Emily Cooper stood in her cozy apartment in the heart of Paris, staring at her reflection in the mirror as she debated whether or not to wear the bold, red beret she'd bought earlier in the day. She tilted her head, adjusting the hat, then pulled it off again with a sigh. She had always been confident in her fashion choices, but tonight felt different. It was her first big event with Gabriel since they had officially started dating, and she wanted everything to be perfect.
The lyrics from Taylor Swift's "I Forgot That You Existed" hummed in her mind: "It isn't love, it isn't hate, it's just indifference." The words struck a chord, reminding her of the emotional rollercoaster she had been through since arriving in Paris. There had been highs—moments where everything felt magical—and lows, like her complicated relationship with Gabriel's ex, Camille, and the tension with her boss Sylvie. But after all the drama, Emily felt lighter these days, like she had finally put the past behind her.
She tossed the beret onto the bed and reached for her phone. A text from Mindy, her best friend and roommate, popped up on the screen.
Mindy: Are you ready yet? You're gonna be late for your date with French McDreamy!
Emily smiled, typing back quickly.
Emily: Almost! Still deciding on the hat.
Mindy: Forget the hat! You're fabulous with or without it!
Emily grinned and set the phone down, taking one last glance in the mirror before grabbing her purse. Tonight was about having fun with Gabriel, not obsessing over every little detail. She just needed to relax and enjoy herself.
The restaurant Gabriel had chosen was an intimate little bistro tucked away on a quiet Parisian street. As Emily stepped inside, she spotted him right away, sitting at a candlelit table with a glass of wine in front of him. His handsome smile lit up when he saw her, and Emily's heart did a little flip in her chest.
"Bonsoir," Gabriel greeted, standing up to kiss her on both cheeks.
"Bonsoir," Emily replied, returning his smile as she sat down. "This place is beautiful."
"I thought you'd like it," Gabriel said, pouring her a glass of wine. "I've been coming here for years—it's one of my favorite spots in Paris."
Emily raised her glass, taking a sip of the rich red wine. "You have good taste."
Gabriel chuckled, his eyes twinkling. "I like to think so."
As they settled into their meal, the conversation flowed easily. They talked about everything from Gabriel's plans for his restaurant to Emily's latest marketing campaign at Savoir. It felt natural, effortless, like they had been doing this for years. And for the first time in a long time, Emily didn't feel the weight of past complications hanging over her.
But then, out of nowhere, the subject she had been avoiding came up.
"So, have you heard from Camille lately?" Gabriel asked, his tone casual.
Emily's stomach twisted, but she kept her expression neutral. "Not really. I think she's been busy with work."
Gabriel nodded, but Emily could sense the shift in the atmosphere. She had tried so hard to move past the drama with Camille, to let go of the guilt and tension that had defined their friendship ever since Emily had started dating Gabriel. But hearing her name again made it hard to ignore the lingering unease.
"Look, I know things with Camille have been... complicated," Gabriel said carefully, watching Emily's reaction. "But I want us to be able to move forward. I don't want it to come between us anymore."
Emily nodded, forcing a smile. "I don't either. Honestly, I've been trying to let it all go. I just want to focus on us."
Gabriel reached across the table, taking her hand in his. "Good. Because I'm serious about this, Emily. About you."
Emily's heart fluttered at his words, and for a moment, all the tension melted away. She smiled at him, feeling a rush of affection. "I'm serious about us too."
They finished their dinner, and as they walked through the streets of Paris afterward, hand in hand, Emily felt like she was finally living the dream she had always imagined. The city was beautiful at night, the lights twinkling in the distance, and for once, she wasn't worried about what might go wrong. She was just happy.
Back at the apartment, Emily kicked off her heels and collapsed onto the couch with a sigh. Mindy was sitting nearby, flipping through a magazine, but she immediately looked up when Emily walked in.
"Well?" Mindy asked, her eyebrows raised. "How was the date?"
Emily smiled, a little dreamy. "It was perfect. Gabriel and I are really... in a good place right now."
Mindy grinned, clearly pleased. "I knew it! You two are the definition of a power couple."
Emily laughed, but then her smile faltered slightly. "He asked about Camille, though."
Mindy's smile faded, and she set the magazine down. "Oh no. What happened?"
Emily shrugged, trying to downplay her feelings. "Nothing major. He just mentioned her, and it kind of brought up all the old stuff. But we're good. I just... I want to be over it, you know?"
Mindy nodded, her expression sympathetic. "It's tough, Em. Camille was your friend, and now... well, things got complicated. But honestly, you're doing the right thing by moving on. You can't let her hang over you forever."
Emily sighed, leaning back against the couch. "You're right. I'm trying. It's just hard sometimes."
Mindy reached over and gave Emily's hand a squeeze. "You'll get there. You're strong. And hey, Gabriel clearly adores you. That's what matters."
Emily smiled, grateful for Mindy's support. "Thanks. I needed that."
Mindy winked. "That's what I'm here for."
The next few weeks flew by in a whirlwind of work, dates with Gabriel, and nights out with Mindy. Emily found herself feeling lighter, more carefree, like she had finally let go of all the baggage from the past. She focused on the things that made her happy—her career, her friendships, and her relationship with Gabriel. And for the first time in a long time, she felt like everything was falling into place.
One evening, as she was getting ready for a party at Savoir, Emily found herself humming along to Taylor Swift's "I Forgot That You Existed." The lyrics felt oddly fitting for her life right now: "I forgot that you existed, and I thought that it would kill me, but it didn't." It was true. She had been so worried about Camille, about the fallout from their friendship, but now? She barely thought about it anymore.
As she applied her lipstick, her phone buzzed with a message from Gabriel.
Gabriel: Excited for tonight? Can't wait to see you.
Emily smiled, her heart fluttering as she typed back.
Emily: Can't wait either. See you soon!
She grabbed her purse and headed out the door, feeling more confident than ever. She was done letting the past dictate her present. Tonight was about having fun, being with Gabriel, and enjoying everything Paris had to offer.
The party at Savoir was in full swing by the time Emily arrived. The office had been transformed into a chic event space, with twinkling lights and champagne flowing freely. As she mingled with her colleagues, laughing and enjoying herself, she felt completely at ease.
And then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw her.
Camille.
Emily's heart skipped a beat as Camille walked into the room, looking as stunning as ever in a sleek black dress. For a moment, Emily felt the familiar pang of guilt, the unease she had worked so hard to bury. But then she remembered the lyrics from earlier: "I forgot that you existed." She had moved on. This didn't have to be awkward.
Taking a deep breath, Emily walked over to where Camille was standing by the bar. She wasn't sure what she was going to say, but she knew she couldn't avoid this forever.
"Camille," Emily said, her voice steady.
Camille turned to face her, her expression unreadable. "Emily."
There was a brief, tense silence between them, but then Camille smiled—a small, genuine smile that took Emily by surprise.
"I'm glad you came over," Camille said softly. "I've been meaning to talk to you."
Emily blinked, caught off guard. "You have?"
Camille nodded, taking a sip of her champagne. "Look, things got... messy between us. But I don't want to keep holding onto that. We were friends once, and I'd like to think we can at least be civil."
Emily felt a weight lift off her shoulders at Camille's words. "I'd like that too."
Camille smiled again, this time a little brighter. "Good. I'm happy for you and Gabriel, by the way. You two seem really happy."
Emily's heart skipped a beat, but this time it wasn't from anxiety. It was from relief. "Thanks. That means a lot."
As they stood there, talking and laughing like old times, Emily realized something. She had spent so much time worrying about Camille, about the fallout from their friendship, that she hadn't allowed herself to believe that things could get better.
But now, standing here with Camille, she felt free. She had moved on. She had let go of the past.
And it felt good.
Later that night, as Emily walked home with Gabriel, hand in hand, she couldn't help but smile to herself. She had been so caught up in the drama, in the guilt, in everything that had happened, that she had forgotten how to just be happy.
But now, with Gabriel by her side and the past behind her, she felt lighter than she had in a long time.
"I'm really proud of you," Gabriel said suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence between them.
Emily looked up at him, surprised. "For what?"
"For everything," Gabriel replied, squeezing her hand. "For coming to Paris, for building this incredible life here, for moving on from all the stuff with Camille... I'm just proud of you."
Emily's heart swelled at his words, and she smiled up at him, feeling a rush of affection. "Thank you. That means a lot."
Gabriel leaned down and kissed her softly, and for the first time in a long time, Emily felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be.
As they walked through the streets of Paris, the city lights twinkling around them, Emily couldn't help but think of the lyrics from earlier: "I forgot that you existed, and it was so nice."
And it really was.
