𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑⁰¹ʰᵉᵐᵐⁱⁿᵍˢ✓

²⁵emeric chagnon

Emeric was a great friend and a better boyfriend. When we broke up and until I met Aiden, I had lingering feelings for Emeric. It wasn't that he was the best boyfriend, I just shared too much of my past with him for me to easily forget him. I've known him since I was nine and it's hard to forget someone you've been through so much with.

I clear my throat. "Well, I still don't know if I can afford to spend Christmas there," I finish up the wrapping and take it off the table as well as my phone and start heading to the sitting room outside Helene's office.

Madeline scoffs. "Why's that what you're focusing on? Emeric might want to get back with you!" She squeals. "Then you can forget about that jackass Aiden,"

I gasp, never having heard her swear before.

"Madeline! Ne sacre pas!" Madeline! Don't swear! I hear mom scold from the background, only receiving Madeline's amused laughs.

"But you get it," She returns to me.

"Yeah I get it," I lean the painting on the bench and take a seat beside it. Now I just have to wait for Mrs Richmar's son to arrive.

"Would you ever get back with him, though?" She asks, sincerity in her tone.

I take a second to ponder upon it. Would I? If I went back home and worked it out with him, maybe we'd see a way to working long distance, but someone else would remain in my mind and it wouldn't be fair to either of them. "I don't know, Maddie," I sigh, leaning my head back on the wall. "There's kind of someone else in my mind right now,"

Madeline gasps then squeals before letting out a slew of unintelligible words. "Oh my god, tell me, tell me now,"

I laugh at her excitement. "Mads, can you pass the phone to dad? I need to talk to him,"

"No, no, no, tell me first,"

"Madeline, pass the phone,"

She groans, probably rolling her eyes as I hear her call out for our dad. "Dad! Clementine wants to talk to you!" She shouts and I hear dad's muttering from afar.

I wait a few seconds before I hear my dad's voice. "Yes, honey?" He tenderly greets me and I smile at the nickname.

"Hey, dad," I smile into my words. "I need help - well, not help, more like advice," I bite down on my lip, trying to rearrange the words in my head to form some sort of sentence.

It's nerve-wracking asking your dad for advice on boy troubles. I mean, I've done so before, but it was one time when I was sixteen and we barely even got deep into it.

It was awkward and all we really skimmed on was if he liked me and I liked him, we should go for it.

Now, probably having given advice to Oliver and Madeline, I feel as though somehow his advice now would be better. I know my mom's great at advice, but not on the concern of romance.

"What for?"

I start to shake my leg, the thought of Luke and I going all wrong being so unnerving to me. It's not that he's suddenly the world to me, but he is a part of it and right now, I don't want to leave things off awkwardly.

"Um... it's about a boy - or a guy - a man," I facepalm myself, embarrassed by the time it took me to form the sentence yet how it fell apart so easily once it escaped me.

My dad hums, that signature hum of his that meant that thoughts were currently running in her mind. "Oh, and you like this boy-guy-man?" He asks.

I chuckle, shrugging. "I don't know how I feel, dad,"

"Ah, but I think you do," He tells me, and I can see how he used to look at me, the sides of his lips creasing, one side more lifted than the other. "Tell me about him. What's he like?"

I shake my head. "I don't know where to start... um, his name is Luke, he's in a band, and..." I start to think about the night before, how he sobered me up before we walked to the studio, how he sang to me, and how he defended me from Aiden. "He's very kind, funny, and he treats me so much better, dad,"

He laughs from the other line, probably hearing how much I sound like a schoolgirl. "You're gushing,"

I nod. "I know,"

"You like him,"

It's just stupid for me to feel this way for him, but I'd be stupid if I didn't admit what I felt. It's probably obvious to everyone but me.

"I know,"

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happy update day to one of the longest chapters of pw!

just curious, what font do yall read in?

ily, stay safe
give love & tpwk