The trip to her parents was as eventful as it could have been. The airport was crowded but luckily she had chosen to use her family's plane to fly to France and to say Alessia was in complete awe and shock at the fact that her best friend had a plane made her think about how she had underestimated just how rich was Paris' family and the thought made her even more uneasy and nervous about meeting her friend's parents.
There was a car waiting for them at the airport to take them to her family's villa. The car ride was silent and usually it would have brought some peace to Alessia but now it was just making her loose her cool so she decided to start conversation with her friend.
"Paris can you tell me what your family does again?" She asked causing the model to look up from her phone.
"A lot of things. My father owns several vineyards across Europe and has a scotch brand with his brothers passed down by my grandfather to them. The rest of my family are either politics or artists and other things that I'm not sure of."
"Wow. So how did you end up living in America if your family is here?"
"My mom is from there and when my father met her and they got married she wanted to stay there. So they had me here in France as requested by my dad and then flew back to the States. They moved back here when I was a junior in high school."
Alessia nodded as she swallowed and analyzed all the information Paris was giving her about her family, not wanting to miss anything.
Paris couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of her Scottish friend being visibly nervous about it all. She had been ever since she stepped into the car Paris could see it and now she thought it was time to give the short girl some reassurance to ease her so she put a hand over Alessia's leg that was bumping up and down anxiously.
"Al it'll be fine you don't need to be nervous is just my mom and she's the sweetest woman there is. My dad in the other hand is kind of a cunt but I doubt he'll even notice I'm there." She told her in a calm voice.
"I know is just that it's been a moment since I met someone parents you know." Alessia said still unsurely as her fingers fiddled with the zipper of her jacket.
"Just be yourself Al you are very lovable."
"You really think so?" Alessia asked unsurely.
"I know so."
Alessia couldn't help the shy smile that crept into her face as she looked away from the raven haired girl.
For the rest of their ride the air seemed to be less tense and more easygoing. Her blonde friend then rested her head on her shoulder, for the rest of the drive they just watched the lawns covered in snow while in silence once again.
"Miss LaRue we're here." The chauffeur announced before going out and grabbing the two girl's bags as they got out of the car.
The big villa of the LaRue family was as beautiful as Paris last saw it, the difference being that it was currently covered in a thin layer of snow along with the vineyards in the distance. Despite all the exterior beauty and how fancy her family's home was, the place was never Paris' home. At least it never felt like it. The more she ever felt like she had a true home was those five years she lived with Riley before it all turned wrong.
While Alessia watched all the place in the same awe as she did the plane as they walked towards the mansion. Paris got a hold of her hand interlacing their fingers and then gave it a light squeeze of reassurance as she was aware that despite her words her friend remained nervous about the prospect of meeting her parents.
They entered the big warm house and could now take their coats off. One of the house's staff came and greeted the two girls politely before guiding them where the lady of house was.
Paris didn't let go of Alessia's hand as they walked through her family's house as it seemed that Scottish didn't want to and honestly she was more than fine with it, her hand was cold and Alessia's warm one felt way too good to let go.
They ended up in the music room where her mother was playing the piano expertly and effortlessly as if the instrument and her were one. It made her remember of the few times she had tried to teach her how to play it, her mother had said that she had 'the hands of a pianist' but Paris never got the hold of it and it frustrated her because it was the one time where her mother had actually spent quality time with her daughter doing something Paris knew her mother dearly loved. It could have been a nicer memory only if she hadn't failed miserably and instead had gotten the hand of the instrument.
She could tell people her mother had taught her to play but now it was just a failed anecdote of 'I once tried to learn' and there's nothing special in tried.
"Paris my darling!" Her mother stood up from the piano and greeted her daughter with a hug full of love. "I missed you," she said while pulling back to see her only child's face after a long year.
"Hello mama," Paris greeted her mother softly as the other cupped her face gently with her usual motherly smile that was only for Paris.
She took in her mother's face for a moment.
Vanessa LaRue was a beautiful woman no matter the wrinkles in the corner of her eyes that had come with the age or the grey strips that were starting to show in her black raven hair but were covered with dye. A woman in her fifties who dedicated her life to clothing design, a job that took most of her time and the little that she had left was all consumed by her conflicted marriage, leaving a young Paris to get accustomed to see her mother just every other day. But now Vanessa was older and already retired living peacefully in the French villa in Bordeaux.
Vanessa moved her gaze to the side where she caught sight of a gorgeous young girl of pale skin and honey hair and cognac colored eyes. "Hello," she greeted the girl giving her a sweet smile as well.
"He-llo Mrs. LaRue." Alessia said nervously as the older woman came towards her to meet the girl her daughter had brought home with her.
"Call me Vanessa sweetie, may I know the name of such pretty girl? Seems like my daughter forgot to introduce us."
Paris chuckled at her mother words while Alessia looked away shyly with heated cheeks caused by the compliment of her friend's mother.
"Sorry. Mama this is Alessia Knox a very good friend of mine and Alessia this is my mom Vanessa LaRue."
Alessia extended her hand to shake but was instead met with a tight hug, "It's nice to meet you Alessia."
"I can say the same Mr- Vanessa."
"You have an accent, may I know where is it from?"
"Scottish from Scotland." Once she gave her the answer Alessia wanted to smack herself on the face by stating the obvious and looking like an idiot but the other woman just laughed it off.
Paris couldn't help the smile that formed on her face as she watched her friend being all nervous in front of her mom while the other just looked at her in amusement.
She knew that her mother already liked the Scottish girl. If she didn't it would have taken her not more than mere seconds to know it, but she was never worried. She knew her mom would love Alessia. They both were the sweetest women she has met but that despite that still hold their own character when needed.
They will get along perfectly.
"How long are you two staying for?"
"Just for the weekend, Alessia needs to come back home for Christmas."
Vanessa nodded in understanding before putting a hand over Alessia's arm. "Paris sweetie why don't you go and greet your father while I get to know your friend."
She groaned at the idea of talking to her father on purpose, "Do I really have to?"
"Yes he's your father so go talk to him."
She crossed her arms.
"Now Paris." Her mother said firmly this time.
Paris groaned again. "Fine," she said before leaving the music room.
When she was out Vanessa turned to the young girl who seemed to be a little shy and spoke to her, "How about I give you a tour of the house while we get to know each other?"
Alessia smiled and nodded, agreeing to the proposal.
"So Alessia, let's start simply. How old are you?" Vanessa said.
"I'm twenty four," she responded.
"And what do you do for a living?" The older woman asked as they walked through the fancy hallway.
"I work at my family's bakery."
"That's very nice, I'm sure is lovely," she said genuinely.
"Thanks," she responded shyly.
Alessia never knew how to take compliments.
"Is your relationship with my daughter only a friendship or is there more?"
Alessia felt caught off guard by the sudden question for a moment before coming up with an answer, "Yes we are only friends."
Vanessa just nodded.
"When did you meet?"
"A little more than a year ago."
"When Paris ran off after her break up." She stated.
"I guess," she said slowly.
"Has she talked to you about her previous relationship?"
"Yes but not much, she doesn't like talking about it."
"I imagined... what do you know about it?"
Alessia didn't understand the reason of the sudden question in this specific topic but she answered to Paris' mother nonetheless. "How it started and ended, both of them."
Paris' old lovers was not something they talked about. It only has come up a few times, mostly when they met. Alessia knew that her friend wanted to avoid that part of her life as much as she could.
Why else would a french-american girl like Paris be in Scotland out of all the places in the world?
"Riley and Jackson." Vanessa said.
She already knew their names but remained quiet and let the older woman speak.
"Both great people, the times I met them both, in separate periods of time of course. I might have failed to be present the amount I should have but I know my daughter still. No matter how good they were and all, I knew they weren't the match for my daughter because they both shared an important similarity."
"Which is?" Alessia found her asking.
"They weren't enough for Paris. You are her friend Alessia you must know what I'm talking about." Vanessa looked at her.
She shook her head as response.
"Paris has a big temper but she's... spoiled too - always has been and always will be, as well as possessive. But she tends to get bored easily. Her relationship both lasted long but ended the same because they both couldn't keep up with her." Vanessa explained.
What Paris had once told her and what her mother was saying made sense all together, when you knew the story and placed this conversation with what Paris had told her it fitted like a puzzle piece.
"Why are you telling me all of this?" Alessia asked with utter confusion.
"Just a note of advice dear." Vanessa responded with a wink.
If Alessia was confused before then now even more. Before she could ask what she meant by that Paris had found them again.
"I talked with my lovely father, are you happy now mother?" Paris said with a look of annoyance.
"Yes very."
Paris rolled her eyes before grabbing her friend's hand and start to drag her away. "I'll show us to our rooms."
"Dinner will be in two hours!" Vanessa said before the two girls were out of her sight.
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A/N - Here's another chapter tell me what you think!