I'm Just a Puppet and She's Holding the Strings

_9 a.m._
_Sunday Morning_
I'd woken up early and made it over to Sebastien's house for nine am.

We arranged for half-nine but I left early in case I got lost.

"Right, so Beth's definitely out?" I asked.

"Yeah," Sebastien nodded.

"What time is she coming back?"

"Eight,"

"So that gives us ten hours to get this all done and dusted,"

"No, it's eleven hours," He corrected.

"I know it's eleven hours until she gets back but we wanna be out of here by seven so you have an hour to get ready,"

"Oh, I see," He said, "That's a good plan,"

"I know," I grinned proudly.

"The guys should be here in about half an hour and then we can get started,"

"Well if you're having it here we should start cleaning up and getting all the stuff positioned,"

"Okay," He agreed.

"C'mon then, show me where you're planning on having this,"

He got up from the couch and led me out of the living room, down the hallway to the dining room.

I looked around the room, eyeing up every aspect of it.

"I can work with this," I decided.

I heard Sebastien chuckle from beside me.

"What?" I frowned but there was a smile playing on my lips.

"You sound like a proper professional Interior Designer or something,"

"I am one," I stated.

"Really?" His face lit up with interest.

"No," I snorted, "I wish,"

"Oh, I see, it was a joke," He clicked on.

"Ah, you're catching on," I teased with a playful smile.

"I'm a quick one,"

"If you say so," I nodded as I began to wander around the room.

"Hey!" He spoke in a shocked tone.

I sent him an innocent grin and he shook his head at me.

"That hurt," He pouted.

I snorted with laughter and continue to look around the room.

"I think I know exactly how to set this up,"

"And this is why you're so fantastic,"

I turned around and winked at him, "Well, you know..." I shrugged.

He laughed a little and I fell onto a chair.

"How long are the guys going to be?" I asked with a yawn.

He checked his watch, "Ten minutes,"

"Cool," I nodded.

I watched him walk over to the table and take a seat across from me.

Silence filled the room.

My eyes wandered around the room before I got bored of the silence.

"So, tell me about yourself," I began.

"Huh?" An eyebrow rose.

"We should get to know each other better. If I know about you then I can make sure that this all looks like your style,"

"Ooh, that's a good idea,"

I smiled, "I know,"

"So what do you want to know?"

"Um, how long have you been with Beth for?"

"Five years,"

"How did you meet?"

"It was at a club, I fell and spilt the drinks on her so I bought her a new one and we got talking so I got her number... I asked her out a week later,"

"Cool... Um, what's Beth's favourite colour?"

"Purple,"

"What's her favourite flower?"

"Roses,"

"Okay, what can you tell me about you?"

"I have no idea... You ask me questions; I don't know what's going to help,"

"Let's start off with general information... How old are you?"

"Twenty-Five,"

"Oh you're the same age as me," I grinned, "Um... Do you have any talents?"

He frowned, "What do you mean by talents?"

"Like... Can you act, sing, play an instrument?" I suggested, "Wiggle your ears or turn your eyelids inside out?"

"Well I can't turn my eyelids inside out," He laughed, "But I do write some lyrics and I play guitar... I sing sometimes too,"

There was a slight pause.

"Whoa," We breathed simultaneously.

His eyes squinted at me suspiciously.

"I just had a serious Deja vu episode," I whispered.

"... I did too," He agreed, "I just got this weird feeling that we've done this before,"

I locked eye contact with him and nodded.

"Like, this exact conversation..." He added.

"That was freaky," I murmured, "I know this is going to sound completely ridiculous, but do you feel like... You kind of... Know me?"

He studied my face for a while, "Yeah..." He spoke slowly.

"We've probably just seen someone who looks like us or something," I shrugged.

"Yeah..." His lips twitched into an unsure smile, our eyes still not moving from each others, before our heads snapped to the dining room door as we heard a knock on the front one.

"That'll be the guys," He whispered before he got up and left the room.

My eyes fell to the table as I felt a lump form in my throat.

I felt awkward and uncomfortable.

I heard the front door open and then a lot of deep voices.

"Was there a reason you made me get up early?" A familiar voice came from the doorway.

My head shot up and my eyes met with tired familiar brown ones.

"Good morning Mr. Smiley," I grinned at Pierre.

He grunted at me and sat down at the table before the other four boys followed and took a seat.

"Morning everyone," I spoke cheerfully, my mood changing slightly.

"Morning," They chorused unenthusiastically except for Sebastien.

"Right," I spoke authoritatively as I got up from the table. They jumped and I got their attention as I hit my hands on it, making a bang.

I began pacing.

"Plan of action," I began, "Jeff I need you to go to the florist and pick up two dozen red roses and find some rose petals, get as many as you think we need to cover this room. David, I need you to go to a fancy restaurant and order some food of Sebastien's choice for me. Chuck I need you to go to a material shop and by about three metres of lilac voile. Pierre I need you to go to an off license and get some champagne and then to a random store to get some long candles and candle holders and Sebastien I need you to go get your credit card," I finalised, "Okay? Any questions?"

They all looked at me and then started talking at me about different things.

I rubbed my hands over my face.

"Hold up, hold up!" I yelled and they all went quiet, "I can't hear you when you all talk at once! One at a time please,"

"Where am I going to get rose petals from?" Jeff asked.

"What restaurant?" David added to the list.

"What kind of champagne?" Pierre questioned.

"How much is this going to cost me?" Sebastien frowned.

"What the fuck is voile?" Chuck cursed.

God this is going to be such a hard job.

"Right, Jeff, it doesn't matter where you get them from, ask the florist when you get there. David, it doesn't matter what restaurant, let Sebastien choose. Pierre, whatever champagne you want love, it doesn't matter. Sebastien, you wanted this and you're choosing everything so it's gonna cost however much you make it cost. Chuck," I sighed, "Just ask the person in the shop, she'll know, okay?"

I got a lot of blank looks from them.

"Any more questions?"

Pierre's hand rose.

"Yeah?"

"Who died and made you chief, Bossy McBossBoots?"

I rolled my eyes and laughed, "Any more questions about what you have to do?"

There was silence.

"Good," I smiled, "Then let's go,"

Nobody moved.

"Sebastien wanted me to do this and if someone doesn't be 'Bossy McBossBoots' it's not going to be ready in time for Beth, so unless someone else votes someone as chief I guess I'm going to be the one,"

They stared at me for a second before they sighed and got up.

"Then let's get going," I clapped my hands together.

"What exactly are you going to do?" Sebastien asked.

"I'm gonna stay here with you and rearrange this room and make this place spotless,"

"Cleaning?" He whined.

"Yeah,"

"Ugh, I get the crap job?"

"Hey, you want me to do this, take it or leave it,"

"Fine," He sighed.

"C'mon then guys, with a bit of luck we can get this done quickly and Sebastien here can impress his girl on her birthday,"

"I better go get my credit card then," Sebastien sighed.

_Three Hours Later_

"Rachel, get up right now," Sebastien ordered.

"I can't, I'm too tired," I complained.

"We're nearly done now, come on, there's just the vacuuming to do and then we'll only have to wait for the guys to get back,"

"They've been gone for ages, how long does it take?"

"Chuck's probably still trying to figure out what voile is,"

I laughed, "Probably," I agreed.

"C'mon push through the wall,"

My head lifted up from the couch with a raised eyebrow, "What're you talking about?"

"You know, the 'wall' runners hit when they're running a marathon,"

"Three hours isn't a marathon,"

"Then think of it as a two-hundred metre hurdle," He waved his hand dismissively, "Come on Rachy," He held his hand out and I looked at it cautiously.

"Don't make me make you get up," He threatened, wiggling his outstretched fingers for some kind of persuasion.

I sighed and swung my hand over so it landed in his.

"Atta girl," He spoke reassuringly as he pulled me up to my feet over the arm of the couch.

I came face to face with him and his pale blue eyes.

I smiled slightly and he returned the gesture only briefly.

"Come on then, we still have a two-hundred metre hurdle to finish," I nodded once and headed off back to the dining room.

I picked up the hoover and pulled the bottom of it towards me.

"Hey Rachel?"

I swung around to face Sebastien...

... With the hoover still in my hand.

"Ow! Christ!" He hunched over and grasped his knee.

"Oh my Gosh! I am so sorry!"

"Are you actually trying to hurt me?"

"No! Of course I'm not! I'm really sorry, I didn't mean it!"

He scrunched up his face, "Ugh, right on the knee,"

"I'm really sorry,"

He sat down on a chair and I watched as he rolled up the leg of his jeans.

I blushed slightly and turned my head to the side.

"It's only my leg Rachel," He began, "I'm not stripping or anything," He was smirking at me.

I smiled with embarrassment and looked at his knee.

"Is it okay?" I questioned as I pulled over a chair and sat in front of him.

"Yeah I think it just caught the bone,"

"If it bruises, I'll make it up to you,"

"I think being hit in the knee with vacuum cleaner is a small price to pay for everything you've done for me,"

My eyes caught his and I couldn't help but smile.

"All in the name of love, eh?"

He nodded slowly, "Exactly,"

We stared at each other for a moment.

I took a sharp intake of breath when I heard a knock on the door.

"That'll be them," He stated.

"I'll go,"

I got up from my seat and went into the hallway.

I pulled open the door.

"Where have you been? Three hours for about four things, slow or what?" I teased with a grin.

"Hey, shut up, you didn't tell us that the closest material shop was about twenty miles away!" David complained as he handed me the bags he was holding.

"You also didn't tell us that it was in the middle of a bloody mad junction! I had to drive around in circles for about a half hour while these ran in to get your damn foil!" Chuck added.

"It's voile," I corrected with a laugh.

"Whatever," He shook his head.

"You also didn't tell us that the restaurant delivered, we waited in there for half an hour before the guy told us he'd deliver it!" Pierre pointed an accusing finger at me.

"Now that was just stupid, I would've thought you would've clicked on when the guy asked for the address," I rolled my eyes and took all the bags off them as I walked into the dining room.

"Did I also forget to mention that I am eternally grateful for all your hard work?" I grinned with raised eyebrows.

They stared blankly at me.

I walked over and hugged them individually.

"Hugs aren't enough for the trauma we've just suffered," Pierre said dramatically, shaking his head as he folded his arms.

"Did I forget to mention..." I continued with the whole 'forget to mention' theme, "That I'll buy you all presents?"

They looked suspicious for a second.

"What do you need us to do now chief?" David grinned.

"That's more like it," I smiled.

"What happened to you?" Jeff asked as he noticed Sebastien.

"Rachel hit me with the vacuum cleaner," Sebastien replied.

Four frowning faces looked at me.

"What'd you do that for?" David questioned.

"It was an accident," I answered, "I didn't mean it,"

"Anyways, did you get everything you needed?" Sebastien asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah," Chuck answered.

"Good,"

"Okay, so, I need you all to take this stuff into the kitchen while I do this room quick, then we can get started,"

"Aye, aye cap'n," Pierre saluted me and each boy grabbed a bag to take to the kitchen as I switched on the vacuum cleaner.

I did a quick clean up of the room before I turned off the machine.

"Guys," I called them back into the room, to which they complied and stood beside me.

I took a deep breath, "Let's make this place a romantic heaven, yeah?"

_6pm_

"Damn, this place looks pretty fantastic," Chuck gasped as he gazed around the room.

"It's amazing," David sighed.

"It's nothing like I imagined," Sebastien added.

"Beth's gonna love it," Jeff smiled, causing a grin on Sebastien.

"Rach, you've done a damn good job here sweetheart," Pierre rested a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it proudly.

I turned around and smiled at him, "Thanks,"

We all gazed at the room from the kitchen doorway.

The lilac voile was placed over the window and it cast a glow over the room.

"So is this it now? Is it all done?" Sebastien asked.

I held up the four bags of rose petals, "Apart from these, it's all done,"

"Are they just gonna get thrown around the room or what?" David enquired.

"Well, I was thinking, if we make a trail of them from the front door to the dining room so Beth can follow them and we scatter the rest around here, and Sebastien can stand here with one of the roses when she comes in," I suggested, "Have you already given her her birthday present?"

"No, I was saving it for tonight," Sebastien answered.

"Well you could give her that with her rose when she walks in,"

"Sounds like a plan," He agreed.

"Okay, David can you go make a trail with these from the front door to the dining room door please? Only use half the bag though,"

"Sure,"

"The rest of you, could share a bag between two and basically chuck them about everywhere? Make sure they're evenly spread and there isn't many on the table,"

They nodded and picked up a bag.

It made me smile when they did what I'd asked them to do, and so eagerly too.

I loved the fact that they listened to me so intently and did everything exactly how I asked them to do it.

It felt good, not to be controlled, but to be in control- To know that I wasn't second best.

David soon finished his trail (Which was perfectly made up) and handed the rest of the bag to me.

"Thank you," I smiled.

"You're welcome chief," He winked at me and walked over to Chuck and Jeff.

I held the bag in my hand and played about with the edges.

"Whatcha smilin' at?" I looked up to see a grinning Pierre.

I couldn't help but smile further, "Nothing," I shook my head and looked down at the petals.

I saw something float around me and I felt a small sting on my head.

My head shot up and I watched a handful of petals float down to the floor.

I saw Pierre grinning innocently at me.

I laughed and slowly shook my head before launching a handful of my own petals at him.

"Do you want me to scatter some of these up the stairs?" I turned to Sebastien.

"Um... I don't know, what do you think?"

"It's up to you, do you think you'll need them?" I smirked.

"I guess, but only a few so she doesn't get confused with which way to go,"

I nodded and headed out of the room, going half way up the stairs.

I scattered half a handful up the stairs and half down the stairs.

I went back into the room as everyone had finished scattering the petals.

I emptied the rest of my bag out evenly over the room.

"Rachel, seriously, you should do this for a living," Chuck stated with a small sigh of delight.

"I'll second that motion," Sebastien added.

"Which? Setting up romantic rooms for couples on special occasions?"

"Well not exactly that, just interior design or something," Chuck explained.

"Oh, I see," I smiled, "I don't see what the big thing is really, it's just some material and a few flowers," I shrugged.

"But the final thing looks amazing," Jeff said.

"I guess," I sighed.

"It really does," Sebastien grinned, "Thank you so much,"

"It was nothing," I smiled, "That curtain's gonna fall,"

The boy's heads turned and I chose not to dive forward to catch it due to my track record of clumsiness.

I wandered over to the window and picked up the fallen material.

"So where did you get the idea from? Has someone done something like this for you before?" David seemed interested.

"For me?" I let out a dry laugh, "You kidding? Absolutely not,"

"So where did the whole idea come from?"

"I guess every girl has her own fantasy images sometimes, it's kind of the general cliche with a twist. I just used the whole roses and petals idea to make my own version that most girls would think was fantastic if it happened to them," I elaborated as I pulled over a chair from the table, "Can someone grab this chair to keep it steady for me please?"

Chuck quickly complied to my request and I thanked him.

"What do you mean 'absolutely not'?" Pierre asked.

"Huh?" I frowned.

"You sounded so weird when you said 'absolutely not' about someone setting something like this up for you, why?" He seemed so curious.

"Because I've only ever had three boyfriends in my time and none of them would've done anything like this," I replied, "Actually... The one that might have was only really a fling so yeah..." I trailed off as I hung the material tighter around the curtain rail, "Sorry, I'm just ranting about my life story here, let's change the subject,"

"Who was the guy?" Chuck questioned.

"Or not..." I chuckled, "Do we have to talk about this?"

"We're curious," David added in their defence.

"C'mon tell us, in the whole romantic atmosphere and stuff," Sebastien persuaded.

"Guys, come on, you don't want to know this, really,"

"Yeah we do," Jeff disagreed.

"We want to get to know you," Pierre reassured.

I shook my head and flattened out the curtain.

"Go on," Sebastien pouted, "Please?"

I rolled my eyes and jumped down from the chair.

"It was just a holiday romance kind of thing, it wasn't anything major," I shrugged, "It's not much of a story," I couldn't help but smile at the thought of it.

"Well, we're interested. We'll stop you if we get bored," David grinned.

"You seem to think it's something good, 'cause you're smiling like a nutcase," Pierre teased.

"It was my first kiss, I'm obviously gonna smile,"

I then grimaced... I shouldn't have said that.

"You haven't got much left to tell us now, you've already admitted half the story," Chuck laughed.

I sighed, "Fine,"

I wandered over to the table and picked up the dishes and cutlery, beginning to set them up.

"I was on holiday in Greece about eight years ago with my family and I was staring out the window while I was in the kitchen... I can't remember what I was doing but I was looking out the window and my brain switched off, as it does a lot, and I was staring at this guy. Then when I realised I was staring, I was writing messages on paper and showing them to him through the window to apologise at him for staring..." I explained.

"What a weird way to meet," David said.

I laughed slightly, "Yeah I know. But we met properly for the first time when he jumped into the pool and splashed me. But he was so sweet and funny and kind. He was completely amazing, I was really upset that I had to go home because I knew that I'd probably never see him again. But then my mum got food poisoning so my dad let me have pretty much all of the holiday to myself so I spent it with... Oh God what was his name?" My mind went blank, "I can't remember his name..." I added, "Anyway, I was so embarrassing back then though. I was even clumsier than I am now,"

"Wow, you had to be bad," Pierre grinned cheekily.

"Hey!" I squeaked with a small glare, "I hurt him so many times. Physically I mean. I like... Hit him or tripped him over or something every day we met up,"

"What'd you do to him?" Chuck asked.

"Well... I kept hitting him with my surfboard, 'cause I surfed back then, and I head-butted him by accident," This earned a few laughs from them but Sebastien was looking at me curiously, "Um... What else did I do?" I questioned myself.

"Almost drown him," Sebastien added, I assumed his tone was questioning like he was giving me ideas.

"Oh yeah, I did that!" I announced with a small laugh, but still quite confused how he knew that, "Um... Oh, I fell over and pulled him with me so he scratched all his elbows and stuff,"

"Jesus Christ, you're a proper little jinx aren't you?" Jeff chuckled.

"Oh, and I hit him in the head with the white ball when we were playing pool,"

I got some winces from the guys except Sebastien who lifted his hand to his forehead for a split second before rubbing his hands over his face.

"I think that's it..." I spoke slowly.

"You scratched his arm with your nails as well when you tripped over," Sebastien added onto my list.

All of us turned to look at him with raised eyebrows and confused looks.

Pierre turned to me, "Is that true?"

He caught my eyes and I nodded distantly, "Yeah it is,"

We turned back to look at Sebastien.

"How do you know that?" Chuck frowned.

"The guy's name was Sebastien," Seb bit down on his lip and pulled up his left sleeve revealing three small white scars that looked like they were from nails...

My nails...

I gasped and held my hand to my mouth as I suddenly looked at Sebastien in a whole new light- I finally knew where I knew him from.

"It was you," I choked.

He gulped and nodded slowly, "It was me,"
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Allow me to exaggerate a memory or two
Where summers lasted longer than, longer than we do
When nothing really mattered except for me to be with you
But in time we all forgot and we all grew

Panic At The Disco- Folkin' Around
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