Aim to Please (wlw)

ch. 7 mon cheri

Bullet trains.

The idea of going from capital to capital in less than 2 hours was appalling. Like a kid, my face was too close to the glass of the window as I watched the landscape speed by. Seeing the pastures, architecture changes, and towns pass in the blink of an eye was exciting.

Antoinette and Laurie were deep in conversation, switching between French and English fluidly. Laurie's hand rested on my knee, which she would squeeze occasionally.

"Mon cheri, you will get sick if you get much closer. Goodness knows how many people have sat where you are today."

I continued looking out the window, unphased. Their pet names were garnished with the tide of timeless friendship, one that I could only hope to achieve with Rin. A soft tap on my knee caused me to turn.

"Mackenzie, listen to me when I speak to you," Laurie fussed.

I tilted my head. "Mon cheri? You've never called me that, how was I supposed to know?"

"I suppose I haven't," she murmured back.

I sighed, leaning against Laurie's shoulder now that I've been taken away by my entertainment. Laurie chuckled and leaned her head against mine.

Antoinette's face was hard to read as she looked between us. Some form of all-knowing power tilted her lips upward and sharpened her eyes.

"J'en étais sûr," Mrs. LeBlanc cooed. "Prévisible."

"Casse toi," Laurie hissed.

I pinched her thigh. "That's not nice."

They both froze, as if they had been caught with their hands in a cookie jar. Wordlessly, through their eyes, they conversed. I sat up again, eyebrows raised.

"Are you surprised that I am trying to learn?"

"W—well, n—no, mon cheri," Laurie stuttered. Her cheeks flushed.

Antoinette reached over and patted my knee. "I think it is very good that you are learning, ma belle biche."

"Espèce de merde," growled the woman by my side, pointing at Antoinette. "Elle saura!"

"If it makes you feel better, I only translate the words you say often?"

"Oh, then you must definitely know her favorite word," her best friend quipped.

"Yep," I smirked. "Mierde. Fun fact, that isn't an actual word. It's some funky fusion between French and Spanish."

"Ah, how knowledgeable! You picked a good assistant, mon amie."

"Indeed," she muttered.

•

The streets of Brussels were quaint, the architecture beautiful. A mixture of modern and art nouveau. One street would feel like a modern city center and the next would feel like you stepped into a light academia mood board. It was hard to contain myself from exploring, but I stood with Laurie and Antoinette as they fussed over the best way to the hotel.

"See, we go there, then here, and then it is the big ass building that no one can miss!" Antoinette's voice was raised.

"Surrounded by more big ass buildings!" Laurie argued back.

I rolled my eyes and wandered off. I scanned the crowd around us to find someone without suitcases, or travel wear. Just a normal individual, walking through their city. My gaze fell upon a couple who were lazily walking, hand in hand, towards the main street.

"Excuse me!" I called out to them. "I...English?" I pulled a face, a visual apology.

"Mostly," the man spoke with a thick accent. "What is wrong?"