"I'm not sure." She sighed, shrugging her shoulders. It was complicated. She couldn't openly be rude, as it was a public setting. Serra had no idea just what her parents had in store for them. "Yeah and i want the presents, so i'll suck it up."
"Are you going to go through with it?" Willa asked, curious. Willa wasn't quite sure of how she would navigate that situation. Faced with an ex at your own birthday party, at the request of your parents? Even the thought made Willa sigh and lean back in her chair.
"I mean obviously, you want the birthday party..."
"Those are two of my favorite words. Closely following diamonds and presents." She had never made an attempt in faking humility, she'd never be any good at it. Serra oozed privilege and high standards, spending money and never wondering if it would stop coming.
"You would assume so, but alas.." She trailed off, shrugging her shoulders. "They have always liked him, but come on."
"You had me at champagne and shopping," Willa smiled warmly, lifting her cup of tea and taking a small sip. While her father did provide Willa and her mother, the difference between Willa and her peers was evident. She had enough to live a lavish life in London, but not quite Paris.
"Your birthday party seems very harsh," She stated, surprised. "And quite a public setting too, would it not have been smarter to organise something a bit more private?" Willa knew if it was her ex, she would much rather an intimate setting to reunite.
"I've talked to her earlier so she's around for sure. Perhaps she met someone and is showing him around the place." She teased with a smirk playing on her lips. "Sounds like a plan."
"Obviously! I haven't seen her yet, but she's got to be around somewhere." In a crowd this big losing people felt easy. She bet Serra would be able to find Willa. "We can find Wils, and then stop by your closet for a new dress?"
"Next time you have to come with me. We can stay at my house, go shopping together, eat french pastries..." It would be a fun thing to do, to show Willa around the town she had enjoyed so much.
"I don't know. Maybe? My parents certainly think it is time. They wanted to invite him to my birthday party, can you believe that?" She scoffed, shaking her head. He had broken her heart, all those years ago. "He did look quite handsome. And I do enjoy the presents..but he embarrassed me terribly back at Hogwarts."
Willa sighed, a slight hint of jealousy as Serra described her experiences in Paris. It was notable to many that while Willa had free reign to avail of the Bulstrode last name, their funds weren't quite as easily accessed. Despite how much Willa would have longed to visit her friend in Paris, it wasn't quite in sight.
At Serra's depiction of her run in with Malcolm, she took a sip of her tea, eyebrows raised ever so slightly. "Are you thinking of forgiving him?" Willa asked, slightly intrigued for Serra's response. "If I were you, I would wait to see him on his knees."
"Wonderfully. With lots of champagne." She sighed wistfully, already missing the beautiful city she got to call home for a few short months. It had more charm and elegance than London did. It felt more refined.
"I ran into him on the street as I was going to visit my father at the shop. He said something about me looking much better here than I would in Paris, so I said I would look good everywhere. Because that is a fact." The last bit was said as an afterthought. "He's been begging for forgiveness for years. With all the jewellery and dresses he's been buying me. I have yet to see him on his knees though."
"How did Paris treat you? Too many hours spent at the Avenue des Champs-Elysées" Willa asked intrigued, quietly thanking the waitress as two teapots were sat in front of the pair. Serra understood Willa's love for the finer things in life, and while most would expect their attitudes to clash, in fact it made quite the harmonious balance.
Pouring tea for herself and Serra, Willa's eyebrow quirked in response the the mention of Malcolm Parkinson. Back at Hogwarts, Willa recalled first talking to Serra after the commotion between Serra and Malcolm, and of course, Charity Burbage. She was slightly older, but that didn't stop word from spreading. "What happened?" Setting the teapot back down, she looked back at her friend. "I sure hope that he begged for forgiveness."
"Agreed. I've missed you too." While she was a few years younger than Willa, the other never made her feel listened to, both of them understanding that their value was far superior to other girls at Hogwarts so they bonded quickly.
"Oh absolutely. London would certainly be a bore without you." She was glad to have her friend around as she desperately needed someone to talk to about recent developments. "Malcolm came to see me." It wasn't exactly an answer to the question asked, but in a round about way, it was. "Said he wanted to come by the manor and talk to me."
"It's been far too long, I've missed you." Willa gushed. The woman had no problem leaving her station a little early for her lunch break, with a few other welcome witches on shift, Willa was sure that nobody would even notice her being gone. It was hardly like she was an attentive worker.
Besides, when she heard that Serra was back in London, Willa knew that exceptions could be made. "It would've been a dream to visit you in Paris, but London seemed intent on keeping me around. Things would have gotten dreadfully boring with the two of us gone. How are you?"
status: for @willabulstrode location: Rosa Lee's teabags
Standing up from her seat in Rosa Lee's she waved to Willa, motioning her friend over. It was the middle of the day and there were more people around than she had thought, so she wanted to make sure Willa saw her through the crowds. "It 's been too long. I told you, you should've come to Paris to visit.."