Page 6 of Keep Paris

“And I need to go back to my room.”

“And I need to go back to my room.”

I put my forehead to hers. “And I need to kiss Danny as much as possible today or I’ll die.”

“Fine.” Her giggle is really fucking cute.

“Hey, you were supposed to repeat that.”

She says, “Repeat it yourself.”

“I did that all night. Now I want you to do it.” I waggle my eyebrows at her and she bursts out laughing.

She squirms a bit. “I’ll come if you show me a piece of Paris you want to see. I don’t mean your body.”

I smile but make sure not to pressure her too much. “Don’t do this if you’re not feeling it.”

She licks her lips and then grins. “I could maybe, I don’t know, skip this one thing.”

I can’t wait to show her this place. I went the day we arrived. I was so antsy to see it.

“I’ll be out front.” I turn and hear her speak in perfect French.

“Excusez-moi, Madame, je suis malade et je dois retourner dans ma chambre.”

* * *

She’s staring all around us on the Metro then scribbles on a random piece of paper and shoves it back into her bag. She laces her fingers in mine. She smells a little like flowers and bubblegum.

I say, “I want to learn something new about you every day.”

“It’s been four days. How much can you really know when all we do is kiss? Though I’m not complaining.” She smiles and I peck her lips quickly.

“I’ve learned four things.”

She turns towards me in her seat. “And they are?” I stare at her, then take her hand. “Seriously?”

I say, “You use cinnamon toothpaste, which isn’t that common, but I like it.” She nods. “You’ve known Kris since you were in the third grade, and she moved next door to you.” She smiles wider. “Your skin is the softest I’ve ever felt.” She rolls her eyes.

She says, “And… what did you learn today?”

“Today’s fun fact about Lizzie is…” I do a drum roll on my knees. Everyone stares and the elderly woman down to the right of us puts her hand over her heart. “You keep secrets.”

“How did you figure that one out? Because I haven’t told you any yet?”

I laugh and pull her back. “No, you don’t keep other people’s secrets, you keep your own. I want to hear every single one of them.” She squeezes me.

“You want to know my secrets. You’re going to have to give me one.”

I grin, then tell her the thing that’s weighing me down. “All my offers are in, and I don’t know what the fuck to do.”

“Offers?” Her brow lifts.

“College. Where I’m going to play football next year.”

“Oh! How many?”

I look down sheepishly. It’s a bigger deal than she’ll understand, and I like that. “There are six solid schools, three amazing schools and two I-can’t-believe-they-want-me schools.”