Haven (Paul Lahote Fanfiction)

Stars

We drove around and talked. There was just so much to say. We got food from McDonald's and drove around before he parked his truck off road near the beginning of a thick green forest. "I wanna show you something" Paul said and jumped out of the truck, taking the bags full of food with him. I got out and walked to him. "Let's go stargazing" He said with adventurous enthusiasm and glittering eyes. I had to agree. I took one bag from him so he could free his left arm. He started walking and I followed.

"Don't walk so fast" I huffed trying to catch up with him. "I am only a step away, Al." He noted and smiled a huge smile. "Still!" I complained. When I reached him, I grabbed his hand and gestured for him to walk on. He tightened his grip and pulled me along.

We reached a small open meadow. The only place in sight that wasn't under the thick canopy of the leaves. There were lush trees around us, but luckily they did not block the view of the sky. Paul sat down and put the food in his lap. "It's so cloudy. Stargazing is foolish." I commented. "Sit down." He tugged on the end of my dress. I sat down and took the burger he gave me and unwrapped it, taking a huge bite. I did not care about how I looked or if I used the right fork while dining with this man. Paul was natural. Paul was comfortable. I did not have to be sophisticated or poised or wear the right dress. Being with him made me realise what I had missed on while I went on business dinners with older men rather than watching romantic movies with boys.

I had only ever had one boyfriend before, Valentin Laurent. But being next to Paul made my relationship with him seem so distant and weak and Paul and I weren't even dating! When I thought of Valentin, it brought back happy memories. How kind and funny he was. We were blunt with each other without being rude. Even my grandmother liked him. He was a friend before a boyfriend and now I really missed him. I remember how he had come to the airport and given me a tough embrace and kissed my cheek before I boarded the flight. I had looked back, expecting him to already be gone but he had been there, at the bottom of the escalator looking up at me and mouthing 'I love you.' We broke up long before I had left France but it was impossible for use to not be best friends. I missed him and I wanted to see Valentin.

"You okay, Al?" Paul asked and touched my knee. Al. When he called me that name. When he touched me, I wanted to lay in his arms forever and listen to his rough voice until the world ended. "Yeah. I was just wondering how in the world are we going to look at stars with the clouds so fluffy and big?" I lied and laughed, instantly feeling guilty. "We just have to look close enough." So I lay on the cool grass and looked up. Paul was right. Looking closely allowed me to spot a few sparkling lights under the thick curtain of fog. He reached out and gently held my hand. All my thoughts evaporated and I drifted into what felt like anything but reality. I was sure Paul was the most soothing dream.