pressure

  Yeah, maybe you’re right. It’s very hard to talk about it, especially if things that happened in the past still haunt you. But well, I’ll get over it eventually. By the way, what’s brought you to Paris?

Mainly the beauty of it, it's quite lovely here. Also, I was hoping to find people worth knowing because those are hard to find. What about you?

Whoever put a passcode on my phone will die both painfully and slowly.

That's harsh. Why not just painfully? Or slowly? Or maybe neither? Having a criminal record is not good.

  I learned how to understand it but not speak it.

At least you can understand it. All I can understand without asking the person to repeat what they said is oui, and that's only because of that one episode of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

  Thank you! I think? I can see you as a Charles. The kind of Charles that has great hair and is all mysterious. Or a James, but not the lame ones. More like a James bond type of James. 

No problem! Unfortunately, I'm not a Charles nor a James, and I'm not mysterious. At least I don't think so. How is one even mysterious?

  That’s right, someday you have to say what you feel, but you have to be prepared to do that. You know, some of my friends get mad at me because I know everything about their lives and they don’t know anything about mine. It’s not my fault, though. I’m just not ready to talk about some things. Hopefully, I’ll be able to do it someday.

Yeah, ad I'm never really prepared. I can see why they'd be mad, but if you're not ready, then your not ready. Personal things are usually the hardest to let out. You might one day, don't lose hope. But if you aren't able to ever do it, then that's okay too.

  I learned it when I was younger. Some words have stuck with me so when someone speaks French around me I can pick up on some of the words but to actually try and put a sentence together is impossible.

Could you speak it fluently when you were younger? I can't put together a sentence either. Just saying one word is hard.

  I agree with you. Also, sometimes you’re not ready to tell what’s going on your mind. It’s not so easy to say how you feel, especially because you don’t know how the other person will react. Sometimes you have to lie to avoid talking about things you don’t want.

Exactly. It's also not very easy for me to put my thought and feelings into words. I've never been much of a speaker, but a thinker. It can be hard to tell someone what you're thinking or feeling, but it has to come out someday, I guess. I know what you mean, lying seems to be the easiest thing to do, even if it just prolongs the inevitable. 

  You should, she’d love it definitely. And it would be good for you too. It is such a beautiful city, I do like it here. Yeah, I spent a lot of time there with my grandparents, they always took me down every weekend, it was literally a five minute drive. I can imagine, it’s different culture and everything.

I most likely will. Thanks Sky, you made me feel better. I do too. People come here for a variety of reasons and it's cool to find out what those reasons are. I usually hate beaches, but if I went there with my family, then I'd probably love them- Or at least tolerate them. Yeah, people are more into modern things than old fashioned.

  It’s pretty much a vegetarian that eats seafood. Oh, I’m sure this girl named Aspen won’t have anything better to do than follow you around and teach you how to say ‘toast’ in French and wipe your ass. She sounds like a very generous and compassionate girl. Not to mention humble and must have great hair.

Oh, I think I had a friend back in California that was one of those. Hmm, maybe you should ask this girl Aspen if she'd follow me around France everyday. I think she'd listen to you. She actually does have great hair, now that I think about it. I bet she washes it everyday.

  Google it,

That's a little unsafe. The personal translator could be a murderer for all I know and I'd end up dead, all because I couldn't speak French.

  That’s a good thing, though. You should never hold back your feelings, it gets worse if you do. Besides, everyone should be able to say what they think. 

You have a point, but sometimes holding back your feelings is the best. You get in a lot of awkward situations if you say what you think all the time. I tend to just let it out when the best time comes.

  I can understand french somewhat when someone is speaking it but to actually speak it, there’s just no way. I get so confused all the time.

That's sort of odd. How long have you been studying it?

  He’s really great, he’s done a lot for me. It’s bound to be hard but you’ve done so well, except with the speaking French thing, but you’re slowly getting there. You should go visit her, or get her to come visit you, when you’re not busy. Paris is a beautiful city. I lived in Newquay, which is right by the beach, the weather was never amazing but it was cute and nice. Though California doesn’t sound bad, the sun, wow.

That's good. I'm glad at least you think that. Hmm, I might go visit her. Once I'm done with my studies and all that. It is, there's so many beautiful places and things here that I love drawing. That sounds nice. Did you go to the beach a lot? California isn't bad, but it isn't the best. It's way different over there than it is here.

  Still with English or hire a personal translator.

You say 'hire a personal translator' like it'd be easy. I don't even know where to find one.

  My dad kind of moved us, he thought a fresh start would be good. He’s the only thing in my life which is why I follow him. But it must be hard, leaving everything behind and coming here on your own, do you miss her? —Sorry, that was too personal and you don’t like that, right? You should, I want to move into a little cottage in the town I was born in, it’s quaint enough for me.

Your dad must be a good man since you think so highly of him. It was harder at first, but I've gotten used to it since I've been doing this for about a year now. I- Um, yeah I do, a lot. It's fine, I don't mind. I wish I lived in a small, cute town. Palo Alto is filled with palm trees and big houses.

  I feel your pain, mate. I feel the exact same way.

I'm glad I'm not the only one. Everyone here seems to be experts in French and I'm just here like- I don't know what you're saying or what's happening.