We Will Always Have Paris

Chapter Fourteen

"Why didn't you tell me, before?" I asked, my voice small.
"Marilyn, I don't want to talk about this right now. Let's just go to the club with your friends and then we can talk about it afterward. Is that alright?" Gerald asked, voice soft and gently pleading with me to wait for a better, longer, time to talk about Paris.
"Fine." I said quietly, hoping that I would be able to make it through the night with the weight of his confession on my chest. He started towards the door, "Gerald, wait. How long have you known?" he glanced at his watch, a shiny Rolex, and then looked back up at me.
"A few hours. Emilie told me when I went to go get you food." He crossed back towards me and kissed me tenderly. "It'll be alright Marilyn, I won't leave you. Not this time."
"I believe you." He hugged me close and then opened the door. My friends were there, Harry had an arm around Emilie, Cole and Michael were there with two girls that had to have been Raya and Patti.
A short, very short, dark haired girl had her arm around Michael. That was Patti. She had soft caramel eyes and golden-tanned skin. Her hair was blacker than Cole's and was mid-shoulder length.
"I'm Patti." She stuck her perfectly manicured hand out at me, "It's a pleasure to meet you."
I took her hand and shook it gently, her hand laid like a warm dead fish in mine. "Charmed." I replied. Raya, the girl Cole was leaning on, was blond with black underneath. She had light blue eyes and a friendly, if distant, face. Her smile was also nice, but not very warm. There was something off about Raya, only I couldn't put my finger on it.
"This is Raya," Cole introduced, "She's a little shy." He bent to kiss her but she pulled away.
"I'm not shy." She snapped.
"Alright people, let's go. Steven should be waiting with the Limo." Gerald ushered us on our way.
"A limo!!" Raya crowed, "I want to have a limo. Cole, why haven't you ever taken me somewhere in a limo?" she sneered at him, "Maybe I should hang out with this Gerald guy more often..."
"No you shouldn't." Cole stated simply, leaving no room for further discussion.
The limo was in front of the courtyard, the driver was wearing one of those silly caps that seemed to be so popular for professional drivers. The one, the only, Hoddie Allen swung open the back door.
"Nice ride. Am I right or am I right?" his grin was infectious, "Everyone's over twenty-one, correct?" nobody actually answered him, which led him to pour drinks for everyone except Emilie and I.
"Why didn't you serve the two ladies?" Cole asked, already annoyed with Raya I could tell he was the type of person who took his feelings out on other people. I also had a feeling that I did not want to be on the receiving end of his anger. But for only knowing him and Michael for a day, they were proving to be wonderful new friends.
"Because they dont drink. G told me that." Hoodie slid a colorful drink of something down towards Cole. It splashed a little on to Cole but he took it good naturally.
"So is his name Gerald or G? And who is he?"
Hoodie glared at Cole dubiously, "Are you serious bro? He's G-Eazy! The rapper!" A hush fell over our little group in the back of the limo.
"You...you're the G-Eazy?" Michael asked
"The one and only." Gerald replied
"I'm Harry Styles, by the way." Harry said, as if he was feeling left out of this famous circle.
"We know." Gerald and Hoodie said at the same time, they glanced at each other and laughed.
Michael leaned into me, "Are you dating G-Eazy? For real?"
I gave a self-conscious giggle, "I'm not dating him. We're just...ah..."
Michael snorted and backed away from me, "No wonder you didnt like his music. I didnt put you as one of those girls, Marilyn."
I felt the hurt stab in my chest. How could he say that to me? Gerald sat down next to me and offered me a sip of his whiskey.
"Here babe, you shouldn't let men treat you like that." he rested his hand on my leg
"Like you treat me any better?" I asked pointedly
He looked shocked, "I do, don't I? I have never lied to you about anything."
"Michael was just telling the truth, he wasn't lying." I reminded him
Gerald hugged me, squeezing tight around my waist, "Remember, you're the only one who is allowed to call me Gerald. Well, besides my mom." he kissed my nose sweetly.
Emilie was watching Gerald and I with rapt attention and so was Raya. Emilie looked like she might be taking mental notes for what to do with Harry later, but Raya just looked so sad. I began to wonder what her relationship with Cole was like.
"We are here!!" Hoodie called out and there was a scrambling of limbs as everyone tried to exit at the same time.
"Hey, Marilyn it's nice to meet you. You should have seen Gerald when he was separated from you. It was so cute, he thought he was dying and then he got real desperate and tried to make a move on me..." Gerald had punched Hoodie squarely in the gut, cutting off any conversation.
"Come, come Marilyn. We should go now so you can be front row and hang out with your friends and all that stuff." I nodded and took his hand. Once inside the club he gave me a quick kiss and then headed off backstage.
Michael was there the moment he was gone and soon I was nestled into his side, where a girlfriend belonged, and as more people showed up and it became harder and harder to stay together Patti drifted farther away from us with a longing look on her face.
"Dont you want to be with Patti?" I asked
He gazed down at me, "No. Besides, remember what happened last time a G-Eazy song played?"
"I left the party."
"Just like you should leave him. He's famous Marilyn and he doesn't even go to college here! With Harry and Emilie they can pull it off, for now, but he lives in California. And I doubt he's going to move here just to be with you."
"Michael, stop it." I felt panicked, realizing everything he had just said was true.
"I really want to fuck you-no make love to you. I've never wanted to make love to someone like I've wanted to make love to you, Marilyn."
I felt a blush rising, "You're drunk."
"I'm still standing." standing he might be but he was swaying quite a bit.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
He gave me a lopsided smile, "In Scottish folklore you aren't drunk until you can't stand up. I'm not drunk yet." he laughed loudly and Gerald appeared on stage.
"This one goes out to my little Parisian lady, le pomme du mon yeaux!" He started singing "Last Nite."

Le pomme du mon yeaux... those words made me step away from Michael and towards the stage. Patti saw that and swooped in to take my spot. Pomme du mon yeaux...apple of my eye.