CHAPTER FIVE~ Kourtney

"Miss Vaughn, you have a visitor." the class teacher calls to me. A visitor? At school? I never have a visitor. In shock, I stand up and walk to the teacher's office praying my parents are okay. Some of the other kids that have had visitors, it has been to inform them of the demise of one of their parents or loved one. So, my heart is racing so fast.

I sigh as I open the door, my heart in my palm. Lo and behold, seated on the grey couch is Rémy who flashes a boyish smile at me. What is happening right now? I can't hide the surprise on my face.

"What are you doing here, Rémy?" I ask him.

"I like the way you say my name. Have you ever bunked class?"

"Bunked? What does that mean?"

He chuckles. "Come on, I'm taking you out. We are going to spend the day together."

I stare at my best friend's brother slash the crush of my heart since forever, with all the disbelief I can muster. My heart is giddy with excitement but at the same time, I'm skeptical. Do I want to skip class? What If my teacher notices I never came back into class? Who'd help me carry my books?

"Come on now, Vaughn. Don't chicken out on me." He's so persistent. How can I refuse?

"Fine." I blush. "Where are we headed?"

He replies with a smirk grabbing my hand and leading me out. This is me trusting him and whatever this is between us. I have not heard from him since the party on Saturday. It is not like we have ever spoken to each other on phone, maybe a few times when he was trying to get a hold of Chanel, we never visited each other either. He's four years older than we are so whenever I'm hanging out at theirs, he's never around or locked up in his room with his friends. I've always had a big crush on Rémy even though he never acknowledged me before, so today is such a big deal for me.

He drives us to Mahony po boys, a place where people go for lunch. A man after my heart. Food is a cure for everything, bad mood, depression, period mood, food solves them all for me.

"What do you want to eat, Vaughn?" The fact he calls me by my surname is so cute. Every other person calls me Kourt or Kourtney. Everyone apart from him. I like it.

" Uhm, I've never been here so can I just look at their menu for a while before I decide, please?"

He shrugs. I look at the menu but I'm not seeing words. All I can think about is how close he is to me. I mean we kissed at the party so that's supposed to take off some of the tension and anxiety, right? No. I feel hot all over again. I'm reminded of how close we were that night. He clears his throat and I look up at him. I didn't realize I've been staring at the menu for far too long.

"What if I just choose for you? You seem confused." He states.

Color creep into my face from embarrassment. Get yourself together Kourt. "I'm sorry. I'm indecisive when it comes to picking food. I love everything."

He laughs. "Thanks for informing me. Now I know I'd be picking the food for us." picking? Like a continuous thing? Like involving the future? My inner self dances with glee. Rémy sees me in his future, how can I not be ecstatic? The waiter comes to get our orders and Rémy orders the tortilla Crusted Catfish Po'boys for us both. He assures me it tastes heavenly. I don't even care if it tastes nice or not, as long as Rémy chose that for me, I'm eating it with a cheerful heart.

"This is so nice, Rémy. You come here often?" I ask after taking a hearty bite off.

"Growing up, mom and dad brought Nel and I here regularly then I started coming here to hang with friends because their meals here are awesome."

"I wasn't allowed to go out growing up because my parents were never around, and they didn't trust me with the maids. I thank the universe every day for bringing you guys into my life. Secretly, I wish your parents are mine." and that is the truth. I can't even say my parents love me because they don't care about anything that has to do with me. I am an only child and I thought that would make my parents closer to me but they're always busy making money, hosting clients, travelling, attending functions. They barely see each other so I don't expect them to want to see me.

"I'm sorry, Vaughn. No child should have to go through what you do. Sometimes, our parents think money is everything. But they forget the most important thing which is family."

I give him a sad smile. Talking about my parents make me sad. They just don't care and it's so painful. Feeling neglected is painful.

After our lunch, he decides to take me sightseeing. We walk around the streets of New Orleans holding hands, talking and laughing. I wish this day would never end. I love New Orleans for its music, culture, art and party life. New Orleans is always celebrating something in its streets, important or not. We stop at an ice cream shop for some snowballs. He's truly spoiling me today and I love it.

Thank you Rémy.

"So, I want to take you somewhere spooky. Promise me you won't get scared." He tells me.

"Where is spooky? I don't like Spooky, Rémy."

He smirks. "Come on, I got you." And he truly does because he drives us to Marie Laveau's tomb. I don't know how someone's idea of hanging out involves taking a walk in the cemetery. He explains that walking in the cemetery reminds him of how much we should be grateful for those that have come before us and of the mortal life we live and also to cherish each moment we have. Marie Laveau was one of the most powerful and famous voodoo practitioners in the city.

Though I do not believe in magic a lot of folks believed in her and her practice. I know this from history taught in class plus the servants at home talk about her a lot. From there, he takes me to the French Quarter. I've heard a lot about the French Quarter from movies, books and stories from my teachers and servants. Stories of the ancient vampires, werewolves, witches and pirates. We were told these stories as kids growing up whenever we refused to do what the servants wanted, and we'd become so afraid we couldn't sleep alone. Alina later got used to it but not me. I can't imagine people sinking their teeth into the neck of other people and sucking their blood or people turning into animals. Or magic. It's bizarre. And I tell Rémy just that. He laughs at me for a long time before saying I never cease to amaze him.

We rent bicycles and mats and race to the city Park on the bicycles. I don't care about still being in my uniform, just feeling carefree and feeling the city's breeze on my cheeks is more than amazing. When we get to the park, we lay our mat under a large tree and sit on it. Everywhere is so calm and serene.

"My friends are going to kill me for leaving school today." I tell him. "But I guess I'd die a happy and fulfilled death." color creep up my cheeks again. Why did I say that out loud? I shouldn't have said that. This is so embarrassing.

"They'd do no such thing. Just let them know you were with me."

I nod my head. "When are you going back to school?"

He pulls at the grasses. "I leave next week for mid-semester exams, then I'd be back right after."

"Next week is so close." I mutter. I can't believe he's going back so soon. It is breaking my heart. "You're going to go back to your college friends and college girls that act so fancy. I heard New York City girls act like they are the best. You're so going to forget about me." my insecurities always get the best of me. Especially in this case where I have no idea what we are.

He laughs again. "They aren't that bad. And Vaughn? I can never forget about you. You're planted too deeply in my heart for that to happen." he says with a smile. Wait. What does that mean? Is he professing his feelings for me? What should I say to that? I'm freaking out. Sometimes, I wish I have the courage of Alina to say whatever I'm feeling and whatever is on my mind, but I always end up chickening out. Now would be the right time to use her courage but look at me, hopeless and scared. So, I don't say anything. We just sit there staring out the fields and into the Museum of Art.

Watching the birds fly away with so much grace and humming a song of love to themselves, I think to myself, why can't I be as free, as happy and as graceful as they are. But that's when my mind remembers the fact that it is 3 pm already and I am late for the dress fitting for my cousin's wedding. Oh yes, I just discovered I have a cousin who lives here in New Orleans too. Her mom and mine had a fallout as youths and now that her mom is rich, I guess my mother is trying to rekindle the family bond again. Typical mother. Goddamittt I am supposed to come with a plus one. My eyes move to Rémy, I will just have to ask him when he's back from the mid-semester exams. I hope he says yes.

I tell him I have to return to school to grab my things and head to my cousin's dress fitting, so we back up and ride the bicycles back to where his car is parked. He takes me back to school a different person than the person who left the school with him earlier. I'm so frigging happy.

"Thanks for a perfect day." I tell him.

"You're welcome." he drops a kiss on my lips.

I sigh. What a perfect day indeed.