Chapter 94 Chapter 94

Chapter 94 Chapter 94
Aria's Pov.

I knocked on Adrien's door and pushed it open.

It was empty, his bed was made… or at least attempted. His pillow was slightly off, his phone charger missing from the nightstand. It was obvious that he had left in a hurry.

Where the hell had Adrien gone with a broken arm?

I stood in the doorway for a second, then I went back to my room and checked my phone.

There was a message from him on the screen.

Adrien, 7:42am: coach called a pre-game meeting. It’s nothing physical, just a pep talk. don't worry, i’ll be back by afternoon x

I rolled my eyes and typed back: Why are you going anywhere with your shoulder still messed up?

Three dots appeared on my screen, I sighed great he’s online, cause i needed answers.

Then he replied, coach knows about it. I'm literally just sitting in a room listening. relax

be careful, I typed.

The three dots appeared again, Then he sent, always. love you

I smiled, then I placed my phone down and went to get ready for breakfast.



Cecilia was already at the table with her iPad open, her coffee in hand. She looked up when I came in.

"Good morning, Aria." she said smiling.

"Morning," I sat down across from her and reached for my food. Cecilia looked up once,she smiled, then went back to whatever she was reading. 

Cecilia was trying so hard to bond with me I could tell that much. She kept asking if I had slept well, if I wanted more coffee, if the food was alright, and I kept answering in the same short, polite way I had always did.

By the time I finished eating, Cecilia had lowered her tablet and she was looking at me with the same uncertain expression she had worn the day before.

"Aria."

I paused with my cup halfway to the table and  looked up.

"The luncheon," she said. "I haven't heard back from you."

I opened my mouth.

Oh. Shit.

Between the party, Lucien's drunk phone call and Adrien’s broken shoulder. I had genuinely, completely forgotten.

"I…" I started.

She gave an awkward smile."If you'd rather not…"

"No," I continued. "Yeah… Sure. I'll come."

The words left my mouth before I could think twice.

Why did I just say that out loud?

"We leave in thirty minutes," she said, already grinning.

"Thirty…" I stared at her. "As in, thirty minutes from now?"

"The luncheon starts at eleven."

"It's…" I checked my phone. "It's ten twenty-three."

"Yes," she said pleasantly.

I pushed my chair back and stood up.

"Okay,I'll be ready." I said as I headed to my room. 



Eight minutes left.

I found a yellow polka dot dress in the back of my wardrobe that I'd bought in Brooklyn and I'd never worn because it had seemed too cheerful for whatever mood I'd been in at the time. 

It was exactly right for a charity luncheon I'd agreed to attend without thinking.

I put on my flat shoes, it was  the sensible choice when you didn't know the venue of an event. Then I styled up, the kind of bun that looked like it took no effort and took four attempts.

I stared at myself in the mirror.

Fine. Very fine. Let's go.

I muttered to myself as I headed downstairs with two minutes to spare.

Cecilia was in the entrance hall, she turned when she heard my footsteps on the stairs.

I looked at her.

She was… I'd seen Cecilia look composed a thousand times. I'd seen her look elegant. But standing in the entrance hall in a cream dress with her hair done and her skin looking like something out of a magazine, she just looked stunning.

She looked at me.

"You look lovely," she said smiling.

"Thank you," I smiled back. "So do you."

She smiled and we walked outside.



The charity luncheon was held in a hotel and not surprisingly, wealth was its primary aesthetic.

I was talking high ceilings, chandeliers that were doing a lot. Tables with flowers that cost more than most people's rent and people that screamed old money. I stood in the middle of it and tried not to look like I was calculating escape routes.

There was a step-and-repeat by the entrance. Photographers cameras flashing at every corner. 

Cecilia moved through it with the ease of someone who had done this for years while I just followed her around like a lost puppy, posing as the cameras went off. I smiled at a point slightly above the lens the way I'd seen celebrities do and hoped for the best.

Then we went inside.

The event itself was exactly how charity events I had watched. There were a ton of speeches, applauses, a video that made everyone feel emotional, more applause, then food. Cecilia knew a lot of people, she introduced me to several of them, I shook hands with them and thought about how none of these people actually cared about whatever orphanage or foundation was on the backdrop.

They only  cared about being photographed.

By the time the food was served I had smiled at enough strangers to last me until approximately next year.

Later on, a woman appeared at Cecilia's shoulder. She was in her late forties,  she wore a pearl necklace and she had the kind of blowout that required professional assistance. There was a girl who looked around my age beside her, she had ginger hair and green eyes.

"Cecilia," the woman said warmly, leaning in for a air kiss. "I didn't see you arrive."

"We were early," Cecilia said as she turned slightly. "This is my daughter, Aria."

"Oh." The woman looked at me. So did the girl. "I don't think I've seen you before."

"I moved from Brooklyn," I said forcing a smile. "Not long ago."

The girl's eyes dropped to my shoes.

She looked at them for  seconds longer than necessary, like wanted to figure out if they were original or falsies. 

I held my smile.

She opened her mouth like she was about to say something when Cecilia’s hand appeared at my elbow.

"Aria, I've called the car for you," she said pleasantly. "You can head home…I have something to stay on for after this."

"Oh," I said. "Of course. No problem."

"Lovely to meet you both," Cecilia said to the woman, and the conversation was over.

I picked up my bag, said my goodbyes and walked out of that hotel into the Paris afternoon with a sigh of relief.

The limo was at the curb.

I got in and as soon as the door closed.

I exhaled loudly.

"Never again," I said, to no one in particular.

The car pulled away and for the first time in several hours, I could breathe.