"All I wanted was a bit of excitement.
All I did was apply for a job.
And then all of me fell deeply and irrevocably in love with him."
Natalie Moon applies for an unknown job, and falls straight in the lap of One Direction. More specifically, Harry...
"I can't believe I'm actually in Paris." I mutter to myself as I stroll down the street.
We arrived late the day before and just collapsed in the hotel room, and this morning Harry and the band are sound-checking at the venue. It's a bit of a shame that they don't get to explore the places they go to much, but Harry would probably be mobbed anyway, with all his fans knowing his exact tour schedule.
I, however, left to do some exploring, specifically with some painting in mind. I brought an easel and paints with me and a big pad of painters paper instead of trying to lug around a whole bunch of canvases. Harry offered, but I figured the tour guys had enough to worry about without a bunch of canvas boards getting in the way.
It's a beautiful day today. Slightly cold in the shade, which is understandable since it's February, but I've got a long sleeved top on under my dungarees. They're new and patchwork and quite possibly my new favourite article of clothing. Bekah saw them online and sent me the link, knowing I'd instantly fall in love with them.
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Part of me wants to go visit the Eiffel Tower, as it feels like a bit of a cop out to say you've been to Paris and not gone up the Eiffel Tower, but I know it'll be heaving with people, and I don't want to spend half my day waiting in queues with loads of people.
This fairly quiet street that I seem to have found myself on, dotted with little shops and cafes looks quintessentially French to me, a person that's never been to France before, so I'm pretty happy here.
I go into some of the gift shops, picking up a tiny Eiffel Tower statue as a keepsake. It's pretty cheap looking, but it's a cute reminder. I didn't get anything similar in Switzerland, where the tour started, but I might keep my eyes peeled at the rest of the tour stops for little souvenirs.
A bit further down the street there's a little park area with some benches. I'd really like to paint a person, not just the area, but I don't know if that's going to be possible. As much as I usually just look at people and paint them from memory, there's something special about being in Paris that makes me want to have someone sit for a portrait, but I'm not about to go up and ask someone if they would. They'd probably babble away at me in French anyway.
I wish I could speak French. It's such a beautiful language. I did some classes in school, so there's some subconscious understanding, but it's very minimal. You need to be immersed in a language and a culture, to an extent, to learn a language, which isn't possible when we're on tour.
"Coucou!" I hear someone call, and smile to myself at the sound.
"Natalie!" The same voice calls, and I turn around suddenly.
A beautiful blonde woman is walking over to me, her curly hair bouncing up and down with each step. I don't know who she is, but she obviously knows who I am.
"Hello!" I say, trying to sound friendly.
She comes straight up to me and kisses me on the cheek, something I know a lot of French people do, but I still have to bite my cheek to stop from smiling at the difference in greeting.
