This Must be Fiction

"Have you got everything?" Roberts soft voice said from the other side of the room. I looked at him, taking in his soft red-brown hair and deep hazel eyes. He was almost like a living doll he was so ridiculously good looking. When we met for the first time, I thought he might have been a vampire. Maybe that's why I let him get so close to me.

"I think so. I won't be gone long.. I don't think. Unless I come home early." I zippered my suitcase shut and grabbed my purse from my nightstand.

"You'll call when you get there?" He took the suitcase from my hands and carried it downstairs for me.

"I'll be sure to. Don't worry."
He took me in his arms so we could hug warmly. This would be the first time in a long time that we spent more than a few days apart. Robert had become my rock once I officially moved to L.A.. Sure, Lizzie was always a phone call away, but Robert had helped me through some of the most difficult periods in my life.

"Love you, kid." He ruffled my hair.

"Love you too. And for the love of god, don't let anyone in my bed. And if you get in it please promise you won't do anything sexual in it."

"No promises." He said, mocking me for what I had said last night. I left the house and headed for the cab that was waiting by the curb. Bam was standing on the outside of it, holding the door open for me.

"I'm nervous." I stopped in front of him.

"Don't be. Everything will be fine. Throw your shit in the back and we'll be on our way."
The ride to the airport was more than uncomfortable. I couldn't stop shifting and adjusting my position when I sat with Bam. We were as far apart as the cab seat would allow.

"Would you relax please? You're making me anxious and I never get anxious."

"I can't help it. Think about it from my point of view. Once I get on that plane with you... that's it... we're gone.." I was speaking with my hands. "Not to mention that my boss is pissed as hell that I just decided to take off without warning... God knows if I'll have a job when I get back."

"Don't worry about it. I talked to your boss. I told him that I wanted you to come shoot a video with me so I was whisking you off to Paris. He sounded confused, but let me take you all the same. Oh, by the way, you might actually be in the video. I figured why not? I've got this model with me, might as well use her."

"Oh, ok. Well then at least I'll have something to occupy my time while I get horribly depressed." My hands were flailing while I spoke.

"Would you stop? Every thing's going to be fine." Bam's hand reached over and grabbed mine in an attempt to soothe me. I took my hand away as a reflex.

"Sorry. I just, I don't know about this."

"Well just try to relax. When I tell you everything is going to be fine, I mean it. In fact, it's going to be better than fine. It's going to be great. Now get your shit out of the cab and let's get on this god damn plane." Bam opened the cab door and we took our luggage and went to the gate.

"I got us in first class... I think the flights supposed to be leaving soon." He mumbled as he looked from the plane tickets back to the list of flights. "Let's go." He tugged my sleeve and instructed me to follow him after we got through security. We boarded out plane without much hassle, but now I was severely panicking.

There was no turning back now. The jets started up and the plane began rolling. I wanted to run away. What was I thinking by agreeing to this? Did I even want to see Ville again? Or was I just trying to find a way to stop my incessant depression?

After we were settled at the correct altitude, I asked for something to drink to calm my nerves.

"I don't want you drunk when you see Ville." Bam said, taking my drink from me. I scowled and took the drink back.

"I'll be fine. It's going to take more than one drink for me to feel anything. I just don't want to be so nervous anymore."

"I understand." Bam said from the seat next to me. I, after a few drinks, had somehow fallen asleep. It was a dreamless sleep, but I woke up sweating anyway.

"You ok? We've landed at JFK." Bam said, gathering our things. I wiped my forehead and took a deep breathe.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

We left the plane and boarded another headed for Paris. This time, I was less nervous, probably because I was slightly drunk from the amount of vodka I drank on the last flight. I was somehow able to relax in the lumpy seats, and not focus on the reason for my travels. I had warped my mind into believing that I was headed for a photo shoot in France. As long as I told myself that I wasn't going to see Ville, I was actually just doing some work in France, I was fine.

"I need something to read." I told Bam. He looked through his bags.

"I bought you this. I thought you might need something to do. I didn't know how prepared you'd be for the flight considered I only brought this upon you yesterday."

He handed me a paperback book which I took gratefully. The book kept my attention for a long while, which was what I needed on this flight.

"Molly... Molly!" Bam whispered to me. I had fallen asleep on his shoulder. I don't know how I did, it was hard as rock. Maybe it was the familiar feeling that had me so comfortable.

"Hmm?" I said with my eyes still closed and my head still on his shoulder.

"We're landing soon. I just wanted to make sure you're awake."
I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and sat upright.

"Fuck!" I yelled, causing some people in first class to turn and look at me.

"What?" Bam said, putting a hand on my knee.

"We're almost there." Ville is in Paris, and we were about to land there. What was I supposed to do? I couldn't handle this, I was sure of it.

Bam rolled his eyes at me.

"Would it make you feel better if I didn't make you see him for another day? You can stay at a hotel until tomorrow. Maybe it'll calm your nerves a bit."

"God Bam, why'd you make me do this? I could have went the rest of my life without reliving my past... it would have been fine."

"We both know that you wouldn't have been fine. You could have pretended to be fine for the rest of your life, but it would have been a lie."

I remained silent. He was right. I had pretended to be normal for the past few years, but I couldn't even pretend to be ok anymore.

"So answer the question... today or tomorrow? Which will be best for you?"

"Never..." I said. How could I ever be prepared for something like this?

"Tomorrow then. You can get a good nights sleep, and then tomorrow we'll talk about where to go from there."

The plane was just starting to land. I looked at the book Bam had given me. I flipped through the pages and thought about finishing it that night to occupy my mind and my time.

"Tomorrow is probably best."
Bam and I were silent for a long while. He barely led me to baggage claim, and then outside to get a taxi. If I wasn't in the situation that I was currently in, I would be freaking out due to the fact that I was in Paris. I'd been to France before, but Paris was a whole new opportunity. But, I wasn't here to admire the sights.

"So where to Bam?" I asked. He looked down at a sheet of paper he had stuffed in his pocket. He hailed a cab, showed the driver the piece of paper, and we left for the hotel.

XXXXXX

"This is a ridiculously nice place." I threw my things down on the bed. The room was bigger than I ever needed, with a full bathroom and kitchen.

"Yeah well, this is where I stay when I come to Paris. The owner is an old friend of mine, so he just lets me stay here."

"An old vampire friend?"

"Yes. A vampire friend. I'm going to run out for a bit. Get settled. Take a bath." He opened the door to the hotel and started for his room. "Give me your phone." He commanded before stepping out the door. I handed it over to him cautiously. He entered some digits into it and gave it back.

"That's my number, call me if you need me. I have some shit to set up before the shoot over the next few days so I'll probably be out for a while, but if you need anything at all just call me. I can send someone over or rush right back." The door was beginning to close.

"Thanks Bam. I appreciate it." I said. He smiled at me with more sincerity than I had ever seen Bam express.

"No problem. Like I said, relax."

The door shut and I was left to contemplate my decision. It seemed as though the main purpose of my trip had been blurred during the flight. I walked over to the large bay window and looked onto the streets of Paris. The sun was starting to set.
Bam's form appeared at the front of the hotel, and he crossed the street in a hurry. The scene I watched reminded me much of the time I watched a certain other vampire stroll across the street and up into our hotel room.

I collapsed on the bed. Was it real? Was I going to see him?

I needed to take Bam's advice, and just relax. Stressing out wasn't going to get me anywhere.

I had taken a bath, finished the book, braided and unbraided my hair, and done my make-up over ten times before I decided how terribly bored I was. I made an attempt to watch french TV, but I barely made it through 4 years of high school french.

A knock came to the hotel door. I clutched a fluffy blue robe tighter to my body and answered carefully. Bam was standing there with his arms crossed.

"You bored yet?" He asked, smirking. I nodded.

"Terribly. Are you done with all of your video stuff that you needed to get done?" I asked, letting him into my room. He walked in and sat on the bed.

"Mostly." He paused. "Do you want to go get a drink? There's a pretty decent pub down the street. I've heard you've hit the bottle pretty hard recently." He said with some sort of attitude. I ruffled through my bag to pick out some jeans and a shirt to wear to the bar.

"Drinking just brings out the best in me." I said, knowing that I drank to hide from my problems.

"Sure it does. Are you sure it doesn't just hide Ville from you?"
I stopped moving and looked at the clothes in my hands.

"Can we not talk about him? I'm still scared. Don't make this hard on me Bam."

"You've got less than twenty four hours before I'm forcing you two to have a reunion, you think that by denying his existence now, you're going to make it any easier on yourself?" He stood from the bed and walked towards me.

"I know it won't. But for right now, I'd just like to get drunk."
Bam left me in peace to get dressed while he went next door to his room to get some money. He came back a few minutes later, ready to go.

"Let's get drunk." He said as he stepped in the door.

"Yes. Let's."

We didn't talk while we walked towards the pub Bam had recommended. I was too focused on what was happening around me. I was in Paris, I should enjoy that. But, even with that thought in my head, I couldn't stop thinking about why I was really here.

XXXXXX

Bam had gotten me sufficiently drunk, for which I thanked him. He carried me over his shoulder on the way back to the hotel.

"Bam! Bam, I can walk!" I giggled, wiggling in his arms. He set me down and allowed me to walk the rest of the way.

"You, miss, know how to drink." He draped his arm around my shoulder and laughed loudly into my ear.

"I've been told."

"I'm glad Ville has a girl like you. He needs someone who can keep up with him."

I stopped in my tracks. Why would he bring him up now?

"I'm sorry... I forgot you guys haven't seen each other in I don't know how long... I just keep thinking back to New Years."
Bams arm dropped from my shoulder.

"I know... I've replayed that night countless times in my head. We were perfect that night. Did you know... that I told him I loved him?"

Bam nodded. "Ville's told me about it."
We were silent for a few steps.

"Let's just forget about it for right now. Sleep off your alcohol and then we'll talk in the morning ok?" Bam had walked me up to my door.

"Thanks Bam-Bam." I ruffled his shaggy hair. He started laughing.

"What?" I asked, confused. I hadn't said anything entertaining.

"Nothing... it's just funny because the only other person so call me Bam-Bam is Ville."