Chapter 3

AUDREY

I am awoken from my blissful sleep by knocking on my door. Groaning, I threw on my dressing gown and trudged down the stairs.

I hauled open the door and greeted the smirking face behind it. Gosh, it was like uni all over again.

"What are you doing here? And at seven? That is too early in the day, I have no energy whatsoever to actually look at a person never mind talk to one."

"I could have sworn you've said that to me before." He looked puzzled and his eyebrows drew together. He quickly disregarded it and continued.

"Anyway, I came to let you know that I will be staying here in Paris for a four-month work experience. I called the firm to tell them I completely fell in love with Paris and I wanted to stay a little longer." I rose my eyebrow, waiting in suspense for the rest.

"So, they hooked me up with a sister firm in central Paris." He wore a smug look on his face as he spoke but I couldn't miss the delight in his eyes.

I rubbed my face before looking up and meeting his gaze. "And where are you going to stay? Did, you consider that?"

"Oh...crap. It appears that I did not." He began to fidget with his hands.

"Right, just calm down." He immediately dropped his hands by his side, but he still looked anxious. "You can stay with me."

He gasped in delight and went to hug me but I stepped backwards out of his reach in time. "But, if you wake me up at any time before nine, I will astroproject you into another universe."

"Thank you so much, Audrey." He wrapped his arms around me but I couldn't get away this time. He swayed us a little from side to side before letting me go. "Okay. Sorry to bother you, you can go back to sleep now. Thank you again, it means so much to me."

"Whatever. It's not like I can go back to sleep now. Just go get your stuff and come back here. Have you had breakfast?"

"No, I kinda rushed here when I got the reply." He smiled in apology.

"Just go get your stuff. I'll have breakfast made by the time you get back." And with that, he left.

By the time he returned I had made pancakes. I set the tray of them on the marble counter and took a seat at the island.

"I'm back. Where should I put these?"

"Just leave them in the living room. We'll sort them out later, for now, sit down and have some pancakes." I reply, taking a couple of pancakes from the tray.

He quickly joins me, building his own considerable pancake mountain on his plate. "I feel like I should be saying 'honey, I'm home!'"

"I'm allergic to honey."

"Wait, seriously?" He sputtered.

"No, but I feel like I should be just so don't say that," I mumble, nibbling my pancake.

"Allergies are no joke. What would you do if I said I was allergic to...I don't know, pancakes?"

"Eat faster then."

He put his hand on his chest in offence jokingly. "I am so offended. You know what? I don't feel loved or appreciated here, I think I'll leave."

He stood up dramatically and made his way to the front door. Even though he was joking, I couldn't help but feel a pang of loss. Is this what he felt when I left?

"Sebastian, wait."

He popped his head around the doorframe and smiled cheekily. "Is something wrong?"

"I...I," I couldn't get the words out.

His smile became less cheeky, more sincere. "Yes? Audrey, what's wrong?"

"Don't go," I muttered under my breath.

"Sorry, what was that? I can't hear you." He teased, cupping his ear.

I huffed in annoyance but continued anyway. "I said don't go."

He smiled with pride and returned to the table, resuming his mission to devour all the pancakes.

"You know I was only joking, right?"

"Yeah."

But I couldn't shake that feeling. If I were to feel this when he jokingly walked out the door, how badly would it be if he were to leave for good? Then I realised that yes, this is in fact probably what he felt, and I hated it.

SEBASTIAN

After the stomach bloating breakfast (, well, I would say mind-blowing but that's not where the food goes), we unpacked my suitcases in the spare bedroom across from hers.

"What...in the name of unicorns...is this?"

I turned around to face Audrey holding a jumper in her hands. It was light pink with a sparkly unicorn slot bang in the centre. It was at this moment I felt my soul descending to heaven.

"Wow, I have no words. I don't even own that."

She pulled out a label with another tag on it.

"Made this just for you. Please welcome the newest member of your ugly jumper collection. Lots of love, Jackson." I scowled and facepalmed. "Hey, there's like three quadrillion kisses on this. This label is tiny, how did he even fit all of those on here?"

"I don't know, it's Jackson. He probably used a magnifying glass," I guessed, "either way we need to burn it."

She stepped backwards, guarding the jumper. "Uh no. Jackson made this especially for you - and that's not me defending him, it looks ridiculous - but if I don't get a picture of you in this before you go back I'm going to start a riot."

"The next Christmas card. Hey, maybe I should get Jackson to make you one." I teased, I could feel myself growing excited.

"Yeah no. I don't think so," she protested.

"Oh, I think I will." I readied myself to grab the jumper. She quickly caught on and got in a stance.

"Is that a threat?"

"Hah! It's a promise." At this, I launched myself towards her and the jumper. At the last second, she made it out of my grip and sprinted through the door.

"I will get you, Audrey!" I shouted, chasing after her. It's a good thing this was a detached house, otherwise, we'd have lawsuits for noisy neighbours placed on our heads.

"You'll never catch me alive King!" She nimbly descended the stairs and through an arch on the right. I tried my best to follow her, all the whilst catching up. I followed her through another arch, through the kitchen and out the back door.

I managed to catch up with her and then, I pounced.

"Got you now," I murmured, trying to catch my breath.

"Hmm, I must be losing my touch. It's been a while since I ran, thank goodness I was on the track team." She smiled up at me, barely out of breath, the jumper clutched in her hands. I had my arms on either side of her head, leaned over her.

"Well, at least now we know you can outrun a cheetah. I will add that to my notes."

She giggled a little and moved a strand of hair away from my face. "Wow. Exaggeration much?"

"Never. Not when it comes to you."