We've come too far to give up who we are. So let's raise the bar and our cups to the stars.

We've come too far to give up who we are. So let's raise the bar and our cups to the stars. by nadiaa featuring a button blouse

"Brae, you better not be taking me to something weird!" I told him as he lead me somewhere with his hands covering my eyes.

"I'm not, you're going to love it." I could hear his voice.

Ever since the double date, I had been upset with him and the lack of apologizing. The only reason why I came out tonight was because he said he had a surprise for me that would make me happy.

All I knew was that we were outside, somewhere in public.

"Okay, open your eyes." He said pulling his hands away as I slowly opened my eyes and grinned, looking up at the glittering lights of the Eiffel Tower.

"Really?" I grinned at him as he nodded.

"I felt bad about that night. I didn't mean to upset you." He pushed my hair out of my face, "I got a picnic and a blanket and we can just relax and have a good time."

I grinned, "Thank you. I know this isn't your thing, but thank you." I leaned over to kiss him as he set down the blanket and relaxed, leaning in his arms.

"Mila?" I heard a voice as I saw Ames walking towards the two of us alongside his sister, Ava.

"Hey Ames!" I said, standing up to give him a hug, "Hi Mrs. Lindsell." Aka, my mom's best friend and my boss.

"You know I hate being called that Mila, it makes me feel older than I am." She grinned.

"Who's this?" Braden raised his brow as he stood up next to me, pulling me into his arms.

"Ames Alere." I grinned, "Aka my Disneyland partner." I joked with him as Braden raised a brow.

"What do you mean?"

"After you couldn't come, Ames offered to go with me so I wouldn't ride alone. Very good understudy." I joked with a small laugh.

"Huh…" Braden said simply as his phone started ringing, "I gotta take this." He said walking away.

I rolled my eyes, "I swear he would marry his nightclub if he could."

"There's a big issue babe." He said walking back up to me, pulling me to the side, "I have to go."

"Go?!" I exclaimed, "But we were supposed to hang out tonight."

"I know, but there's something going on at the club. Big fights, I have no idea, but the manager called and I have to go. Enjoy the lights; there's still that food." He kissed my forehead as he walked away.

I sighed, walking back over to Ames and Ava, "Is everything okay?" He asked me with a raised brow.

I shrugged my shoulders, "Work beckons him…" I trailed off, "Oh well." I said, picking up the blanket.

"Well, that doesn't mean you should leave. I'm sure there's something good in there. We can hang out."

"Actually Ames, I have to go. My husband beckons me." She winked as Ames groaned, "Have fun you two."

I looked at Ava with envy, "I hope to be that disgustingly in love with… fill in the blank, when I'm in my fifties." I said with a sigh as I tilted my head to the side, wanting that more than anything.

"Fill in the blank? Braden isn't in the cards when you're old?" He smirked at me and then looked around, probably to make sure Ava wasn't around to overhear that last statement.

"He's not here now." I said with a small pout as I slumped my shoulder. I wanted Braden here, but apparently he didn't feel the same.

He shook his head, "Well, I'm here if you want some company."

I smiled and nodded before I looked back at the picnic Braden had set up, "Actually, I've got quite a spread over there if you're hungry."

He grinned, "Always." He said with a nod and we walked over to the blanket and he quickly plopped himself down next to me, making me laugh.

"Men." I teased with a head shake

He looked around, "This looks romantic."

I sighed, "Yeah, it was supposed to be. I should be ending the night making love on my balcony, not alone in the most romantic place in the city." I said without really thinking about it until Ames choked out.

"He doesn't deserve you anyways." He said seriously.

"He's not that bad." I said, making excuses for him again as I sipped my champagne. I knew I should stop but it was so hard.

What are you thinking about?" He asked me quietly.

"How I wish Braden was here…" I pouted, "I mean I understand he has work, but I want him to want to be here. Does that make sense?" I asked him, unsure if it did make sense.

"I understand… He's an idiot for not spending more time with you…" He said with a small smile as he tore off a piece of bread for himself.

"Thanks… I'm just wondering about him. I'm 25 years old. It's not terribly old, but still I want to find the one… Everybody that cares about me seems to hate Braden…." I shrugged, looking at the glittering lights of the eiffel tower, upset over the man who I loved.

"How do you feel about him?" Ames asked me, chewing on his piece of bread.

"I thought I loved him… but I'm not sure if it's love anymore…" I shrugged,  spilling my thoughts about Braden as I tried not to tear up, "I just wish he could be the guy that I saw him as when we first met. He leaves whenever we're together to go to work and now he's started talking down to me…"

"How do you mean?" He raised a brow.

I shrugged, "He embarrassed me in front of Cam and her date… It was awful. I cried in the bathroom." I said, embarrassed that it even happened, "And I took the blame… God it was stupid."

He shook his head, "Sounds like he was an a.ss."

I gave him a small chuckle, "He was a bit of an a.ss." I said, and it actually felt good to. Just to acknowledge that Braden treated me like s.hit that night.

"I'm serious Squirt." He smirked, "You're amazing and any guy you date should worship you…" He gave me a smile.

I bit my lip, "That's a lot coming from you…"

He raised a brow, "What do you mean?"

I smirked, "C'mon, don't tell me you didn't know that I had a major crush on you when I was in high school."

He furrowed his brows, "You did?"

I nodded, "God, yes. I mean did you not notice how I could barely form a sentence? Or the way I was constantly blushing? Were you that oblivious?" I grinned.

"I just figured you were shy like Cami." He shrugged, making me smirk.

"I'm not." I shook my head as he nodded.

"Well I know that now." He agreed, taking another bite and looked back at me, "A major crush, huh?" He smirked, making me toss a piece of bread at his head.

"Don't worry, I got over it." I replied, scrunching up my face at him as he laughed.

"I bet it was difficult." He teased back, making me roll my eyes.

"Apparently every man I've ever has issues with his giant ego." I said, looking up at the sky as he laughed, "Keep laughing at me and I'll stop sharing my food." I glared at him and he shut his mouth, struggling to keep a smile off his face.

He held his hands up, "I'm done, I swear." 

I shook my head and reached forward to grab some grapes, "How's babysitting going anyway?" I smirked, "What's the kids name… Charlotte?"

He narrowed his eyes at me, "You do know she's only a few years younger than you are."

I shrugged, "I'm too young for you too." I said looking up at her, "And too good for you."

He let out a laugh, "You got me there." He agreed, "She moved to the states." He said seriously as he swallowed, almost sounding upset.

I raised a brow, "You sound upset..." I trailed off, eyeing him.

He shrugged, "She was a good girl."

I raised a brow, "A good girl?"

"She was nice… She got my mind of Odette…" He gave me a small shrug, "Now I'm thinking about Odette and Charlotte…"

I gave him a small smile, "You shouldn't be thinking like that. You're a catch and they're the ones who are missing out. Not to mention you are a handsome successful lawyer! Seriously, how are you not just screwing an endless line of women?" I smirked.

"Because I want a little more substance than that?" He smirked back at me.

"Okay, maybe not that gross, but stop focusing on finding the one. Just find the right one now. You don't need to be trying to settle down, just have fun!" I grinned.

He grinned, "You're younger than me; why are you trying to settle down with a.ss face?"

I glared at him, "It's different for women!"

He shook his head, "You're gorgeous and young! Why settle down?" He winked, repeating my words.

I swallowed, "I want to be in love… and be serious. I want a love like my mom and dad…" I trailed off, averting his gaze, "At first he had a hard time dealing with the idea of having a child, but he fell in love with my mom… I want a love that knows no bounds. It's just love." I gave him a weak smile, "Call me a hopeless romantic or a complete nerd, but I want an amazing love…"

"It's not nerdy…" He trailed off, nodding his head, "I can see why you'd want that. I look at Ava and Corey and they were like parents to me and it's amazing how they found each other and how it worked so well. I just wish that I can find something that's even a fraction of that. I mean, I thought Odette was that for me, but then everything happened and it just fell apart."

I smiled, "We sound like two romantic idiots. You never know about Odette, she might get better…"

He shrugged, "I can only hope. If not to be with her, but for her just to be better."

I bit my lip, "You're an amazing guy Ames…. If Braden only acted as half as amazing you are, I'd be set."

He grinned, "Maybe we should get married then." He gave me a wink.

"I'm too young for you, remember?" I nudged him with a small grin.

"I dunno… you're the one who had a crush on me." He teased with a grin, making me roll my eyes.

"I'm going to seriously regret telling you that." I said, shaking my head.

He gave me a slow grin, "I always thought you thought of me like a brother." He shrugged, "It's flattering." He said, surprising me. I wasn't expecting that… and it made me excited.

"You mean like how you think of me as a sister?" I teased him.

"Baby sister." He added, ruining any happiness I had in my head.

"See, at least Braden hits on me, instead of treating me like a baby." I stuck out my tongue, making him laugh.

"Well I should hope so, since he's dating you. Though telling you the obvious doesn't make him a good guy." He asked.

"The obvious?" I asked, confused.

He ran his hand through his hair, "You're stunning Mila. You know that."

I grinned, "You think so?"

He nodded with a smirk, "Now are you going to get a big ego?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "Maybe, but you have no idea how much my teenage self would be dying with happiness right now. She'd go crazy at the thought of you calling me that." I joked, hoping my blush wasn't showing.

"Well, even then you were gorgeous…" He trailed off.

I bit my lip, "You should stop, I might have to jump you. My teenager self is fighting to come out." I joked.

"Oh really?" He smirked.

"Yes." I nodded, "She can't control her hormones."

"Well, she should realize that you already have a boyfriend. That should satisfy her enough." He grinned.

"You don't know her. Her hormones are raging. No joke." I grinned at him, seeing him wince.

"I don't need to think of you that way." He shook his head.

I rolled my eyes, "What are you? My dad? If you're a friend and not my father, you should be okay hearing this. I'm not a virgin, big surprise." I gave him a small wink, "It's okay! Everybody does it."

"I didn't think you were a 25 year old virgin Mila." He replied in a tone I didn't quite understand.

"I should hope I don't seem that pathetic." I exclaimed, hoping that thought never crossed his mind.

He winced and shook his head, "You do understand this is like you hearing about Noah's sex life." He told me, making me scrunch my face.

"I know too much about Noah's sex life already." I shook my head and then raised a brow at him, "But you're not my brother Ames."

He pulled away from me, "You don't know what you do to men, do you?"

I blinked back at him, "What do you mean?" I tilted my head to the side and looked at him deeply.

"I mean when men… look at you, you're beautiful, but damn classy and it makes them wonder how you'd look beneath them, wonder what they'd have to do to make lose classy lips lose total control and beg them for more."

He said before I realized exactly what he said… and what he said turned me on beyond what I had ever felt. I could feel myself get wet as I just stared at him. Ames was gorgeous, perfect face, perfect body, perfect everything. I could only imagine what made him popular with the girls… and now all I could think about was his d.ck.

"Ames…" I trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

"Which is why you could do better than a guy like Braden." He finished what he was saying, paying his attention towards the food and all was thinking was how he could turn it off so easily. I just kept thinking of him doing all those things to me and I could feel my heart beating rapidly.

"Thank you." I breathed out, forcing myself to think about something other than his gorgeous face.

"It's the truth Mila… I wouldn't tell you any lies." He said, looking into my eyes, but I couldn't peel mine from his, not even when I heard a phone going off in the background, "Mila… You're phone is ringing."

I blinked and shook my head, "Sorry about that." I took it out of my bag and saw Braden's caller ID and I looked at Ames, "It's Brae, just give me a second."

I pressed accept and answered, "Hello?"

"Hey babe! I'm done with this work business. Can I come over?" He asked, "You know, so we can finish what tonight was going to about." He said in a sly voice and I felt disgusted all of a sudden.

"Actually I can't… I'm with Cam and Gabe… I was upset after you left."

"Oh…"

"This will teach you to not ditch me for work babe." I said bluntly, "Next time spend your time with me if that's what you want. Bye." I said, hanging up without any other reply.

"You're with Cam and Gabe?" Ames smirked, asking me about my lie.

I shrugged, "I didn't want to see him… I ditched him like he ditched me." I gave him a small grin, feeling good about it. I hoped Braden was feeling a bit like sh.it, the way I always felt when he did the same to me.

Ames grinned at me, "Did it feel good?"

I nodded as I bit my lip, "Very. It felt good to put him through the sh.it he put me through."

"I'm proud of you squirt." He grinned at me.