24 Hours in Paris

Original Edition: Chapter One

[BIG NEWS: On May 10, 2022, a whole new reboot version of 24 HOURS IN PARIS will be released by W by Wattpad Books, and be available in bookstores in North America! In this brand new version, the characters of Mira and Jake will be older and wiser co-workers in the corporate world, who miss their flight and get stuck spending an extra 24 hours in Paris. They'll start off annoyed with each other, but you know how the story goes... :-)

So mark your calendars for May 10th, for an all new 24 Hours In Paris with more laughs, more romance, and more croissant ;-) 

PS: I'll be sharing more updates (and teasers!) from the new book on social media, including TikTok where I recently got an account (as of Oct 2021) and am slowly learn how to use it/seem cool...lol. My username on TikTok (and IG and Twitter) is:  romimoondi 

The night before...

A group of rowdy young tourists stumbled along a side street in Paris, their American accents cutting through the late night quiet. "One more bar! One more bar!"

Rachel and Mira lagged ten feet behind, almost as if they'd rather not be associated with these ruffians.

These dozen or so students were a group of soon-to-be-sophomores from Columbia, who'd traded in half their summer for a special eight-week seminar on Art History. To say that most of the students had only applied so they could go on a two-week tour of Europe partially financed by a grant would be...an understatement.

"We could always just go back to the hotel," Rachel said, staring at the girls up ahead with some serious cut-eye. Rachel and Mira were the only girls in the group sporting casual attire, their worn-out jeans and T-shirts a far cry from the tube tops and stilettos up ahead. Still there was a beauty to them both, with Rachel's bright green eyes popping against her curly blond hair, and Mira's South Asian features giving off that mysterious princess vibe. A princess in Converse sneakers.

"The only person back at the hotel is Professor Simpson," Mira said, playing with a strand of her long hair. "He's probably watching Pay-Per-View and giving himself a nice tug right this second."

Rachel cringed at the imagery. "Dude!"

"Sorry but he's going through a divorce, so you do the math." Rachel and Mira followed the rowdy group around the corner. "And remember when we took that wrong turn onto Rue Saint-Deni? With all those strip clubs with half-naked women out front? I totally saw Simpson's eyes glaze over."

"Maybe he's in one of those strip clubs right now..." Rachel mused.

"Okay enough about the middle-aged lonely hearts club," Mira said. "We need to make the most of our last few hours in Paris, and since all the cool places on my comprehensive list are closed by now...might as well see where that stench of vomit up ahead takes us."

"Is that what that smell is?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah; Lindsey puked a few blocks ago while you were in the bathroom, and big surprise, none of our chivalrous male classmates bothered to hold her hair back." Mira rolled her eyes as she remembered that unfortunate scenario. She could've helped Lindsey out herself, but this was the same girl who only spoke to Mira when she wanted study notes on Post-Impressionism or Cubism or insert any "ism.' Karma was indeed a treacherous beast. Mira smirked at the short-skirted butts up ahead, wondering where they'd take her for her final nightcap in Paris...

***

Half an hour later, the American students found themselves in a darkened basement bar. If it was bedtime in Paris, no one here knew it, as the deejay was busy laying down a hip-hop remix, to the delight of the international clientele.

Mira and Rachel had somehow found themselves a corner couch, and seemed pretty comfy now as they sipped their purple cocktails.

"Yum," Mira said. "I'm so glad we didn't binge drink earlier."

"Uh-huh," Rachel responded, distracted by the scene in the bar. "Do you think we should be talking to guys? There's some cute ones here."

Mira followed her gaze. "Yeah but I have a feeling our fellow comrades are cornering the market." A few cute and lanky European men seemed awestruck by the cleavage and booty on display, courtesy of Lindsey and company.

"You're so cute!" Lindsey cried in her outside drunken voice, as she twirled a strand of her messy hair.

"Wow, even vomit hair isn't stopping them," Mira said, shaking her head in amazement.

"Maybe we should've dressed different," Rachel said, pulling at her comfy T-shirt.

Before Mira could answer, one of their male comrades Jake lumbered over, an attractive girl hanging off him. Jake was tall, fit, an unlikely rookie star of the lacrosse team, and every girl's American romance dream. On paper, anyway.

"Heyyy," he drawled, clearly drunk. "You guys are from my class!"

"And you're hammered," Rachel said. Though she normally considered him a solid piece of eye candy, the "borderline-drooling drunk" look left a lot to be desired.

"So listen, me and Genevieve---did I say it right?"

The beautiful French girl laughed. "Almost!"

"So me and G, I'll call you G," Jake went on, "me and G made a really special connection."

"I'm so happy for you," Mira said, blatantly rolling her eyes. "Where are you guys registered? Neiman Marcus?"

Jake seemed confused. "Yeah so...G and I need room to keep our connection going, so let us have the couch."

Rachel and Mira's eyes popped open. Mira whispered into Rachel's ear: "Is this bitch for real right now?"

Rachel shook her head. "He just burned every drop of goodwill from having those boyish good looks."

Jake gestured for them to leave. "C'mon; hop to it!"

Rachel and Mira crossed their arms, defiant. At the tender age of eighteen and two thirds, Mira was still in the process of figuring out her beliefs, but one that she'd nailed down was to never let a horny jerk bully her out of her seat.

Jake scratched his head like a confused primate, a common reaction for someone who was used to getting his way. When the girls wouldn't budge, Jake squeezed his way onto the corner of the couch.

"You cannot be serious," Mira muttered.

There was no room for Genevieve, so Jake let her sit on his lap.

"What should we do?" Rachel whispered.

Mira sneered at Jake then turned back to Rachel, who was practically falling off the couch. "He thinks he can smoke us out by having a love fest right in our faces? Hell no. Be strong, pivot your foot, and enjoy your purple cocktail."

A second later Jake's left elbow kept digging into Mira's ribs, the unfortunate collateral damage of his busy hand groping away at "G."

Mira couldn't remember a time when she'd been so disgusted by a guy, which was saying a lot, since she lived in New York City and took the subway every day. But on this night it was official: Jake the lacrosse superstar, was hands down the most obnoxious and gross guy she'd ever met...

[Hey it's Romi! Hope you enjoyed this first chapter which introduces you to our main characters. In the next chapter, you'll find out how the guy and girl get stuck in Paris together, and PS: it involves the police ;-)...]