AU: TIME IS PASSING BY WAY TOO QUICKLY FOR MY LIKING! For author updates, go on my profile page and add me on Facebook, email me, follow me on Twitter and other stuff.

Unfortunately, I'll be gone for an entire month, the entire month of July. I don't know if there'll be internet in TAIWAN (woohoo!) but I'll try, I swear!

This chapter is short, but content heavy. I just really wanted to release something. So I hope you enjoy it!

Music:

Love - David Choi
Thunder - Boys Like Girls

ENJOY!

My International Slip Up
Chapter Fifteen

“So where are we going?” I said, as we got into his extremely awesome black 1968 Ford Mustang Convertible. Ugh. I was definitely jealous.

“It’s a surprise!” he replied, kind of sounding like an excited little boy going to get the newest version of his favourite action figure.

Yeah, you know you love me and my crazy comparisons.

“We-ell…”

Not to be a party pooper, but I’d read plenty of tabloids on Eric. (Okay, fine, I was obsessed with him. I joined the Facebook group, and fansite. Really should unsubscribe to his newsletter…)

“I hope it’s not a really public place, Eric… Because… well, you know.”

“I do?”

I didn’t hear the amused tone in his voice.

“Well you’re famous. And lots of girls would flock to you and scream something along the lines of, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s Eric Williams, who’s extremely sexy and mysterious and hot! We need his autograph on one of our body parts, ahem ahem.”

Silence.

“… or something.”

Eric laughed heartily, his eyes lighting up.

“You are quite interesting!” he said. “But if by that you mean, did I pick a place that was slightly more secluded so you wouldn’t get attacked by rabid paparazzi and fan girls, then yes, I did. I’m not that dense.”

I smiled at him, shaking my head a little, and he looked at me from his peripheral vision. Comfortable and totally not awkward silence resumed, and I took in the fresh air and took in the beautiful scenery.

“So… you think I’m ‘extremely sexy and mysterious and hot’, hm?” Eric said, teasing.

But instead of shying away, I did the exact same thing he’d done that time we were in his hotel room (that seems long ago now, doesn’t it?).

“Yeah, you’re all that and more. Cue the wink.”

I winked, as I cued, and laughed even harder when he began to blush and turned to stare straight at the road.

After driving for half an hour, we entered a little town. It was small and home-y, a place that seemed safe and away from all that corrupted world we have.

(See? I can be eloquent when I want to be.)

(Although, adding the adjective ‘home-y’ was a little bit of a stretch.)

Eric seemed to know his way around here pretty well. A few people smiled and waved as they recognized him, but no one attacked us. Soon, he parked somewhere, and we began to walk.

“So, I think I need to get to know you better,” I started. “Wanna ask random questions and see where it goes from there?”

“Sure. You ask first though.”

“Alright!” I thought for a second. “Do you prefer being called Eric or Edmund?”

He pondered, but then gave me a brilliant smile.

“For you? Anything you want.” He beamed at me, like a kid sucking up to a teacher.

“Haha, fine. I’ll work out a schedule for all of that then, Mr Williams.”

“Do notify me when you’ve worked that out, madam.”

“I’ll see if I can get Wilma to send you the memo.”

“Wilma?”

“Obviously, that’s my personal assistant slash secretary slash personal trainer,” I said as if it was the obvious thing in the world. He laughed, and smiled.

“Favourite colour?” he asked.

“Green. But I like the combination green and silver.”

“… like, Slytherin?”

“Exactly.”

“So you’re into bad boys, right?” he deduced. I rolled my eyes but smiled.

Then, a few girls and teenagers ran up to Eric, and though I braced myself for some screaming, I was surprised to see that they handled him quite maturely. In fact, more maturely then I would’ve done if I’d seen him walking with some girl.

He gave them a few autographs, chatted, and some of them even started to talk to me. I was surprised at how nice all of them were, commenting on my dress positively and making jokes about Eric and how he’d better treat me right. They all seemed like mini-Audreys. And then, I had an image of that in my head, and shuddered.

When they left and Eric and I went on, I asked him a question.

“What was that?”

“What do you mean?”

“Technically, they didn’t react as normal EW-fans would. They were just sort of… cool and collected. If it were me, I would’ve rabidly attacked you by now!”

Oops. Did I just say that? Oh well, it’s said.

“First, EW-fans?” He shook his head and smiled. “Second, wow, you must’ve been quite a fan of mine before you really got to know me,” he smirked.

“You have no idea,” I fired back.

“Favourite food?” I asked.

“Pizza.”

“Oh, dude, that’s so generic! Come on, there’s got to be something more. What about, pizza with anchovies, or pizza with mushrooms, broccoli and Italian sausage. Not just, ‘pizza’.” I said the last one in the exact same almost boring and dull tone he’d used.

“Fine, believe it or not, your third example is my favourite one.”

“Ahh, me too!” I said happily. Good, because I can’t stand people who like weird pizzas.

Finally, we got to a small and quaint restaurant, dimly lit and looking romantic. I was glad Audrey had made me wear a dress. It was simple black, made with light and weaved fabric. There was a square neckline, and it was cinched at the waist, accentuated with silver and green.

(Coincidence? I think not.)

The bottom floofed out in a fun way, kind of like a tutu but not quite as poofy. It ended a little below my knees. Black ballet flats finished the outfit, and around my neck was the most awesome piece of jewellery I owned.

You know that bat-shaped metal thing that Batman throws, and it’s so sharp is digs into the wall? Yeah, I was wearing a black locket that was shaped like that. It was a gift from Hunter, actually, as a sort of apology gift. It was cool.

And am I cool or what?

We entered the restaurant, and immediately, a short stocky woman attacked us.

“Edmund! You well?” she asked in a very hearty voice. “And who is this? Girlfriend?”

A slightly awkward silence. Both of us were stumped as to what to say.

“Sit down, sit down! Today, on the house!”

I quickly learned that her name was Maria, and she was the owner (along with her husband) of the restaurant. It was known for its delicious souvlaki and other great Greek foods like pastitsio.

Since I had no idea what to order, Eric ordered for me. He seemed to know the place extremely well so I trusted his judgment. Dinner went by well, with me, astounded by the amazing deliciousness of the dishes, and Eric, laughing at me and my antics most of the time. We finished, and took another walk down the walkway, looking into a few shops.

Eric greeted a few of the townspeople, and when we began driving home, I asked him, “How do you know them?”

“Well, a long time ago, before I became ‘famous’, I shot a movie here. I was young, naive and unsure of myself, and easily got lost in the small village. Maria found me, and took me to the restaurant and gave me food.”

Eric was far away, remembering the events.

“I told her everything. How hard it was being in the business, and how my parents completely disapproved of what I wanted to do. There was no one behind me, I was just starting out, and I was scared. But Maria told me, ‘just as a single drop steadily dripping on a rock can carve through, I’m sure that your hard work will do the same to this obstacle’.”

I smiled warmly, trying to picture a younger version of Eric with tears and Maria discussing matters over huge quantities of food.

“I’d like to say that I immediately recovered and did really well in that movie and found my way, but that’s not the truth at all. Actually, to be honest, I was a little indignant. How dare that lady say something like that to me?! That’s more along the lines of what I had been thinking. But I realized that she was completely right. And here I am today.”

“That’s a great story,” I said.

He chuckled. “Thanks.”

When we got back, he walked me to my room (clichéd, eh?) and we stood there for a second.

“Look, uh, Ariella?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you… like me?”

In my head, all the sirens were going off. I had to resist the urge to slap a huge smile on my face.

“Yeah.”

“Not just as a friend though, I mean… do you like-like me?”

I could see traces of a blush forming as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

“… Yeah.”

“Really?!”

His grin lit up his face.

“Yeah!”

“So, you wouldn’t get cross with me if I kissed you right now?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you going to say anything other than that?”

“No—”

He cut me off and kissed me hard. In my head, I had a feeling that he asked the last question just to be able to do that.

R&R.

-chewyyy.