Lexa’s POV
In the entire world, he was the last person I was expecting to see. So many questions ran through my mind and I was wondering what he was doing here. It scared me to my spines that he was staring right at me.
I looked away for just a second and looked back, to find him few steps closer to me. He was walking to me. I freaked out.
He was the one that tried to return me to heaven but... he was also the one that freed me and let me go to Elliot. I didn’t believe that he was truly a bad person. He let me go, against his King's commands and to say, that meant a lot to me.
During all my thoughts, he eventually reached me. My friends had noticed I was no more by their sides and turned to me, only to find me with a guy. As typical friends, they stayed back and watched what would happen.
He smiled. “Hi…” He looked short of words and I was as well but not as much as him.
“Liam, what are you doing in Paris? Here?” I didn’t mean to sound surprised but I was.
“I’m here on…” He bit his tongue before saying the next words. “I’m on a mission.”
I shone my eyes. “Are you trying to separate two lovers again?”
He let out a short chuckle, which warmed my heart in some way. “Not this time.”
I finally saw my friends staring and decided to bring them in. “You should meet my friends.” I took him over to them and they didn’t look very happy to see me. I guess they still had Elliot on their good side. “This is Wendy. And this is Ana.”
They exchanged pleasantries with the fakest smiles they could pull off. I turned back to Liam. “Are you in Paris… for a while?” I asked like a nervous high school girl.
“Yes. I’ll be here. Will you?”
“Yeah, for a while.”
He brought out a piece of paper and placed it in my warm hands.
“My number. If you need my assistance.”
I wanted to say, ‘Angels have numbers as well,’ but not when my human friends were around. “Sure.”
He hesitantly walked away, giving us another smile.
“He’s really cute!” Ana exclaimed when he was barely gone. Wendy hit her shoulder. “I mean who is he and where did he come from?”
I didn’t really know how to answer that question. “He’s Liam, a good friend of mine.”
"I've never heard you talk about him if he's such a good friend," Wendy asked, suspiciously.
"From High School, you can't know him." I didn't know how much longer I'd have to hide the truth from them.
They didn’t want to bring up Elliot because of our dispute so they said it another way. “I don’t know about him,” Wendy said in a warning manner.
I rolled my eyes. “Leave that, let's get back to shopping."
“You will throw that dirty piece of paper far away, won’t you?” Ana asked as we walked over to the next section.
Of course I didn’t answer that question. I kept the paper safe in my pocket.
***
Liam had no way of contacting Rica fast enough, as well as in the midst of people, except with a phone she got him. He was still trying to get the hang of it. The only thing he could do well on it was call.
He dialed her number and waited for her to pick, which she did almost immediately.
“Alexandra collected my number.”
Rica seemed to be eating something in a mouthful over the phone so her words weren’t clear. It was obvious she was enjoying her stay in Paris. And since she wasn't living for very long, she wanted to make the best of the time she had. “Good, are you sure she kept it?”
“Positive. What is the next thing to do?”
“She will call you.”
He paused before saying anything further. “She may not.”
“She will. I’ll make sure of it.”
“What will I say to Alexandra?”
Rica rolled her eyes and even Liam could sense it. “Ask her out.”
“What?”
Rica remembered that he was an angel. “Tell her you want to take her somewhere. Do so politely, do not force her.”
“But where?”
She hissed. “Enough questions. I need to find Alexa, don’t call me today again. I'll call you, got it.”
She cut the call.
Liam placed the phone back in his pocket and thought of the next action. Then he left, disappearing from the scene.
***
We had moved to Wendy's home and were now staying there. Her house had a reasonable number of empty rooms but I wondered why.
We were so tired that night that once we got there, we crashed into our beds and slept off. Everyone but me. I couldn't sleep even though I was utterly exhausted.
Wendy made sure she took us to all the best places of France. We saw the Eiffel tower and went to three of their famous cafés and restaurants. I forgot how many dishes I had.
We went shopping again, Wendy's idea. And Ana also wanted to talk to some French journalists she met in one of the restaurants and she made us wait there for an extra hour.
Rica was with us for most of the trip until when she just disappeared. I actually saw her vanish but she told me she had to see someone who needed her help.
The day was great and Elliot was out of my mind for most of the time. Ana also took us to Parque De Diversão. I mostly thought it was for kids but Ana said it was for everyone.
I took on a few rides, because they forced me, because I was not really a ride person. I could have taken an few more if Elliot was with me.
I tried so hard to forget him but the harder I tried, the more I failed. It always occured to me that I may had made the wrong decision but it was Kimberly we were talking about.
He killed her!
I would not be able to live with him or myself if I stayed. I wished I could prove him wrong. Then I thought, there was still a great chance that he wasn't the culprit.
Though the missing bottle and the video footage said it all, I needed to clear the doubt off my mind. During this stay of mine in Paris, I would find out if he really was the one or not.
I knew that I'd probably be disappointed again but what if, he was just innocent. There was also one thing, if Elliot got rid of Lot then there was also a chance that I could return.
But the chances of that happening is very thin.
I wondered how he was doing. I left without giving him time to process it. I hoped he wouldn't do anything stupid. I still very much loved him.
I washed my face in the bathroom, hoping it would also wash the guilt. I stared at myself in the mirror and realized how more beautiful I had become even in the darkness.
My black hair was long up to my waist. No one keeps their hair that long in this century but I didn't mind. My waist was slimmer and my hips were broader. My skin was getting whiter and paler.
Did I need a tan? No, I never felt comfortable with tanning my skin. I felt like I was destroying its milkines, that's what Kimberly said, whatever that means.
The last time I tanned my skin was five years ago and I did it only to impress a boy that didn't even notice me in the end. I was so naïve. All teens were. They only realize that when they get older.
I lied on my bed, trying to sleep, but nothing was coming to me. When I gave up and wanted to make myself some soup, my phone vibrated.
It was a message from an unknown person. And the person was no other than Liam. 'How did he get my number?’ I thought he gave me his number not the other way around.
'How are you, Alexandra? It is me Liam. I cannot sleep and you are the only one of my contact list.'
I chortled. That was some way to make a girl feel special.
'Neither can I? How did you get my number?"
'I met with Miss Ricarda. She gave it to me without me asking? She is very nice.'
He chatted really slowly because by now, I was done with my instant onion soup.
'Sounds like her. I thought you were on a mission, why can't you sleep?'
'Angels do not sleep. I tried because I am on earth. It did not work.'
I guess it was his first time chatting so I guessed why he was so great at it.
'Maybe that's my problem then.'
'Should we go out and get some food? You cannot sleep and neither can I.'
I had a feeling he was trying to ask me out. I didn't want any complications in our friendship so I wanted to reply with a no but someone entered my room.
I wasn't scared or surprised but a greater part of me wished it were Elliot.
"Can't sleep too?" I asked, finishing the last of my onion soup.
"Witches only need few hours of sleep. What happened to you?" She looked at the phone in my hands.
I didn't want to bring up Elliot's name so I lied. "Paris is just so amazing. I can't sleep in a wonderland like this."
It was an awful attempt at lying and Rica, of all people knew, just what I was thinking.
"Then go with him. You shouldn't miss an opportunity to explore it more." She got me there. The look on my face wasn't supporting the idea. "He's a nice person, Alexa. You've met too many horrible people in your life, you can't just let a good one slip away."
"Elliot is not bad, he just made a mistake."
"You wouldn't be here if he wasn't. His mistake cost you your mother."
I didn't want to lose control of myself so I kept quiet and changed the topic. "I don't want to start what I can't end."
She walked closer to me, in slow motioned steps. "What are you saying? It has already started."
"Rica, please don't..."
"It's the truth, that Angel is ready to do anything for you. I know and I only want what's best for you. You're all I have, Alexa."
She turned her back and walked away. She was talking about what's best but not what made me happy. What was a life without happiness? I didn't want to live that type of life.
Nevertheless...
'Why not?'
It took him some time before he replied. I had a feeling that he was either researching whether 'Why not?' was a positive reply or where he wanted to take me.
It was cute what he was trying to do but I wouldn't let it go beyond the line I had made between us.
'Josephine Chez Dumonet, meet at 8pm. Table reserved.'
'Be there. See ya.'
I looked at my wardrobe. I didn't want to wear anything extravagant because he was not Elliot. I still loved Elliot and unfortunately Liam could do nothing about that, if that was what he was thinking.
I wore a long white plain wrap dress with long sleeves and brushed my hair. Though I wasn't going with Elliot, I wasn't planning to look miserable.
I wore some nice complementing shoes and left the house for Josephine Chez Dumonet. Thankfully, it was not too far. I took a taxi and it took me straight to my destination.
***
This had to be my fourth restaurant in one day. Surprisingly, I wasn't even full. I still had enough space for a tartare, even after the soup. Weird, wasn't it?
When I entered, the place was as expected. I had researched I on the web and it was even better looking than the pictures. It had a good feel. It was just as the five star reviews said! I just had to try the food first. I searched around for Liam but I couldn't sight him.
Someone tapped my shoulders and I was spooked because I was not expecting it. But I guessed who it would be.
"Hi Alexandra."