Scarlet Rose

Chapter 7

Sleep was still saturating her eyelids the way she felt them heavy when she opened her eyes by the bright sun filtering through her curtains. She stretched leisurely within the warmth of her bed, relishing it for a few minutes. Her eyes moved to the hands of the clock that stood next to her bed.

"Half nine...", she thought and shimmied further inside under the duvet.

"HALF NINE???!!", she shouted and burst out of her bed like a jack-in-the-box.

"Be ready at ten...", she heard his voice in her head and rushed to the bathroom still within the haze of sleep.

She hit her small toe at the door. Angry swear words left her mouth in an undeciphered language.

A quarter later she emerged completely awake, wrapped into a towel, pacing frantically towards her room. She swang the doors of her wardrobe wide open with her eyes inspecting each of her outfits with a glance, pulling hangers on the side, disapproving most of them. Time was getting of the essence. She picked a knee-length vibrant blue shift dress with a drop waist and a pleated skirt. She got dressed and pulled a pair of sheer stockings over her legs, before slipping into her black mary-janes. She sat quickly in front of her dresser, lowered her head down and tussled her hair quickly before throwing them all back with a movement of her head.

It was ten exactly. The sound of the bell at her door found her slipping a hair band over her hair. Her eyes widened in panic. If she was to faint, that would be her perfect moment.

Her heart wanted to crawl out of her body, but had stuck for the now in her throat. She had a sip from her glass of water that stood on the dresser, passed a ruby red lipstick over her lips, spritzed some perfume on her wrists, and walked towards the front door while smoothing her dress down. She took a deep breath and opened it.

Christian was standing there in front of her, dark brown curls framing his face, wide smile and the sun shining inside his grey eyes, dressed in a sharp brown suit and crisp white shirt. Her sight just caught his breath. She was looking so different from that night inside the London Apprentice. Bright red lips on a pale clear gentle face and large eyes like moss green lakes. Freckles spread across the bridge of her nose and her cheeks had the colour of roses. They were framed by messed up blonde ringlets of hair that shone against the rays of the sun. He did wonder how old she was...she looked really young.

They stood without talking staring at each other, getting reacquainted since the last time they saw each other, until the words came onto Christian's lips.

"Good morning...Rose", he said with a smooth voice.

"Good morning Christian", she replied trying to calm down the drumbeat of her heart, hoping her face had not turned scarlet under his intense stare.

"I see you got my message...", he commented while looking at her being obviously dressed up for going out.

"I did...", Candy replied softly.

"And?", he said sounding almost hesitant to know the answer, feeling all of a sudden nervous next to her without being able to explain it.

"And...", Candy said back, "I want to know more". She smiled as soon as she finished her sentence.

"Perfect!", he said feeling relieved.

"Let me get my coat", she said nearly jumping at her words and disappearing into the house, leaving Christian alone on the stairs, lost for words but grateful for those few moments alone, to try gather his thoughts.

This girl had caught his attention from the minute she burst in front of him that Friday night, and her sight today managed to surprise him once more. She was completely different from the woman he had seen just a week ago walk in the pub so confident in her skin, attracting everyone's stares dressed in a man's tux. She was mesmerising in equal measures but in a different way, similar to a sun ray left free to roam alone the streets of London.