+1+
So 18-year old Paris Prince is an ureliable narrator. Paris is a good guy with big ambitions and he wants to do the right and noble thing. The only problem is Paris Prince is kind a sheltered, spoiled asshole...he means well. He really does..
You have a destiny
You are going to graduate at the top of your class
You are going to Harvard
You are going to give Isobel your class ring
You’re going to have a girlfriend!
You’re fucking president after all.
Well---class president. Everyone starts somewhere.
You have a legacy
Paris’ legacy
is a reflection of Hmjeu who has told Paris that he deserves all of these
things. Paris also has high aspirations to be president. Like I said a lot of
the oeuvre of this story is based on the themes and characterization I would
have put in an actual Bellum sequel---where I imagined Paris would run for
public office and we'd learn more about his relationship with Hmjeu
I said a little prayer to Hmjeu before turning on my heels an entering the 2nd floor auxiliary art room. I lock eyes with Hippolyta who is sitting backwards in a chair at the front of the group. I gently sift through a basket of buttons by the sign-in sheet and pin the black and rainbow ally button to my polo right next to my class pin.
Paris is crashing a GSA meeting and everyone knows he is doing this because he has to join a student org to qualify for prom king.
I surveyed the room and recognized a few of the students from class, I greet the ones I know by name then make nice with the few whose names I either can’t remember or don’t know.
In true Joe Biden fashion
“What are you doing here?” Ashe asked.
“I—“
“He wants to be king.”
Nod to New Aeterna-verse
I follow the sound of the voice to the back of the room. To the students I hadn’t noticed. Helios was sitting on one of the art room rinse stations flanked by his tall girlfriend and his friend Leon.
I thought on this. Helios’s girlfriend, Seraphina, was Hippolyta’s ex. Things had ended very badly and loudly in the middle of my math final—it probably had something with Seraphina running away from her group home and moving in with Helios. Either way they wouldn’t be at the club meeting unless they had to.
Because Paris is an outsider with no real friends he is very observant, but he is very very observant of Seraphina because he has an internalized crush on her.
They were probably here fulfilling the required post-suspension volunteer requirement.
“Helios”, I said finding an appropriate smile for the situation. It pulled at the unseemly scars on my face, “I am a proud ally and Hippolyta has done such a great job starting our GSA chapter and I want to help her finish senior year out at the top with an aces float! That is why I am here.” < P.S He is telling half-truth like a true politician.
“Really ?”, Helios pushed off the sink, “And it’s not because in order to be nominated for prom king you have to be a member of an organization sponsoring a float in the community parade and this just happens to be the only club still taking members ?”
Helios actually looks good here for calling Paris out on his B.S
“No of course not. But, I will admit to not joining an organization sooner. As you all know I was dealing with the death of my foster father.”
This is true. Part of Paris is still grieving akin to his Lux Aeterna counterpart.
“Okay, guys”, Hippolyta said, “ Like we talked about last week, we are doing a shooting star themed float. The stuff’s out by the loading dock. Helios, you and your crew and grab the supplies from the delivery truck. Lorne start getting the details on how to do the electrics and Paris you can—“
“You know”, I said thinking, “I would love to donate a school flag. Hmjeu has dozens and how about I donate a rainbow flag too. “
Again, Paris is spoiled and not use to manual labor so he was never really planning on rolling up his sleeves. He wants to do the bare minimum. This time Hippoltya is going to him on his B.S
“Paris I like you”, she said
“Thank you.”
“But you are so full of bullshit showing up in that fancy polo shirt and Dockers to work on a float. You can't use your charm to get out of doing real work. Tomorrow show up in your gym clothes because you’re getting dirty, pretty boy.”
Yes, Paris is that kid from high school who dressed weirdly formal
“I actually don’t take gym—“
This is a Chekov’s gun
“Paris”, she said picking up her clipboard.
“Right, yes ma’am.”, I said with a salute, “Say, does this mean I can count on you to vote me for king?”
Always. Be. Campaigning.
She smiled and shook her head.
He’s a charmer.
I took that as a yes.
+++
It was a white gold class ring. It had an emerald stone and a phoenix and e=mc2 engraved on it. It was just like the one Hmjeu had been buried in and this one would look perfect on Isobel’s finger.
So, inline with Hmjus’ vision Paris feels he needs the perfect girlfriend who he sees as his potential First ady. This is analogous to LA where Paris feels like Isobel is a much better partner for him than Sera (the one he really likes) because she’s not the kind of girl he should be with—
I hadn’t thought of Isobel Charter as anything more than a friend until after Hmjeu passed. She got me through those awkward holidays as I tried to find normalcy for myself and the other boy’s at the foster home. In my darker days she saw my future for what it was-- bright. < This speaks to something real --which is a nice touch. She was also beautiful, stylish, relatable and gloriously 5’2 giving me nearly 3 and 1/8 inches over her.
It’s just 3 inches. Paris’ is 5’5…he’s just in denial.
I cut through the parking lot to get to the archery field so I could catch her after practice. I really shouldn’t have cut through the parking lot, but I had to get there and give her the ring…and ask her to be my girlfriend.
+2+
I heard a whistle and turned around.
“What you got there?” , I turn to see Helios and his cronies were hanging
out by Helio's SUV.
“Helios.” I greeted him. He and his crew were splattered with paint from where they had been working on the GSA float.
“To good to put some actually work in today?” Helios said sizing me up.
So, Helios is mad he had to put in work as part of his community service and Paris who is only there so he can be prom king got out of it.
“No”, I said amiably, “Of course not. I’ll be dressed properly tomorrow. Maybe I’ll bring some music?”
Paris talks to much. He likes to talk which is true of LA Paris too.
“The fuck is that?” Helios snatched the class ring out of my hand. I’d gotten lucky finding Hmjeu to take me in, but I wasn’t sure about Helios. He’d started running with some shady people and somehow earned enough money for a rundown house big enough to fit his friends.
Helios punched me. My hands went to my nose and the blood pouring from it. He tossed the ring over to his girlfriend, she caught it and studied it.
So, moments after getting his class ring (which Paris plans to give his high school sweetheart) it is stolen from him by Helios who tosses it to Sera…who after catching it keeps it for 10 years.
“Helios—“, I begin but he hits me again.
I wasn’t a snitch but as class president I had obligations to live up to, I had to make sure every student was on the right track including Helios and his hellions. (; I had to inform the administration about him selling drug paraphernalia during lunch.
Yeah…Paris is a NARC. Paris is the reason Helios and his crew got in trouble. Paris has this vision of the world where everyone should want to be upstanding and “pure” like him
“Hey”, Helios said to the his girlfriend, “Teach him a fucking lesson”
Her blue eyes shifted to me and then back to Helios. She was still holding my ring.
Deep down inside Paris realizes he likes that she has his ring…and the toxic masculinity part of himself doesn’t
She rolled her shockingly blue eyes and pushed off the car. The not entirely unattractive muscles under her loose gray t-shirts were clear indicators of why she’d been the only females on the wrestling team, before she got kicked off
I didn’t know why she tried to hide her body. Helios had all sorts of picture and videos of her that he would show to anyone, it was nearly impossible to not hear the detailed descriptions of what they did together. I didn’t know if she even really understood what was happening, but it didn’t seem entirely fair for people to call her a slut behind her back.
Not only is Paris paying attention to her, but he also cares about her wellbeing. Paris recognizes Helios is an abusive boyfriend but he doesn’t have the words for it because Paris has been sheltered by Hmjeu. SHV, I kind of see this version of Paris like a Julianna/Sawyer blend.
Sera grabbed my arm and dragged me back to behind the school. Fuck I could not hit a pretty girl.
Pretty?
That internalized crush is rising to the surface
Well, the big blue eyes were nice but then she had to go unclip a pocket knife.
“Helios wants me to break your leg”, she tripped me and leveraged her foot over my leg and grabbed my ankle. One good pull and it would snap, “Give me all your money and you can keep your leg.”
“Uh, huh…I…”
“I’ll tell Helios you got away, now give me your cash—“
“You’re fucking robbing me?”
“You don’t need it.”
Sera pressed the knife to my throat. There were rumors that Helios and his followers were into some deep shit, and everyone said Helios and his crew had killed a few people. People would notice if I was missing. I was class president.
A. No they wouldn’t, Paris has no real friends because again people think Paris is kind of weird.
B. No one cares that Paris is class president except Paris
I fumbled in my pockets for the twenty I had and held it out to her.
Also, Paris has money because Hmjeu left money for Paris to continue running the group home.
“Can I please have the class ring back? I need it for Isobel”
“Why”, she said taking the twenty.
“I want to ask her to be my girlfriend and —“
Sera scoffed.
“You can ask her to be your girlfriend without a ring.”
“It wouldn’t be the same. It’s just how things should be done. Can I please have the ring back?”
This is where Paris realizes that he doesn’t *really* want Isobel to be his girlfriend, so as an excuse he decides he can’t ask Isobel to be his GF until he as the ring. This is obviously not true. He can ask her anytime he wants…he just doesn’t want to. He and Isobel will always just be friends.
“No”, she said closing the knife
“Please. I’ll…”
“You have nothing I need”, she said putting the knife and cash into her pocket.
“I could . . . tutor you.”
“What?”
“Well”, I said standing up , “As class president, student excellency is one of the things I care most about and I’ve overheard some of your teachers saying you won’t graduate. I’m pretty sure you need a diploma to join military.”
So, Paris isn’t a total asshole. He wants to help Sera because he likes her and he cares about his fellow students.
“Are you stalking me?”
“I uh, saw you talking to a recruiter at the college fair.”
Well, I had actually been staring at her at the college fair. It was one of the few times Sera and Leon were without Helios.
To me this is like a vulnerable moment where Sera and Leon (Who have nothing) sneak away from Helios because they want to explore other options than being his lackeys after graduation.
Earlier that day I’d gone to give coach my weekly note to excuse me from gym.<---Paris and not taking gym comes back later. This might be a Brick Joke instead of a Checkov’s Gun. When I entered the locker room I heard noises and at first I thought someone was in pain. I turned the corner and wasn’t surprised to find Helios having sex with her against a locker. Her legs were bare and she had some bruises probably from wrestling.<--- It’s been established she quit wrestling last year so Paris makes up an excuse to not see the physical abuse.
Possibly embarrassed Sera tried to push Helios away, Helios glanced at me and kept going. I realized all the rumors I’d overheard about Helios’s impressive anatomy were true. She didn’t seem to be in distress so I just I’d ducked out in a panic. <--Even though he tries not to see the abuse he does stay long enough to make sure Sera is consenting to this with Helios.
Sera snapped her fingers in front of my face. Right, I was being mugged. (This was a flashback inside of a flashback)
“Look”, I said, “Rumor is you might get held back again. That’s another year in this town. Give me my ring and I’ll help you pass your finals.”
I think I made a plot ! Also Sera has been held back so she is one year older.
“Help me first”, she said, “then you get the ring back.”
+++
We agreed to meet in Memory Park on Saturday and Sunday mornings while most
of the guys in Helios’ house were still sleeping. She was waiting for me in the
pavilion.
I’d gotten a list of her finals; most of her classes were remediation and special education courses. (In LA and Bellum I mention it, but I never confront that Sera has a learning disability and a whole host of mental problems)
Much like her cannon counterpart a lot of Sera’s anger comes from not feeling as smart as everyone else, she is drawn to Paris because of how easy things come to him. All that privilege and all.
“So, is this Helios?” I asked, “Is he the reason you’re failing ?”
“No”, she said, “I’m just stupid.”
I wanted to say she wasn’t… but her grades ---and the fact that she was
dating and living with Helios --- showed otherwise.
We worked until 11am that was when her little flip phone kept ring. Helios called her four times before she picked up. She didn’t even say hello she just listened and then hung up.
Okay, so IDK what year it is. It’s the mid-00’s
“We’re done for today”, she said picking up her books
“Sera, I know our lives have been troubling but you don’t need to rely on Helios. Look, I don’t want to get in the middle of this but Helios doesn’t love you. He got you kicked off the wrestling team, he makes fun of you … he-he-he calls you a 'retarded bitch—‘"
Paris has to be ugly here because he is trying to save her like Hmeju saved him.
I felt the force of her gabbing me by my collar and slamming me back down on the table.
“Shut the fuck up”, she said, “You don’t know what it’s like. Not everyone got lucky and found a good group home like you did. Some of us don’t fucking belong anywhere. Some of us barley have anything as it is.”
Here, Paris realizes she took the money from him because she literally has nothing.
My mouth kind of hung open, this was the most words I’d ever heard her string together and I could tell she’d done it with some effort.
“Look”, I said as she let me go and she awkwardly brushed off my relaxed fit weekend polo shirt < He’s THAT kid from high school. Her eyes were slightly worried, she looked like a lion who hadn’t realized its own strength. Sera feels remorse and here she starts so emotionally connect with Paris because she realizes he might be one of those good guys.
“Seraphina…legally Hmjeu’s group home is only for boys… but if you ever need to really get away. I’ll find room for you.”
“I leave when I graduate”, she said, “If I graduate.”
+3+
Painting stars I could handle.
I waited until Helios and Leon were on the other side of the parking lot cutting out large stars to begin painting the white smaller stars on the galaxy colored sky that was painted on the float’s platform. Painting was a generous term. I was just making little white marks.
This felt good though. Working with my hands. Paris is getting his hand dirty and doing physical labor, he’s developing ! I hoped someone was getting a picture for the year book. Well, in small increments.
Sera joined me on the platform, she kept her distance and stood to draw stars in areas I couldn’t reach because I was sitting down. Lol, no. Paris is in denial that she is so much taller than him.
“Hi”, I whispered loud enough so Sera could hear me.
She looked at me then looked away. Her way of saying Hello..
“Hey, it’s getting close to prom. I really need that class ring back. ” He doesn’t really want the ring back.
Sera just shook her head and went back to painting. Her stars were more detailed than mine. She took her time with them and she seemed content. I wondered why she didn’t take any art classes. Sera drawing was a thing I never got to work into any serial. It was supposed to be her thing in LA. Sera was beginning to come around in our early morning study sessions. She still didn’t really talk much. She was a very angry girl, she missed her foster sisters but her former foster mother wouldn’t let her see them.
There was a lot of silence to fill so I told her about why I wanted to be prom king and gave her a very thorough crash course on all things Paris Prince. She rolled her eyes a lot but I think she got it. I hadn’t realized that I’d stopped painting and had just been watching her draw stars. She noticed me noticing her.
Paris loves to talk about himself. Sera likes to listen. They keep making eyes at each other. Is this romantic? Does this come across ?
On cue, Helios called her name. He was heading to his car and cutting out of float duty early. Helios is playing hooky ):
“Stay”, I said not looking at her so Helios couldn’t tell I was talking to her, “You seemed relaxed just stay, I can drive you back.”
Paris recognizes that Helios is abusive and he knows for Sera’s safety she can’t be seen talking to him.
She shook her head. Helios leaned on the horn and she dropped the brush giving me a short wave good-bye.
+++
Seraphina been staring off into space for a few minutes, she did that lot and it was kind of cute. I mean not cute cute. Like seeing a vicious animal sleeping cute. Harmless. She looked harmless. He means cute. He is in straight denial now and he knows it.
She was toying with my class ring. We had one week until finals and she still hadn’t given me the ring.
“Kiss me”, she said
“What?”
“I want you to kiss me”, she said
“Why?”
“I want to know if I’ll like it”, she said closing her textbook.
“I cannot be a party to cheating.” I said because Helios would kill us, “Helios is your boyfriend.”
She spun the ring on the table and stared at it.
“Not anymore. The stars on the float were so pretty-- Leon and I sleep under the real ones in his car.”
Fuck. She was homeless.
You know I never put any thought into Sera and Leon’s post-high school relationship. They were very close and escaped a bad situation together.
“Sera”, I said feeling a bit of . . . sympathy? Fuck it. I kissed her and it was pretty okay. We were both sitting, but I still had to lean in. Her lips were surprisingly soft and gentle, she let me put my hands on her hard waist and I felt her weight on my lap.
I looked around to make sure no one was watching. This would not do. So now Paris is where he was in LA where he knows getting involved with A girl like this is not part of his (and Hmjeu’s) perfect plan. So he fights it.
I felt my body go tense when she reached into my pants.
“Hold on”, I said
“I know you’re a virgin”, she said.
“I just prefer to do this with my girlfriend.”
“You have a girlfriend?”
“No. I’m going to ask Isobel to be my girlfriend when you give me back my ring, remember.” He is talking more to himself than to her.
“You still haven’t asked her to be your girlfriend?” Sera asked toying with the ring again. Sera is slowly starting to pick up that Paris is procrastinating and that he doesn’t want to ask Isobel.
“Look, I need the ring first. It’s a part of it. I’ve got a whole plan. Okay.”
She rolled her eyes and slipped my class ring over her pink finger
“Now I’m your girlfriend’, she said. She’s testing him
“Uh—what?”
“Your ring is for your girlfriend, I’m wearing your ring. I’m your girlfriend.”
“That is a logical fallacy”, I said surprised she could make even that much of a logical leap.
“I don’t care.”
“Seraphina”, I said, “Please, give me the ring back. I’m in love with Isobel Charter and I want to give it to her and ask her to be my girlfriend.”
She stood up and considered this.
“You want it this ring?” she said, “Come get it”
At that she started to run back down the path. I forgot all about my books and ran after her. I made it about a few steps before I nearly passed out. It was so damn hot outside. I was getting that ring back one way or another.
It’s not hot outside. Paris is really out of shape because he doesn’t take gym.
+++
The good news was Sera passed all her exams with Cs, though I’m pretty sure some teachers passed her and definitely Helios just so they wouldn’t see them next year. The Gay Straight Alliance float placed third overall and someone had gotten a picture of me painting the stars. Fourth page of the yearbook. Not to bad. Sigh, in the end with Paris it’s always about the optics.
The bad news was when people noticed Sera was wearing my class ring they started thinking it would be funny to call me her boyfriend. Sera was kind of amused because by having my ring. She managed to piss me off the unpissable Paris Prince. Not that I EVER EVER let it show. Okay, yes Sera is teasing Paris, but it’s beause she likes him. Doesn’t make it right.
I let Sera have this one considering she was homeless. Helios and his new friends where always bothering her and it would always end in a hallway brawl. She’d had a nervous breakdown in the middle of homeroom the morning after Helios and his crew had broken into and trashed Leon’s car while they were sleeping in it.
Leon took her to the nurse’s office and I spied the ring on her desk with the other stuff she’d left behind. If the bell hadn’t rung I probably could have gotten it.
So the ring was sitting there. Out in the open. She left it there. All Paris had to do is pick it up. It’s the one thing he has wanted this whole novella and he just…leaves it because he realizes it’s not what he truly wants anymore. He wants Sera to be okay. Am I doing character development? is this a character arc ?
+4+
Thanks to my dawdling I’d had to go to prom alone.
I’d tried to order a new class ring to give to Isobel so I could ask her to be my girlfriend and my prom date on the same go, but Lysander had done a stupid promposal first.
Okay, I’ll admit I fumbled his arc here because Paris should be past this. I just wanted more lines of Paris being an asshole-in-denial.
I made rounds and kept myself busy. Doing my best to cut into dances and find some older teachers to dance with. Paris maybe a weird asshole…but he is also really likeable.
Sera and Leon had come together as friends, but spent most of prom out back smoking pot. I’d made sure to make small talk with them so everyone could see I was humoring Sera who was still wearing my class ring.
In my head I imagine Leon and Sera wore suits they found at the thrift store.
The music cuts out and a booming voiced announced they were calling Prom King and Queen. It was quiet as the teachers reached into the envelope and pulled out a card.
“Class Queen is Ms. Aria”
I smiled as the bright cheerleader bounced up the steps. Good choice. Her hair was dark like mine and we were friendly enough that she’d probably be okay with doing some pose ideas I had. Paris is cocky because well…he stuffed the ballot. This was a nod to the New Aeterna cannon where Paris is a corrupt politician. Also this next bit is a nod to Helios stealing Aria in New Aeterna
“Class King is…Helios Thantos”
An audible gasp when up as Helios strutted up to claim his win. Once crowned he surprised Aria by dipping her and kissing her. Leon helped Aria off stage while Helios cronies gather around him to cheer him on.
Leon and Aria !
I kept the rage within me welled up tight. Hippolyta patted my shoulder and I got my first of hundreds of pity looks that evening. Oh my fucking god. Fuck fuck fuck fuck.
“He rigged it”, I turned to see Leon beside me with Aria hovering around him.
“Huh?” I said.
“Helios rigged it. Helios switched the ballots this afternoon. He stuffed the box with his name”
I looked at Leon and at the last dregs of my legacy and I burst out laughing.
“Dude?” he said.
“Helios switched the votes out”, I said laughing so hard I couldn’t stand, “After I switched them out this morning”
I’m meh on this ending. Sera disappears in this chapter and the idea of Paris’ switching ballots doesn’t work with his high moral standards. I think I was really into QC at this point and Paris’ moral ambiguity in that serial leaked into this.
+5+
Ten years later
I press the key twice on my black Mercedes convertible. It was luxurious yet practical. It didn’t seem like anyone had heard the car lock but the P4R1S PRNC licenses plate should do just fine.
So Paris is a grown-up, more emotional intelligent and educated man. But he’s still a self-righteous asshole with a very big ego. He means well. He does. Also he press the key twice cause he wanted people to hear it and see him get out of the car
I take a few confident steps up to the high school’s remembrance plaza were everyone is gathered under a class reunion sign. I take a moment to study myself in the reflection pool.
“PARIS”, Isobel bounds out the crowd and hugs me, practically jumping in my arms, “Oh my God congratulations, Paris.”
“Thank you”, I say and it feels like no time has passed. My heart starts hammering around her, “You look great Isobel. How is the teaching life ?”
“It’s good, but I’m open for a change. Wow, so New York City Councilman Paris Prince. You finally got yourself elected.”
So, here is where we learn that Paris’ grand plans for his life didn’t go as expected
“Well”, I slid off my jacket, “No, not New York City. It’s...uh... North Crest...City?”
“Oh, wow. I guess I heard it wrong What is that? Like New Jersey?”
“Yeah, but I don’t actually live there”, I say honestly, “I have a penthouse in SoHo. I just own a house in North Crest for legal reasons. Although North Crest is really up and coming. I commute. I’m bi-state you could say”
So, Paris drives a Mercedes, owns property in NYC and a house in New Jersey but he works as a county official in a boring small town. Something isn’t adding up . . .
Her laugh is infectious. It was ten years later and I was going to do this right. I didn’t need a ring to ask Isobel Charter to be my girlfriend. He learned his lesson!
“Isobel, I—“
“Oh. My. God.”
I hear the clicking first and soon so did everyone else. All eyes turn to see Seraphina coming up the steps where I was sure everyone could see the silver Tesla convertible (I don’t think this car exist. I wrote this years ago when Telsa’s were harder to find) she’d stepped out of.
She slid off her dark shades showing off her big blue eyes. Her siren red lips stood out on her expertly made face and her extremely taut figure was in a black mini pencil skirt, stilettos and white gauzy halter top that was cropped to show off her abs along with the unconcealed pistol around her waist. The neckline on her blouse was low enough to show where she was still wearing my class ring. The ring she’d stolen from me ten years ago.
Sera smirks at me and Isobel as she walks past fingering the ring. She didn’t even notice the way the crowd just
parted for her. So
Sera has had a bit of a confidence boost. To me this is analogous to Sera
getting a “glow-up” in New Aeterna-verse because she becomes a resistance leader on account of all the “feminist” rage. Likewise in Bellum
Sera has a bit of a “glow-up” after she joins Helios’s mercenaries. Of course
in both of these verses she ends up using her newfound confidence to do very
bad things.
But also in this story she sort of “transforms” into the Sera I imagined her as in an LA/Bellum sequel. Where she is quiet, sexy and confident. To this day I would have no idea how to write a sequel to LA/Bellum
She just easily picks up a drink and joins Leon and Aria by the bar. Even the way she stood just had to be sexy. I got it. She wasn’t the troubled frumpy teen anymore. Boy does he know it.
“Wow”, Isobel says, “She did well considering how rough senior year was.
“Yeah”, I say, “Sera did well. If getting dishonorably discharged from the Marines, being arrested six times for drunkenly disorderly conduct, working overnights as a bar back while basically living at the gym is doing well—then sure. She’s doing well.”
Isobel quirked an eye, “Oh, wow. You always knew the 411. I can’t believe she’s works in a bar.”
So Isobel keys into how much he knows about her
“Oh, that was years ago. She’s a...professional Domme ? Mostly…”
“Oh my God, seriously?” She said turning to look at Seraphina again.
“I mean”, I try to explain, “Not just a Domme. More like a whole general sex work thing. Legal shit only…”
“Holy shit, Paris. How do you know all this?”
“Oh, I well I”, I mumble over my drink, “...she’s you know. My wife. “
“Wha-- ?”
I had to explain. It sounded bad. Paris reverts back to that high school mindset of being embassraed that he loves someone like Sera. A small part of him thinks his failure in life is because he married the wrong woman. I know I know.
“It’s not like that, Isobel. I mean it’s only been 8 years.”
“Eight years? When did you two even date? “
I laughed, “ She’s crazy, she stole that ring from me at knife point you know. (No. Helios stole it and then gave it to Sera. Then she mugged him a knife point but Paris sees what he wants to see). . It’s just she knew I was going to Harvard and one weekend she came to my dorm and made me take her out to dinner. I think this didn’t come off --but Paris is being hyperbolic and unreliable. She didn’t make him, she just pushed him a little. I feel like Sera may have come off as more of a bully. I didn’t have a roommate (Paris roommate moved out because Paris was annoyiin.) and I was kind of afraid of her so I took her to dinner just to humor her. It was a few times. It was nothing.
“Nothing? Paris you married her.” Isobel whispered.
“Right, well. . . I mean after she was discharged from the military she had a lot of free time and made me take her to dinner and movies all the time. See, I shouldn’t have used the word made. Paris is hyperbolic. She kept asking to go on dates. And maybe Sera did strong arm him at first but they were on the same page. Not that she ever talked to me. I had to do all the talking. Can you imagine what that was like for me? It was great for him. Paris loves to talk. I think she was using me for free food whenever she was in between jobs and motel rooms. So again Sera’s life was pretty unstable but Paris was helping her feel normal for a few moments.I took a summer internship in California just to get away from her.”
He took the internship to try and get her “out of his system”.
“Paris”, Isobel said now folding her arms. Isobel is SO on to Paris now.
“Um, Well. While I was interning out in California I flew her down (see he paid for her flight for her to come visit him over the summer. He wanted to see her) hoping I’d gathered up the strength to tell her to leave me alone. When she arrived I sat her down and told her this had been going on to long and that this was an old joke from high school and that I had to think of my future and then she practically made me drive to Vegas to get married.” Again I used “made” a lot. In my head Paris says that he doesn’t think them seeing each other is a good idea and dating is out of the question. Then Sera says “We can skip that and get married” and they do.
“Paris, are you serious?” She said grabbing another drink from a passing waiter
“Isobel, I know this sound crazy but I was really busy (yes, Paris used the ‘I was so busy I accidentally got married excuse’ He is riding the denial train hard) and look—did I want to lose my virginity in a rental car at a dark truck stop in the middle of the night—no-- but I’m pretty sure you have to consummate in the state your married in and I had to be at my internship in the morning. I mean what I was supposed to do ?” Again, Paris talks to much when he is nervous. He used that probably non-exsisten rule so he could sleep with Sera before her flight left.
I realize I might not have explained it right to Isobel, it didn’t make a ton of sense when you said it out loud. So Paris is realizing the crazy rationalizing and denial in his head sounds like hot garbage when he says it out loud, and he is facing his own B.S.
“Paris y---“
“Listen Isobel", I had to explain this to her, "I mean she just moved herself into my off-campus apartment. I was so busy with graduation and the community service projects and volunteering at non-profits that having a housewife wasn’t that bad.
Until the whole BDSM thing—which I mean I only bought up once as mostly a joke after I checked a few informational books out under an assumed name and clicked on a few forums. It was really more of a joke. No one goes to the library to conduct research on a joke. BDSM appealed to Paris and Sera never judged him for it.
Like I’ve
always seen Sera in all her iterations as being into female domination. And I
realized if she was human it would be a perfect career for her. Especially for
someone who has always felt so powerless. One of the things I struggled with when writing a Bellum sequel was figuring out Sera's job with SGI and her work ethic.
I’m just one man, I can’t be into everything, and I really need my solid 11 hours of sleep. I mean I couldn’t stop her from making millions of dollars doing it professionally. I just really like the idea of her being a high-end sex worker. So its’s not explicity said but Paris is a professional student and has been getting degrees for ten years while Sera has been paying for it.
“Did you say millions?”, Isobel leaned forward.
“I mean managing all that money and answering client calls is really
just practice for when I’m mayor of a small town. Plus it gave me something to
do when I was in law school. And I only helped with the club because it’s a
great way to network."
…Paris, the
ambitious political ingénue is actually his wife’s assistant. The SoHo
penthouse, the house in New Crest City and even the Mercedes were all purchased
with Sera’s money.
“Club? Like sex club?” She was back to whispering.
“I mean it’s called New Aeterna, but I have very very little to do with any of it.” Except for the previous graph where he said he managed the money and did customer service.
“Paris you were always so poised and straight laced in school.” Isobel said taking another drink.
“I came here for you. Sera and I are separated and we’re getting a divorce. I came here for you Isobel. I’m ready to start the next chapter of my life with the girl I was in love with in high school.”
“Are you sure”, Isobel said smiling that gorgeous smile, “I mean how long you have been separated ?"
“… Give or take 5 hours”
“What?” She says just a bit to loud.
“I mean-- I want a divorce. I
think this whole thing has gone on long enough and I was sure to let her
know when she was in the shower this morning at the hotel seconds before I left.
What do you say Isobel. You and me." Paris is a coward and while Sera is somewhat aware Paris is back on his bullsh*t becuase of the reunion, she didn't hear him that morning.
She was silent
Everyone was silent
I turned to see a white BMW block my car and Helios Thantos and ten of his idiot friends pile out. Seraphina turns to face him, the expression on her face unreadable like when we went to co-op meetings, or that terrible fancy sushi place one of her clients had given her a gift card to, or when we went to that mega-mall in New Jersey so I could find just the right black polo for today or when I tried that thing in bed that I was guessing I couldn’t do again. So he recognizes the look on her face as dread, while also flashing back to the life they’ve had together.
Was she shaking? Helios turned to make sure everyone was watching then, so quick I almost missed it. Helios slapped Serra hard across the face twice, his finger bent to dig into her face. While she was still shocked he shoved her into the reflection pool.
Now Paris is transported back to high school where Helios is hurting Sera and he is to afraid/helpess to stop him.
“Paris”, Isobel whispers in the silence, “I loved you in high school. I kept waiting and waiting for you to ask me to be your girlfriend. I loved how loyal and sweet you were. But I can’t be your high school sweetheart.”
“Yes, you can. I don’t need a ring. I just need to be a man—“ Paris is trying to block it out because if he were with Isobel he wouldn’t have to be brave
“Paris”, she says, “You already married your high school sweetheart and you love her.”
“I do?” I say watching Helios walk away. What the hell had he done to her? Why wasn’t she fighting back?
“Don’t you?”
Damn it. Yes. He does love her.
Helios walked back to his car. He strode easily knowing no one was going to call the police on him. Helios got into his car and I realized he was getting away. Like he got away with everything. Rage!Paris
I ran down the steps to my leased Mercedes (lol, his car is leased, ) and started the car. Helios was pulling out and I slammed onto the gas and rammed my car right into his. The airbags went up and I backed out and rammed into his fancy car again. It felt kind of good. Really good. So I did it again.
My head began ringing and I stumble out of the car.
“Helios”, I said, “I’m so sorry I didn’t see you there.”
“Do I fucking know you?” He asked spitting on my car.
“Very funny”, I said
“Oh, Paris Prince.”, he said taking off his shades and jacket. Helios is ready to fight.
“You are going to apologize to my… to my wife”, Why was that still so hard to say?
“I’ll give you a five second head start”, Helios said
“A what—“
“You better run you fucking bitch—“
Then he was coming for me, I must have lost control of my body because I was running and all I could think about it how I wish I could go back and change everything. If I had chosen Isobel I wouldn’t be running for my life at my high school fucking reunion. If I had taken gym I probably wouldn’t feel l like passing out after the first block. See, that gym thing got mentioned again. Eh ? Ehh ? I was out of pure adrenaline and more than ready to get my ass kicked for fucking up his car..
Paris is down for the count and who comes in to save him ?
I didn’t hear Sera’s convertible behind me (duh, it’s a Tesla. Nitpick) but I saw the flash of silver. She slowed the car down to match my pace.
“Paris”, she says, “Get in the car.”
“I can’t”, I say surprised how much I was gaining on Helios.
“He is going to kill you. Leon tried to hold him back.”
“I don’t care Sera. This is not the life I was meant to live. I was supposed to be a great leader and inspiration and honor Hmjeu’s memory. Not work as a meaningless councilman and married to the school slut. No offense.”
“You’re an asshole Paris”, She says. Sera lays down the entire theme, plot device and character arc here
“What?”
“You’re a pretentious selfish arrogant stuck up asshole, you have been your whole fucking life. Your ego is so fucking big you can’t even see it and. . . I love that about you.”
“wha—huh everyone loves me.”
“Everyone hates you, but you never shut up long enough to listen. I am the only one in the world who is ever going to love you. Which is why you should get in this fucking car.”
“Damn it”, I slowed down and threw myself into the backseat of her car. Sera hit the gas and sped off.
“I’m sorry, Sera”, I climb awkwardly into the front seat
“Sorry ?”
“You are right. I was a jerk in high school. I’m sorry I was to self-involved and I wasn’t there for you. I wanted to be but . . . fuck, I was afraid of what everyone would think. I was an asshole.” But will he audience forgive him ?
“You're there for me now."
"Always"
She slips my class ring off her her finger and tosses it to me. It was the first time I’d touched it since she stole it from me ten years ago. Again, she didn’t steal it Helios did. I know the right thing to do it give it back to her and tell her it was hers the whole time, instead I throw it out the speeding car.
“Paris. What the hell ?”
“Fuck high school. Fuck what everyone thinks. I love you.” If Paris would have done this earlier this would have been a much shorter serial.
So, I’m sure it’s obvious now after reading this why I dove back into this silly little AU- Human Fanfiction story. Well two things. The first is I always regretted not writing a true Bellum sequel. I was so ready to have Sera/Paris star in a story together as a couple but I could never write it. Instead I did New Aeterna which (as I’ve said multiple times) has a dynamic shift between them where Paris doesn’t really have a lead role
As you can imagine after So We Meet and Harrison High
were published I sort of went back to this story and imagined what an extended All-Human
Lux Aeterna Story would be like and it just clicked.
So I'm writing an All-human sequel using this story as the basis. And I had the idea that maybe after the fiasco with Helios Human!Seraphina and Human!Paris Prince might decide to move to Hartford, CT start over.
You : But LiLe , SHV already wrote a pretty cool and unique backstory for the LA characters in Harrison High. Also this is stealing.
Lils : True…but I could totally see Paris and Seraphina being common names. I mean come on.
So this little weird big novella thing takes place a few months after this story when Harrison County gets a brand new District Supervisor. This started off light and humorous but then it became a heady internalized male grip-lit/light political thriller with erotic elements? I I did a deep dive into Human!Paris/Seraphina’s D/s relationship and it just got…interesting.
So stay tuned.
Muse : So you did ALL of this just to announce Aren't You Cold ?
Lils : Yes and No. Going back to this serial was something I did when I realized I needed to change NA3 and the idea just...came to me after fangirling over Harrison High. I've never annonced something THIS early, so things may change.