For the tenth time, Rosé stole a glance at the lone customer at the far table—and she was not the only one who was doing so.
The tall young man looked as if he had stepped out of a painting. Every line and feature well defined.
The calm demeanor emanated from him had hushed the usual lively conversations of the restaurant. Rosé felt as if he had cast a spell over the cool night.
The dim light of the restaurant threw a mystique shadow over him, and the moonlight that poured through the tall glass wall made him look ethereal.
Rosé could literally hear a warning bell going off inside her head.
I have a boyfriend. She muttered to herself again and again as she handled the customer orders.
But the voice inside her head kept interrupting her. Not like he is a loyal one.
Rosé argued back. So I should be like him, too?
Well, it wouldn't kill you. It's high time for you to dump that asshole. The voice said firmly.
For a few seconds, Rosé forgot all about the lone customer as she thought of her boyfriend.
She felt bitter. Both her friend and her boyfriend had betrayed her, but Rosé was not ready to part from either of them. She felt as if she were a loser.
"You are a fool," Rosé muttered to herself as she stepped out to the balcony to take a breath of fresh air.
Suddenly, she felt someone lift her chin gently.
Rosé felt her heart skip a beat when she saw who was standing in front of her. A shiver of excitement ran down when she heard the musical voice.
"A beautiful fool, maybe."
*****
Julien had no trouble ignoring the secret glances of other customers and the staff. Julien O'brien was used to it.
Wherever she went, people took notice.
She glanced at her androgynous face reflected on the glass wall.
Most people mistook her for a young man. But it could not be helped. Her lean, taut six-foot body only added to the misconception.
Growing her hair only made people more confused, and she kept it short, which was more comfortable for her.
Julien turned her attention to the waitresses in lace-pink dresses, weaving in and out through the tables, serving the customers with soft smiles on their faces.
She was almost bored and ready to leave when someone caught Julein's eye.
This girl looked to be in her early twenties, but she carried herself very elegantly, unlike the rest of the waitresses.
If she were the only one who wore that pink dress, others might have taken her for a customer.
Julien didn't fail to notice how her curvy body moved underneath the silk dress, like gentle water flowing down a curvy river.
The more Julien, the more she found her fascinating. I guess coming out was worth it.
Julien took her wine glass and slipped out to the balcony.
The cool night air brushed against her skin as she settled into a seat beside a tall philodendron, its broad leaves shielding her from the view of other guests while giving her a perfect angle to observe the girl.
She watched her laugh softly with the handsome bartender—too familiar, too close. Her boyfriend? Julien wondered, though the thought didn't stop her gaze from lingering.
Julien watched the girl walk out to the balcony, towards where she was, with pleasant surprise.
But the girl looked sad. She stood there, looking at the city afar, its lights twinkling like stars.
Without thinking, Julien got up and walked closer to her.
The girl gasped with surprise when Julien raised her chin with a finger, looking into her hazel eyes.
"Why do you think you are a fool?" Julien asked gently.
"Don't everybody make a fool of themselves at least once in their lifetime?" The girl asked in a soft voice.
"True," Juliend replied with a gentle smile. "What's your name?"
"Rosé, Mr. …?" She inquired tentatively as if she was not sure that Julien would introduce her.
She is in for a shock. Julien thought as she answered, "Miss… Julien."
Julien watched Rosé's eyes widen with surprise, but then a small smile crept into her sensual lips along with a pink of her cheeks. Julien brushed her finger along the pink cheek, feeling the warmth against the cool night. Rosé's cheeks turned almost red at Julien's touch.
"I blame my parents for both my looks and my name," Julien said as she took her hand away.
"You should actually thank them. You are the most gorgeous person I've ever seen, and I'm sure this is not the first time you've heard someone say it to you." Rosé said in a quiet voice, looking up at Julien.
"Touché. I'm sorry, I took the liberty to touch you." Julien said with a small apologetic bow.
Rosé looked at Julien with a nervous smile. "You can return the favour," Rosé said, and Julien couldn't hide her surprise.
"How?" Julien asked, intrigued by Rosé's reply.
"Let me touch your face too," Rosé whispered, as if she were afraid that others would hear her. Julien almost laughed out loud, but only a quiet chuckle left her lips.
"Sure. Go ahead." Julien said, taking another step closer to Rosé, but Rosé stepped back.
"I'm sorry. I was out of my mind." Rosé said, almost frightened.
Julien stepped back but took a room key out of her pants pocket. She held it out to Rosé. "If you change your mind."
Julien walked back in without looking back at Rosé. She let the incident and the girl slip out of her mind.
*****
Rosé held Julien's room key card with a trembling hand. She could not believe that she actually asked to touch Julien. She felt feverish. What's wrong with me? She felt as if she were in a dream. She watched Timothy, the bartender, walk up to her with unfocused eyes.
"Lucky girl," Timothy said as he leaned on the balcony rail, looking at Rosé. "I was tempted to ask for his number myself."
"Her," Rosé whispered.
"What?" Timothy asked absentmindedly as he lit up a cigarette.
"You wanted to ask for her number," Rosé said as she looked at the key card in her hand. And she freely gave the key card to a total stranger. Which one of us is naive/insane?
Timothy looked at Rosé, frozen. "He is... a her?" "It's a girl?" Timothy stood there for a few seconds, totally forgetting about his cigarette. "Damn," He said and then looked at Rosé, who was lost in thought.
"And she gave you her key card? Are you gonna use it?" Timothy asked with a strange look on his face and added, "I won't blame you if you did. In fact, use it." He said as he walked off.
"Timmy…" Rosé whispered, looking at the back of retreating Timothy.
*****
Julien sat on her room balcony, gazing at the vast sky above her. A sigh escaped her lips.
Thirty-five years. And how many more to go? Julien thought as she watched the setting moon.
She poured the rest of the wine into the glass. I wish I could empty my mind too. She thought as she emptied the glass in one shot.
Her attention was diverted when she heard her door open.
Julien got up and turned towards the door. Even though she knew it could only be Rosé, she was surprised to see her standing there, looking at Julien with frightened eyes.
Julien walked up to her in a few strides and scooped up Rosé with one hand and held her face with the other as she kissed her lips deeply.
Her mind went empty, and only Rosé existed in her world.
She felt Rosé's hands go around her neck, pulling her closer. She kissed Rosé to her heart's desire and pulled herself back to notice Rosé was struggling to breathe.
"I'm sorry, love, I'm sorry," Julien whispered as she rested her forehead on Rosé's forehead.
She felt Rosé shake her head and whisper, "Thank you."
Julien gently settled Rosé on the bed and let her catch her breath. She watched Rosé's eyes flutter under her lids.
Julien gently kissed Rosé's face and lips, touching her soft cheek.
She traced the soft curves of Rosé's body and felt Rosé's body shiver at her touch.
Julien was surprised when Rosé held her by her shirt collar and pulled her closer, whispering, "touch me more."
*****
Rosé stood in front of Julien's room, shivering with both excitement and fear.
Finally, it was the opening of the next-door room that pushed Rosé to open Julien's door and walk in.
Rosé felt as if she walked into the den of the lion to hide from others. She watched Julien walk over to her, but she felt as if time had slowed down.
For a moment, she felt as if she was disconnected from her body, and the second Julien touched her lips, her body was set on fire.
She felt alive.
And she felt Julien's desires seep into her bones.
The world around her melted away, and she only felt bliss.
Rosé had never felt this way before, not even the first time she kissed her boyfriend.
Somehow, she knew, Julien's touch and her kiss came from the bottom of her heart.
But Rosé could not tell how she knew it. She felt it in her bones. She felt it in her soul.
Soul. Why did I think of soul?
She felt as if Julien had reached into her and touched her soul.
Rosé felt Julien's hand roam her body; her lips touched every inch, setting Rosé's soul on fire.
She felt so alive but too weak to stop Julien's strong hand and kisses.
Rosé surrendered her body to Julien and the control of her mind.
She let her mind guide her. She kissed Julien's taut body, every inch she could manage, as Julien permitted.
Rosé didn't know whether she screamed loudly or in her mind as it hit her hard.
Her body shook violently and took way longer than usual to pass away. She felt Julien hold her and kiss her softly, hugging Rosé to her chest.
"Sleep, we can talk in the morning." Rosé heard Julien whisper as she kissed Rosé's ear. Rosé fell asleep, not knowing that she had been waiting for it for ages.
*****
Julien watched soundly sleeping Rosé.
Another one? How peaceful she looks.
Julien brushed hair out of Rosé's face and arranged it neatly.
What happened to her? Julien wondered.
She knew that Rosé came to her because something else drew her here.
Julien knew Rosé was not the type of girl to sleep around.
Someone must have hurt her. The bartender? No, they seemed closed, but there was no contempt.
Julien kissed Rosé's swollen lips, feeling how soft they were.
Was I too rough? She thought worriedly.
She examined Rosé's lips closely to check whether they were injured. Julien kissed her forehead and whispered in her ear.
"Sleep, sweet little angel."
*****
Rosé found herself inside Julien's arms when she woke up, and the memories of the previous night slowly came back to her.
She felt her cheeks burn.
Was I mad? She had never thought of sleeping with a woman. Not even in her wildest dream.
But why did it feel so right? Rosé thought confusedly.
But she was sure of something. She knew whatever happened in the future, she would never regret the previous night.
Rosé knew it would be one of the most cherished memories of her life. It was not the sex. She knew. It was the best she ever had, but it was something else.
There was something magical. Something she could not put into words.
Rosé watched Julien's chiseled face.
Rosé thought that Julien looked more attractive with the messy hair.
God, you really do play with human hearts! Rosé complained silently.
Rosé knew that if Julien had not told her that she was a woman, she would have never guessed it.
She took a look at Julien's lean body that almost looked like a man's body.
And she has insane strength, too. Rosé thought, remembering how Julien picked her up with one hand as if Rosé weighed nothing.
A shiver of excitement ran down Rosé's body when the memory came back, and Julien's eye flew open. Rosé silently gasped as Julien's intense gray-blue eyes looked into her eyes.
"Good morning, little princess."
*****
Rosé sat on her chair, wrapping her arms around her knees.
The cool morning wind rose goosebumps along Rosé's arms.
She looked up when Julien put a blanket around her shoulders.
Every time she saw Julien's face close, she felt as if she was stepping from reality to a dream.
No matter how much she watched Julien, she could not place Julien in the real world.
Rosé watched Julien stretch herself and marveled at how tall she was.
"How.. How tall are you?" Rosé asked tentatively.
"Six three," Julien said with a half-smile.
Somehow, it saddened Rosé.
What would it feel like to be Julien? She wondered.
Yes, she seemed to have everything, including money, considering the suite she was staying in, which didn't come with a cheap rate.
But Julien was a woman who looked like a young man.
She might even be able to get any man or woman to fall for her, but somehow, she did not give off the vibe of someone who would use her looks to get someone.
Now, when she thought back, she could tell that Julien was surprised to find herself talking to Rosé.
"Why me?" The question was out of her mouth before Rosé realized.
Julien looked at her thoughtfully. "Because you are who you are."
Rosé felt puzzled. "But why me?"
"Because I could not help myself." Rosé felt a profound sadness in Julien's answer.
She reached out to Julien, and Julien held her hand.
They watch the sunrise in silence. As the sun rose and its first rays spread their warmth, Rosé realized that she had fallen in love.
A love that would not fade away till the day she died. But something in Julien's demeanor told her that they didn't have a future together.
"Julien… can I know your full name?" Rosé asked quietly.
Julien answered as if she were waiting for the question.
"Julien Saoirse O'brien."
Somehow, Rosé wasn't surprised.
Princess Saoirse, the future queen to the throne of Ireland.
Rosé got up from her chair and bowed to Julien.
Neither Rosé nor Julien looked back at each other as Rosé left Julien's room.
But Julien heard Rosé whisper, "Thank you for the eternal night."