A/N: This and all other chapters have been revised in January 2012. I've added some more detail, backstory, and plot twists - hope you enjoy. Thanks again for all of your views and reviews!
A month later
The queue outside Breakfast in America on rue des Écoles is preposterous, even for May, the height of tourism season.
Josh insisted we spend our last meal together as a group here – even if it's his favourite place, not ours, and he'll still be able to come back next year.
"We should've just gone to McDonalds," Rashmi says.
"Now there's something I never thought you'd say," Josh says.
"Shut up," she says.
"Come on, guys," Mer interrupts. "It's our last meal together."
Though Rash and Josh broke up shortly after I split with Ellie, they still tease each other incessantly. I'm convinced they're still sleeping together.
"Fine," Josh says. "Last one in line pays the bill!"
Josh, Mer, and Rash sprint down the street while Anna and I lag behind, hand-in-hand. We're together now – just in time for our respective moves to San Francisco. I'll be at Berkeley, and Anna will be at film school in the city.
My father, of course, was his usual belligerent self when he found out about my plans. He hated the thought of Berkeley and insisted I accept the Sorbonne's offer of admission. I nearly resigned myself to it when Anna thought of a brilliant way to get him to let me join her in California.
It's just one of the reasons I love her.
"Wow," Anna says, laughing. "Josh does not mess around when it comes to food. I've never seen him run so fast."
"Hmmm," I say, turning to kiss her neck. "I can't really see from here."
"Étienne," she pleads. "We're out in public."
"Like that's stopped us before," I say, nibbling at her earlobe.
"I…I…I have to see my parents in a few hours," she says. "Let's plan for later on, okay?"
"All right," I say. "But I will absolutely hold you to that promise."
"Looking forward to it," she says, turning down to kiss me.
We join the others in the queue and it's just like it used to be. Rash and Josh are still bickering – this time, over which is the best American cereal, a completely pointless argument. Mer is chatting with another bloke in line about football. We're not as close as we once were, but we are friends again.
"Don't forget," Anna says. "You have to call your mom tonight."
"Oui, madame," I say. "I wouldn't worry, though. It should be all set."
"I can't believe I'm doing this," she says. "My parents are going to flip."
"Doing what?" Rash asks, suddenly attuned to our conversation.
"Anna's going to come to San Francisco for a few weeks," I say. "So she can get acquainted with her new city."
"Of course," Rash says, laughing. "And she'll just happen to be with you 24/7, right?"
"Well," I say, smirking. "Her university literature was quite specific about the importance of learning outside the classroom."
Anna thwacks me on the shoulder. She does it so much these days I'm surprised it hasn't bruised yet.
"I've only been to San Francisco once," she says to Rash and Josh. "I'm going to have to place to live, a place to work…all before school begins. I'm not going to have time for surprises like I did here."
"Oh, come on," I say. "They weren't all bad."
She smiles and takes my hand.
"Well," she says. "There was one I especially liked."
"I thought you loved it," I say.
As if by instinct, we turn to each other at the same time and start kissing. The world melts away once again.
"Ugh," Rash says. "Get a room, you two."
"Maybe we will," I say, sticking my tongue out at her.