Chapter 14
Paris
After Iceland, we spent a few days in London where we walked around the historical city taking in all the sights.
I had other intentions of coming here that had nothing to do with seeing the infamous London tourist attractions.
My main reason was because this was where our families were planning to take me, Jayson, Julien, and Ryder for our summer vacation after we graduated high school.
As Fallon and I strolled along the Thames, I imagined all of them were there with me: Mom, Dad, and Hailey; Ryder, Brea, Jamie, Faith, and Randy; Jayson, Julien, Freda, and Mitch.
I could perfectly picture Hailey and Brea walking arm in arm, their heads together while they whispered and giggled.
I could feel my hand in Jayson’s as we casually wandered the bustling streets of London, enjoying the sights like any other couple in love.
I could hear Ryder and Julien cracking jokes and their deep booming laughter that would follow.
I could see Dad with his arm around Mom and hear him hum one of his songs to her as they walked side by side.
Being in London with Fallon was both bittersweet and heartbreaking.
It was a promise fulfilled. It was also where Fallon gave me real memories of this city to cherish alongside my imagined ones.
Wonderful memories, like taking me to watch one of Shakespeare’s plays at the Globe and the two of us strolling across the Jubilee Bridge.
We rode in a double-decker bus and on the London Underground, where I giggled every time I heard “mind the gap” as the doors slid open.
Fallon held my hand when we were high above the city riding in the London Eye.
During our time here, he took me to St. Paul’s Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Hyde Park, and Trafalgar Square.
We stopped at a pub and ate fish and chips—without the vinegar because that’s absolutely disgusting.
I learned how to play snooker. Badly. An Irish band was playing in the pub we stopped at, and I joined them on stage.
Fallon had never seen me play a guitar before.
We went for a picnic lunch at the Fishbourne Roman ruins and drove to Bath, stopping by Avebury along the way
The day before we left for Paris, Fallon drove us to Goodwood where, somehow, he’d arranged for me to drive a McLaren Senna, a Porsche 911 Turbo S, and a Ferrari SF90 Stradale.
I made him take videos to send to the guys back home.
I could only imagine the look on Ryder’s face when he saw them, showing both pride and probably a little envy as well.
Jayson and Julien, not so much. The two of them have a protective streak a mile wide when it comes to me.
Racing cars would be on the top of their “No way, Liz” list.
After London, Fallon and I rode through the Chunnel on the Eurostar to Paris, France.
Once we arrived, he had a car waiting to take us directly to the Eiffel Tower.
Standing at the top was dizzying and heart-pounding as I scanned the city from high above.
I regretted asking Fallon that we walk back down instead of using the series of elevators.
By the seven-hundredth step—yes, I kept count—my eyes started playing tricks on me.
One step would bleed into the next and my feet would falter.
Fallon had to grip my arm and walk next to me to make sure I didn’t tumble the rest of the way down. He got a good laugh out of that.
We visited a perfumery once we were done at the Eiffel Tower and then a chocolatier where I sampled the most delicious dark chocolate—it had no dairy in it.
The following day, we took a trip to the outskirts of Paris to see the Palace of Versailles.
Tonight, Fallon is taking me for a helicopter ride over the city.
During our down times and when we’re travelling from one place to another, I get as much of my schoolwork done as possible.
I do have to admit, I am a little behind, but I have confidence I’ll catch back up soon.
For some reason, doing the classwork virtually seems to take up more time than it would if I were actually at school sitting at my desk.
And as each day passes, little by little, and almost without me noticing, I’m changing.
I’m healing. I’m becoming the girl I need to be.
When I close my eyes now, I don’t see the nightmares of my past. I see me.
I see the real Elizabeth Penelope Fairchild.
Not the old version of me, and not the newer version either. I’m something different and unique.
I’m hesitant to tell Fallon this because I don’t want our adventure to end just yet.
I want to enjoy life by his side a little bit longer before I have to give it up, give him up, and return home to fix the damage I know is waiting for me there.
The damage I created by leaving with Fallon.
I know I still have a few more demons to conquer before I get closure about what happened to Mom and Dad.
Baby steps, Fallon reminds me almost daily.
He hasn’t tried to kiss me again since that evening in the hotel in Nordurljosavegur.
He’s actually been quite mellow, which is not a normal state of being for him.
It’s different, but nice in its own way.
However, I’ll always prefer cocky Fallon; the version of him that both challenges me and makes me angrier than a hornet.
“You ready?” he asks me as we step off the elevator to the rooftop helipad.
The helicopter’s rotor blades are already spinning, creating swirls of whipping wind that blow my hair all round my head in a blond whirl.
I grab hold of Fallon’s hand and we duck and run under the rotating blades.
A man helps me up into the cabin and Fallon gets in after me.
Once Fallon helps buckle me in, he hands me a set of sound-dampening headphones with an attached microphone.
“We talk to each other through these,” Fallon tells me, and I give him a thumbs up.
I listen to him and the pilot chat for a minute, then the helicopter lifts off its pad and we’re off.
My stomach tightens at the brief feeling of heaviness as we ascend.
I grab Fallon’s hand, squeezing it tight as my stomach flutters wildly like hummingbird wings.
Fallon switches our headsets over to a private channel. “We’re good, kitten. Just enjoy.”
“First helicopter ride. You can’t get mad if I throw up on you.” I make sure to keep the sick bag I found in the pouch in front of me in my lap for easy access in case I really do need it.
It was cloudy all day today, but that doesn’t hamper our views of the city tonight.
As we fly over a dazzling Paris, Fallon points out various landmarks and monuments.
I get to see the Eiffel Tower lit up like a Christmas tree and it reminds me of the Valentine’s Day when Jayson did the same thing to the old oak tree between our two houses.
“I’m going to have a lot of bridges to repair when I get home,” I say into my microphone
“Why are you thinking about that now?”
I give him a shrug of my shoulders. “I don’t know. Just something that popped in my head, I guess.”
“Well, stop. That time will come soon enough, kitten.”
“Fallon, I have to start planning for what comes next. I can’t travel the world with you forever.”
“We can do whatever we want,” he retorts.
“I have school. Senior Prom. Graduation. College. Regardless of the screwed-up states of my relationships with everyone, if nothing else, Ryder, Jayson, and Julien are my best friends. Meredith, Trevor, Celeste, and Beth are my friends, too. There’s also Daniel.
And I just up and disappeared on everyone.
Again. I’ve put all the people I say I care about through hell, and they deserve much better than they’ve gotten from me. ”
“You don’t owe anyone a damn thing,” Fallon argues
“Yes, I do.”
I hear Fallon’s exasperated sigh. I didn’t want to argue tonight, especially on our last night in Paris.
“I’m looking forward to meeting Tatiana tomorrow,” I say, hoping to ease the tension between us.
Fallon had mentioned that we’ll be staying at one of Tatiana’s homes in Barcelona. I’m actually quite excited to meet her.
He leans over to my side and points to the Arc de Triomphe below us. “I’m going to have to keep a close eye on you and her. I have a feeling that the two of you together will spell nothing but trouble for me.”
He rests his chin on my shoulder as we both look out the window.
We circle the city before heading back. Once we land, I step down from the cabin and my legs feel like jelly.
Being up there, hovering over Paris, was like being at the top of the tower drop at an amusement park, but without the sudden plummet back to the ground
“That was awesome!” I shout at Fallon so he can hear me over the noise generated by the helicopter’s motors and blades. I’m also proud of myself for not getting sick. That would have been majorly embarrassing.
Fallon doesn’t say anything until we get into the elevator and the doors close behind us. He presses the button for the ground floor where a car will be waiting to drive us to dinner
“Things will change once you go back, and I’m not ready to let you go yet,” he solemnly states, shoving his hands in his front pockets. I’ve learned to recognize it as a tell when he’s nervous.
I lean back against the elevator wall. “Of course things are going to be different, because I’m different. But I’ve gotten to know the elusive, secretive Fallon Montgomery. And I like him, a lot. You’re a good guy, Fallon. Not to mention, you’re my hero.”
Fallon stands up straighter and cocks his head at me. I love it when he does that. “I’m not the hero, Elizabeth. I’ll never be your hero. If anything, I’m the villain who stole the princess away from her three princes.”