“I’m-I’m sorry, I didn’t see you.”
“Yeah, seem like it. Kya ye seat khaala hai?“
“Sorry, what?”
“I meant, is this seat vacant, or do you have company? Did I say something wrong? I kind of, umm, learning Hindi at the moment.”
His thick French accent was apparent when he talked. I’d never seen a full-grown man blushing like a teenager. It’s cute.
“It’s “khaali” not “khaala”.”
“What?”
“The seat. You were saying, “Kya ye seat khaala hai?” It’s “khaali-vacant”, not khaala.”
“Sorry about that!”
“No problem, the seat is vacant.”
He sat next to me! I was shouting internally, wondering why was a French man sitting next to me?
“I hope you won’t mind me sitting here? You know, I’ve been watching you from the corner of the street. You seemed lost in thought. I couldn’t stop myself from coming here.”
“Yeah, I kind of.”
And then, it was an awkward silence.
“I’m Alex, by the way. What’s your name?”
“Ohh, I’m Priyanka.”
“Priyanka? As in Priyanka Chopra?”
“Hahaha, you know there are a lot of Priyanka with different surnames around the world, right?”
“Yup just wanted to hear you laugh.”
“Guess it worked.”
“It is. So, why a beautiful girl like you sitting here all alone? Don’t you have company? Friend, partner? I’m sorry if I’m intruding.”
“No, it’s okay. I came here all alone. Trying to get a break from life.”
“You know, you can tell me what you’re dealing with. We’re practically strangers who know nothing about each other. Besides, maybe I could help. It’s a win-win.”
The way he uttered those words, the glint in his eyes while speaking, and his desire to know more about me like I was an unresolved mystery. It’s all apparent in his eyes. Can someone be this easy to read?
So, I described to him my story, how I was dealing with my heartbreak and how I ended up in Paris.
“That guy seemed like a douchebag to me. I’m glad he left you.”
He whispered the last part almost to himself.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing! Since Paris has always been on your bucket list, do you have any place or places in mind?”
“It might sound stupid, but I only wanted to visit Eiffel Tower and then some museums, drink hot chocolate, eat macarons, and return home.”
“Seriously? You sound so boring! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. Have you visited Eiffel Tower yet?”
“No. I’m kind of plucking up the courage to visit there. It’s not that easy.”
“Ohh…if you don’t mind, I can go with you. You won’t be feeling alone plus, I am a local and can take you to a lot of hidden gems around here. Only if it’s okay with you, I can understand if you don’t want me to come with you.”
Sitting there, in front of a stranger, I was contemplating whether to say yes or not. My cousin lived here, but he had no time from his job to take me sightseeing. Since my French was non-existent, it was challenging to travel around. I had no idea why I never learnt French when I always wanted to visit here? I wanted to bang my head so hard that I could lose my memory. God!!! Why is everything so hard?
Besides, I might never get the opportunity to visit Paris again, so why not enjoy the stay.
“So, will you come with me, Priyanka?”
“Yes! I can use your company since my cousin bailed out on me.”
“That’s the spirit! Are you interested in visiting the Eiffel Tower or the hidden gems?”
“Hidden gems, perhaps?”
“Oui, madame.”
That’s how Alex made my four days in Paris extraordinary.
I came to Paris for a week and wasted the first day crying in my room. The cafe was nearby my hotel room where I met Alex. I was hesitant to trust him. No matter how truthful his eyes were, he was still a stranger. But his manners, his weird ways of expressing himself, compelled me to throw out all my doubts. I felt safe when I was around him.
Keeping his promise, he showed me numerous gems that perhaps I wouldn’t find on my own.
During these four days, I felt a foreign feeling bubbling inside me. I couldn’t interpret it in words. In this short span, Alex became my secure haven. Perhaps he noticed that too. Surprisingly, I never felt this connection with Amit.
Was I in love with Alex? But wasn’t it too soon?
But even if it’s love, what’s the point of pursuing it? It’s like tasting forbidden fruit.
These thoughts made me reckless. I shouldn’t have said yes to Alex’s offer in the first place. But it’s good that I didn’t share my number or social media details with him. I couldn’t lead him to a tunnel with no way out.
A day before my departure, I packed my stuff and left, not even telling my cousin about it. It’s rash, but that’s the only option I had in my mind.
The worst thing that happened in all the chaos was I couldn’t get to see Eiffel Tower!
This story originally published on Storygiri
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