by Lauren Wood
Sally looked at him, he had dark black hair and this look about him that made her forget everything. I think I’m going to like Paris a lot, she thought.
“You are very beautiful.” Pierre said to her as they walked to the car. “I’ve always heard American girls were pretty, but could never image someone quite like you, even in my wildest dreams!” He added.
She turned bright red at his compliments. “I’m sure there are many pretty girls in Paris.” She finally said.
“Not as beautiful as you are Ms. Sally.” He said.
“You can just call me Sally.” She told him.
“Okay Sally, you are really something else. I would like to offer to show you around Paris. I’ve lived here all my life and know many things that most tourists would never see.” He stated.
“That sounds nice.” Sally answered.
She gazed over at Pierre, he was what she had always pictured for a Frenchman. He had a slanted nose that was a bit large, but honestly on his face looked amazing. He had a little bit of a mustache, and his skin was a golden bronze tone. Sally could feel herself becoming more attracted to him by the second. Any homesickness she had felt along the trip was quickly disappearing as she looked at him more and more. Yet there was the memory of her one afternoon with Johnny, she couldn’t get it out of her mind completely.
“Great, how about we start in a couple of hours. Or we can wait until tomorrow if your too tired from your flight.” He said.
“Well I just need to drop off my bags, but after that I can go now. I slept the whole flight almost, so I have plenty of energy.” She smiled.
Sally hadn’t flirted with many men in her past, but she was trying to flirt with Pierre. He had these emerald green eyes that were beautiful. She was here now, and Johnny, well he hadn’t even said anything about what took place between them.
“Great, I would be honored to show you Paris, Mon amour.” He kissed her hand once more, again he lingered longer than normal. She didn’t stop him though, the truth was she liked the distraction from her old life.
This was her new life now, Paris, and maybe Pierre. Sally thought about him as she walked to her room. Then she flashed back to Johnny and his bike. At least when she had been around Pierre he had made her think of something besides her neighbor and that amazing sex they had before she left.
“Maybe I’ll try to contact Johnny really quickly, and see how he’s doing?” Sally thought out loud as she placed her bags on the bed.
There was a knock on her door, so she went to answer it.
“Oh hi Pierre.” Sally smiled. It was those eyes of his that had her mesmerized.
“Are you ready?” He asked.
“Yeah, but let me send a quick message to a friend back home.” Sally stated. She picked up her phone and typed in a quick message to Johnny.
Hey Johnny, I just got into Paris, hope you are doing well. How is the job going? I wish I could of rode on the Harley once more before coming over here. Write when you get a chance.
Sally
She looked at it and thought it was fine. But part of her wondered why she wanted to write to him so much. It was true that her feelings towards him were quite confusing. Now she was here in Paris though, and she had a chance to live her dream. Sally had to try and put Johnny out of her mind, but maybe she could still talk to him.
Sometimes they said that absence makes the heart grow fonder, she thought. Was that what was going on with Johnny and her? Sally had never thought of him in any other way besides the geeky gamer next door, until just a few days before she left, that was.
“Okay I’m ready.” She said turning towards Pierre, thankful for the distraction of his eyes and behavior.
“I like your hair down too.” Pierre commented.
She had taken it down when she had come into the room. “Thank you.” She said as she ran her fingers through her long blonde locks.
“Mon Cheri, that is beautiful when you do that, but please don’t tempt me by doing it a lot. I might have to kiss you and declare my every dying love for you.” Pierre stated.
She looked at him to see if he was serious. “Oh stop, you can’t love me you don’t even know me!” She laughed.
“Tu es belle, you are beautiful.” Pierre said.
Sally just shook her head. Maybe she had made the wrong choice by agreeing for him to show her around. But part of her enjoyed the flattery and the wonderful words.
“Alright, so where are we going today?” Sally asked.
“I’m going to take you to one of the most beautiful gardens in town, Bois de Vincennes. It has beautiful roses and other flowers in it, though they will never compare the beauty that is you.” Pierre added.
“Are you going to hit on me all day long?” Sally questioned.
“Only until you agree to have dinner with me tonight.” He stated.
“Fine if it will stop you I’ll have dinner with you tonight.” She said.
“Great, do you have a nice dress, we’ll go to Le Meurice.” He said.
“Is it good?” She asked.
“Oh it’s the best food you can find in town. Well one of the best easily, there are several, but perhaps we can try them all while you are here!” Pierre stated.
She couldn’t help but wish it was Johnny who was here with her to see this. Sally snapped her mind quiet quickly. What was this constant thinking of Johnny? It was simply getting out of hand. It was just sex the one time; clearly it had just been that to him. If it would have been more he would have surely said something to her.
“I think that would be nice.” She replied. I have to get him out of my mind one way or another, she thought with resolve. I’m in Paris and he’s in Nebraska, I’m not going back without accomplishing part of my dream, if not all of it.
“Great, let’s go to the garden.” He opened the door for her and they walked out of the room. “You’ll love this park if you like flowers.” He stated.
“I love flowers!” Sally commented.
He smiled, “Then you’ll love this park for sure. There are other’s we can see while you here. How long will you be staying in Paris?” He asked.
“I’m studying fashion design. So I’ll be here at least a year or more.” She said.
“Oh that’s a long time. Maybe I’ll be able to convince you to marry me in this year!” He laughed.
She simply looked at him to try and decide if he was serious. She had always heard the stereotypes about Frenchmen being lovers, but was it really true. She thought she could see clearly why this stereotype had come about.
“There’s the park.” He said and pointed out the car to her right.
“Oh wow, it’s already so beautiful from here.” Sally said as she looked out over the landscape she could see. There were flowers of all colors, and a whole bunch of trees. “Are we going to walk around?” She asked him.
“But of course Mon Cheri.” He commented. “What kind of tour guide would I be to just drive you by the park and not go into it?” He added.
Sally laughed. “Not a very good one!”
“No not at all. Plus I get to show you off. All the people will be jealous because of the American beauty I have on my arm.” He smiled wickedly.
“I thought you were going to stop that once I agreed to go out to dinner with you?” She asked.
“So I lied a little bit. I don’t think I could ever stop telling you how beautiful you are.” He laughed.
“Yeah I had a feeling about that.” She admitted.
“Please forgive me if I seem too forward. I don’t know how American men are, but I can tell you how we French are. If we see something we want, we’ll go after it. I’m not going to lie to you Sally, I want you.” He said bluntly.
She was shocked by his direct honesty and wasn’t sure how to respond right away. It hurt her mind to try and figure out why he would be so interested in her in the first place. As far as she was concerned she was a simple girl from Nebraska. She had big dreams sure of one day everyone kno
wing her, but right now she was just a simple nobody. Why would this sexy speaking Frenchman want her?
“I just don’t know how to take you.” She finally stated.
“I know it’s hard to understand dealing with someone who speaks his mind. But you’ll find that I’m that sort. If I don’t like something I will tell you, and the same goes for when I really like something. Like you Mon Cheri.” He stared into her eyes.
He leaned in to kiss and placed his lips on hers lightly. She pulled away from him. “I can’t, I really like this guy back home, I don’t know why, but I do.” Sally explained.
“But he is back home, and you are here. If you really liked him, why would you come to Paris?” Pierre questioned.
“I’ve always wanted to study fashion design in Paris.” She said.
“Seems to me if you really liked him you would have stayed in America, no matter what your dreams.” He stated. “But I will give you the space you request. I won’t stop telling you how beautiful you are and how I desire you.” He added.
“I didn’t know I liked him until right before I left, and I had already bought my ticket. I don’t know it’s confusing right now. I have no idea what I want to do, but I might actually go home, I’m considering it.” She admitted.
“Well I would rather you stay, I am serious about my intentions towards you though.” He explained.
“I’d like to go back to the hotel now; I need to think for a bit.” She said.
“Alright, but remember you promised me dinner tonight, I’ll pick you up at 8.” He reminded her.
“Okay, I’m sorry; maybe I’m more tired than I thought.” She apologized.
“It’s okay Mon Cheri, get some rest and I will see you later for our meal.” Pierre said as he dropped her off at her room.
Sally walked in and collapsed on the bed, her mind a whirl of nothing but confusing emotions. The scene in the woods played itself out in her mind again. She had enjoyed it a lot, and thought he had too. But after it was done, he hadn’t kissed her once, had simply zipped up his pants and taken her home.
Of course she had told him that she was going to Paris in 3 days that most likely didn’t help any. Maybe she should have cancelled the trip and stayed back home, seen what was up with the new Johnny?
She picked up her phone to see if he had responded to her message yet or not. She saw something and clicked on it.
Hi Sally,
I’m glad you made it there okay. Look I don’t think we should write to each other, I’m kind of dating Mary now. She wouldn’t really like me talking to you. Plus you went to Paris and who knows when you’ll be back. So have fun.
Johnny
She reread the message several times, trying to process it all. He was dating Mary? Her friend Mary? She had often been rude to him in the past when she was over at Sally’s. How were they even dating? She had so many questions that she wanted answered. But he had made it clear he really didn’t want her to write him. Her heart sunk deep in her chest.
“Maybe he’s just saying that, I’ll write to Mary and find out.” Sally stated.
Sally pulled up her Facebook and saw if Mary was online. “Oh good she is!” Sally clicked on her friend’s name and sent a quick message.
Hey Mary, I made it! She typed.
Hi Sally, so what is it like? How long have you been there now? Mary wrote back.
I’ve been here for just a few hours now, and went to this amazing park it was magical. So what have you been up too since I’ve been gone? Sally wrote and then thought for a full two days, that’s all I’ve been gone. You’ve already moved in on the boy who wanted me for years and grabbed him up, her mind added.
Oh a park, that’s nice. Me and Johnny are dating now. How come you never said he was such a bad boy? I mean were you trying to keep him all to yourself or what? Mary wrote.
Sally sighed as she read the words from her friend.
I thought you didn’t like him? I mean you were always so rude to him, what happened? Sally typed on the screen.
I was in the grocery store and I saw him. Did you know he had a motorcycle? He just walked up to me and started talking and asked me out. So I said yes, and I think he might be the one! Mary’s message read.
Sally felt a tear escape from her eye and then from the other one. “How could he, I thought I was all he wanted?” She asked not Mary, but herself. It wasn’t a message she would type to her friend. But Mary had seen how Johnny had always been around her too; she had to know, right?
Wow I had always thought he wanted to date just me. Sally put in the message box and looked at the message. Did it sound conceited? Yes a little bit, but Johnny had always claimed it. She finally hit send; she really wanted to know what was going on. Here she was in Paris and pining after this bad boy back home that had moved on. If that was the case, she would just have fun with Pierre and move on from Johnny.
Oh aren’t we a bit full of ourselves. What would you expect him to do follow you to Paris. You made a choice and left here and everyone behind. Don’t be upset at him for moving on. There is nothing wrong with me; I think I might love him even. So please Sally if you’re going to be mean about this I don’t want to talk to you. I should have just blocked you like Johnny said to do. But no I figured you could be happy for me, and even him. You are more shallow than I had realized.
The scathing message stared at Sally, as she read every word. She had to admit she wasn’t happy for Mary or Johnny, not one bit. Instead she had hoped that he would wait for her, maybe she would go back in a year, and he would be there. Still the Johnny he had been before she left and he would sweep her off her feet.
Now even that dream was dying so quickly. She read Mary’s message once more and responded.
I’m sorry Mary, I’m happy for both of you. It just really comes as a shock that he would move on so quickly. I mean we had sex right before I left even. She typed it and then erased the last part of the message. No she didn’t want everyone to know she had sex with Johnny, it was their own personal thing.
When she hit send though her message didn’t go through and it showed up that Mary had blocked her.
“What the hell?” Sally said out loud. She curled up in a ball on the bed and began to cry. Not only had she lost the boy who had always adored her, but she had lost another of her good friends.
So far her life in Paris had been one bad thing after another. “We’ll all except Pierre, he seems to adore me. He almost reminds me of what Johnny used to be like.” She said.
She pulled up an email and wrote to her mom, it was one of the last people she felt she had in the world.
Hey Mom,
I’ve only been in Paris a few hours so far and life is so much different. I went to a park with this really nice Frenchman, his name is Pierre. We are going out later tonight for dinner.
I’ll write and tell you how the food is, and I’ll take pictures of everything! I’m posting some from the park today.
I love you and dad,
Sally
Sally had thought of asking her mother about Johnny and Mary, but didn’t. She would simply move on here. Pierre had already told her how he felt. Well the next time he tried to kiss her, she would simply let him.
Her head was heavy as she finally allowed her eyes to close shut. Before she knew it her alarm was ringing and she had to get up and take a shower. Pierre would be here in an hour to pick her up.
Though she did feel a bit more rested, her heart was still heavy as she thought of Johnny and Mary. “I don’t get it.” She muttered as she stepped into the shower.
Chapter 2
Johnny looked in the mirror and smiled. But the truth was that deep down he was boiling with rage. “How could she still leave after what happened in the trees?”
Perhaps he should have said something to her. But right after they had finished that day, she had told him she was going to be gone in three days. He felt like he had been punched in the stomach, throat and heart all at the same time.<
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He thought back to the day he saw them drive by to take her to the airport. She had waved at him; he had simply looked away from her. She made up her mind as far as he was concerned.
Johnny had to wonder if she had broken something in him. He didn’t quite feel like the same person he was before she left.
“Hey hot shot, the sex was amazing.” Mary came into the room still naked. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his shoulder.
“I have to go to the gym. I’ll see you later.” He kissed her quickly on the lips.
