Sycamore Tree // H.S. (HIATUS)

twelve

    "The AUX-cable is broken, but there are some CDs in the glove compartment," Pierre says and throws the keys to his old VW into your hands. He promised, he's going to pass it onto you once he buys his new car.

"'kay, thanks," you reply and use your hand as a shield against the November sun.

"I need it back by eight, but you leave before that, don't you?" His accent is stronger today than it was yesterday.

"Yeah, my train leaves at seven something," you say while you unlock the car and open the door.

"Right, call Florence if you don't see her before you leave. Oh, and don't eat in my car!" You give him a thumbs up and place the breakfast you bought for you and Harry on the passenger seat before getting into the driver's one yourself and drive off.

You have left Harry alone in the apartment while you went to get the car and breakfast. You hum a song that's stuck in your head while you drive through the streets back to your apartment. It's approaching ten in the morning on another relatively warm and sunny day and the first tourists fill the streets. You don't mind them today, they actually fit in with the picturesque vibe of the area. Another day of tons of marriage proposals by the Eiffel tower begins.
Surprisingly, there's a free parking spot right in front of the front door of the building. You take everything you need and get out of the small car.

This time, you walk up the stairs to the top floor, a stupid idea because you're practically out of breath after the fourth floor.
As you reach your floor, the door to your neighboring apartment is opening and the young girl shouts her goodbyes into the room behind it before pulling the door close. She stops in her movement, when she sees you on the stairs.

"Bonjour...," she mumbles and hastily walks towards the stairs, trying to slip down besides you.

"Hey, uh, do you have a minute?" You try to let your voice sound as kind as possible. She's a fan of Harry. He has met her yesterday and then bumped into her in the hallway while you held your door open for him. You don't know how many people she's told and you don't want her to think you're rude.

"Okay," she says quietly and stops on the first step.
You sit down on it, and she follows your move.

"Have you told anyone about what happened here in the hallway yesterday?" You succeed in sounding nice, yet a little worry. The last thing you want is to scare her away.

"Only my friend," she says shyly. She's intimidated by you; don't scare her away, you think.

"But she hasn't told anyone, I promise," she quickly adds as you don't say anything.

You nod slowly, "thank you," you look from her to the door to her apartment, "do you live there with your family?"

She follows your view, "no, I live there but they're not my family, I look after their kids."

"Oh, okay, well, my name's Lucille," you say. The girl combs her bangs into place using her fingers and smiles when she says her name.

The conversation seems to be finished and both of you get up.

"Is he your... boyfriend?" She asks after you walked up the last steps.

"No...he's a friend, and I want it to stay like that," slowly but surely, you're getting annoyed by everyone sticking their noses into things that are none of their business.

"I'm not gonna tell anyone he was here."

"Thank you, I appreciate it. A lot," you say with a smile, she responds with one as well and starts rushing down the stairs. When she's out of sight, you walk over to your door and swing it open.