Falling Into Place

Summary: Francis and Mary were in love once; the crazy, inseparable kind of love you only read about in books. Until things change for the worse. Five years later, they find themselves crossings paths once more. They say that everything happens for a reason, perhaps Fate has something more in store for them? (Modern society)

Chapter One

"There are all kinds of love in this world, but never the same love twice."

– F. Scott Fitzgerald

Instagram Update:

Not sure if I'm quite ready to leave the place I've called home for the past five years yet

marydeguise posted a photo at the Paris Beauvais-Tille Airport 3 minutes ago

His breath hitched. It was a good thing her account was public.

Mary stared out the tinted mirror of the Rolls Royce, watching the blurry colorful lights of the New York scenery outside. She forgot how exhausting it was attending these social political gatherings where letting your guard down to enjoy people's company was nearly impossible. It used to be tolerable growing up surrounded by dear friends who made her feel like the world was in her reach, but now she understood why her mother felt strained in these events.

Her iPhone buzzed loudly, bringing her attention back to reality.

"Hello, Kenna."

"Well hello to you too. Now are you heading here or not?" Really, Mary had been dreading this question. It never used to be a problem going to the after parties the socialites threw after a main function but since she had been away in France for almost five years, it felt like she would just be intruding. Or maybe she only felt that way because she wanted to avoid seeing a certain someone.

"Maybe," Mary paused, "but I'm really tired. From the flight and from all the meetings I had today." Mary's mother, Marie de Guise, ran Homme et Femme, a large retail corporation that was ranked top three in the United States. Being the eldest, she was trained to study the business ever since she was a child in order to help out as soon as she could. It also helped that she had always been into fashion, so managing something she was fond of came easy to her.

"Are you really tired? Or are you just trying to hide?" Kenna was always good in reading people; she had a knack for figuring things out when it came to emotions and feelings. And she was very frank about it, too. Ever since they were children, Kenna had always been the one who would bluntly spit out what everyone was too afraid to say out loud. It had been a habit that people loved and hated about her.

"Yes, and no," She sighed at she stared at the traffic light in front. She could easily tell her chauffeur to change their route since nothing in New York was too far from each other but she wasn't sure if she was ready to face him yet. A part of her was afraid of seeing him again.

"Then get your ass over here. No buts." Click. Kenna made her point and hung up, leaving Mary hanging on what she should do. Mary didn't mind what her friends would think of her for not showing up. She could care less about what assumptions they would make out of her being absent tonight - after all, she had been away for a long time already so what difference would one night make?

She sighed. She knew that she would soon run out of excuses and ways to hide in a small city like New York - and Mary was always taught to face the problems firsthand and as soon as possible.

"Harry, take a left after the next light. We're stopping by Maison first."

Mary really hoped she was doing the right thing for herself.

Maison was simple, chic and cozy, and not loud and crowded as Mary had imagined it would be. She wasn't sure if she preferred the latter, considering there would be less chances of actually talking to people although the atmosphere would be inappropriate for their age. The place was spacious, decked with plush black sofas and fine glass tables. Red velvet curtains were draped around the place giving the customers a feeling of privacy and intimacy. The second she walked inside, she knew where their table was. They were by the VIP section by the far end and almost fully covered by the curtains. Their group wasn't large in number, but the aura they emitted was as stronger than the crowd's. True enough she saw a flash of blonde hair to confirm her presumption.

Her chest clenched. Why? After all these years, how could she still easily find him in a sea full of people? It was unfair. She had gone away, or to be brutally honest – she had fled to France in order to forget him. She had done all she could, hard as it was, to cut off all ties with her friends because it stung to hear about him. It hurt to be near him physically, but miles away from him mentally.

The first few months in France were lonely and somber. She remembered how she would whip her head back every single time a blonde crossed her path and laughing at herself for being so hopeful only to be disappointed. She had this wishful idea that he was looking for her, telling her he needed her in his life. That he was wrong and he would fight for her. That they were compatible, and no one else could and would compare.

But he never did.

She suddenly thought of turning around and leaving before anyone saw her. It was too early, too soon to see him. She wasn't prepared to let her heart crack once again; she had worked too hard to putting the pieces back together. She stepped back, her heels barely making a sound on the mahogany floor.

"MARY!"

Too late to turn around now.

"You made it!" Kenna exclaimed loudly as she rushed towards her. She hugged her friendly tightly while trying not to spill the glass of red wine she was holding. Mary patted her shoulder and smiled softly as her gaze landed on Bash who was just a few steps behind Kenna.

Out of all her friends, Kenna and Bash had insisted on keeping in touch with her. If there was anyone who knew and completely understood what she had gone through, it would be these two. Though the two had a rocky past together, they had booked a flight to Paris the moment Mary had succumbed and told them where she was and it was then she realized that these two were true friends she could count on.

Greer squealed in delight, running to Mary and enveloping her into a hug. Claude tipped her glass and gave her a warm smile that was oblivious to the rest. She never thought she would have had a good relationship with Claude since she was Francis' younger sister and they weren't so close. But Claude and her shared a few moments that unconsciously brought them close together. It was like an unwritten and unsaid pact that they had each other backs. Their frequent emails was proof of that.

"We didn't think you would come," Greer said, linking her arms with Mary as she walked them to their table. "I didn't think I would too, considering all the workload my mother bombarded on me." Mary replied. "So, how are you and Leith?"

The Norwood heiress rolled her eyes. "Same old. He's still working his bum off in my father's company in order to be recognized by the family. I still don't understand why they can't accept him. It's the new age, for goodness sake! Not the 1900s."

Mary chuckled. "They will one day. You'll see. It'll be a challenge to put Leith down when he graduated with honors." Greer and Leith had been together since their first year of college in Yale. Leith was an engineer scholar while Greer was a business major.

"That's true. Father doesn't know just how many Yale alumni are trying steal Baylard away. Maybe it's time I tell him. But anyway, you up to staying up late tonight? No early morning meetings tomorrow?" Her hazelnut eyes bore into her dark brown orbs and Mary instantly knew she wasn't talking about just hanging out all night.

She pursed her lips, unsure on what to reply. Greer was the first friend she ever made. Unlike the other kids who were snotty and constantly bragged about their family's wealth, Greer Norwood was genuinely simple and easy to be with. As they grew older, Mary and Greer found themselves in each other's company not only during these events, but in school and other times as well.

But the thing about Greer was that she was everyone's friend. Not that it was a bad thing of course, but there were only certain things one could only share with people like her.

"Don't worry, my mother was decent enough to let me sleep in. I don't have anything planned until the afternoon."

Looking around at the place, Mary realized that not much had changed with her friends. True, they had grown older, changed their looks and their sense of style but all in all, nothing much had really changed. They were the same people five years ago. And she wasn't sure if that was a positive thing or negative.

Then she saw a flicker of blonde hair in the corner of her eye. She felt him approaching. Maybe he was moving around? Her heart felt him come closer, like when they were younger. He was under her skin like a radar attached to her veins. Until now, she refused to understand why her body always reacted when he was around.

"Mary! It's great to have you back," Lola tapped her shoulder with a grin. "Wine?"

Mary tugged her lips to smile, hoping it came out natural.

Seeing Lola after all these years reminded her why it was wrong to feel anything at all for the blonde man that once owned her heart.