"You guys do know that you didn't have to say goodbye here, right?" I asked my family. "We could have stopped by at the house."
"We know," Dad said. "But Nolan here wouldn't stop asking if we could come here instead."
Nolan's face immediately turned a bright shade of red. "I did not. I just asked if we could say goodbye to them. I never said we had to come to the airport...”
"Sure you didn't," Dad said, patting Nolan's back.
"I didn't," Nolan said. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Jerome just chuckled. "You're really cute when you blush. Come on, let's go talk." The two of them walked away from everyone else.
"Ryder, do you have to go?" Tulip asked me. "You already moved away. Now you'll be in another country."
I knelt down in front of Tulip. "I know. I'll make sure I video chat you every night, okay? And Mae will even talk to you too."
"Okay," she said. "You better take good care of Mae for me."
I chuckled. "Of course I will."
And that could be because I was going to propose to her. I already talked to her parents about it and both of them were very excited, especially her dad. I've only seen him in person twice, but those two times were enough for him to deem me husband material for his daughter.
My family didn't know about it yet, besides Nolan because Jerome tells him everything. I honestly couldn't wait to see Tulip's reaction when she found out.
I still didn't know when or how I was going to propose to her. Part of me would like to propose to her after we're announced the winners, but so many dance studios were going to be there, so there's a low chance of that actually happening.
I was going to have to do a lot of thinking about it.
"Ryder," Mae said. "We have to get going. Lilith is waiting for us."
"Right," I said before hugging Tulip. "I'll miss you, favourite sister."
"Hey!" Orchid said. "No, that's actually fair."
"Exactly," I said before hugging the rest of my family members.
Mae told Jerome we were leaving, so Jerome hugged Nolan and kissed his cheek before the three of us walked to were the rest of our dance team was.
"I can't wait until we get there," Arthur said. "We'll be in Paris. Paris."
"Um, Lilith?" Isla asked. "Would we need a translator when we're not at the venue?"
"Translator? No way," Jerome said. "Nous avons deux personnes qui peuvent parler français."
"Three," I said. "I speak French too."
"Perfect," Lilith said. "We won't need to spend money on a translator. That will definitely help pay for our meals and possible room service. Oh, and speaking of, room arrangements. We booked three hotel rooms. One for me, one for the girls, and one for the guys. Each one has three rooms, so you'll have to figure out who gets their own room."
"Aww, can't Mae and I share a room?" I asked.
"No," Lilith said. "Girls in one, boys in the other."
"But she's my girlfriend," I said. "Sharing a room will help us connect and our duet will be even better."
"Nice try." Lilith said.
"So Isla and I can't share a room?" Arthur asked.
"No," Lilith said. "Like I said twice already, girls in one, boys in the other."
"What about me?" Jerome asked.
"You're a boy, right?" Lilith asked.
"Yes, but I'm attracted to boys, so I'd rather not be in a room with four of them," Jerome said. "Especially one that I already live with and is very attractive."
"Um... Thank you?" I said.
"Hey, Jerome, I told you to stop that," Mae said. "That's my boyfriend. And you have a boyfriend."
"So?" Jerome asked. "You're constantly talking about how hot your favourite singer is, yet you have a boyfriend."
Lilith sighed. "Okay, here's what we'll do. Jerome, you get your own room in the boy's hotel room. It's only sleeping wise. During the day and when we're not rehearsing, anyone's welcome to got in the other hotel room."
"I would still like to share a room with Mae," I said. "We already share one at home and it would be weird not sleeping in the same bed."
Lilith rubbed her forehead. "I will not say it again. Boys in one. Girls in the other. Any other questions?"
"Yes," I said. "If I were to sneak off to Mae's room...”
"You know what, fine," Lilith said. "You guys can sleep wherever you want. It won't affect me because I will get my own hotel room." The announcement that our plane was now boarding, so we all went to the gate.
I was happy that when I got on the plane, Mae and I were able to sit beside together and Jerome was on the other side of her.
The plane soon took off, meaning we had eight and a half hours before we arrive in Paris. The place that could change my whole life through one question.
"I can't wait for Internationals," Mae said. "The Internationals. Especially since it's in Paris, aka The City of Love."
I smiled at her. "I know. It's going to be amazing being there with you."
"Oh, gag," Jerome said. "You guys don't have to be all mushy."
"We're not being mushy," I said.
"If you're making me miss my boyfriend, then yes, you are," he said.
Arthur, who was sitting beside us, leaned forward. "Hey, Jerome," he said. "Is it true you're dating one of Ryder's brother?"
"Yeah, why?" Jerome asked.
"Aren't they fourteen?" he asked.
"Yeah," Jerome said. "What's your point?"
"That you're eighteen."
"Seventeen,” Jerome said. "I turn eighteen two days after Nolan turns fifteen, so for two days, we'll be two years apart. You're dating Isla and you have one-hundred IQ points less than her."
"Hey!" Arthur objected as Isla laughed. Arthur turned to Isla with a frown. "Babe, that's not funny!"
"It kind of is," Isla said. "It's okay, I still love you."
Jerome opened his backpack and pulled out a camera. "I am going to be vlogging this," he said. "So I can show Nolan when we get back. Ooh, and then I can vlog that thing that's going to happen."
"What thing?" Mae asked.
I was certain he was talking about the marriage proposal.
"Us winning, obviously," Jerome said.
"True," Mae said. "Ooh, Ryder. You know who's not here?"
"A lot of people."
"April," Mae said. "You know, the girl who is trying to ruin our lives. She was on our team, but she quit and went to another team. Want to take a picture and post it online."
"Of course," I said, taking out my phone. Mae and I took a picture together before I posted it online, with the header: One the way to Paris for Internationals with my love, Mae Woods.
And of course, Jerome went online and decided to tag April in it.
Jerome Roy: Ooh, yas. My OTP so cute. Right, April Bennet? Aren't they cute?
April Bennet: Why did you tag me in here? I could literally care less about these two.
Ryder Prince: Right. Which was why you constantly posted false information online about us. Makes sense. Not. By the way, it feels good sitting on the plane on the way to Internationals.
April Bennet: Good luck. You're going to need it, especially for whatever it is that you two call chemistry.
Jerome Roy: You mean love? An unbreakable bond? The OTP? Strongest force on the planet?
April Bennet: Keep thinking that.
Ryder Prince: And keep thinking that you'll ever have a chance with me. Do you want me to bring up the fact that you tried getting me to cheat on Mae when I was drunk that one time? Or how your sister tried getting my dad to cheat on my mom when he was drunk?
Mae Woods: Oh, and don't forget the time you took a picture of me and Ryder kissing and said it was another girl.
Ryder Prince: Why haven't I blocked her yet?
Jerome Roy: Because you can rub it in her face that you and Mae are so cute and makes me want to die because of your cuteness. And just think, by the end of two weeks, she'll see that *mutters spoilers*
Mae Woods: Spoilers? What spoilers?
Jerome Roy: I think the real question is why we're all talking to each other when we're sitting beside each other on the plane.
"Good point," Mae said as she put her phone away.
Really, Jerome. Mutters spoilers? Sometimes, I didn't get him at all. He better be able to keep me proposing a secret.