(Not) On Vacation (Sequel to "Blind In Love") (Chaelisa)

10

"So what are we searching for exactly?" Rosé asks.

We've been searching around the small room for nearly 20 minutes.

"Anything that can tell us why someone might come here and decided to move your coffee cup."

"Maybe they knocked it over in a rush and then put it back without thinking," Rosé says.

I turn to her. "You know....i actually never thought about that." Then I point at her. "But that just proves that someone was here!"

Rosé smiled and shakes her head before going back to searching.

I go to the bookshelves and move my fingers through the books. I keep searching and searching until I see a book missing.

"Rosé! Come here! Was this always missing?!" I point to the space between "Life Of Pi" and "The Great Gatsby".

Her eyes widen at the space. "That was....It was my dad's favorite book."

"What was it?" I ask.

"The Catcher In The Rye," she says with a far off look. "By J.D. Salinger."

I smile. "That's my favorite piece of classical literature. I re-read it in....." I trail off.

She goes back and sits in her chair slowly. I walk to her and place a hand on her shoulder. "What is it?"

"The boy in the book....is coping with a tragic loss. He tries to find purpose and plan his next life move but he does have a guide." She swallows and looks at me. "Are you sure my father really took his life or someone murdered him Lisa?"

She holds her head in her hands. "What if this is some type of sign.....that we should just stop?"

I shake my head. "No. Other than the fact that your father could've been murdered, someone is trying to kill you. And we can't let him be successful."

She sits back with a sign and runs her face. "Maybe we should just let him. He obviously need the money more—"

I hold her hands in mine and kneel in front of her. "Rosé. They don't need the money. They want it. They're being greedy. Your dad chose you. He chose you for a reason."

She shakes her head. "He didn't tell me the reason. Nor was it at the will reading. I just had to sit there and watch as the man read out every single property that's mine while my family turned dislike into hatred. I can't....." she stops talking and just stares at where our hands are connected.

I rub my fingers across her knuckles in gentle brushes. "If you don't want to be a part of this, I understand. I'll figure out who's doing this by myself."

She just nods and I stand up and tug her hands. "Come on." She stubbornly stays sitting. "Wallowing here won't help."

"But I want to wallow."

"Then let's wallow with ice cream," I suggest. "Or the new rom-com with Sidney Sweeney and Capybara actor."

She looks up at me. "His name is Glen Powel."

"All I see is that he looks like a capybara who got granted his wish to be human."

She laughs and stands up in front of me. Although it's a bit....close. Okay. We're only 2 inches apart and our knees are pressed together.

I smile and squeeze her hands. "Ice cream?"

She smiles and nods shyly, looking down at her feet. Then I drag her out of the room.

••••••••••

"I'm telling you that this fake dating stuff doesn't work out," Rosé says as she eats another bite of ice cream. "They always catch feelings for each other."