Fallen Identity

I was startled awake at the sounds of the flight attendant's voice telling us we would be landing shortly and that we should fasten our seatbelts. Just like before, I gripped the armrests and squeezed my eyes shut.

I was glad that the only ones who noticed me in this position was Zach and his brother Nathaniel. Nathaniel was always so quiet and in his own world. I sometimes wondered where it is he's always wandering off to in his head.

For some odd reason, I thought about my job at the antique shop. I only worked there one day even though I asked for the job 2 months ago. I'm a terrible employee. And what about Ellie? What will she think if I never show up again?

My thoughts were interuppted by the vibration of the plane making contact with the ground. I'm alive!

We had to sit for a couple more minutes until we were allowed off the plane. I couldn't unbuckle my seatbelt any faster and raced off the flying death machine and practically kissed the ground.

"I think we can safely assume that Carter doesn't like airplanes," someone snickered from behind me.

"How'd ya guess?" I replied sarcastically and turned around to see all the guys standing there with there carry-on bags. It was kind of funny because from where I was standing, they were standing as a group in a way that you'd find on the back of a comic book for like X-Men or something.

I was so caught up in my own thoughts of being on the ground after 9 hours that I didn't realize where we were. I looked around until I saw a sign that said:

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

Paris? As in Paris France? I thought. I couldn't say that out loud because only girls dreamt of going to Paris, France.

"Paris, huh?" I said cooly, trying to appear as if I wasn't totally thrilled to be in the famous city of romance.

"Come on, Carter." Cameal's voice sounded far off and then I looked to see that the whole gang was 30 feet ahead.

I raced over to them and asked, "Anyone know how to speak French?"

"Nope," they all replied. Great, they drag me to a country where none of us knows the language. I'm just glad that I took French instead of Spanish in school.

"You know any French?" Elijah asked me, as we all retrieved our luggage from the conveyer belt. The guys conviently offered me a suitcase since all I had was my crummy backpack.

"I know a little but not enough to hold a decent conversation," I replied honestly.

"Well do you think you could ask our driver where the nearest hotel it?" Raz asked. Driver? What driver?

I saw a a guy in a tux holding a sign that said simply Raz on it and thought, No way, a limo?

"You got a limo? Seriously?" What other kinda lame cars are we going to be driving in on this trip.

I walked up to the driver and said sheepishly, "Bonjour."

"Bonjour, comment t'appelles-tu?" Umm uh what does that mean again? Oh right, what's your name. Now how do I respond? Got it!

"Je m'appelle Raz," I said pointing to myself with my thumb, remembering that the French use their thumbs instead of their index fingers.

Understandment appeared in the driver's eyes and he ushered us to the limo. I sat near the front and asked the driver if he knew English. He didn't.

"Pouvez-vous nous conduire à l'hôtel le plus proche?" I asked remembering how to ask someone to drive us to the nearest hotel. I was pretty proud of my memory at that moment.

The driver said something like yes and then drove off toward the streets of Paris.

After about 10 minutes of driving, the limo pulled up in front of a Mariott Courtyard. Might be some English speakers in there.
Before I went up to the front desk, I asked the guys how many rooms I should get. They told me to get 4 2-bed rooms so everyone would have their own bed. Well thanks gosh for that.

It didn't take me long to get the rooms since the hotel attendant was an English speaker.
All of our rooms were next to eachother and we stopped in front of the doors, deciding who would be bunking with who.

Thankfully, I got to be with Zach, which left a disappointed Cameal. Gabriel and Elijah were in another room, Micah and Nathaniel in the last, and Cameal with Raz.

Zach and I stepped into our room and Zach immediately took the bed by the window. I didn't mind, I guess he took it in case any weirdos tried to get into the room through the window, he'd be the first to know.

I set my suitcase down on the floor next to my bed and jumped on the bed. Zach just looked at me like I was a crazy person.

"Never been in a hotel before," I explained even though he never asked. The room was really nice. It had a small little kitchen area and a ginormous tv hanging on the wall. I wondered how all the guys got their money from since this must be really expensive, plus, having to change the currency from American dollars to Euros isn't cheap either.

I hadn't realized I was just staring at the cieling on top of my bed until Zach spoke up. "You can take a shower first, if you want."

"Oh umm thanks, I'll go do that now," I replied awkward and hopped off the bed and then grabbed my shower stuff and PJs. I made sure to take a quick shower and then slipped out and put my dirty laundry into my bag.

"The, uh, shower is all yours now," I said. Zach looked up at me and I hadn't noticed that he had headphones in his ears. So, he likes music huh?

"Thanks," he replied then disappeared into the bathroom. I crawled under the sheets and could definitely see why some people liked hotels so much. The sheets were so clean and fresh. It isn't the same as your sheets at home where you're used to the feeling and comfort. Hotel sheets were just a vacation from your same, old sheets and they felt wonderful.

"Let me guess, you never knew the comfort of a pillow before?" Zach's voice appeared above me and I popped my eyes open to see me cuddling a pillow and Zach standing next my bed; shirtless. I couldn't help but stare at his chest and drool on the inside before meeting his smiling face. My cheeks burned with embarassment and I let go of the pillow and sat up.

"You're cheerful," I commented since I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"I like moving. Being in one place to long gets tiresome," he replied.

"How long have you been in Chicago?" I asked.

"About 19 years. Before that I moved around constantly with my brother to different countries." 19 years? That's around the time Iofiel left.

"Have you been to France before?"

"No, we didn't make it to Europe before we got to America."

"I see."

"Well, we have a long day tomorrow. So, um, 'night," Zach said then walked over to his bed. I got a good look at his back and saw 2 ovals that looked like burn marks, right where a pair of angel wings would be.

"'Night," I replied, with the burn marks not leaving my mind as I drifted off to sleep.

I awoke to bright rays of sunshine streaming from the windows. I forgot what it was like to wake up to sunshine and it felt refreshing. I yawned and stretched and looked over at Zach who was still sleeping.

All I could think of at this moment was that it was my first morning in Paris, France. I ordered room service and of course got croissants. You can't be in France and not have a croissant there. I took a shower and got dressed while waiting for my food to arrive.
I was nibbling on some French pastry and I heard movement from behind me and looked to see Zach wake up.

"Morning," I smiled brightly and he gave me a small smile in return.

"Morning," he finally replied after a moment.

"Do you want some breakfast?" I asked, pointing toward the plates of food.

"Sure," he said and grabbed a croissant and ate it in what seemed like one bite. Guys are such pigs.

"So, what exactly are we doing in France anyways?" I asked Cameal as we headed out onto the streets. We look like such tourists. Cameal had a fanny pack for crying out loud. Only moms or old, retired people wear fanny packs.

"Well, for today, we're tourists. Tomorrow, it's back to business," Raz answered me.
We walked all up and down the streets of Paris and went to the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum where we saw the Mona Lisa. All of the art and history was incredible. The buildings were beautiful and the streets were made of cobblestone and not the crappy, black pavement they have back in the USA.

As we were walking around the Centre Pompidou, I saw a figure that I never wanted to see again in my entire life. How can he be here? In France? I thought I was rid of him. It seems even a whole ocean couldn't stop him from finding a way into my life.

Mr. Berings was walking my way. I froze. Everything in me just locked up and all my memories rushed to head. The memories I so desperately wanted to forget. I hadn't noticed that I dropped the map I was holding, or the fact that Mr. Berings was standing right in front of me, holding the map out to me.

"I think you dropped this young man," he said and then dropped his voice to just a whisper, "or should I say, Carter?"

He shoved the map into my hands and the stalked off toward some woman, leaving me stunned. He's back. He's back. He's back. The thought kept swirling around my head until I ran. I dashed into the bathroom, not caring if I chose the boys' or girls'. I locked myself into a stall and sat on the floor and started to hyperventilate as tears were streaming down my cheeks.

I didn't know how long I was there for until I heard a small knock on the door and gasped. It's him! He's gonna get me.

"Carter? Are you in there?" It was Zach. I wiped my tears away before nodding my head yes in reply and then realized he couldn't see me so I felt stupid.

I gathered myself together as best as I could before opening the door. I didn't look at him and stood there stiffly.

"What happened?" he asked me softly.

"I have woman issues is all. Moodswings and stuff," I replied in an stoic voice. He didn't look like he believed me but he just nodded his head like he did.

"Well we've all been looking for you."

"Okay," I replied. At least I was able to speak.

"Come on, we're heading back to the hotel now." I nodded my head in reply and followed him out and saw that I went into the boys' bathroom.

As we were walking back, I couldn't help but look at every face on the street, wondering if he was there in the crowds. When everyone asked me where I had disappeared to, I lied and told them I got lost.

When we made it to the hotel lobby, he was there again. This time I didn't freeze though. I started walking quickly over to the elevators and kept thinking, He's in the same building as me.