben – and there were a lot – into the back of her mind, and tried to distract herself amongst her friends, amongst Pierre...
"Ben," she managed to say. A few more people poked their heads out of windows and began to whisper. "I forgive you. I know how you're sorry. But I don't think we can go back to the way it was. Things change, you know. So do people. You're a good guy. But I'm not, and if you keep doing this you'll only hurt us both more. Just- just move on from me. You deserve to be with beautiful people like Marcelle." Ben's eyes seemed to fill with so much sadness. But Amrisha knew she had to move on. She didn't want to fight with Ben. Now that he lived in Paris, she knew there was no way of truly mending the friendship they once had. She had taken Ben for granted, and she had to pay for it.

"I broke up with Marcelle," said Ben finally, so quiet that Amrisha had to strain her ears to hear it.
"You did?"
"I never meant to hurt you," he continued.
"Well stop doing it even more!" Amrisha snapped, suddenly angry that Ben was doing this in front of so many people, angry at herself for not giving him a chance. "Go away Ben," she said, on the verge of tears. "I think we're done with each other." She whirled around and pushed past a shocked Sophie and Saige, reaching for the sliding door. Ben uttered something down below. "What?" Amrisha turned, where she saw Ben's expression as one of deep regret.
"Are you happy now? With Pierre?" Her heart stopped, as she thought of the past few days.
"Yes," she managed. "I am," she said more firmly. Amrisha started to walk away, Ben's pained expression burned into her mind, but not before she heard one last thing.
"You're too good for him. One day, probably soon, he's gonna hurt you more than I did."