-A very hopeful Fabian
I smiled at the gesture but I had already offered to study with River that night and I couldn't back out of it, plus I was sure this wasn't just a friendly encounter, I knew better than to go along with it knowing it would meanwaymore to him than it did to me. So I did what I thought was best and let him down easily. I turned over the piece of paper and wrote on the other side before tossing it back at him.
I’m sorry Fabes but I can’t make it, maybe another time?
As he read my words his expression changed to disappointment and I mouthedI'm sorryonce more but he just said it was okay and shrugged it off.
Our Teacher assigned us a thousand-word essay on the importance of grammar and punctuation, literally the most boring topic on the planet and sometimes I thought that she simply hated her job and her students.
After class we all decided to go to lunch together at Le Deux Magots and when I say all I meanallbecause it took an incredible amount of convincing to get River to tag along too. Plus we were supposed to be going to the library after to study for our final test tomorrow which was Halloween and it sucked to have to take a trigonometry exam on Halloween. I knew it wasn't particularly celebrated in France but apparently, there were many things to do in Paris to get your yearly dose of spooky on.
Geneviève was seated at the right end of the table and River on the left end, I was seated next to Fabianon on one end and Keomi and Mer on the other. I glanced towards River, reminiscing the last time we were here, I felt for the scar on my palm that was almost completely gone from the knife. River seemed oddly distracted and somewhere far away even though he was right here and out with us. Just then everyone's phones went off and I initially thought it was an email from the school until I checked my own and it was an invitation.
"No fucking way!" Mer gushed and it was clear that everyone was surprised and excited, "How the hell did we get invited to Victoria's Halloween party?"
"Why is it such a big deal?" I asked genuinely confused,
"Armani, only the most exclusive people on campus get invited and we've never been invited until...now!" Keomi explained and I was still utterly confused,
"It's probably because she's finally taken a liking to me." Gene claimed, "I should send my regards to her."
"Wait a minute, aren't you and Victoria like friends?" Fabian asked me and I realised, I proceeded to check my texts.
TORI:I hope you can make it, you can tell your buzzard friend Geneviève that she can stop pestering me now. Oh and keep her on a leash while you’re here xx
ME: Thanks for inviting us, no promises on the leash thing!
TORI: Try an electric collar
ME: WHAT.
"I guess I am..." I realised and Keomi squealed giddily,
"Who knew being roomies and friends with you would be the best thing to happen all year." Keomi sighed,
"That doesn't sound right," Gene mumbled and I rolled my eyes at her.
"I literally have nothing to wear." I complained as the realisation hit me, "and no money to buy anything because I spent my allowance ordering useless shit on Amazon."
"There's always a solution in Paris." Fabian assured me, "There are so many costume thrift stores on every corner, I'm sure you'll find something."
"Or she could dress up as herself." Gene added, "A sore loser; that's sure to scare everyone."
"Yeah, and when exactly do you plan to take yours off?" I fired back and she smiled devilishly,
I turned to River who's been sketching something on a napkin which I'd realised he only ever did when there was something on his mind, he will literally draw on any surface. Once I caught him drawing on the side of his pair of Converse like it was a canvas.
"Will you be going?" I asked but it was almost like he didn’t hear me so I slipped my hand under the table to hold his but he tensed under my touch,
"I don't know," he said and he pulled his hand away from me, "Don't."
"Why?" I asked at his sudden distance,
"Not here." He declared assertively,
"Then where, because it seems like everywhere there's something holding you back from me." I challenged and he lowered his eyes,
"I don't like the way I feel when I'm around you, when you look at me like that and when you touch me. It's like I'm slowly forgetting everything I swore I never would." He acknowledged and I felt like he just rubbed salt on an open wound,
