Aelita Stones was at her prime. At the age of twenty one, she had graduated from college with her masters, received a job at a high in demand firm in New York, and was engaged to be married to one of the law offices' most renowned partners. She was at the top of the world. A woman with the mentality that nothing could stop her. So why was this little rehearsal dinner such a challenge for her to get through? She who had won some of the toughest cases taking down the best lawyers of our time. Maybe it was the gentleman standing on the far right side of the restaurant. It certainly wasn't her fear of marriage, she did plan to do that but, his question was holding her back. She watched him as he took a sip of champaigne. She looked back down at her own glass then at her expectant fianceé.
The question that had started the whole affair: "Do you know what you are gettting yourself into?"
"No," she said out loud. No, she did not.
XxXxXxXxX
Jeremie Belpois had spared no expense when proposing. Why should he? Just like Aelita, he was on top of the world. He took her to wine and dine at one of Paris' finest five star restaurants, sent her on a brand name shopping spree (Chanel, Lemarié, Michel, etc. she had refused profusely to spend his money but he insisted), and took her to the finest hotel he could afford.
Aelita supposed she knew what was coming. He didn't just spend millions of dollars on her because they were good friends. He had taken her back to their hometown for the whole trip! Now call it a sixth sense or a premonition of sorts, she called it common sense, but she knew.
He had walked out of their room in the suite to get them some champaigne and glasses. He had put the ring in the bottom of her glass and poured in the peach colored drink. It wasn't until they had toasted when she noticed. But as awfully cliché as that was, she had accepted.
They had of course been dating for some time. He knew the type of big picture questions most people would think to ask but the details alluded him. They still slept in seperate beds, Jeremie had hoped that the night's events would have solved that problem but Aelita slept in her own bed that night. She hadn't shared the same bed with him throughout the whole relationship.
The next night they flew back to New York. The days after changed her life forever.
In the morning, her friends and co-workers congratulated her on her engagement. Aelita smiled and thanked them but somewhere inside, she figured out later, it felt like just another ordinary day. Of course she had felt the excitement expected from her initially when he proposed but, there was something to be said about a woman who didn't want to even hold her fianceé's hand on the plane.
Later in the afternoon, her soon to be husband sent her a boquet of Lilies. Nice gesture except she was deathly allergic. Details. She situated herself at her desk telling herself it was the thought that count when she saw the lilac colored envelope. Aelita was quite certain Jeremie didn't know her favorite color but shrugged the thought a way. It had to have come with the flowers or maybe it was a lucky guess. The elegant slanted cursive on the back proved her wrong. Jeremie's cursive sucked. Just as she was about to open it a knock came from the door. She was needed for a meeting.
Throughout the meeting her thoughts kept wandering back to the lilac envelope. She was forced to forget it as the day dragged on. It wasn't until she was getting ready to leave her office that she remembered it.
She opened it and took out the letter inside. It read:
Aelita Stones,
Meet me in the park at 5:00 pm.
Love,
An old friend
She worried her lip for a moment. Was it safe to meet with a possible stranger? An old friend, how true could that be? But it said to meet in a public park and that was safe right? That thought led her to think what harm a meeting in the park could do. Those thoughts led her to the park.
Aelita arrived only a few minutes early but figured it wouldn't be a problem. She cut the engine to her Charger and got down. The park's paved trail led her to a bench not too far from her car. Only moments later did a hand clasp over her eyes to block her view. Her breath caught in her throat for a moment. The touch felt surprisingly familiar and warm.
"Do you know what you have gotten yourself into?"
The hand pulled away to reveal a familiar face.
"Quelle surprise! (1)" She slipped into her native language easily. Aelita threw her arms around the lanky figure in an embrace laughing light heartedly. He held her just the same.
"Surprise indeed," he smiled.
"Odd!" She pulled away at arm's length to look him over. He was quite tall, he'd cut his hair (it was spiked short), but he was still lean as ever.
"How did you know where to find me?" He laughed softly and a familiar warmth surrounded her. Her emerald eyes sparkled. "Je pensais que vous séjournez en France." (2)
"Well so did I but, quelle surprise," he said quoting her,"here you are and here I am." Being a lawyer, Aelita was never one to accept this kind of answer but her mind was clouded in the excitement. He was an old long time friend that she hadn't seen in years. She didn't question his appearance any further.
"So how have things been Lita?" he asked using a nickname she hadn't heard in forever.
"Great! I mean there's so much to say! I've graduated college, been working at the firm since, and," the news hit her," and- and Je vais me marier (3)," she finished. Amusement played on Odd's lips, belying the hurt in his eyes.
"Oh?" he pursed his lips, "Et encore, je vais demander, savez-vous ce que vous vous embarquez? (4)" Aelita's smile faded.
"Why would you ask-?"
"That wasn't a yes."
"And who are you exactly to just step back into my life after all these years and ask me such a thing?" Her eyebrows raised slightly in inquiry. She crossed her arms over her chest. He looked past her at the sinking sun.
"You want to get on the swings?" Aelita dropped her arms. She sighed. He tugged her hand to lead her to the swingset. He knew her weakness.
"Wanna' see who can jump the farthest?" The light way he asked and the amusement dancing in her eyes was enough to coax her into sitting in the swing beside him.
"On the count of three," she said. He smiled. "One...two..three!" They jumped off, Odd landed further up than her.
"Cheater," she joked lightly.
"No, you've just always been really bad at this game." He chuckled when she punched him playfully. Aelita ran towards the slides, and he ran after her. He always chased her.
After a while, they collapsed on the slide laughing together all the while. Odd leaned over Aelita.
"Fatigué Aelita? (5)" he teased. She was panting heavily.
"You wish." She pulled him down and they slid backwards. They laid at the bottom of it panting. Odd hovered over her. Aelita couldn't remember when she had had that much fun, but couldn't help the twinge of guilt she felt. This wasn't fair to Jeremie.
"Um," she panted," we should probably get going."
"Right." He jumped off and helped her up. They stood in an awkward silence for a moment when Aelita's phone startled them both.
"Text from my fianceé," she mumbled. Odd suddenly became very interested in the ground. "He's going to be late tonight..."
"Wanna' catch up? I'll take you to where I'm staying." The idea was very much against her better judgement but an aching loneliness gnawed at her.
"Sure."
The park was walking distance from the hotel where they both (coincidentally) were staying so Odd had walked. Aelita drove them back. His room was on the eighth floor, only two below her own. Odd opened the door to the suite and lead her in. She waited until he turned around from locking the door to hand him an invitation to the rehearsal dinner. It was a cream envelope with her name and Jeremie's.
"I thought you might want to come." Odd winced inwardly but placed it on his dresser.
"Thanks." She wandered over to his closet and he watched her. Aelita was all curves. She'd let her hair grow out to a nice long length. Her green eyes glimmered the same. Her personality hadn't changed. She was always very independent. The same smart beautiful girl he had come to fall in love with.
Aelita, meanwhile still fully unaware, was sifting through his closet. She kept catching namebrands such as Versaci, Armani, and such. She could only imagine how he looked. There were plenty of button ups, and collared shirts. He owned slacks and dress pants. His shoes were all of the expensive kind. She supposed France's sense of style never wore out. She walked out.
"So what have you been up to?" She looked around his room and found it was also surprisingly neat. Aelita watched him as he talked. Shaggy bangs fell in front of his face to the side. He was definitely more mature and very handsome. He was wearing a lilac button up with a grey tie. This new found sophistication, Aelita decided, was very sexy.
"Wow, I'm impressed," she said after he finished.
After a moment he asked, "Aelita, do you love this man? Do you know what you are getting yourself into?" In a few strides he was standing in front of her. She blinked and looked down at the ground. He lifted her chin. She blushed. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips. That one kiss sealed her fate.
She was ecstatic, anxious, and totally confused. This one little kiss with Odd made her feel everything she didn't with Jeremie. Before she could stop it, she was moving her own lips against his. When they broke for air, Aelita had all the time she needed to feel the regret. She pushed away from her childhood friend.
"Je vais me marier. (6)" She looked accusingly at Odd.
"Vous ne l'aimez pas. (7)" Aelita slapped him.
"Don't tell me how I feel." Odd touched his cheek, it felt like his heart.
Aelita laid down on her bed. Jeremie still wasn't there but at the moment she could care less. She eventually drifted to sleep thinking of the afternoon and its events. They replayed themselves in her dreams.
When she awoke the next morning it was mid aftetnoon. She checked her cell phone for messages and saw a text from Jeremie. The rehearsal dinner was at three. It was barely one so Aelita decided it would be fine if she took her time. She bathed to relieve her stress and work out her tense muscles. She stepped out with nothing but a towel wrapped around her and walked to the closet. She pulled out a white Chanel dress that came mid-thigh on her. It had a lovely v-neck that dipped a generous amount down. The dress had been fitted to her body and made special for the occasion. She sprayed on some of her perfume (Coco Mademoiselle) and grabbed her white heels from their box.
Aelita looked herself over in the mirror and smiled. Fashion is the only thing that can cheer a girl up. But why would she need cheering up? It was her day after all. She should be perfectly happy. After yesterday, she would never see Odd again. But a small voice in the back of her mind reminded her of the invitation. Aelita put on her mascara, eyeliner, and lipsrick, all natural colors of course. She clasped her diamond necklace around her neck (nothing too flashy) and cursed herself silently, in french, under her breath. She grabbed the earrings and the ring and walked out to her car.
Now here she was, searching through the sea of faces for one in particular. He was in the far right of the room. She watched as he took a drink of his champaigne and walked out. She looked down at her own glass than at her expectant fianceé. He had asked if there was something on her mind.
"No."
"Sure?"
"I meant yes." He looked at her quizzically.
"Jeremie, what's my favorite color?" Jeremie looked taken aback.
"What's this about?"
"Please answer."
"..." He sighed," Pink?"
"No. Favorite flower?"
"Lily." He said confidentally.
"I'm deathly allergic," she said shaking her head,"favorite part of a playground?"
"Monkey bars?"
"No. What's my favorite label?" She asked finally. Her faith in him was long gone.
"...Dolci and Cabana?"
"...No," she smiled meekly. "Jeremie, you're a great guy but, I can't- we can't do this. We hardly know each other."
"...I- I love you Aelita, but I think, you may be right." He looked at the ground. She placed a hand on his cheek.
"Au revoir, Jeremie. (8)" She kissed his cheek then gave him back the ring.
"Bye, Aelita."
Aelita pushed through everyone. Jeremie would explain to everyone what happened. She ran out the building and jumped into her car. She tore off down the road, racing to the hotel. It wouldn't have been so bad if she hadn't seen Odd's ticket on the dresser and the return flight time and date. Today at six. It was five-twenty.
Aelita pulled up to the front of the hotel. She handed the keys to the valet. Rushing through the doors, she ran past the lobby, to the main elevators. Five thirty-five. She prayed he was still in his room. Come on, come on, she thought. The elevator came down and she pressed the button for the eighth floor.
She ran out of the elevator and down the hall which was no small feat in her heels. She knocked on room 813. Please answer. Please.
The door swung open.
"Wrong room, sorry," she said to the man who answered the door. She went two doors down trying to calm herself. She knocked again. This time when the door opened it was no mistake. She pushed Odd back into the room and closed the door behind her.
"Aelit-" She pulled him to her by his tie and crashed her lips to his. Odd relaxed comfortably into the kiss. Aelita ran her hands through his hair all the while kissing him passionately. She pushed him back onto the bed. When he finally pulled away for air, she spoke.
"Je suis désolé (9)," she repeated over and over. He held her face in his hands. He wiped away the few warm tears that had begun to fall.
"He couldn't answer could he?"
"No." Odd smiled and kissed her again.
"Do you know what you are getting yourself into?" he asked.
"No." She smiled. "But, I think I do."
That was the first night Aelita had slept with someone, on both accounts. She woke the next morning to find her dress discarded with Odd's white button up and black tie. She looked up at him to find he was already looking at her.
"Good morning." She leaned up and kissed him.
"Je t'aime, Aelita," he whispered, not wasting a breath.
"Je t'aime trop, Odd," she whispered back. He held her closer, kissing her again.
They married later that year. And Aelita's love for Odd, was far greater than the love for her beloved brand, Chanel.
Fin
Translations
(1) What a surprise!
(2) I thought you were going to stay in France.
(3) I'm getting married.
(4) And again I'll ask, do you know what you are getting yourself into?
(5) Tired Aelita?
(6) I am getting married.
(7) You don't love him.
(8) Good bye Jeremie.
(9) I'm sorry.
(10) The last two in french mean I love you.
A/n: Ah, what can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic at heart. Hehe. Thanks so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing. This was very fun and I especially loved using the french language. I figured there should be more fics embracing the kids' culture. As for the reason I wrote this, it all revolves around the question, Do you know what you are getting into? I got the idea while listening to Relient K's song, Getting Into You. They are such an awesome band and it really is a lovely song so check em out. Again, thanks for reading, and any and all reviews are appreciated, thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own Code Lyoko or the song by Relient K.