KIWI
act one, chapter four

@vittoriacorelone posted to her story

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" I DONT WANT TO GO." I whine to Florence who sits on my hotel bed, pulling at the covers of my hotel bed that I've hidden myself under upon my arrival back from an extensive day of sightseeing.

" we're only in New York for one more night and you want to stay in bed!" she asks me to which I peek over the sheet and shout back " yes!"

The reason we're in this predicament is because she wants to go out to dinner, and that's not the part that makes me want to hide away. I'd jump of this cloud of a bed in an instant normally.

But...Florence wants to go out with her friends to an intimate dinner which I wouldn't mind if it wasn't including said Irish man who I have not spoken to in the roughly twenty four hours since I forbade any relationship with him in said hotel room after a hook up.

Said Irish man who I spent the whole day sightseeing knowing there would be miniscule chance I would see him in this jungle of a city.

She huffs, looking at me " what is your problem!" she asks me and I look at her and shake my head.

" nothing, I'm just tired." I lie, because I'd be pissed if she had a one night stand with one of my mates and then semi-ghosted them so I know she would too. So I keep myself quiet.

She gives me a look, and I don't know how but an hour and a half later I'm walking out the hotel door holding onto my best friends hand as we walk towards our car — I'm not happy about it, but yet I'm still here.

In a dress that it is definitely worn more for its fashion sense than comfort. A dress that more presents more of a lingerie one piece that I've put a blazer over and heels that are already hurting my feet before I've even left my room.

And I try my hardest not look like I'm nervous the whole fifteen minute drive where Florence is recapping who all of those in attendance will be, and I try not to stifle a breath when I hear Paul's name exit from her lips. Instead I hum and 'ah' like I'm listening to anything that she is saying.

And when we arrive, I take the hand of the doorman who is offering it out to me — stepping as gracefully as ever with a smile on my lips welcoming the onslaught of cameras and flashes.

Looking like a lost puppy momentarily until Florence's arm wraps around me and she guides me inside. And then again but with those having dinner and will send mine and Florence's photo to some drama account on instagram who makes it their job to keep tabs on us.

I try to hide my shaking smile and faltering confidence the closer we get to my own personal version of doom. That my heart doesn't feel like it's beating so fast you could see it buzz against the skin of my chest, that my palms are sweating. What is happening to me ?

And then the doors to the room open, and like promised it is indeed small making it intimate. Eyes turning to us, I ignore one particular set.

People get up to greet us, mostly Florence as they're more her friends than mine but still a few come to me and call me every ego boosting compliment under the sun and congratulate me on the award. I smile and thank them, and try not to let my eyes drift to where they want to, the only pair of eyes that haven't left me since I came in.

The server offers to take my jacket and I feel his eyes even more so when my outfit is unveiled and when the server pulls my seat out and I take a seat, I finally look at the man whose gaze has not faltered since we entered the back room of this restaurant —   accepting a glass of whatever the staff is pouring, thanking them with a wide smile.

Taking a sip and I can still feel his eyes. He's sat close, too close. Directly in front of me almost. He's slouched back with one arm rested on the back of his chair as he stares me down.

" V, you remember Paul right?" Florence breaks my spell, as I force myself to look at him. A small smile curving the corners of my lips.

Placing my glass down as Paul sits up and gestures his hand in front of me from the opposite side. I tighten my lips into a smile

" of course, hello again." I say as he nods his head " hello again to you too." using his tongue to press into the side of his mouth to hold back the smile I know threatens to curve on his lips.

I hate this. This effect that this man I've known in such little time has on me — how my stomach churns and I can physically feel my chest pounding. How I become restless and my leg bounces under the table.

And believe me, I try to ignore it and the evening is pleasant enough. Except with every movement I make, every sound of laughter I make and every time my lips curve into a smile I can feel him tense. When we're eating and I ask for the salt, our hands brush when he hands it to me at the same try that reach for it and I have to try and act like my entire world hasn't fallen off its fucking axis.

How when Florence brings up my disappearance at the Darcy's after party, how Paul looks at me.

Licking back that stupid smug smile on those lips that I wish I could push onto my own. How he tilts his head when I talk, in a genuine interest that you don't find a lot of nowadays. How I can't stop looking at him, and how he can't stop looking at me.

And eventually it's over, and we all disburse into our own groups.

I stand on the pavement waiting for my Uber to take me back to the hotel alone. Florence deciding to go to another bar for drinks, she can handle a hangover on a travel day better than I can.

And in my peace I see his figure beside me, leaning to my side slightly " I like that dress." his accent makes me silently swoon and I nod.

" thank you," I hum, still keeping my eyes forward waiting for the car. There's silence for a moment until I feel his body come nearer to mine again. 

" talking to you isn't against your rules is it?" he asks and I shake my head " I suppose not, although feel free not to."

He exhales through a small laugh, feeling the hot breath of his hit my neck and his face dangerously close to my own

" and what about undressing you with my eyes, because if I'm being honest.." I turn my head and my lips part as I look at him.

" I've been doing that all night." he tells me and my stomach turns. I push my lips back together and look back to the front " as long as there's not actual undressing being done, it's..fine I guess."

Our little conversation which was steaming up by the second as someone approaches Paul " you coming with us, we're headed to a bar?" they ask and Florence appears beside them.

" no, I think I'm just gonna call a taxi and head back to the hotel." He hums and I feel slightly relieved oddly.

Florence makes a sound that grabs my attention "oh, just grab a ride with V." she suggests and I offer a small smile that is so obviously fake " she's already got an Uber coming."

Paul turns and offers me a small smirk, knowing I do not like this idea. Not because I don't like him, but I don't trust us alone together — " that alright with you?"

" of course." I say with a bright smile and a furrow of my brows " why wouldn't it be?"

He knows why, hence why he smirks more at my performance for my friends and nods — the Uber arrives and I say my goodbyes before opening the door that I can see Paul reaching to open for me. Climbing in and staring out the window for the first five minutes of the journey.

" why don't you date?" he asks, and I turn my head and look at him as he continues " already seeing someone, got your heart set on someone else?" he lists off one by one and I shake my head.

" no, I'm not like that-" I hum, before shrugging "it's not part of my plan yet."

I hear a small chuckle exits his lips " your plan? So what you've planned out when you'll meet someone to date?" I feel slightly embarrassed as I nod.

" yeah, I do." I tell him, my eyebrows furrowing "not like it's any of your business or anything but I've followed this plan since I graduated uni and I don't think I've done too badly for myself."

I look back out the window, hearing his voice again " but what if you've missed them?" he asks and I'm back to looking at him.

" what?" I ask.

" love isn't a thing that is calculated, love doesn't wait." he shakes his head, not looking at me as he rants " it's quite possible that you've missed the love of your life because of this plan."

" don't be a dick." I tell him, and he shrugs his shoulders. As he looks at me again and I keep my eyes steady away from him.

he contorts this sort of contemplating face " what if it's me?" he asks, and I blink as my head turns and my eyes catch his.

I pull my face into this sort of confused look, " what do you mean if it's you?" I ask and he just tilts his head.

" what if I am your one great love?" he says and my eyes roll " and what if you stick to your plan and I never see you again-"

" would be a relief." I mutter under my breath, as he continues " and in ten years time, you're a tyrant in Hollywood, your career is in the history books for eternity."

And he stops for a second, bringing my eyes back to him — almost daring him to continue.

" but you're married to someone who isn't your true love, because you stuck to this plan of yours
so religiously."

My lips part to combat him, and luckily the Uber pulls up outside the hotel as I shoot Paul a look.

" then I'd be a tyrant in Hollywood and deal with the consequences of it." I say although it's lie.

I love the idea of love. I have ever since I was old enough to see the love that my parents had for each other — both sets of them. If not through the way I'd watch my dad walk through the door and b-line to my mum and kiss her cheek, mutter things in her ear that would make her smile.

Then it would be the pictures of the people who brought me into this world, prior to my existence. How in photos you can tell their love through the way the way they would look at each other, as if the camera was invisible. As if the world containing billions of people's ceased to exist to either of them when they were looking at one another. That's what I want, in all honestly it's all I want.

I walk into the lobby, hearing Paul's footsteps behind me as I go to the elevator. My arms crossed as I watch the numbers of floors it passes grow tedious the longer I wait.

" I don't care about your plan, I just think you should give it a chance. A bit of spontaneity never killed anyone did it?" he hums.

" so if you don't care, why are you telling me all this." I whisper, turning to look at him. His head dip and leans in towards my ear.

" because I really want to kiss you." he whispers, standing in the the reception of the hotel. I smile because he makes me feel all fluttery.

" I've wanted to kiss you since the second your hotel door shut in my face." He says and I laugh slightly.

I have to look away because I feel like a teenager with a crush on the rugby captain ( shout out to Graham Jones) but I soon look back at him because well, you know what he looks like so you get it.

" you don't give up do you?"  I ask, and his head gives a small shake " nope, apparently not when it comes to you."

I turn my head as the elevator doesn't seem to grow any closer. But as if in agreement to my own choice, the door opens.

" come on." I watch as he bobs his head in a nod and begins to follow my lead towards the desolate hallways due to the late hour of the night that are verging to the early ones of the morning.

His other hand roams around me and I push my head back to sit on his shoulder — we both know this isn't just going to be a kiss, yet neither of us seem to care. Me in particular.

The doors to the elevator open, and we enter standing beside each other on the back railing. Hes smirking and I'm trying to hide any facial expressions.

But then, the door close and we're alone. And like
I expect it doesn't take long until my fingers are tangled in his hair and his are wrapped around my waist, lips interlocked and eyes squeezed shut and luckily it stays that way until we reach my floor.

I don't think we had enough power to pull away from one another if someone where to enter our lift.

I lead him to the room I did only two nights ago, fumbling for my keycard whilst his lips pepper kisses down my neck.

" this is the last time." I say as I open the door, "only until I leave New York." I tell him and he nods.

" works for me." he agrees as I pull him into the room and shut the door to the outdoor world indefinitely. " what happens in New York stays in New York."

I shake my head, " I don't think that's how the saying goes."

His shoulders lift in a shrug " im sure they'll let us have an exception, just this once."

And he kisses me again, and I think I believe him. We kiss until the animatronic voice announces our floor as I pull him out of the lift, he's not paying any attention at all.

We laugh like kids as we reach my room. I exhale as I can't focus on grabbing my keycard from the back of my phone because his lips set my skin alight.

Eventually the door opens. And it's dark but it doesn't stop us. He seemingly pathed out my room from last night as he begins to undress himself. Clothes scattered around the room as I laugh and pull him towards the bed.

It's not long until our skin is pushed against together. The sheets of the bed rustle underneath us as our kisses become more vicious and he pulls away — head resting against mine.

" you're beautiful." he tells me and I roll my eyes,

" you can't even see me." I say, because there's minimal light — I can see the outline of him but apart from that it's a guessing game.

He shakes his head, going to kiss me again " I don't need to, I know you're beautiful."

Fuck.
I've think I've just fallen straight into the deep end.

ELLIE SPEAKS 🪄
I am back & so are they!!!