Dear Diary,
I am not really entirely sure why I have decided to start writing this. I haven't kept a diary since sixth grade, at least not faithfully. I mean there was the one entry from junior year about getting a boyfriend that was written in all capital letters like I was nine all over again, that was embarrassing.
Anyway I suppose I should start by telling you what trip this diary is a travel log for. The Hummel-Hudson clan is going to Paris! I am really really excited. The Fashionista inside me is already freaking out. I have list of must see spots from Isabelle that I will be forcing SOMEONE to go see with me. I cannot wait to see the city. Even Finn and my dad are excited. We are all finally getting a stamp on our passports.
There are a few down sides though. The first being that the house we were staying in was outside of the city by about a half hour in a town called Brétigny-sur-Orge. Second, apparently, although the house was big enough to have a heated pool in the backyard it only had two guest rooms which meant I would have to share a room with Finn, who snores like a jack hammer with bad allergies. Ugg. But by far the worst thing about this trip is the very people we have to thank for it. We were staying with the Smythe family.
Yes, Smythe, as In Sebastian Smythe, the asshole from my senior year. Turns out that his dad and my dad both working in government and became friends. Good enough friends apparently that he decided to invite our family over to their summer house and pay for our flights. I was trying to be positive about it. I mean it wasn't like Sebastian wanted to spend his whole summer with me either. Maybe we could just ignore each other all summer. Maybe that was wishful thinking.
Oh well. Only time will tell. Let's see if I can keep this journal up for the summer.
"Kurt, Dude," I looked up at Finn as shoved my journal back into my bag, "Look! We can already see the house. Its freaking huge!" He pointed out the window and I turned to look where he was pointing. He wasn't joking we were traveling up a hill towards a very large house. It was pretty cool.
"I knew the Smythes were loaded but that is impressive." I said impressed.
"Kurt," My dad admonished, "You will not comment on the Smythe's financial status while we are staying in their house. I know that you and Derek's son Sebastian have had a rocky past but we are guests here. So, you will be polite. Give him a chance, Kurt. You too Finn, maybe in a non-school environment you will get along better." I held in a snort. Yeah maybe we would become best friends and skip off into the flowers together. I glanced at Finn in disdain and he laughed and smacked my back in understanding.
We pulled up to the house and parked in the driveway and were greeted by Mr. Smythe. He was tall like Sebastian with the same big teeth, only his smile seemed less smirky. We got out of the car and my dad greeted him with a firm handshake.
"Hey Burt, I'm glad you made it." He had a deep voice very unlike his son. Then again I sounded nothing like my dad so that meant nothing.
"Glad to be here, Derek." Dad responded before ushering us forward. I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder. "This is my wife, Carole, and her son, Finn. And this is my son, Kurt." We all waved or shook his hand.
"Hold on," He said as Carole turned to head towards the trunk and get out the luggage from it, "Let me get Sebastian out here to help with the bags." He jogged back over to the door and stuck his head in the house and shouted for Sebastian. Well, there goes my idea to just avoid him. Mr. Smythe and my dad started unloading the back. At my first glimpse of Sebastian's lanky and pompous figure emerging from the front door I ducked back behind the car to help out too. Maybe he would do the avoiding for me. He did not.
"Hey, Kurt, let me get that for you." He said leaning over me and grabbing the bag I had been reaching for. The distinct scent of his cologne filled my nostrils. Though I would never admit it unless under threat of death I actually really liked his smell. It was a mixture of that cinnamon-y cologne, some kind of fruity shampoo, and just sweat. If I didn't want to punch him in the face I would be tempted to try to lick him. Not that I would ever, of course.
"Er, thanks." I said taking him in for the first time since I was in high school. He had filled out in the shoulders, at least I think he had, but it might be the difference between a fitted Warbler Jacket and the green tank top he was wearing. He was also more tan than I had ever see him. He looked good with a little color. Maybe I would get a tan here. I doubted it.
"No problem, Tiger." He turned to me and smirked at me with his big white and shiny horse teeth. Tiger? I almost gagged. I grimaced at him and he laughed at what must have been a look of pure and obvious distaste. "No good? And here I was thinking you'd prefer it to Princes or some of my other ever popular jabs at your masculinity." It was hard to tell if he was making a good natured joke at our past or if he was laughing at my expense because he found it hilarious that I was stuck here with him for the whole summer. Well, Sebastian Smythe was not going to ruin my summer vacation in Paris.
"I am ignoring you." I informed him, turning away with a quick spin and striding over towards where Carole was walking in to the house.
"Isn't this place lovely, Kurt?" She asked with a lovely smile. I couldn't help but smile in return. Carolee's enthusiasm was infectious. I bet she had never thought she would ever get to see Paris. Okay. Chalk one up to the Smythe family for that.
"We're in France!" I reminded her excitedly and we both took a pause to jump up and down a bit. I heard my dad chuckle at us good-naturedly.
"Well come on in, come on in." Derek called beckoning us further into the house through a beautiful marble and dark wood furnished entry way and to a hallway to the left. "Right well the first guest bedroom in on the first floor. We used to have two upstairs but when Sebastian turned into a moody teenager and when through his rebellious phase and demanded a room as far away from his parents as possible so now his room is down here."
"Used to sneak out the window and hitch-hike to the city." I heard Sebastian whisper into my ear from where he was apparently standing behind me. I snorted. Now that sounded like Sebastian.
"I figured we'd just keep the boys together. I set up a cot in there so you'll have to fight it out for the bed." Burt nodded and looked at Finn and me.
"That okay with you boys?" He asked us. I glanced at Finn and he just shrugged. So I just shrugged back. We both knew I was getting that bed.
"Great, Sebastian, show them which one it is and I'll take Burt and Carole upstairs and get them settled in."
Sebastian nodded and sidled past us still carrying my other bag and headed to the far door. He opened it with a flourish and motioned for us to enter. I dropped my bag on the bed and Finn chucked his on the floor. Sebastian lingered in the door as I walked over to get my bag. I held my hand out expectantly and he raised an eyebrow. The bastard. I reached out and yanked it away from him with a sharp tug at the strap. He let go and held his hands up in surrender, smirking. I stomped over and put my bag next to my bed.
"Bathroom is across the hall and my room is next to it." Sebastian pointed as we ambled into the hall. "They are technically connected to each other so do try to keep in down in there when it's late at night or early in the morning. Yeah?" We nodded and walked out into the entryway again and followed it down till it opened up into a sitting room. It was your basic set up, a wood floor with a rug, a coffee table, some chairs, and a couch. The only thing that showed off the Smythe's wealth was the flat screen TV mounted to the wall above a fireplace. "Make yourselves at home." Sebastian droned as he dropped himself on to the couch and put his feet on the table.
"Sebastian Smythe you get your feet of that table, young man!" A voice ordered from behind us. I whirled to find a blonde woman coming out from what appeared to be a kitchen. I heard Sebastian grumble behind me and thump his feet back down. The woman wiped her hands on an apron and held it out to me. "Hello. I'm Sherry, Sebastian's step-mom. You must be Kurt."
"Uh, yeah, nice to meet you." I shook her hand. "And this is my brother, Finn." Finn leaned over and shook her hand before moving to sitting on a chair.
"It's so nice to finally meet you boys. Seb has told me all about you."
"He has?" I asked honestly surprised. I turned to look over my shoulder at Sebastian. He glanced up.
"I said that you could hit notes that scared dogs, you dressed like you were walking a runway, and you had really tall hair. Although to be fair you seem to have calmed down the second two slightly. As for your brother, I pretty much just said that he was really tall." Came his response to the unasked question. I couldn't hold back the almost fond eye roll.
"Well, excuse me for trying to be polite to the guests, Sebastian." Sherry said, "Anyway, diner is just about ready. I hope you boys like chicken alfredo. I'm no master chief but I can manage pasta and I thought you'd like a nice home cooked meal your first night in."
"That's very kind of you. I'm sure our parents will be back down soon." I told her, "Could I help you set the table?" She shook her head.
"That is Sebastian's job on the nights that I do the cooking." I heard Sebastian groan. "Hey be glad I don't actually cook that often, Mister." She chuckled and went over to smack the back of Sebastian's head lightly. Looking at the back of his head I noticed that his hair was slightly longer than it had been back in high school. He got up and stretched out with his arms over his head. I heard his joints crack.
"That is because I usually cook." He reminded her as he passed us and headed inside the Kitchen. That was interesting news. Pompous prep boy Sebastian Smythe did the cooking. I followed Sherry and Sebastian curious to see more of Sebastian in his natural habitat. Sherry went back to the stove and Sebastian moved to the cabinets to start setting out the dishes on an all glass table. That must be annoying to clean.
"This is a lovely Kitchen, Mrs. Smythe." I complimented, not only being polite but meaning it. It was tasteful with stainless steel appliances and marble countertops, very modern, very clean cut.
"Thank you, Kurt, and call me Sherry, please." She responded from over the stove. "I had it redone last summer after my first visit here."
"It was better before." Sebastian snarked from his place putting out cutlery. Sherry huffed out a heavy breath.
"Sebastian we have been over this. It was falling apart, honey."
"Mom seemed to use it just fine."
"Sebastian, your mother has her own kitchen and her own home now and I told you that you can go and visit her as much as you want while we are here, but can we please not have this argument in front of the guests? Thank you." That seemed to be the end of the conversation. Sherry went back to her cooking and Sebastian went back to setting up the table, but he was glaring at the napkins like they had just stabbed his future child. I just watched on, curiosity peaked.
"Smells good in here!" Boomed the voice of Mr. Smythe as he and my dad and Carole came in.
"It is just about done so why don't you settle in and call your other boy. I'm Sherry by the way, pleased to meet you all." Sherry greeted while plating the food. Dad and Carole said their hellos and Carole went to get Finn and eventually we were all seated around the table.
Mr. Smythe was at one head of the table and Sherry at the other, my dad was next to Mr. Smythe and Carole across from him, Finn was next to her and I was next to Finn, and Sebastian was across from me. Lucky me. However I was pleasantly surprised we he was quiet and courteous for nearly the whole diner as our parents made small talk. It wasn't until Mr. Smythe started clearing away the dishes that he spoke up.
"Can I let in Pépé now that we are done eating?" He asked hopefully.
"Sure go on. Go on and feed him." Sebastian got up and jogged over to the sliding patio doors and opened them.
"Pépé! Here boy!" He called out and a few seconds later a white fully energy ball bounded in and ran around his feet.
"Oh what a darling." I heard Carole coo. It was a really cute dog. Like really cute. It came right over to us to check out the new smells and stopped to lick all our fingers while Sebastian got his food ready.
"Pépé, food!" Sebastian clapped and the fluffy dog ran over to him. I heard Sebastian laugh. A real laugh that came with a real smile and it was nice. I caught myself smiling too.