It was a Sunday morning and the day was bright, the breeze was warm and heavy yet refreshing. A smile on my face produced some odd looks from my family as I hummed along the soft background of the music from the radio. I was currently cooking breakfast for all of us at 7 am, a habit I often do when I was still living with them.
"You sure she's okay?" Holland whispered from across the room but it was loud enough for me to hear. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her
"Something's up" My father shrugged his shoulders.
"I'm right here guys" I announced as I placed a bunch of steaming bacon on the plate.
"Then can you tell us what's making you so unlike you?" I scoffed at my mom's remark
"Unlike me? I'm always like this every Sunday back when I was still here"
"Yes you were, but you're happier now" Holland made a point. This made me impede from all actions and stared at the piece of juicy and scrumptious meat in front of me, was I that obvious? I visibly shook my head and started placing their full plates in front of them.
"I deserve some privacy" I simply said, which made a lot of sense. They didn't have to know every detail about my life, or love life for that matter.
"Hun, privacy is not in our vocabulary at this household" My sister insisted but my mother held her hand and shook her head, giving me a reassuring smile.
"That's enough so tell us Holland about this guy you're seeing?" At the mention of this my sister beamed and started talking animatedly about this unknown guy who I could hardly care about right now. My mind drifted off to last night instead.
"Can I give you a ride?" Ynna appeared beside me as I walked towards the street to hail a cab, if there even was one available at 12 in the morning in this neighborhood. Her invitation was a relief to me so I nodded my head and followed her quietly in her parked car.
"Are you okay?" She asked me as she opened the passenger's door for me.
"Yes Ynna, you keep asking me that" She closed the door when I entered and rushed towards the drivers seat.
"I don't know but since that actor came to the set you've been, agitated" She slowly stated as if every word was made of glass and if she wasn't careful in pronouncing them they'd shatter and hurt me.
"It's... A long story. Maybe we can talk about it sometime? It's pretty late" I really wanted to tell her the whole story but judging from the hectic day we just had I knew she was just as tired as I was. She gave me her usual timid smile with an understanding glint glazed in her light amber eyes.
"Then can you just answer this question for me?" She started her ignition after I nodded my head and anticipated what query she wanted to throw this time.
"Can you show me the beach again tomorrow?" I laughed lightly at her shy demeanor, she averted her gaze from me, her dark hair covering half of her face as if she was too shy to look at me at the moment.
"I'd love to, though I've already made plans with someone in the morning, is it okay if we meet around afternoon?" I was surprised at how fast her head turned at my statement.
"With whom?" She immediately asked then shook her head after registering what she asked.
"I'm sorry I'm being nosey" she continued and averted her gaze.
"No it's alright. It's a friend I met when we first arrived here. Her name's Lou"
"Oh... Okay sure. Afternoon would be fine" She sounded hesitant but I didn't put any mind to it. She parked in front of our lawn but she was too busy thinking about something that she didn't notice we were already here. It was like she was in autopilot and she was merely floating.
"I'll see you tomorrow?" I placed hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently to garner her attention.
"Tomorrow" she nodded her head. I opened my door but before my foot had contact with the asphalt she gently placed a hand on my hand.
"Megan"
"Yes Ynna?" I tried so hard not to stammer or be aware of her warm hand resting on my knee and restraint myself from placing mine on top and interlacing our hands.
"Have a good night"
"Goodnight Ynna"
"Night Megan"
---
True to her words Lou arrived outside my parent's house at exactly 8 am. Her muscle car was painted matte black that she looked cool while driving it.
"You look gorgeous" She eyed me from head to toe and I felt shy all of a sudden so I kept quiet the whole ride. We arrived at a small cafe. It was simple outside with its red brick walls and and potted plants. Inside was a different story, shelves of books adorned the walls. Yellow bulbs lighted the individual booths with comfy looking couches.
"This place is nice" I was at awe that I didn't know this place existed at our neighborhood, I must have missed a lot.
"I know right. We've been going to this place since like forever"
"This is my first time here" She looked surprised at my statement.
"Not your hang out place?" We found a seat near a book shelf where tons of fiction novels were neatly stacked.
"No, my friends and I usually go to a diner or somewhere" I recalled my memories here, I had to work at a local diner after school so I could help with my parents.
"Maybe that's why I don't see you around. I would've spotted someone as beautiful as you" I almost snorted at her. Not even a minute that we sat and she was already bombarding me with her sweet talk.
"Smooth is that how you get your girls?"
"Girls? Oh come on, they're overrated. I've set my eyes on one particular woman" She wiggle her brows at me which I admit was adorable.
"Hmm... And this said woman is older than you?"
"Maybe two or three years? Who cares about age anyway? This woman is down to earth gorgeous" She exaggerated by waving her hands in frustration.
"You're very straightforward aren't you?" I prodded my head on my hand.
"Well I like to think I'm just talented"
"And cocky, I'm starting to think you're younger than what you told me"
"Hey! I'm 21!"
"And I'm 25"
"Will you marry me?"
"Getting ahead of ourselves noh? What should we order?"
After giving the tired looking guy our orders we fell into a conversation immediately. Lou was a character indeed, she knew what questions to ask and what subjects to bring up just to make our time worthwhile and what I would admit as fun.
If I was to assimilate Lou with something, I would say she was the sun, loud and bright, cheerful and lively. She would touch you with her warm rays and you wouldn't help but be joyful as well because her aura was contagious. I was comfortable with her just as she was with me. She practically told a lot about her life back when we first met and that was something.
"Nostalgia? I've been hearing my friends talk about a shooting happening in town maybe that's what they're talking about" She took a long sip from her smoothie. Lou asked me about my job which I told her in honesty it was the least I could with the honesty she was giving me. She took it well, if you could say it in that way because she nearly toppled our food and shouted from her shock.
"Yeah it's really cool you should watch it when it'll be streamed" I grabbed my chilled Americano finding solace from the cold container, the temperature was slowly rising.
"I wouldn't want to miss a chance to see you on television. I would even buy the DVD or all your merch, or watch it on Netflix" We left the cafe and started down the sidewalk.
"Okay that's too much"
"Can you bring me to your set?"
"It's a closed set so no outsiders I'm sorry"
"That's okay, I can always ask you for another date out"
"This is a date?" I feigned a shocked surprise which she rolled her eyes on.
"Well if my subtle flirting and not so obvious flaunting of my attraction towards you is not yet giving you a signal then nope I was kidding this isn't a date" She retorted in the most serious face she could muster that I almost believed her.
"Your sarcasm is killing me" I shook my head and continued walking
"You're killing me" She briskly walked to match my pace
"Well I enjoyed your company Lou, you're a breath of fresh sarcasm"
"Wasn't that supposed to be air?" Her innocent face almost made me believe she was truly serious about my joke, but then she snorted and we started laughing together.
"I'll see you around Lou" I waved my hand and started walking around the corner
"Wait Megan!" I was taller than her but when she reached towards my face and implanted a soft yet warm kiss on my lips I felt warmth spread towards my body, it was subtle, a soft feeling invading through my veins as she gave me my space back and turned on her heels not giving me the satisfaction to react
"I hope to see you soon" She shouted as her figure disappeared among the sea of crowds.
I opted my feet to move and avoid the glare people keep sending my way for pausing in the middle of the sidewalk, though they bothered me less. That simple gesture from a still stranger made me remember a certain person of Russian descent.
Ynna was the moon. She was cool and shy, timid, solemn but not innocent at all. The two women were completely opposite but I wouldn't dare compare them from each other.
They may have some similarities and differences but they weren't mere objects that I can simply describe through adjectives. They were people with stories behind and I was as eager to know Ynna's story just as with Lou.
---
I kicked an innocent pebble with the end of my shoe and watched it stumble towards the gap between the canal. I spotted another one and decided that this was my next victim, but before I could approach the poor rock a perfectly shined pair of converse appeared in front of me. I slowly trailed my eyes towards the said person and was surprised to see a pair of familiar amber eyes.
"Converse?" I wouldn't even in my dream imagine Ynna Volstak, the star on every runway show and uprising actress wear a pair of black sleek converse shoes. I almost laughed that even with this casual wear, a loose white shirt, fitted denim shorts and the said shoes she would make my knees bend at her figure.
"They're a classic" Her perfect set of teeth
"Can't you wear anything that wouldn't look good on you?"
"Wanna bet?"
"I don't gamble" I laughed at her
"Suit yourself, shall we?"
"Lead the way"
The ride to my favorite beach was quiet yet comfortable. When we arrived Ynna went at her trunk and retrieved a brown basket.
"A basket?" I raised my brow at her.
"A basket, a blanket, some wine and fruits inside too" She shrugged her shoulders
"I never knew you were quite the romantic"
"I'm not" She dragged her words out for emphasis.
"You almost made me believe this is a first date" This beach was becoming more special to me, somehow when I'm here with Ynna she becomes more open, carefree even playful and I felt the atmosphere around us change drastically.
"Now who's the romantic?"
"Oh shut up" I playfully nudged her shoulder as we neared a spot near the shore but far away enough to not get wet. I could feel every vein throbbing from an excitement along my blood. This felt different, euphoric and too overwhelming I felt my body heat up. I didn't notice that she was already laying the soft looking blanket over the sand.
"Are you just gonna stand there?" She woke me from my stupor as she offered her hand for me to take, which I quickly took. The soft prickles of spark jolted me as soon as our skin made contact, I wasn't sure if it was just me or she felt that too.
We both lay on our buttocks, another set of blanket covering our lower extremities. Ynna offered me a glass of wine with a red liquid swirling inside it.
"This feels relaxing" I stretched my limbs but careful enough not to spill my drink.
"Did you enjoy your day?" Ynna eyed me as she drank from her glass, her perfectly tinted lips making me nauseous with images I'd rather not entertain.
"Yeah I did. Lou is very talkative, I think Peter would match her enthusiasm"
"Well that's something, she seems fond of you to want to meet you so eagerly" I paused for a little bit and stared at her, those beautiful green eyes were looking at me intently I had to avert my gaze.
"Well she's young, you know how reckless and impulsive they are"
After a few weeks of working with Ynna, I conclude that I knew nothing about her yet, it seems like I didn't really know her, which makes everything more exciting. It was as if she was a new person everyday but at the end of the day, she was still Ynna, a person so mysterious it was frustrating me already. I wanted to figure her out, get familiar with the pieces that built her personality, her.
We watched the waves dance along the shore, the once sky blue sea turned into a dark vast clearing. The scenic sun has finally succumbed to it's bed and in its place floated the mellow moon. We were quiet for a while, I could say I almost heard the loud thumping of my heart.
It was safe to say that the person I admire who I admitted was out of my league, was now closer, nearer, there was still a space between us, maybe an inch or two. It shows how little we know about each other.
That night consisted of a few exchange of words from the both of us. Our attention was almost lost at the ocean, but I like to say we just wanted to live in the moment. It was comfortable, safe and tranquil. I couldn't have asked for anything else to end my night.
---
It's been a while since I updated and I apologize for that due to the demand of college requirements I had to stop writing for a while
I'm grateful for those who still choose to read this story I hope you still have the patience to wait for updates.
It's near December now and I always have a lot of inspiration during this time of the year so hopefully updates would be more frequent
-kukimonstah