The Unsolvable Equation

Thirty-one

Almier POV

Almier wasn’t sure what he had been expecting but the inside of the French airport did not look like an art museum. Chocolates and poodles were not being thrown around in the air and romantic French music did not fill the place. It also did not help that a river with a few quaint cafes dotting it’s bay did not flow through the place. Needless to say, Almier was slightly disappointed. Alexia, on the other hand, was walking through the airport as if its streets were paved with gold, her mouth gaping open like a mesmerized tourist, that, come to think of it, she was. Almier could have sworn he heard her mutter, “Toto, we’re not in Kansas, anymore,” but softly, because it would be utterly blasphemous for Alexia Lee to quote something other than the product of a science journal. They collected their baggage and headed out into the Paris Almier had been envisioning for the past few years, and wanted for nothing more than to come true.

As soon as they took their first step out of the airport, they were greeted with a strong gust of warm air. Oh, that’s right. It’s Summer, Almier thought, the fresh sting of disappointment still lingering on his tongue. Somehow, he had imagined his perfect Paris trip to be in autumn, with the perfect temperature for strolling hand in hand with Alexia by the eiffel tower, being able to sit on the top deck of a boat ride without breaking into a sweat, having their already cold cheeks frozen to the point of numbness while they gave in to temptation and shared an ice cream on the sidewalk (i read too many boy twitter accnts), using the cold as an excuse to share a blanket with her while they sat on a park bench, dreaming about their futures. Now that it was Summer, all his fantasies just didn’t seem as romantic anymore. A kiss against a sweaty face just didn’t appeal to him as much as warming the chilled, crisp cheeks of the girl he loved.

Next to him, he heard Alexia let out a soft gasp and grab at his arm, an action that made chills run up his entire spine and turned his body inside out. “Look at that!” she breathed. “They have actual architecture! With actual detail and beauty and everything! Not just some metal and glass planks placed together to form the sternest, straightest rectangle possible, but actual buildings with statues and engravings and -,” she clasped her hands together and her radiant beam was one of pure joy and admiration. “Holy mother of art.”

Almier couldn’t have been happier to tap in on this new found artistic side of Alexia, and decided to play his knowledge on France to his advantage. “Wait till you see the train station at the Louvre,” he leaned in and whispered excitedly. “I hear they have actual sculptures there!”

Alexia shook her head and let out a tiny burst of laughter. “I need to live here. I’ll sleep on the streets if I have to! Just look at this place!”

“I’m sure the French tourism industry would appreciate your enthusiasm,”Almier said, laughing. “The bus driver, not so much. Let’s go.” he nudged her towards where their entire group was boarding a bus that to Almier, looked no different from the ones back home. To Alexia, thought, it was a product of the heavens.

“I just realized that I barely know anyone in this group,” Alexia suddenly whispered urgently to him. “How the hell and I supposed to share private sleeping quarters with one of them?”

Almier felt his skin tingle with her breath hot against his ear. Okay, Almier. Keep it cool, the last thing you want is for Alexia to think you’re back to being that awkward, cowardly freak again. “It’ll be fine,” He reassured her. “You’re pretty sociable, you’ll make friends in no time!”

Alexia snorted. “Sociable? Me? You obviously don’t know me very well,” she joked, but it felt like the stab to Almier’s heart. Nice going, Almier.

Once they were all packed onto the bus, Miss Chelsea, whom Almier had no idea what she was doing accompanying a bunch of cultural exchange students on a school trip when her area of expertise was clearly in history, stood up and called for silence. “Okay, guys,” she yelled over the whispers and murmurs that sounded like the engine of an airplane. “Shush!” All eyes turned to her.