Almier POV
Almier wasn’t sure what he had been expecting but the inside of the French airport did not look like an art museum. Chocolates and poodles were not being thrown around in the air and romantic French music did not fill the place. It also did not help that a river with a few quaint cafes dotting it’s bay did not flow through the place. Needless to say, Almier was slightly disappointed. Alexia, on the other hand, was walking through the airport as if its streets were paved with gold, her mouth gaping open like a mesmerized tourist, that, come to think of it, she was. Almier could have sworn he heard her mutter, “Toto, we’re not in Kansas, anymore,” but softly, because it would be utterly blasphemous for Alexia Lee to quote something other than the product of a science journal. They collected their baggage and headed out into the Paris Almier had been envisioning for the past few years, and wanted for nothing more than to come true.
As soon as they took their first step out of the airport, they were greeted with a strong gust of warm air. Oh, that’s right. It’s Summer, Almier thought, the fresh sting of disappointment still lingering on his tongue. Somehow, he had imagined his perfect Paris trip to be in autumn, with the perfect temperature for strolling hand in hand with Alexia by the eiffel tower, being able to sit on the top deck of a boat ride without breaking into a sweat, having their already cold cheeks frozen to the point of numbness while they gave in to temptation and shared an ice cream on the sidewalk (i read too many boy twitter accnts), using the cold as an excuse to share a blanket with her while they sat on a park bench, dreaming about their futures. Now that it was Summer, all his fantasies just didn’t seem as romantic anymore. A kiss against a sweaty face just didn’t appeal to him as much as warming the chilled, crisp cheeks of the girl he loved.
Next to him, he heard Alexia let out a soft gasp and grab at his arm, an action that made chills run up his entire spine and turned his body inside out. “Look at that!” she breathed. “They have actual architecture! With actual detail and beauty and everything! Not just some metal and glass planks placed together to form the sternest, straightest rectangle possible, but actual buildings with statues and engravings and -,” she clasped her hands together and her radiant beam was one of pure joy and admiration. “Holy mother of art.”
Almier couldn’t have been happier to tap in on this new found artistic side of Alexia, and decided to play his knowledge on France to his advantage. “Wait till you see the train station at the Louvre,” he leaned in and whispered excitedly. “I hear they have actual sculptures there!”
Alexia shook her head and let out a tiny burst of laughter. “I need to live here. I’ll sleep on the streets if I have to! Just look at this place!”
“I’m sure the French tourism industry would appreciate your enthusiasm,”Almier said, laughing. “The bus driver, not so much. Let’s go.” he nudged her towards where their entire group was boarding a bus that to Almier, looked no different from the ones back home. To Alexia, thought, it was a product of the heavens.
“I just realized that I barely know anyone in this group,” Alexia suddenly whispered urgently to him. “How the hell and I supposed to share private sleeping quarters with one of them?”
Almier felt his skin tingle with her breath hot against his ear. Okay, Almier. Keep it cool, the last thing you want is for Alexia to think you’re back to being that awkward, cowardly freak again. “It’ll be fine,” He reassured her. “You’re pretty sociable, you’ll make friends in no time!”
Alexia snorted. “Sociable? Me? You obviously don’t know me very well,” she joked, but it felt like the stab to Almier’s heart. Nice going, Almier.
Once they were all packed onto the bus, Miss Chelsea, whom Almier had no idea what she was doing accompanying a bunch of cultural exchange students on a school trip when her area of expertise was clearly in history, stood up and called for silence. “Okay, guys,” she yelled over the whispers and murmurs that sounded like the engine of an airplane. “Shush!” All eyes turned to her.
“Look, I know we haven’t gotten to know each other properly, heck some of us don’t even know each other’s names, the reason of which is beyond me, but I think this would be a great time to have a little introduction session.”
Almier heard Alexia let out a groan. “We’re passing through the streets of possibly the most beautiful city in the world. Can we please have our little bout of redundancy later?”
Miss Chelsea sighed. “Believe me, Albetxia -”
“It’s Alexia,” Alexia interjected with a frown. “You’ve taught me for a few months now. Surely someone who’s been able to memorize the events of World War II in detail should be able to remember my name?”
Miss Chelsea blushed. “Oops, I’m so sorry! That’s what Caden told me to call you and I got mixed up for a second!”
Almier saw Alexia visibly flinch at the mention of Caden’s name.
“Anyway,” Miss Chelsea continued. “As I was saying, I would love to engage in an audio tour to the city now, Alexia, but unfortunately, our tour guide was unable to meet up at the airport and hence, we will only get our fill on his wonderful place after we get to the hotel.”
Alexia gave an exasperated sigh and returned her attention to the scenery outside her window.
“Now, I know how childish this sounds, but let’s go in a round and introduce ourselves! I’ll start,” she pointed to herself with more enthusiasm than really neccessary. “I’m Chelsea Reynolds but Miss Chelsea to you. I like history, wars and animals Next!”
A tall boy that looked like he was having trouble keeping his excitement contained raised his hand in an awkward wave that did little to relieve the tense atmosphere. “I’m Brad,” he said. Silence. “I like videogames and shopping.” He grinned. No one grinned back. What kind of guy likes both video games and shopping? That’s like having two religions!
The girl sitting next to him had thick black glasses and voluminous hair that threatened to tilt her entire body over. “I like art,” she said, her eyes boring into each of them as she announced that statement, as if judging their lack of similar enthusiasm towards art. “I’m obsessed with it. If you don’t like art, we can’t be friends.” She leaned back in her seat, as if contented with sufficitenly shaking them up, when she suddenly snapped back up. “Oh, and I forgot, My name’s Hannah.”
All eyes turned to Alexia and she looked like she’d rather be having a fire-breathing contest with the devil. “Oh, my turn? Fine. I’m Alexia, but you’d have to be rather dimwitted not to know that by now, and you can’t call me anything other than Alexia. I’m smart, probably smarter than you lot, by the looks of it, and I don’t like people in general, unless your IQ is above the average in my school, which frankly isn’t a very hard feat.”
Miss Chelsea squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. “Um, tell us something you like, Alexia,” she suggested.
“Something I like? Hmm, I like France, obviously, writing poetry, and reading articles written by people who actually have a decent command of the english language.”
Miss Chelsea smiled at her. “You mentioned that you liked poetry? Care to share a few poems?”
Alexia glared at her. “Care to open up your shirt so we can all have a free viewing of your private parts?”
Almier heard the other members try to stifle their laughter, and Miss Chelsea paled instantly and she actually backed away a bit. “Nevermind then. Um, you next!” she stammered, pointing at Almier.
“Hey guys,” Almier began to the less than interested crowd. “I’m Almier and I like French, as well, reading, memorizing random facts and a bunch of other things that I can’t really remember now.” He laughed. “I guess what they say is true. The moment you’re asked to introuce yourself, you forget everything about your life.”
Miss Chelsea smiled, grateful for the support after her traumatizing encounter with Alexia’s snappy side. “Yes, indeed. Okay, we’re on to our last person,” she nodded at a tiny asian girl sitting at the side of the bus.
The girl looked up with the same I’d-rather-be-dead expression that Alexia had. “What?” she snapped.
“Introduce yourself,” Miss Chelsea ventured.
“Oh. I’m Qi,” she said flatly. “That’s not my full name but the only people who need to know are the custom officers who control my entry and departure of this shithole. I’m from a shithole, study in a shithole and life in general is a shithole. I like reading about torture devices, Hitler and Kim Jong Il and one day, I’m going to set up a concentration camp to put all the bitches that pollute the earth.”
The bus fell silent and even Miss Chelsea could not find the words to cover up for the negativity that had just dropped. “Well,” she stuttered. “Thank you for your interesting sharing everyone.” She staggered back slightly and immediately sat down, not uttering a single word for the rest of the journey.
Almier turned to his right and looked at Alexia, who was staring straight at Qi with an a smile and expression that he was unable to read. “I think,” she said slowly. “I’ve just found a new friend.”