"Get the fuck up, Stell. You can't just stay in the flat all day", Stass said tugging on my arm.
"Yes. I. Can"
"I get it. Draco completely fucked you over before leaving for Italy but that doesn't mean you have to stay in bed all day. We're in the city of love"
"Fuck love", I pouted.
"You don't mean that", she said rolling her eyes.
"Yes I fucking do"
"Stella Cordelia Blackwood, if you don't get your ass out of bed, I will drag you out myself and then throw your favorite Prada boots off the balcony. I'm sure a nice homeless Muggle would love them"
"Go ahead. I hate them"
"You love them", she said tilting her head.
"I do love them", I sighed.
I forced myself to sit up and pulled my messy hair into a low ponytail, not having a care for what I look like. "I should have told him I loved him"
"What Draco did wasn't your fault"
"Yes it was. If I had told him that I loved him, he wouldn't have ditched me before leaving for Florence"
"Again, not your fault"
"I waited for him. I fucking waited for him like an idiot"
"You're not an idiot"
"Ugh!", I groaned loudly, throwing my head back. "Everything was going so well during cotillion and then he just bails on me"
"Draco Malfoy is an ass, what's new? You can't loose sleep or sunlight over him, Stella"
"Just when I thought I was about to let him in, he-"
"Enough!", Stass shouted, cutting me off. "I'm sick of hearing you talk about him and I'm sick of seeing you upset. Get your ass out of bed, wear your tallest Louboutins, and let's go find you a cute French boy"
"Boys are the last thing on my mind, Stass"
"You know what your issue is? You fall way too soon. You get obsessed with the idea of a relationship and when it doesn't go your way, you get disappointed. This French boy will just be apart of a little game"
"I just want to stay in and eat macaroons"
"Fine. I didn't want to do this but I have to"
Stass walked over to my nightstand, grabbing the glass of water and throwing it in my face.
"What the fuck!", I yelped as the cold water dripped down my face and chest, soaking my silk pajamas.
"Now you have an excuse to peel your ass off that bed", she scoffed.
I rolled my eyes and threw my soaking wet duvet off of my body. I swung my legs off of my bed and walked into the bathroom to change out of my wet pajamas and get ready for the day.
After I finished getting ready, I walked out of my bedroom in family's Paris flat, I met Stass at the door. She wore a red mini dress with a pair of black heels, matching my black Chanel twill set.
"We're going to go to the Louvre so you can find a cute artistic French boy", she said hooking her arm onto mine. Stass disapparated us out of the flat and to the busy streets of Paris.
We arrived in front of the Louvre, a beautiful Fresh Renaissance palace that was even bigger than Malfoy Manor. Dozens of Muggles filled the front of the building and young Muggle children ran around, chasing each other. The bright summer sun beamed onto the glass window panes of the Pyramid, lighting up the main entrance to the museum.
"Come on, let's go look at the Mana Lisa", Stass said grabbing my hand and dragging me into the Pyramid.
"It's the Mona Lisa, not the Mana Lisa"
"Like I care", she scoffed. "Some Muggle painted it"
I rolled my eyes and followed her into the museum. We walked all the way from underneath the Pyramid and entered the palace.
We wandered around the hallway, looking at all of the 13th and 15th century Italian paintings. Looking at one of the Cristian paintings was a tall boy with brown curly hair. He was wearing a long black coat with black trousers. Before I could get a good look at his face, Stass dragged me away. I looked back at him as we walked through the crowd of mesmerized Muggles, hoping to get a glimpse of what he looks like.
I've been in Paris for the past three weeks and haven't seen anyone who caught my eye until now. I spent most of my holiday within the walls of my flat and occasionally at Chez Julian for lunch, heartbroken over Draco. Stass on the other hand, spent most of her days shopping and hanging out with Adrian until he had to go back to England for his holiday with his family.
The last thing on my mind on this holiday was to find a new boy to indulge in to get my mind off of Draco, but I bet Draco is running around Europe fucking anything that has a hole. I can't spend the rest of the holiday single. I have to find a hot wizard to take to my Grandfather's brunch in Tuscany. If I show up empty handed and Draco shows up with some witch he found off the streets of Prague, I'm going to look like the sad idiot how spent all summer crying over him. Although, I did spend the summer crying over him, but Draco doesn't have to know that.
After a few hours at the Louvre, Stass and I left for lunch at Chez Julian. We sat at our usual table outside and ordered our entrees.
"Did you enjoy our day out?", asked Stass. "We can go shopping after lunch"
"Yeah", I sighed. "It was okay. I did however... saw a cute a boy"
"Ah!", she giggled. "Who and what does he look like?"
"I don't know. You dragged me away before I could get a good look at him"
"Fuck. Why didn't you say anything?"
"Because you were walking so fast, it was like Barney's was having a sale"
"Well, what are a few of his characteristics?"
"He's just tall and has brown curly hair"
"Damn. We have to find him"
"Good luck. I'm sure there's hundreds of tall French boys with curly brown hair wondering around Paris"
"I can't believe the one time someone caught your eye, I ruined it by rushing you to go see a painting of a woman with a dry smirk"
"Maybe it's not meant to be"
"Stell, this isn't a romance novel. Who gives a shit about 'meant to be'. Go out there and look for the potentially cute French boy"
"Fuck it", she said throwing her napkin on the table. "We're going to go find him"
"What? I haven't even finished my salmon"
"Who cares? Let's go and I'll get you some macaroons"
Stass can be so pushy sometimes.
"Fine", I groaned.
Stass and I left the restaurant and walked down the street towards Champs-Élysées, hoping to run into the boy in the long black coat again.
I know hoping to meet a boy that I don't even know and hardly saw again is completely impossible but what can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic who gets the taste of true romance until the boy fucks me over. How is it that I'm always stuck in relationships that are amazing that ends so terribly?
Draco was supposed to be different. Being with him was the one thing I had a choice in. I was practically forced by my parents to date Theo, but with Draco, I didn't feel pushed at all. It was so natural and it felt right. The one time I truly felt happy and in love, I let the person I love slip right through my finger tips. Had I just told Draco that I loved him sooner or reassured him that my feelings were real, maybe he wouldn't have abandoned me.
As Stass and I walked down the sidewalk, I accidentally bumped my shoulder into someone. I turned around to apologize to them, immediately recognizing the brown curly hair and black coat. It's him. It's the boy from the Louvre.
"I'm so sorry. I should stop walking on sidewalks like I'm the only person here"
"It's alright", the boy chuckled. "You looked like you were lost in your own world. I run into people when I'm in a daze too"
"Yeah..."
"I'm Louis Argent", he said with emphasis on his French name.
"I'm Stella Blackwood and this is my friend Anastasia Perez"
"You can call me 'Stass'", she said waving at him.
"Blackwood? Any relation to Ophelia Blackwood?", he asked me.
"Um... Yeah... Well, I'm related to a Ophelia Blackwood very far down the family tree"
"Judging by your British accents and surname, you two must be witches from Hogwarts"
"Wait... You're a wizard?"
"Yes, and your wand is sticking out of your jacket by the way", he said pointing at my Chanel blazer. I shoved my wand deeper into the inside pocket of my blazer.
"So, I'm guessing you go to Beauxbatons"
"I actually just graduated. I'm attending Ilvermorny in the fall"
"No way, Stella here has been dreaming of Ilvermorny", said Stass. "You should give her a tour of the campus"
"That's not necessary", I chuckled nervously.
"I would love to, one day", he smirked. "So, Stella Blackwood. What are your plans for tonight?"
Before I could let out a breath, Stass quickly said, "She's free"
"Alright then", Louis smiled. "I'll send you an owl and pick you up at eight"
"I'll see you later then"
"It was nice meeting you, Stella and you too, Stass"
Louis waved at us and then walked away. Right as Louis walked away, Stass started jumping up and down, giggling.
"Now we have to go shopping", she said grabbing my hand. "We have to find you something to wear for your date tonight"