***
Two days later, we're on the TGV to Rennes. We take the train because Nika is coming by car in five days' time to take us back to Strasbourg at the end of our stay. After changing trains once in Paris, we finally arrive at Élias's parents' house in the late afternoon.
The house is huge with a large garden. However, they also live in a fairly rural area, so it probably wasn't that expensive.
Élias's father picked us up from the station and grinned. "So, if you always bring us surprise guests when you visit now, I'll have to start keeping a record. Otherwise, I won't be able to keep track of all the names anymore. For nineteen years you haven't brought anyone home except Raphaël and now two new people in less than six months."
His voice is warm and gentle, heartfelt and even if he is teasing his son a little, you can feel the love between the two of them. Élias laughs. "Thank goodness you're so spontaneous! Thank you for letting Adrien stay with us, Dad."
"Oh, I had nothing at all to do with this decision, that was your mother's alone. If she’d asked me..."
If I got the same stern look from my father that Élias just got from his, I wouldn't be grinning all over my face. But Élias doesn't look the least bit insecure. He playfully bumps his father with his shoulder.
"Ah, here you are! Finally!" A tall, thin woman falls around Élias's neck. "I've missed you so much, my big boy! I'm so glad you're here! And you too, of course!"
"Thank you for having me, Madame Lejeune." Élias's mother looks at me in horror. The two of them look incredibly alike. The long, slender stature, the dark hair and the dark eyes.
"No, no, no. We're celebrating Christmas together, there's no room for pleasantries. I'm Camille and you've already met Antoine."
"This is Adrien, Maman. I've already told you a lot about him on the phone."
"Adrien Delfosse." I politely hold out my hand and Camille grasps it with a firm handshake.
"Welcome! And now inside, boys. We're about to have dinner."
***
"Your family is awesome!" Élias and I sit on his bed and play PlayStation to pass the time.
"Yes, I think I’m pretty lucky. They reacted really well too when I brought Nika home out of nowhere over the summer and introduced her as my girlfriend." Whenever he talks about Nika, Élias's voice changes. It becomes soft and loving, tender. I wonder if I sound like that when I talk about Philipp. If you can hear that I have feelings for him. If I also get that slight smile around the corners of my mouth.
"Does Nika celebrate Christmas with her parents?"
Élias nods slowly. "We haven't slept a night apart since we got together. I hope she's doing well."
"How about I just go over to the guest room so you can call her and talk on the phone in peace?" The answer is a long time coming, but I understand anyway and get up.
Back in the guest room, my thoughts go round in circles. Philipp. I wonder how he celebrates Christmas. Probably with his family too, as he lives at home. If we were together, could he bring me home with him? Just like that? Like Élias brought Nika home?
I could never take Philipp home with me, my parents would never accept him and I could never do that to him. The thought hurts more than I'd like.
Chapter 14
Philipp
Shit, I have to get out of here. I try to pull my beanie lower down my face, but there's just not enough fabric. My curls bounce uncontrollably onto my forehead. Shit, shit, shit.
I didn't really want to leave the house on Christmas Eve, but my mother forgot to buy beef stock and she can't make gravy without it. And to be honest, I had nothing better to do and so I offered to make the quick trip to the supermarket. If I had knownthatwas going to happen, I would have sent my sister.
Now I'm standing here trying to somehow hide behind a shelf of cleaning products while my ex is putting his shopping on the conveyor belt at the checkout. I was actually standing at the checkout right next to his, but then fled in a flash.
That may be childish, but the realization doesn't hurt my ego. Just the thought of having to say hello to my ex sends a cold shiver down my spine. We haven't seen each other or spoken for almost a year now. Not since I broke up with him on the phone.
Not that I've missed him or anything, hell no, but being so close to him again feels strange. He's feels like a stranger to me and when I look at him I can't find anything that I consider as even remotely attractive.
When I'm alone, or even worse with Adrien, I hear his voice in my head all the time. Now he's standing in front of me and everything is quiet. But I know what he did to me, what he made of me. I will never forget it and I will never forgive him.
My hands are shaking. I probably wouldn't even have noticed if the two glasses hadn't almost slipped out of my hand. Fearrolls over me. What will he do when he sees me? Will he try to be overly friendly? Or will he be hurt? Or aggressive and angry?
