A Second Chance [COMPLETED]

Chapter 9 - "Because you were right."

The hotel lobby was quiet except for the trickle of water coming from the fountain near the front desk. The man behind had asked, in a thick accent, if Lennon needed anything and she assured him she was fine. She sat on one of the plush couches forming a square off to the side of the lobby and quietly plucked the strings on her guitar.

She had landed in Paris earlier that day with her band and Jordan. She had tried to sleep on the plane, but it had been restless. She should be tired now that it was almost three in the morning, but her brain wouldn't stop.

She knew the next day would be long. She had tried to sleep. She had laid awake for an hour before she deemed sleep unreachable, and ended up in the hotel lobby. Her head had been swimming with the sights she had seen with her band as they had toured around Paris.

She was trying to find a melody to a few lines she had running in her head when the elevator dinged. She looked up to see Kade walk off. He looked different. His hair was longer and his skin was tanner.

"Hey!" she said, when he met her eyes.

"Hey," he said slowly, looking around to see if anyone else was there.

"What are you doing down here?" She asked, the excitement of the day and the feeling of seeing a familiar face in a foreign place erasing their last encounter.

"I could ask you the same thing."

He stood awkwardly with his hands in his pockets, silent. Lennon was about to respond with something funny about lack of sleep when their last conversation met up with her and she felt awkward and guilty.

An internal battle took up residence in her head as she tried to form words. One voice was telling her to apologize and the other, telling her he deserved it. She wasn't surprised the good voice sounded a lot like Charlotte.

"Hey, about what I said after the dinner in LA," she started to say.

Some emotion flickered across Kade's face and it made her dread increase. He probably wanted to relive that night as much as she did but she had to clear the air.

"I just want to apologize - "

"Don't," he said, cutting her off.

She was surprised the word didn't sound harsh.

"I - " he started but paused, looking down at his feet, then looking back up at her. "I should be the one apologizing."

Lennon was silent, unsure she had heard him right.

"I have been awful to you and you didn't deserve it."

His words hung heavy in the air and she wasn't sure how to respond. Lennon felt too stunned to talk as she tried to comprehend what he was saying.

"I know this doesn't even begin to make up how I have treated you but I hope it can be a start," he added.

He wasn't being his usual arrogant self and it felt weirdly unnerving.

"I honestly don't know what to say" she said.

He gave a small nod and kept his eyes focused on his feet.

"Why?" She asked.

The question sounded ruder once it was out of her mouth but it was all she could think to say. He looked up and their eyes met.

"Because you were right."

Her face must have looked confused because he continued.

"That night after the dinner. What you said. It was all right."