Checking her view in the mirror one last time, Luna reapplied her lip balm. Running her fingers, carefully, through her hair, she managed to put it in place. Was this too much? Why was she so nervous?
Staring at the little wrinkle done on her dress, Luna knitted her brows. Running her hand a couple of times, she sighed in defeat. It was fine, it would all turn out fine. No one would even notice it. She was definitely overthinking.
Walking back into her closet, she picked another dress. This time in satin, she had never had the chance to wear such an outfit. Looking at her reflection, she wondered once again. Because of the weather outside, her first thought was to wear something thicker. So she opted for a green checkered wool dress. Because it was synched at the waist, it accentuated her curves, giving a more youthful feel. But now, looking again, she didn't feel flirty at all. As she took the satin dress out of the hanger, Luna heard her phone ring.
Picking it up, Luna felt herself dizzy. Her heartbeat speeding.
"Hello." She answered.
She could hear the faint R&B playing on the background.
"Hey, are you ready? I'm in front of your house." Leonard's voice was deep and sultry, with a tinge of nervousness hidden well behind it.
"Oh, okay. I'll be right there." Luna answered, grabbing her purse and her shoes. She chose simple pumps, that although not really extraordinary looking, made her legs look the best.
As she stared at herself on the elevator, the few seconds allowed her to overthink everything that led till this moment. As she stepped out of it, the sounds of her shoes hitting against the floor were like those of raindrops on a flood. Each overlapping the other inside her head, as her pressure got higher and higher. As she got out of the building, Leonard was already outside his car. As if her heartbeat had moved to her head, Luna felt her ears burn with the heat emanating from her face.
Leonard looked great, with a satin purple shirt and black trousers, he gave off a different aura from when they met through meetings. His hair styled in a very trendy way. With those looks, he could be compared to actors and models.
As both people stood there, startled, with a shy smile on their face. The doorman could only stare. Oh how good it was to be young.
"Have a good evening Ms.Gills." The doorman spoke, making Luna aware of her surroundings.
"Thank you. You too." Luna spoke with a shy smile, finally approaching her date.
As Leonard observed Luna approach, he opened the car's door. His eyes barely leaving his date's.
"Hi." Luna greeted him. She was so nervous it was embarrassing.
It was not as if they had never gone out to eat just the two of them. In fact, out of all of the people in her life, Leonard was probably the person she went out most frequently. Being both food lovers with complicated schedules, they both didn't mind arranging their meetings during meal time. As they got closer, whenever there was chance to find a new restaurant, they would both be quick to contact each other. Now, however, the situation was different. There was a thick fog of tension clouding what used to be a free road.
"Hey." He greeted her back, his lips with an enchanting smile. "You look beautiful."
Feeling her cheeks flush, she smiled.
"Thank you. You too." She spoke staring at his shirt.
As silence filled the air, Leonard opened the door for Luna to enter the vehicle. What did they usually talk about? How did they feel around each other? Those were memories both of them couldn't quite recall. It was so natural, that trying to remember only wasted energy.
"How was work today?" Luna was the first to break the ice.
"Just the same as other days." Leonard answered as he started the engine. The sexy sound of R&B filling the air. Leaving the two inside the car in an even more awkward situation. "What about yours? You said you had an interview today, right?"
"Oh, yes. We did Cool Kids Table." Luna answered. Yes. This was definitely not how they usually spoke on regular days.
But to think of it, on regular days, they would usually meet after work, or during it. In office attire, eye bags, only the tinge of perfume that managed to last. They would talk business, or just straight u nonsense. So, to talk about such personal things, when both of them were the opposite of oversharers, was just advancing in emptiness.
"It was actually quite refreshing to do a program without a script." Luna tried relaxing her shoulders a bit, since they were so stiff. Act natural. Fake it until you make it. She thought repetitively.
"You didn't go through the schedule?" Leonard knited his brow.
"I'm not crazy, of course we went through it." Luna giggled. "I just opted to do it a few minute before the show."
"You must drive your trainees crazy." Leonard laughed. "But I guess it went well. I saw it was trending."
"I guess so. And your day?"
"A friend of mine is staying at my place for a couple of days, so I got a bit busy with that today too." Leonard laughed.
"Oh, did I ruin your plans? If you had told me, we could have gone out another day."
Shaking his head, Leonard was quick to deny.
"No, no. He just really likes to show up when he isn't invited, for no reason. He's been like that ever since we were kids." Leonard laughed it off.
"How long have you been friends for?" Luna wondered.
"Ever since we were five or six. We went to the same pre-school, then we went to the same boarding school and college."
"You are basically family at this point." Luna gave a soft laugh. "Being together all this time... I understand where he's coming from. If it were me, I would too. You had him beside you more years than you didn't."
"Putting it like that, yes. He's like a brother to me." Leonard chuckled. "I will introduce you two someday."
"He sounds really fun." Luna agreed. Looking outside at the streets, she noticed the odd decorations outside. "Is today an important day?"
Staring at the woman with the Side of his eye. Leonard noticed Luna's amused expression.
In her past life, because of the tough preparations for her solo, she never really got the time to come out at night, so, such scenes were news to her. To see the always dull street so beautifully adorned, brought a weird relief on her heart.
"I think it's the city's anniversary tomorrow. I think they put the lights up for the parade."
Staring at the man's face. It looked even more enchanting under the sparkly lights. Oh, he was really handsome.
"Such a thing is happening..." Luna whispered. She had noticed that her schedule was more lenient tomorrow. Even allowing her to have some free time to focus on a new album.
"Do you want to come see it?" Leonard asked, noticing the unreadable expression on Luna's face.
"Tomorrow I have song recordings to do. But I think I can see it from my office." She spoke, not realising the offer she had just turned down.
"Oh, okay." Leonard spoke. "What are your new songs about?"
Facing the man, Luna stopped to think. She herself wasn't sure.
"Not sure yet. I haven't decided yet. I was thinking of singing some songs I already had written. But I don't really feel that way anymore. So I thought of playing around a bit." Her voice was quiet, thinking.
As the silence in the car sank for a quick awkward second. Luna broke it.
"Do you want to come tomorrow? We could watch the parade from my office." Her words were quiet, almost as they were too shy to come out on their own.
As the silence sank once again. Luna wondered if she had said something weird. It wasn't like she had never invited the man to listen to her recording sessions.
"Are you asking me out?" Leonard spoke, his voice full of confidence, yet the tips of his ears flushed.
Sighing in a jokingly manner, Luna turned to face her window.
"So corny." She mocked him. Laughing. Her face a few shades pinker. "But sure, let's call it a date."
"I must be really charming to get a second date before the first ended." Leonard mocked.
Acting annoyed, Luna shook her head.
"I'm taking it back."
"No, no. I was joking." He was quick to refute it.
Laughing a bit, Luna nodded her head.
"But, for real now. Can you make it tomorrow? I don't want to mess up you schedule."
Brushing it off, Leonard acted prideful.
"Relax, I wouldn't agree if I wouldn't be able to
Make it."
Lifting her brow Luna was confused.
"I'm being serious. Mark told me that you cleared up your schedule last time. I really don't want to bother your work."
Cursing his secretary inside his mind, Leonard kept his smile intact, the corner of his lip twitching in embarrassment.
"He was joking." Leonard laughed it off, his tone denouncing his lack of honesty. "Don't worry. I was going to see the parade tomorrow anyway."
"Do you go every year?" Luna wondered. It was a big event in the city. Being a big capital, they put extra effort to it. But being such a crowded place, Luna had always avoided going, as she didn't like the attention.
"When I can. Most times I just watch through the tv." Leonard spoke, thoughtful. "Don't you?"
Shaking her head, Luna denied it.
"Not really. Can't remember the last time I did."
She would always be working or simply resting. She wasn't really a big fan of crowded places, so she would usually use the city's anniversary to do something else.
"Then we must watch it tomorrow." Leonard spoke, filled with conviction.
"There's a TV on the recording room. We could watch there."
"That would be perfect."
Waking up on the clouds, Katherine looked to her side only to be greeted with emptiness. It had been a while since she had woken up alone. But not what was done was done. She had left the hotel in a hurry, when Harry was out having dinner with his friends. It wasn't that she was sneaking out behind his back. Honestly speaking, where she went or if she left had nothing to do with him.
They had barely spoken ever since she had encountered her sister. Plus, she had already said she would be leaving. Still, she worried for his well being, even if she didn't want to.
Feelings were something confusing. She didn't really understand them and honestly, she didn't want to. For her, things such as marriage were the same as business transactions. She couldn't really see the point in getting nothing in return. So, dating around was not something she would do. Therefore, she never really properly dated.
So why was she so down now that she was alone. She had grown up on her own, she had been alone for almost her whole life, so why did she feel weird?
It was not as if she felt butterflies on her stomach, so why did she feel like something was missing? She used to like being alone before, having her moment to breath on her own, so why did it feel uncomfortable now?
"Weird." She spoke out loud, getting up.
At the hotel, Harry opened the door, he had just gone back after skiing. It wasn't as if he didn't like his friends, but today, going out with them felt like a chore. He had this weird feeling in his gut telling him something was wrong.
Stepping inside, he looked around. Although it should be coming as a surprise, Harry wasn't surprised. It wasn't as if he didn't expect it. But now that it had actually happened, he was frustrated. He really shouldn't have gone out.
Not that it would have stopped her from doing what she wanted. Yet, the hope that he would left a weird taste in his mouth.
The room still smelled like her.
He needed a drink.
Going towards the bottle of wine that had been left half empty, Harry felt something underneath his feet. Looking at it, he noticed a small paper ball, it had probably missed the bin. Grabbing it to throw away, he noticed the ink inside it.
Opening up, he lifted a brow.
'I'm going to Tokyo.' Was written in a rushed handwriting.
As the corner of his lip lifted, Harry felt a warm feeling in his chest.
"So stubborn." He spoke, as he rushed to pack.
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Hey, I know I promised to post every Wednesday, but I've been really sick this past week and the last thing I could do was put my mind into writing. But now I'm all better só to make up for it I will be posting 2 chapter to make up for it.
Until next Wednesday.
And for real, STAY AT HOME