"Cupcakes coming through!"
The voice belonged to a tall blonde girl who was holding a small pale blue box aloft in the air like a trophy. As she ran, her
heels click-clacked across the broken pavement, the curls in her high ponytail swinging merrily as she went. It was amazing how quickly Madeline had forgotten all about London. Once upon a time, living in the capital had been her be-all-and-end-all; it had been everything. Since ditching the entire country, she'd slotted into the Parisian lifestyle a lot more than she ever could here. Once a wannabe Londoner, now a fully blown Parisenne.
She was used to the grid layout of her home now and that in comparison, the sprawling set up of London was just one giant mess. She was bogged down in shoppers and commuters, young mothers who used buggies as a battering ram, older men in suits looking tired and everything in between. And she was sinking fast.
Maddie hadn't uttered a word of English in what felt like months. Her mother tongue felt uncomfortable in her mouth, like it didn't fit or work any more. Just this morning, she'd completely forgotten the word for "spoon" and she'd had to frantically mime it at a poor lady when she'd ordered a coffee; she must have thought her a lunatic.
"Excusez-moi," she said politely to a man who was blocking her path. Madeline tried again as her patience wore thin. Again, she'd forgotten what city she was in. "Oh, would you just shit
off?" Madeline swore and the man, to her surprise, veered out of the way. With red cheeks and a frazzled look in her eye, she jogged across the busy road and sunk into the shadows. She felt a zing of exhilaration as she stepped behind the pub. Her fingers reached for her wand and she tapped the brick three times and smiled as the wall seemed to melt in front of her.
The noise and the smells hit her at once. Stepping through the bricks, the warmth enveloped her as she began to walk. She hadn't been here in years. Madeline didn't think she missed home but she did miss the familiarity. The tall woman slowed her pace, her honey coloured eyes peeking into the shop windows. Most of the same ones were still here. There was still the Post Office and the florist shop, the book shop and the robes shop. She was a grown woman now but that didn't mean she didn't still want to play dress up.
Another pull from home was Camm. Through the grapevine, she'd heard about his recent break up and she was determined to make him feel better. After all, he'd been through it with her after her ups and downs with Logan. Maddie was now battle scarred from love but with life looked at through rose tinted specs, she wasn't jaded. She also didn't want him to think that this was just a pity mission. On the contrary; she did genuinely care and worry for him. She cared and worried for Logan, Glenn and Caoimhe, too.
Hearing that he was working at the Prophet was so exciting. When he'd let her know, she'd actually squeaked with joy. Seeing him so grown up was mind boggling. Had he gotten a haircut? Had he lost the puppy fat she'd loved so much? Was he still the shy and sweet thing she'd die to protect? She hoped he was still himself and that he hadn't sold his soul to advance in his career. He was better than using dirty tactics.
Madeline was just about on time. The plan was to get a drink, maybe to get something to eat, perhaps talk a walk or even go elsewhere. She hadn't set foot in the headquarters of the newspaper and she could already see his familiar figure. "Camm!" She called, eyes wide as she stood on her tippy-toes and waved frantically at him with a big, goofy smile.
@Camm Erskine 
