Crossing Paths

Chapter 3

I applied the light pink lipstick on my small lips and smacked them together before I looked at myself in the mirror.

My make up was done lightly with nothing but lipstick and some rouge to paint my pale cheeks. I didn't even bother to apply mascara.

Actually, the only reason I was making myself presentable was because I knew that after the date, I'd get to see Regina.

"You excited for the date?" Belle looked at me as she smoothed her short, yellow cocktail dress.

"No," I replied in all honesty. If there was one thing I didn't care about at the moment it was the date. "What's the guy's name?"

Belle sighed softly as she tied her hair in a bun, leaving some curls hanging loose down her face. "I'm not telling you anything, Em. That's the fun thing of a blind date."

I rolled my eyes before I let my eyes examine my body in the mirror. I was wearing a beige dress with a big, black belt around my waist. The sleeves covered my shoulders, but weren't longer than that.

The dress itself wasn't revealing at all. I never dressed provocatively on first dates, because I didn't like it when men were solely focused on appearance.

If, to the men I went out with, it mattered whether I was showing off a lot of my cleavage or not, I didn't want to be with them anyway. Walsh evidently had minded and I wouldn't consider going on a date with him, ever again.

He'd been after my boobs and not my personality. The pig.

I brushed my hair, let it hang loose and grabbed my purse and jacket.

"I'm ready to go to this restaurant of yours," I said and Belle smiled brightly.

Belle had a date with her girlfriend, with whom she'd been together for almost three years now. Ruby and she had found "the man that I was destined to be with" and had decided they'd plan a date for themselves at the same time as mine and my blind date's date was.

They had decided to go to another restaurant for one reason or another, but I didn't mind. At least this way they wouldn't have to watch me suffering while I talked to a guy who only pretended to be interested in me or didn't even try pretending to like me, anymore.

We rented a cab, which brought us to the restaurant Belle had planned my date.

"Ruby texted me. She's already inside the restaurant, we're a bit late."

"Oh, crap. I ruined my reputation already, maybe I should just go home." I was already turning around, but Belle grabbed my arm.

"No. We're going."

The only thought that made it bearable for me to walk inside that restaurant, was knowing that Regina was going through the same thing.

At least I wasn't alone in this.

Belle pulled me with her inside the building and I scanned the restaurant. I hadn't seen Ruby just yet, but Belle apparently had, because she continued dragging me with her to a table.

I was too focused on not falling - Belle was walking rather quickly and my heels were much higher than hers - that I only noticed Ruby once we had arrived by the table.

The woman was standing and embraced Belle with open arms, blocking my view of the guy.

They released each other and now I finally could see who it was, sitting at that table.

Regina Mills.

"Belle.." I muttered softly. I hadn't told Belle anything about my night spent with Regina and I probably sounded as though I was disappointed, but I was buzzing on the inside.

I never considered dating Regina - simply because I wasn't into women - and I knew neither of us would consider this an actual date, but getting to spend a few hours with Regina instead of some dull or pervert guy seemed exciting.

"Before you both say anything," Ruby started, though the look on Regina's face didn't show disappointment at all. "You both can't say with hundred percent certainty that you're straight. No one can, because maybe you just haven't met the person of the same gender who makes you fall in love with them."

Belle was nodding along with every word Ruby was telling and smiled brightly as she looked at her girlfriend.

Regina and I exchanged a look. I had trouble stifling the laughs that were about to escape my lips.

"You two don't know each other, but I swear, you're made for each other," Belle said. "Don't be mad at us. Don't judge the other too quickly and have fun."

They didn't wait for our replies anymore and just hurried away. Regina scoffed as she saw the couple leaving the restaurant and laughed softly as I sat down opposite her.

"Well, our time together started sooner than expected," I said. "Did you know this?"

"The only thing Ruby told me was, "Regina, I promise you he's a good guy, now stop whining and dress up"."

"Are you into girls?" I asked.

Regina shrugged. She looked at me, but I had no idea what she was thinking. Did she feel uncomfortable being here with me? Did she feel excited and happy to be spending time with me? Did she feel absolutely disgusted by the idea of me and her together on a date?

"Well, Ruby is right. I've never been sexually or romantically attracted to a woman before, but who's guarantee that will never happen?"

I nodded slowly, because I completely understood the woman. I'd never pictured myself with a woman, but I didn't know why.

Perhaps I'd always, unconsciously, figured that it was normal or expected for me to end up with a guy. Not once in my life had I ever doubted my sexuality - not even when I hit puberty - but now that Ruby and Belle put me on this date with Regina, I started rethinking my entire dating life.

I'd never even kissed a girl. I'd always been dating boys and interested in them. That could also be, because most of my life, guys had been throwing themselves at me - not to brag, it wasn't something to be proud of - and I didn't really think about girls or falling for girls.

"And you?" Regina tilted her head in curiosity. "Is that why you don't like talking about past relationships? I just want to say that I am one hundred percent supportive of-"

"I'm not a lesbian," I quickly interrupted. I didn't need Regina to explain how okay she was with two women in a relationship, because the fact that she was friends with Ruby and didn't run away from this date told me enough.

Even though she tried to hide it, I knew Regina was curious about me and my past. My dating life in particular, for some reason. Probably because I was most secretive about that.

Maybe I'd tell her some time, but at the moment, I didn't feel like talking about me in front of her, just yet.

"I support it, obviously. But I've never been with a woman in any sort of way. Never considered it either."

"Me neither. Well.." the brunette tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. I didn't know whether I was mistaken or not, but it seemed as though a red hue was appearing on Regina's cheeks. "I kissed a girl. Once. A long time ago. It was the regular story, you know? We were young, drunk and at a party and before I knew it we were making out."

The blush on Regina's face as she told about her first and only experience with a woman, made me blush as well, especially since she had the most adorable smile upon her lips.

"I had never pictured myself with a woman before," she said and looked me in the eyes.

"Before that party?"

"No. Before this date."