the 1 | chaennie

9. Sparks Fly

Scoffing, Rosie rolled her eyes, "well, of course we weren't parading ourselves around in front of everyone before there was even anything to cause a fuss about. We were careful. I think, actually, the media only caught wind of our relationship the second time around. I was very strict about us being secretive."

"The second?"

"I think it's common enough in the industry to let work and distance and other things get caught in the middle. It wasn't any different for us. We were just another celebrity couple that couldn't make it work with the life that we chose to have."

"So quite a few of the heartbreak songs are about Jennie?"

Smiling, Rosie nodded. "Of course. More than quite a few. Almost all of them, from Speak Now onwards. I remember it being very important for me to write about those bad moments too, because although we did get back together, quite a few times, those moments happened. But in those moments my feelings were important to write down, to capture, and to remember because one day I was heartbroken over her, but tomorrow I would be in love with her again. It was a whirlwind of so many emotions and problems- anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself."

-

Over the following month, Rosie saw Jennie a couple of times a week, and they messaged each other constantly, leaving Rosie's cheeks hurting from smiling too much as she read the messages and her face slightly flushed at the flirty undertones. It was an unusual feeling for her, to have someone show such a pure interest in her, making her laugh as a warm feeling blossomed inside her chest, taking her to antique stores and flea markets to help her pick out gilt photo frames and old chandeliers for her apartment.

Jennie felt too good to be true, sometimes turning up in the early hours of the morning after she'd finished shooting, a cup of coffee for Rosie and her car parked outside, waiting to take her for a drive. It was the first time Rosie had ever had someone shower her with attention for the sake of it, treat her to unlimited kindness, without any catches, call her to hear her voice because a message wasn't good enough.

It rekindled some of the magic that she'd lost, and Rosie felt like she had some of her colour back. She'd been so washed out by Suzy, feeling like she had to paint her face on every day so that no one would realise that she'd been whittled down to fit the mould that the other woman had made for her, but slowly, over the ensuing weeks, she recaptured some of the person she'd been before. It was like new life had been breathed into her; a different kind of life. The shyness dissipated and she found herself becoming an accomplice in Jennie's recklessness, risking being spotted together by paparazzi just so that she could spend more time with her. The homesickness started to fade too, and Rosie felt comfortable with where she was in her life.

Of course, it was all too good to be true, but that didn't matter at the time. She bought into the idea that her life was perfect, and she found herself giving in to her better judgement and letting her heart fall. It happened quickly. Not right away, of course, but the walls fell away and the possibility was there. Both of them knew that there was more to their outings than just two friends hanging out; it was like they were playing a coy game, dancing around the truth and each other, avoiding bringing up the matter at hand. The best part was that Rosie was enjoying herself too much to care about what the future would bring between the two of them, but she'd be lying if she said that she didn't want Jennie.

Sitting in the cool interior of the brunette's Audi as they drove through the city at night, up through the sandy foothills on the outskirts, the windows cranked down and the warmth of the day lingering on the mild breeze, Rosie would feel the energy humming almost palpably between them. When Jennie turned up at her house late after filming, curling up on Rosie's sofa in a pair of sweatpants, her eyes half-lidded with tiredness and her hair carelessly thrown up into a sloppy ponytail, Rosie found herself looking at her lips as Jennie mumbled about her day. The most all of her secret wishes had amounted to was their hands gently grazing sometimes when she handed Jennie a cup of tea, or Jennie touching her back for a brief moment as she slipped around her to open the passenger door for her to get in, or her fingers lingering on Jennie's hand as she took half of the shopping bags off her. It sent a thrill through her, but Rosie found herself wanting more. The sparks were undeniable.