If Clouds Could Lie

01 ~ Champagne Problems

"No, that's all right." He paused her with his hand gesture. "I shouldn't hold it in anymore." He smiled unhappily. Celina just nodded and took her drink which the waitress had just brought. "Um, I assume the girl in the picture was your girlfriend?" She asked carefully.

"...Yes." He said, staring into space. "Olivier, really, if you don't want to talk about it, we don't have to." She replied kindly. He looked at her with a smile.

"If I wouldn't, I would not tell you." Celine was not too pleased, but she was curious, so she finally agreed. And so Olivier started telling the story...

*flashback - engagement day*

"Is everything ready?" He asked, nervously adjusting the edge of his jacket. "Don't worry, kiddo, it's gonna be fine.." You'll see. " She said lovingly and smiled. "Thank you, Clara, you're the greatest big sister I ever had." He replied and hugged her. "I'm the only older sister you have." She said with slight concern. "That's the reason." He chuckled and let her out of the hug.

"I'm going to go check on the wine." She squeezed his hand.

"I'll join you." Olivier was nervous and full of anxiety. It was like his whole life was related to this moment. He wondered if he'd have a breakdown now or in a couple of hours. He was simply hoping for the best, hoping the love of his life would say the dreamy yes.

For Laura, on the other hand, this was supposed to be another casual, relaxed, friday night with Olivier's family. She had no idea that Olivier was secretly preparing an engagement party for her. She was a mess, and she was hoping tonight would help her sort her thoughts out. She always thought Olivier was the love of her life, but lately, they started drifting apart, and she felt much better. As if he was taking all the confusion, heartache and chaos with him. She needed to rethink everything.

L: Meet me at my old dorm?

O: K, be there in 20

"Laura texted me to meet her at the dorms," Olivier said, nervously ruffling his hair. His sister, Clara, just rolled her eyes. "Calm down, that's your spot, right? You have nothing to worry about." She said and gave him another hug.

"If your belly gets any larger, then..." He didn't finish the sentence cause Clara put her hand on his mouth. "You know I love you, but say one more thing, and you're dead." She looked around to see if anybody had overheard their conversation. "We just want to keep this to ourselves for a little longer." She said and gently rubbed her stomach, where new life was growing.

On that dark evening, Olivier went to meet his girlfriend. Snowflakes flew across the sky, and the cold breeze was gentle. "Hi." He greeted her and kissed her. "Why are we here?" He immediately asked the vital question. Laura was slightly surprised; he just scared her. "Um, I was passing by, and I wanted to take a moment to think about old days." She smiled and turned her back on him. Olivier wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"This dorm was once a madhouse." He smiled. "You know, it was made for me." She joked about it. "You're not mad. Maybe just a tiny bit." He said and kissed her head. She embraced the hug back, even as other thoughts occupied her mind. Did he already forget about her illness and her suicide attempt?

"Let's go." He said and walked to her car. "Wanna drive?" Laura asked him and handed him the car keys. They got into the warm car and took off their protective clothing. "Dear God, you have only a t-shirt!" He was shocked to see her pale arms. "Here, take my flannel." He took off his shirt and gave it to the frosty Laura. "Thanks." She said softly and looked away. She tried her best to hold back the tears. She had just decided that this needed to end.

The conversation in the car was poor and empty. They pulled up in the front of a bigger family house at the outskirt of town and got out. Laura entered, followed closely by Olivier. She greeted all the family members but only exchanged awkward stares with Clara. They didn't have much to say to each other as Clara thought Laura was just the fly-by bird about to leave. However, she loved her brother very much, so she tried to get over that feeling. Together they all sat down in the living room. Everyone already had their assigned seat.

Together they spent Friday night just talking and eating. When the clock struck six-thirty, Olivier gave a hand signal to his family. He had already told them that he was going to propose to Laura today. He couldn't keep it in; he thought this would be the happiest day of his life. "Dance?" He asked with a smile and offered his hand to Laura. "You too!" She pulled Olivier's parents and siblings onto the temporary dance floor. And so they danced together to a couple of songs. For a moment, Laura even forgot that this was the last night she was spending with them.

The music player began to play a different song. The tempo was slow, and the lyrics were heartfelt. Laura and Olivier danced together in a close hold. "Laura," he began. "Do you know you make me the happiest guy in the world?" Suddenly, he let go of her hand in a sloppy turn and got down on one knee. He held the ring his mother had given him a few weeks ago. She got it from his father for her engagement and had lived a glorious life with it. Laura put her hand over her mouth in horrified horror. She had expected a lot from today, but not this.

"Laura Elise Martin, will you marry me?" He said, looking into Laura's helpless eyes. She stood there without moving, and tears began to gather in her eyes. She cursed herself in her mind for not thinking of it sooner. He was going to save this relationship by proposing to her. But she didn't know it would work anymore.

"Olivier, I can't." She let out between sobbing. At that moment, Olivier's heart shattered into a million pieces. It was as if someone grabbed it and threw it against the wall.

Everyone froze in shock, and nobody made a sound. The bottle of champagne that Clara had been holding a moment before was now lying broken on the floor. " I'm sorry." She said quietly and swiftly ran out into the freezing night. She was still wearing his flannel shirt. Olivier quickly collected himself and ran after her.

"Laura, please wait!" He shouted after her.

" What else do you want from me?" She looked at him with her eyes filled with tears.

"I, I, I love you. And I thought you loved me too." He said brokenheartedly.

"I'm sorry." She replied and went into her car. She left without further hesitation. She was crying her eyes out and blaming herself for everything. She really is the worst person in the world. She just ruined her boyfriend's life.

Olivier returned to the house, feeling confused and empty. The whole family instantly hugged him. Clara had the urge to say that she was expecting it, but she didn't say a word.

"Maybe she'll come back." His mother said, stroking his hair. "It's not your fault."

"She would've made a lovely bride; what a shame she's fucked in her head." His father said. He probably thought he could fix it somehow. But Olivier blamed himself for everything.

After several minutes, he decided to go to his grandparent's house tonight. Everything about this place reminded him of Laura. He booked a night train that was leaving in a few hours. He packed all his things, said goodbye to his family and headed for the Railway Station. He was thinking about his whole life the entire time. He entered a part of the train where only a few weak lights shined. After a few stops, a cheery blond girl named Celina joined the train too.

*The end of flashback*

Since Olivier's confession, days, months and years have passed. And tonight, he was going to propose to a girl again. He knew it would turn out well this time and that their fairytale was just about to start. She was by his side from the beginning when he decided to change everything in his life. She stood with him through all the difficulties, the downfalls and the troubles. They eventually bought the coffee shop that started it all, the White Horse café. Olivier now assigned the once empty place in his heart to Celina, who loved him with her whole heart. He asked her to be his wife that very night, and she said, "Yes."

The End.