pieces | ethma

Paris

Ethan

Every year at my school, 20 seniors get chosen to go on a month long trip to Europe.

There's certain requirements you have to meet in order for your name to be put in the lottery for it. Every eligible senior gets their name put into a hat, and they pick 20 of them. Those kids get to go on the trip.

You have to have a certain grade point average, and you have to be involved in at least two student organizations. Whether it's band, student government, sports, debate, or any extra curricular you could think of. I played football, and I was involved with the film club.

Film was the career field I was going for, so I spent every waking moment outside of school and football dedicating my time to film.

I was delighted to find out I was chosen to go to Europe. This would be an amazing opportunity for me to capture some incredible footage and make a cinematic masterpiece out of it. I could capture all of the best sights, and I had just bought myself an old fashioned film camera that could also make videos. I loved it, and I couldn't wait to go to Europe.

-

Emma

I was never that popular in school. I guess you could say I was average. I wasn't exactly invisible, but I wasn't up there with the jocks and the party kids. I spent most of my time outside of school involved in the creative writing club, but I was also a part of the key club, which volunteered for different charities, soup kitchens, and other local community service projects.

I was thrilled when my name was picked to go to Europe. I knew it'd be a great opportunity for my writing.

I was even more thrilled when I found out my best friend Olivia was picked to go too.

Our first stop was Spain. Madrid and Barcelona were both amazing, and the beautiful sights inspired not only some writing, but some feelings too. I was in awe. I wanted to live there someday.

It wasn't until Paris, France three days later that I absolutely started falling in love with the continent. I was sure I'd never want to go back to Texas again.

It was a chilly morning in Paris one day when I went down to the coffee shop before the group left to sightsee for the day.

That's when I caught his eye. He was standing behind me in line. Ethan Dolan. I had never talked to him before, but he was in my Classic American Literature class last year, but I was always too nervous to talk to him. Plus, almost every girl in the school liked him, so why would I be any different to him?

I ordered my latte, and as I was waiting I watched out the window at the French street. It was wonderful here although it was a little rainy.

"Do you mind being in my video?"

I turned around, and there he was, smiling at me. I couldn't help but smile back. "No. Not at all."

"Good. I'm trying to piece together a film reel of Europe and all the beautiful sights. I think you'll add a nice touch to that."

I felt myself blush. He basically just called me beautiful.

"You film a lot?"

He shrugged. "All of my time outside of school and football is dedicated to film. What about you, Emma?"

He knows my name! Stay cool, Emma. Stay cool.

"Creative writing. I've always loved writing stories."

"If you ever write a movie, let me know. I'd love to direct and film it."

Our coffees were ready, so we both got ours before walking out of the coffee shop, and back towards the hotel.

"That sounds great." I said. "Hey, weren't you in my classic literature class last year?"

He chuckled. "Yeah. I remember being too nervous to speak to you."

I laughed. Ethan was one of the most popular guys in school, yet he was nervous to talk to me? The quiet girl in the back of the class?

"You were nervous to talk to me? Why?"

"I thought you were pretty. And I've seen some of your creative writing pieces. You're an amazing writer. I admired the way you captured emotions and feelings with words. I really think it's cool that you can do that so amazingly. I can really only do that through sights, and that's why I film. To express myself."

"Everyone has a different way of expressing themselves I guess. And I have to admit that I was nervous to talk to you too. I mean, you're practically royalty in the world of our school."

Ethan laughed this time. "No I'm not."

"Every girl I've ever known to be at our school worships the ground you walk on."

"Emma, I go to school, go to practice, and work on my films. I rarely ever go to a party unless I'm dragged there by my insane twin brother. I don't really make time for those people. It's always just kind of been me, my brother and a couple of close friends from film club."

"I guess I misjudged. I'm sorry."

"No. No, you're fine. A lot of people have a different impression of me just because of Grayson. I'm just saying, you shouldn't be too nervous to talk to me."

And that was the start. Even with the whole group of seniors, Ethan and I hung out basically all day. We had a very similar sense of humor, and surprisingly a lot in common. Paris was the longest city we stayed in because it was the most anticipated.

So, a week later, our last night in Paris, the whole group had dinner on the Eiffel Tower. The view was almost overwhelming because it was so beautiful, and the lights of the city were breathtaking. I noticed Ethan capturing it all with his camera before he walked over to me.

"Smile!" He said. I giggled as I looked straight at the camera. It always made me laugh when Ethan was filming me. He made me feel so beautiful, and he definitely boosted my confidence.

We had been hanging out basically all week, and getting to know him made me so happy. He liked the same music as me, the same movies and books, and frankly I was falling for him. Maybe he was falling for me too.

He turned the camera so that he was filming himself before he smiled and wrapped his arm around my shoulders from behind, pulling me closer to him as we both smiled for the camera. Then he clicked it off after getting a good shot. "Emma, I think I'm falling for you." He said. I smiled. He was still holding onto me, and I felt like nothing could ever top this moment.

"I'm falling for you too." I said, turning around. He had already put his camera in its bag before his eyes met mine, and we smiled at each other.

I was wrong about nothing being able to top the moment.

Nothing could top his warm lips landing on mine.