Sketches (Lauren/You)

Paris

Her heart thudded unevenly, furiously within the confines of her chest.

Lauren searched the crowd for that tell-tale head of chestnut brown hair, the hazel eyes, anything to show her that he hadn't stood her up. Her hand were clenched around the handle of the bags that she held so tight her knuckles were white. She twisted her neck, flipping her hair over her shoulder and out of her face so she could get a better look.

"Lauren!"

She turned, her head moving in the direction of the voice that tugged her heart the way no other voice had ever done in her life.

And there he was.

Walking toward her with that same easy smile was Y/n. The first time she had seen him in about four weeks since the wedding and already she was fighting the urge to rush into his arms and embrace him. Now that actually showing how she felt was an option, she had to fight even harder. She still thought that maybe it would be inappropriate to do so. His breakup with Camila was still fresh, and she didn't know if he was still hurting over it or not...

Behind him were two other figures. She knitted her eyebrows together in confusion and squinted to get a better look.

One, with shaggy hair atop his head, the other had a curtain of wavy blonde hair adorning her head.

Y/n said something, but Lauren might as well have been deaf for all she heard. She looked from Y/n to his cousin, and then to the other man in shock before uttering a name in a series of stuttering syllables, "Noah?"

The brown haired youth looked at her with a slight mirth in his brown eyes, "Lauren. Long time, no see."

Gigi looked at Lauren and then back to Noah with a puzzled expression on her pretty features before saying, "Uh, hello to you, too."

"Hey, Gigi." Lauren said, giving her a smile, "Is Noah your new boyfriend?"

A coat of red that was the color of tomato soup covered the pale features of the young model. "N-No, this is just...he's one of Y/n's close friends...we...we came to see you two off."

With the way he's staring at you, that's only one part of his agenda, sweetie. Lauren thought wryly, looking from Noah to Gigi and then to Y/n.

"You know Noah?" Y/n asked the inevitable question, looking into her emerald orbs as he did so. There was an edge of uncertainty to his question, as if he thought there used to be something between the two, which was not the case.

Lauren smiled gently at the artist and replied, "Yup. We grew up in the same neighborhood as kids."

"What are the chances..." Y/n trailed off, hazel getting lost within forest green.

Lauren shrugged, a grin playing upon her lips. Noah grinned slightly from his position beside the blonde woman and started walking to the baggage area.

"Hasn't changed a bit." Lauren chimed, taking step behind him. Gigi and Y/n immediately followed the two. Before she was able to put her bag on the conveyor belt to move into the plane, a strong hand clasped her two bags and put them there for her, along with his luggage as well. She looked up at Y/n, her eyes filled with thanks for his kindness, and a smile tugged her lips once again, "Thank you."

"My pleasure."

Lauren looked into his eyes, and for a moment, she found herself getting lost in his gaze. He looked at her as if she were the only woman in the world, a woman that he cared about more than life itself. The very notion was enough to cause involuntary shivers to course throughout her body.

With a casual gesture, he took her hand. It was almost too casual, and it took Lauren aback. She was so used to being at a distance with him, due to his girlfriend. This was definitely something she needed to get used to. She figured it would take a while before that happened, however.