Time Skip: Four Months Later
Meilin's POV
There was something deeply soul-crushing about being at the airport at 6 a.m. in matching neck pillows with your best friend while the love of your life was miles away not going to Paris with you.
And there was also something comically tragic about our professor droning on and on about international conduct, hostel rules, academic behaviour, and blah blah blah, when all I wanted to do was curl up in Theo's hoodie and cry into Ava's carry-on.
"Remember," Professor Henley said, flipping the itinerary like it was a royal decree, "we're not tourists—we're ambassadors of this university."
Ava leaned toward me, whispering, "Ambassadors? Girl, I'm just trying to get good lighting in front of the Eiffel Tower."
We both stifled a laugh.
I sighed, glancing at my phone. Still no texts. Still no "Come back, baby, I'll die without you."
Theo Ashford was the worst at goodbyes.
He just hugged me tight last night and said, "Call me when you land. And don't flirt with any French guys. I will fly over."
Romantic. Possessive. Hot.
And now, I was pouting like a little girl about to be dragged to Disneyland against her will.
Until—
The faint screech of tires sliced through the airport buzz.
Heads turned.
And then came the moment.
A black Bentley Bentayga pulled up like it owned the entire terminal. Tinted windows. Sleek body. The kind of car that whispered, money, mischief, and male menace.
The doors swung open in perfect sync.
And out stepped Austin Blake.
All devilish grin and black leather jacket. Aviators. One hand running through his hair like he was auditioning for a movie.
And then—
Theo.
My Theo.
Dark green coat. Matching turtleneck. Silver rings. Tattoos peeking through his sleeves. Lip piercing glinting in the sun like trouble.
The crowd audibly gasped. Girls clutched their pearls. Professors blinked.
Cameras came out like wildfire.
Ava's jaw dropped. "That's—"
I stood frozen. "What. The. Hell."
Theo walked toward me with the slow confidence of a man who knew the world paused when he entered a room.
He stopped right in front of me, pulled down his sunglasses, and said, "Missed your flight? Good. I booked us a private jet."
My heart died.
My brain? Gone.
My knees? Shaky.
"Theo!" I whisper-screamed, grabbing his sleeve. "You're not even supposed to be here!"
He smirked, bending down until his lips were just beside my ear.
"Paris without you is hell, darling."
Oh.
My.
God.
Behind us, Austin was already kissing Ava like they hadn't seen each other in a year.
"I thought you had lectures!" she squealed, half-laughing, half-mad.
"We finessed it," he said smugly. "Final year perks. Professor James practically handed us the permission slip."
Theo draped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into him. "Did you really think we were gonna let you wander around the city of love without us?"
I blinked. "So… you're coming?"
He grinned. "Room booked. Bags packed. Passport ready."
Ava and I exchanged a look.
And then we screamed.
Students cheered. The professor gave up. The airport became a mini concert.
And in the middle of it all—Theo kissed my forehead, smirked at the chaos, and whispered:
"Let's go make Paris ours."
---
Ava's pov-
The wheels of the plane touched down with a soft jolt, and before I could even unbuckle my seatbelt, the high-pitched squeal beside me nearly shattered my eardrum.
"Oh my God, we're in Paris!" Meilin gasped, practically vibrating in her seat.
Theo chuckled beside her, completely unfazed, arms crossed as he leaned back in his window seat like he owned France. "You say that like we didn't talk about it for the entire seven-hour flight."
Meilin ignored him, too busy clutching his arm like it was her emotional support limb. "Theo, look! The Eiffel Tower's somewhere over there. And the language—listen to that French guy talk. This is so romantic. I can't believe I'm here! With you!"
She threw her arms around his neck right there in the middle of the plane. Full-body hug. Face smushed into his chest. Everyone was still seated, still buckled in. It was chaos.
Austin leaned over from the row behind us, snickering. "Jesus, Meilin. Let the man breathe."
Theo just smiled and kissed the top of her head. "She's cute. Leave her alone."
I rolled my eyes as I unbuckled. "She's going to forget the rest of us exist on this trip."
"Oh, she already has," Austin muttered. "She walked past me in the airport like I was a stray dog."
"I was excited!" Meilin whined from Theo's chest, then looked up at him. "Can we go to the Eiffel Tower tonight? And the Seine River. And that bookstore you showed me on Pinterest? We have to—"
"Babe," Theo interrupted gently, cupping her cheek, "we just landed. Let's get to the hotel before you start planning our entire honeymoon."
"Oh—right." Meilin blinked. "But wait, are we sharing a room? Because if we are, I want the window seat bed and—"
"I already booked the suite. Big bed. Balcony. You can have the window, the blankets, the pillows, and me," Theo said casually, slipping an arm around her waist and guiding her toward the exit like they were the damn royal couple.
Students from the other seats gawked.
Phones were out.
A girl whispered behind me, "Is that the same Theo Ashford who said he hated public displays of affection last year?"
Another added, "I feel like I'm watching a K-drama in real life."
I caught up with Austin as we exited. "We're just the supporting cast now."
"Absolutely," he deadpanned. "We should start charging subscription fees."
Outside, the wind was crisp and romantic and absolutely Parisian. Meilin immediately clung to Theo's arm again, pulling him close like the breeze would blow him away.
She bounced on her feet, completely thrilled. "Can we stop for macarons before the hotel?"
"We haven't even gotten our bags," I groaned.
Meilin turned to me with wide puppy eyes. "Ava, please? It's Paris. It's our first hour!"
Austin laughed, throwing an arm around my shoulders. "God help us all. She's in her final form now: Parisian clingy girlfriend mode."
Theo didn't even blink. He bent slightly, picking Meilin up bridal-style and carrying her toward the taxi like it was the most normal thing in the world.
The crowd went feral.
She gasped. "Theo! Put me down—people are looking!"
"You started it, princess," he said smoothly, "I'm just playing the part."