When we return back to the same place from where it all started and this time to end our past, that is when you understand. It will be all over.

~♥~

The fresh cold breeze of morning hit my face directly as I closed my eyes to take in the beauty of nature. Well, if you get up early then you can definitely witness a beautiful scenery to start your day.

Few rays of sun peeped behind the tattered clouds which hid the sun like  curtains. There were still few stars in the sky, the pastel colours made it look mesmerizing. Between all the chaos in my life, I forgot how I always used to adore nature.

My lips curved up into a soft smile, sometimes nature is all you need. It is said that nature is the purest portal of inner peace, true that.

I had always been an astrophile, I always had some wierd fantasies with stars and planets.

I just found it fascinating, the colours specially. It is just soothing.

I even had a bucket list in past! But now I feel I lost the essence of innocence I had in myself. Somewhere I lost my inner kid which would get excited just by seeing one or two fireflies.

I would have loved to continue this self talk but here came Ashton breaking my chain of thoughts. I sighed, he is again late!

I wonder how come people say that he is a perfectionist, and someone who hates people who are not punctual.

See who is punctual now! He is ten minutes late and we were flying to Paris today.

" Hey Alaia " he greeted me in a chirpy voice.

I guess it is the first time he is in such a good mood or he roams around sulking like a grumpy kid.

"  Good morning sir "

He gestured me to get inside the car, I took my suitcase and with help of Henry, I kept it inside the dickey.

" Good morning Henry. All good? " I asked, closing the dickey with a thud. I turned around and looked at him.

" Good morning Alaia. Yes, it's all good " he smiled and I reciprocated.

I got inside the car and Henry started driving, I looked outside the window. There was an awkward silence in the car, well I was habituated to it now.

A soft sigh escaped from my lips, I am damn sure, the whole ride will go on like this. I was lost in my thoughts when I heard someone clearing their throat.

I gasped. Wow, I am proved wrong. He will utter few words during the ride!

It won't turn into awkward silence!

I turned around to face him. He was already looking at me intently with some unknown emotion in his eyes.

His gaze sent shiver down my spine, those green eyes were so deep that you could drown into them. They spoke louder than the words.

" Alaia you can sleep, we need energy for the meeting. Plus you woke up early for all the arrangements " He said still looking into my eyes, I had to back off. I knew he would never back off from this staring game so I did.

" No sir, it's OK" I answered monotonously and turned around to outside the window again.

I could see him frown from corner of my eyes, well maybe because of coldness I had in my words. In last few days, many things have changed.

I could sense his emotions changing too, well we women can understand men's emotions better than they do.

It is just to tease them that we are unaware of everything where in reality we know very well what they feel.

I can sense his feelings and I can't play with this guy's heart anymore, I know I can not tell him about my real identity right now but I can at least tell him to stay away from me.

Yes! I will do that. I will tell him that nothing can happen between us. I sighed and my eyes welled up, that is the truth.

Nothing can happen between us....

He can never like me, not when he knows about the real me.

I looked outside the window and leaned against my forehead thinking how my life changed drastically in last few years and the reason which is responsible for it. Samuel, that one proposal which changed so many lives.

Playing with the grains of sand with a pout, I waited for him to come. I sighed, he is late! I heard sound of rustled foot steps and I turned around.

"  Hi sam" I greeted as he smiled at me .

" hey Alaia, how are you? " he asked and I smiled.

" I am fine, tell me why did you call me here? "

He had called me to the beach where me, Macey, max and Ian often hanged out together but he called me so suddenly.

He took a deep breath and looked straight into my eyes. His eyes spoke nervousness, I could clearly capture that. OK now he is making me nervous too....

" sam you are scaring me now. Please tell me what is the matter? " I asked and he suddenly knelt down in front of me making me startled.

" Alaia Cooper Houston, I know I might sound unreal at the moment but I really love you since our teenage days. I wanted to confess to you so badly but was scared to lose you and our precious friendship.

"But when I realized that I might lose the whole you, I couldn't keep it inside myself. I really love you Alaia " he said, tears rolling his cheeks and a smile playing on his lips.

I looked at him, shocked.

What the hell!

He was thinking of me this way, I never saw him anything more but a very good friend.

" Sam you already know that I love Ian! I am sorry but I don't feel anything for you, I always saw you as my very good friend. That's it. " I said, still in shock of what he just uttered.

He got up from his knees and looked at me, his eyes held some unknown emotions. It wasn't only love but something else too.

" Alaia I promise I will love you, more than that Ian does..I really love you Alaia. Please give me a chance " he tried holding my hands but I jerked it away.

" Sam I told you that I don't love you. See you will find someone better than me whom you actually deserve " I said, trying my level best to stay calm but for a short tempered person it is quite a tough job.

" Alaia, I really love you. I just want you in my life, I want to become your cocoon of warmth, I want to kiss your tears away, I want to hold you tight forever! I really love you Alaia " he admitted.

This guy is testing my patience! And what the hell were those super cheesy lines. Ugh... I feel like slapping him and get some senses knocked down in him.

" Sam I told you that I don't love you! "
I shouted and he looked at me red eyed.

He suddenly held me furiously, pulling me close to him. His tight grip would definitely leave a bruise on my arms. I tried wriggling out of his grip but it only tightened.

" what are you doing!" I tried eloping but he had held me very tight. These are the times when I regret dieting.

" what is in him that is not in me huh! Tell me! What is so special in him" he whispered harshly, nuzzling my hair, I tried pushing him but his strength overpowered me.

" Are you out of your mind sam! Leave me and you want to know right, what is in him that you don't have then listen. He respects my every damn decision, he doesn't try to force me in anything " I said looking at him.

He looked at me with tears in his eyes but suddenly it changed into a smirk. A devilish smirk.

" Fine, you keep loving him but remember you are mine, only mine " he whispered before disappearing into the valley of darkness.

The effulgence shone on my face as tears made their way to my eyes.

Wasn't he a very good friend on mine, then why did he behaved like this? He didn't seemed the sam I knew instead he seemed someone else.

Little did I knew, his actions would cost us so much ahead.

My thoughts were broken by the jerk of the car, I looked around and saw that we reached airport. They both were already and were taking out the luggage. A man, dressed in black suit came and took our trolleys with him.

I ran a hand through my face and closed my eyes, taking deep breaths.

" Let's go Alaia " Ashton said and I nodded with a sigh.

We reached the jet after few minutes of walk. OK I had to admit, it actually looked nice and elegant.

Inside, the furniture was made up of antique wood which gave it a classy feeling. There were three sofas in line and a bedroom decked up the left side and a washroom at the back.

" Good morning sir. " the air hostess greeted, well not to me but only him.

My gaze travelled towards her loving/ lusty gaze and it stopped at Ashton.

It seemed like I was invisible to her and the way she was looking at him looked like she is going to eat him up.

He nodded curtly and she frowned. What did she expect that he gonna sit on his knees, with his arms wide open and shout good morning to her. Huh... what a wish!

" hi mam" she said with a fake smile.

Oh.... she finally noticed that there are other people too, or I was starting to think that I got some super powers of disappearing. I nodded, she doesn't deserves my beautiful smile anyways.

" please come this way " she led us to the sofa where we took our seats.

He sat beside me while the announcement was made to fasten our seat belts.

" She was like a leech " he leaned in and whispered in my ears. I burst out laughing. For the first time I couldn't agree more.

"She was clinging upon me as if I am some kind of meat, she was literally eye raping me!" he whisper excalimed and I had to bit my lips to stop this laughter session as that leech was just walking towards us.

" hello sir, do you need something? " she asked, leaning towards him in a seductive way.

I noticed that she had opened two more button of her shirt, showing her cleavage. I rolled my eyes, What a bitchy act.

" Alaia do you need something? " he turned to ask me, I could feel her getting furious.

Oww....now that is some real fun. I shook my head and bit my lip to refrain from burst out laughing.

" Just one coffee and an orange juice along with some sandwiches " he said and she nodded.

She walked away, well she was more like swaying her hips to be honest.

But who drinks coffee and orange juice together! Well he is Ashton Johnson, he can do anything.....

" If you are thinking that who drinks orange juice and coffee together then for your information, coffee is for me and breakfast for you because I know how much of an irresponsible person you are." he said and my jaw dropped, how dare he call me an irresponsible person!

OK but his actions did touch my heart, it was kind of cute. Soon that air hostess oh sorry..... Leech. Yes, that leech returned with a tray in her hands.

" here! I hope you enjoy it " she said, well specifically to Ashton.

Seems like I again disappeared from here, I sighed and scratched back of my head. Ashton nodded and she walked away, well not before winking at him.

How dare she!

Wait, I should not get affected in the first place! Gosh. Calm down Alaia, take some deep breaths.

Ashton passed the tray to me and picked up his coffee but I kept it in the middle. If he knows me too well then I know him well too.

" If I am irresponsible then you are definitely bigger irresponsible person than me. I know even you didn't had anything " I said, quietly.

I avoided eye contact but I could feel his eyes on me, particularly searching for my eyes.

I took the sandwich and started eating, OK it wasn't that bad. It was actually good.

I took the large gulp of orange juice to finish it and wiped my lips with a napkin. Keeping the glass back on the tray I settled myself on the sofa and yawned.

" You can sleep Alaia, you woke up early and we need some energy for meeting " he said and I did not wanted to fight for now.

I actually needed this sleep. I closed my eyes, hoping for some good sleep.

♥

" wake up " I felt someone tapping my cheeks, I blinked few times to get a clear vision.

" wake up Alaia, you slept the whole way here " I felt another touch on my cheeks, this time I rubbed my eyes and yawned slightly.

I slowly blinked my eyes to get the right picture, wait I am not dreaming right!

Ashton Johnson was sitting on his one knee looking at me with uttermost love and affection. My breathe hitched slightly, I got up suddenly.

" we reached? " I asked but that sounded a little hoarse due to my sleep. I did not wanted any awkwardness right now.

" Yes. So let's go " he said and I nodded, few men in black took our luggage and walked out.

We were on the exit gate when I again saw that air hos- oh sorry leech..... Yeah.

" I hope you had a good time" she smiled over sweetly and I rolled my eyes. I am again invisible.

Ashton again nodded curtly and I pressed my lips to stop erupting into fits of laughter. I hope she got her answer that he is not interested in her. She then, turned to me and looked at me with a scowl. Hiding my smile I got out of the jet.

The warm gushing air hit my face directly as I looked at the sky which was in shades of pink and orange. The red setting sun in the sky of blue and Pink Sky. So the city of love, we are here.

Welcome to Paris....

♥

She is back in the game, to learn from her past mistakes, to win this game.
It will be a check and mate situation, let's see who will check and who will mate.

~♥~

Hola people! So done. I hope you liked it, I personally liked it as there were some cute mushy stuffs between our Alaia and Ashton.
Do tell me about your point of view.

So we read that Sam really loved Alaia, now we have to read ahead to know what his madness made him do.

So till my next update take care and stay safe. Byeeee