The first thing I wanted to hear when I woke up was the soulful music that my mother listened to every morning since we fixed things but as soon as I came to my senses I realised I wouldn’t be hearing that sound anymore as my mother left for Canada the previous day. After the graduation we had a minor party with just me, Anna, Anna’s family and my Mother. I was the most perfect way to celebrate my success and the next day we took my mother to the airport and said our final goodbyes, it was emotional but we had promised each other that we would video call each other every day.
As soon as I got home, the gap that my mother filled was empty again and all I did was read a book and head to bed. After the graduation ceremony I had looked everywhere for Angie but it seemed like she left as soon as the dean officially ended the ceremony and that broke my heart, I wanted to talk to her but it seemed like she wasn’t ready to talk to me and when my mother saw my disappointment she kissed me and promised that everything will be fine but I was at the point whereby I couldn’t even believe her. If Angie could feel what I feel then why couldn’t she feel that I was longing for her? Why couldn’t she feel that she was missing in my life? Maybe this chemistry wasn’t as strong as she made it out to be or perhaps was just selling me a complete lie but I knew that I didn’t believe that because I could feel it too. I felt it when she looked at me during the ceremony, it felt like everything was pushing us towards each other and when she hugged me to congratulate me, formally, I didn’t want to let go and I could tell that she didn’t was to let go either and at that moment I knew that I was willing to do anything to get her back.
I had only five months left and after that my whole being would be working towards making our family business and international affair. My mother was in charge of the new offices in Canada and I was to be in complete control of our headquarters and I was ready to lead the elite group of construction workers, architects, designers and etc because that is what trained to do by my father.
“Wakey Wakey Jane!” Anna yelled while preparing to jump on my bed “Why so loud?” I asked and she threw herself on the bed “Because my friend is free for five months” she said with a smile that chased her ears.
“So what is the plan” she asked happily.
“Nothing really, I think I’ll be getting familiar with the company” I said.
“Bitch please, nobody knows that company more that you do”
“I know but still”
“Nope you have only five months of freedom and I would be a bad friend to let you waste it with work” she said
“Okay, I’ll read all the books I ever wanted to read” I said excitedly
“Oh my goodness” she said while pretending to be in pain.
“What?” I asked
“Friend, I know that you are my boring little innocent friend but so much has happened and I believe that maybe it is time to spice it up a bit, you liked having feelings for someone so maybe you will enjoy all these other things you refrained from doing” she was convincing but not enough
“I’m not too sure” I expressed
“Okay, I know you are an introvert so how about we start small?” she suggested
“How small?” I asked
“Okay so how about we start by going to a book reading?” she suggested
“Okay that is better”
“Great then how about you get ready and we will go”
“Wait, right now?” I asked in complete shock
“Yes, Stephania Queen is having a reading and a book signing plus I know that you have always wanted to meet her” she said.
“Ah I cannot refuse that!” I said while walking to my bathroom.
Fashion wasn’t something that moved me but growing up with a fashion icon you are forced to live up to everyone’s expectation hence I didn’t like going out in the public. For the reading I initially wanted to wear my blue jeans and a white plain tee-shirt but Anna convinced me to wear a long silk baby blue dress and she tied my hair in a high pony tail, initially I didn’t want to wear such a fancy dress so Anna changed her outfit to match mine.
Stephania Queen was the most loved thriller novelist and a lesbian icon; her books had everyone captivated as if her pages were made of cocaine, including me. Because my mother was loved by everyone, she had managed to gift me signed books but I never had the chance to actually meet her. I stood in line like everyone else and a few times I got some glances from a few people, my mother was famous for her work but she had ensured that she kept me hidden from the world but people always found a way to invade her privacy so she made taught me to ignore the few glances that I received from her fans.
“I cannot wait to see her, she is literally an icon and I heard she is currently not seeing anyone” Anna said happily.
“All I want is to see her” I said
“Lame!” Anna exclaimed
“Thank you” I chuckled.
The reading was the most magical experience. Stephania was one of the most beautiful people I had ever seen, her skin was perfectly tan and her long hair flowed as if the wind was in favour of her. She was wearing a black pant suit with a pair of vans but what stood out were her mannerism and her humble nature. As soon as the reading was done, we stood at another line for the book signing and all Anna could talk about was how amazing and how beautiful Stephania is.
“Did you hear how she said murder?” Anna asked and I shrugged, I had already noticed that she had one of the most exotic accents which I couldn’t really place “She made me fall in love with the word” Anna explained and I chuckled.
As soon as we reached the table Stephania sat behind, she looked up at me and smiled
“To?” she asked maintaining the stare
“Jane Day” I said
“Jane Day” she mimicked while writing it down
“Oh it seems like someone got the attention of a writer” Anna whispered.
“May I ask why I’m only meeting you for the first time?” Stephania suddenly asked.
“I just hate leaving the house” I said
“Me too and that is probably why I never meet people as beautiful as you are” she said and all I did was chuckle
“Maybe it is about time I started going out” she said
“Maybe” I said
“Only if my first trip is with you” she flirted “Unless if you are willing to wait for me, there are about five people left and then I can take you and your friend out for a few drinks or coffee?” she suggested.
“Oh no, I cannot come with because I have a date already” Anna stated while a sinister smirk was spread on her face.
“Okay, just the two of us then?” she asked.
“Okay but only if we are going out for a cup of coffee” I said and she smiled and handed me my book. As I was walking away from her I couldn’t help but feel a few butterflies in my stomach but I could still sense that she wasn’t what I wanted but at least she made me feel something.
“You got a date with the hottest writer and you can’t even grin about it?” Anna asked
“She is beautiful but I can’t help but think about Angie” I expressed
“Babe, Angie might love you but she is not ready for you or she is not yet ready to be herself but Stephania is out, proud and completely smitten by you” Anna said trying hard to convince me “or you can have your first hook up with the woman everyone wants” she said while shoving my arm.
“Hook up? You know that is not me” I said
“Okay just go on that date and we will see where it takes you”
“Okay and she is done signing books meanwhile I am a nervous wreck” I said as I watched Stephania pack her bag.
“You will be fine, be yourself and forget about Angie” she said and gave me peck on my forehead “Bye babe” Anna said and soon I was left alone waiting for Stephania but as soon as she was done she approached me.
“So where do you want to go Bella?” Stephania asked
“My Name is Jane and we can go anywhere you wish” I said.
“I know your name but Bella seems fitting to you as you are the most beautiful person I have ever seen” she said while the butterflies in my stomach multiplied.
“You are really smooth” I joked.
“Only for you” she winked “How about we walk for a bit, the coffee shop is only a few blocks away” Stephania said softly but my mind was focused on her accent, I wanted to figure it out but somehow I was failing and asking her could sound offensive.
“Are you always so hushed?” she asked
“No, I just don’t talk that much to people I barely know” I said
“Then how do you expect to get to know them if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I don’t know, I barely have to speak to people because of my resting bitch face” I joked
“I don’t think that is it, people are just afraid because sei la donna più bella” she said meanwhile I was baffled “It means that you are the most beautiful woman” she explained as soon as she saw that I wasn’t familiar with the language.
“Is that Italian” I asked in pure amusement.
“Sì” she answered
“Wow, I know that it is one the sexiest languages but I didn’t know that people actually used it to pick up girls” I said.
“Well for me, it is more than that because it is my madrelingua” she explained.
“Mother language?” I asked and I heard the softest yet beautiful chuckle escape her mouth “Sì” she replied and I smiled like a grade one student who could spell love.
“It seems like you are very intelligent” she said
“I am observant but not yet to that very intelligent stage” I said honestly
“Intelligent people never really accept that they are intelligent because they are...how do I say it? Oh modest” she said.
“I don’t think that is the case, there is so much in the world that I do not know yet. I can tell you everything about the human anatomy but I cannot tell you much about the sea” I explained
“I see but acknowledging that you don’t know some things is a sign of intelligence”
“Well in that case, thank you for seeing me as intelligent” I joked
“Placere! so is that what you are? A doctor?” she asked
“No, I just graduated from business school” I said
“Aspettare so you know the human Anatomy for fun?” she asked in complete astonishment
“Sì” I said
“And you think you are not intelligent?” she asked
“I mean it is fascinating” I said
“Sì ma no one studies it for fun” she said
“Well let’s just say I am different then” I suggested.
“Va bene” she said.
“I didn’t get that” I said
“I said okay and we have reached the coffee spot” she said and that’s when I realised we were at a small coffee shop named Calda, it was almost secluded and it looked more like a small book shop which made me fascinated. I wasn’t one to travel that much which meant that I didn’t know any awesome places to hang around.
As soon we entered, Stephania walked to the counter and ordered something which I didn’t hear as she was speaking in Italian but as she stood there I couldn’t help but stare at her in complete awe, her facial structure was close to perfect and her hair brown hair was perfectly leaning on her face and occasionally she would flip it and my knees would feel weak at that moment.
“So I ordered two coffees and that is where we will seat” she said pointing to a table and chair made from hardcover books.
“Thank you” I said.
“My pleasure” she said
As we sat down, I couldn’t help but appreciate the shop more because the whole shop was filled with books, I assumed that some where actually books to read and some where just for decoration. There were three typewriters gently placed on three single seating customers and a few art pieces to complement the library feel.
“This place is amazing” I said while sitting down on a surprisingly soft chair.
“It is my sanctuary” she said
“It does seem like heaven” I said.
“It does but I’d like to know more about you” she said while staring at me as if I was a treasure, the stare that made me want to risk everything that I had.
“There isn’t much to know besides the fact that my mother is Mary Day, my father died a few months ago, I am a graduate who will soon handle the family business and I only have one friend and that is Anna” I summed up my pretty basic life.
“Do you have an amante?” she said while playing with her hands
“I did not get that” I said
“Do you have someone in your life?” she asked and I couldn’t help but feel conflicted by that that question. There is someone that I adore but they are not in my life neither do they want to be in my life.
“Well I am not with anyone” I said.
“Well lucky for me then” she said.
“Do you have a lover?” I asked suddenly
“No but I do have casual sex” she said honestly and all I could think about was how inexperienced I was to even consider having casual sex with her.
“Is that why I am here?” I asked
“No, I am a lover and where I am from we embrace love and that is why we are here”
“So you like me?” I asked.
“Sì, there something about your aura is pulling me towards you but I cannot place if it’s purely sexual or more” she smirked
“Thank you for the honesty” I was actually impressed but also petrified. The server walked towards us with two cups of coffee and two bran muffins and as she placed the tray on the table I watched as Stephania winked at her while she become red as a tomato but her gaze was soon on me the second the girl turned to walk to the opposite direction.
“That is my worst trait and someone actually appreciates it”
“I believe in honesty” I said and that’s when I took a look in my coffee, there was a small heart carefully drawn on top of the cream “You told them to do this?” I asked in amusement.
“Sì” she said and in an instant she tasted her coffee “It’s magical isn’t it?” she asked.
“It is” I said after tasting it.
“The way you sip on that coffee makes me feel some type of way” she said suddenly.
“What?” I asked baffled, her straightforward nature somewhat intimidating while flattering to some extant.
“The way in which you gently place your plump mouth on the cup makes me want to touch you and feel warm kisses on my body from your lips” she said while casually biting her bottom lip. I didn’t know what to say to her neither did I want to say something that would make her feel like I wasn’t matured enough.
“Your beautiful face is on fire and all I can think about is seeing your whole body on fire and your red face thrown back in pleasure” she continued and all I could do was drink my hot coffee faster regardless of the fact that it was burning my tongue. I hoped that the coffee would calm my whole body but somehow I was getting hotter and it was all because of Stephania, the effect that she had on my whole body was insane and it was very familiar to what Angie had made me feel but there was no passion and that made me realise that I wanted Stephania sexually. I hadn’t had sex in my whole life but I knew that I wanted to feel her hands on me while she whispered passionate Italian words in my ear.
“Nia, your Lawyer is here” The waitress said breaking the sexual tension that hovered over us
“Show her to the table please” she asked then continued to stare at me “I know that you are on fire, I can see by the way your breathing has become slightly louder and how your heart is beating out of your chest, you have gently placed your leg over the other to suppress the banging and your hands are fidgeting because you want to touch me” she whispered.
“Stephania” the voice of the woman that I adore was starting to haunt me, I thought.
“Oh Hello Angelina” Stephania said and at that moment I knew that I wasn’t hallucinating but I dreaded looking up because I knew that this could be the moment that I lose her for eternity simply because I went out once. The heat that I was feeling a few moment ago had disappeared and all I could feel was regret.
“Angelina this is...” Stephania tried to speak but Angie finished her sentence “Jane” she said softly and in that moment I knew that I had to see her, I had to look at her and see the effect of my reckless behaviour.
“Sì do you know each other?” Stephania asked curiously.
“Yes she is just one my clients” Angie said and at that point my heart broke. I finally looked up and saw her stoic expression, she had broken my heart again and she wasn’t even fazed.