She caught me watching and continued to pretend she didn't. By the 3rd shared glance, I ignored every voice screaming to run the other way, and asked her name. She said Alice and before I could say anything else, she told me I had a staring problem and asked if I wanted to go for a walk. I tried my best to hide my smile behind my black and gray scarf I bought even years prior in New York City on a day far colder than this one. We walked up Voltaire to Republique and through every side street, towards the water and up to Louvre. She showed me every corner of her city and every corner of her life; we had 4th date conversations. We spoke of family and parents and love and everything that matters. I remember her hiding behind the collar of her jacket and dancing with the water at the canal. I remember her taking me on the carousel and her laughing at how nervous I was every time she moved around on the porcelain horse. She demanded we document the day in the Foto-Automat; I had no grounds to deny her request besides a fear that this day needed documentation because it would be our first and last together.
