Authors: CS Patra
“Then I guess we’re perfect for each other,” Lily said. “We both hog the bathroom in the morning only because we need to look right. Otherwise, there’s no point in heading out.”
“No, there isn’t,” Johanna agreed. “It looks like we can get along with each other. As long as you aren’t hogging the bathroom when I need it, we’ll be fine.”
“I can’t guarantee you that,” Lily laughed. Her laugh was something spectacular and Johanna wanted to hear it for as long as she lived. “What if we’re both in a hurry and need the bathroom, but someone else is in there?”
“Then we’re both screwed.”
“Yeah, it’s safe to say we’re screwed,” Lily laughed again and Johanna nearly melted through the ground. That laugh was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. “One of us is going to have to give up that privilege and I know it won’t be me.”
“I doubt it’ll be me so…we’re both screwed,” Johanna laughed and the two of them just fell into a fit of giggles. They were too happy to care about anything else going on in the world. Lily leaned against Johanna and took a deep breath.
“I wish I didn’t have to leave this place. It’s paradise to me,” she said.
“It’s only paradise because you’re in it,” Johanna sighed. “I got it really bad for you, you know that?”
“I figured. I have it bad for you as well,” Lily admitted. “You’re driving me crazy and I enjoy it. I enjoy the way you make me feel and I live for every moment of it. If I could, I would keep you forever. A part of me wants to do that.”
Hearing the sincerity in Lily’s voice made Johanna’s heart skip a few beats. She could feel her heart in her chest fluttering away. They both wanted each other and they wanted to be there for each other. Lily was hers and she was Lily’s. No one was ever going to tear them apart.
No one.
Chapter 10
Lily could not stop thinking about Johanna after finding out about her true identity. It didn’t bother her at all that Johanna was famous. If anything, it made her more excited. She wanted to tell everyone in the world that she was dating a famous rock star, but who would believe her? Unless they saw her, they would never accept this as the truth.
“It’s such a nice night. I was hoping we could go for a walk on the beach,” she said. “I’ve been staring at that shoreline for so long, but I’ve never gone down there. I always felt like I didn’t belong there because I didn’t have anyone. You know there are so many couples walking down it. I always hoped that we would be one of those couples.”
“I was hoping we could do that too,” Johanna agreed.
Lily and Johanna began to walk down to the shore, feeling like the couples that they had seen walk here several times before. For Johanna, this was what she had always wanted. She had dreamt about having a lovely woman clinging to her arm as they walked.
“This is just perfect. You and me walking down the shoreline,” she felt Lily against her shoulder. “I’ve been watching so many couples walking around. I’ve been dying to have someone walk with me.”
“Same here,” Lily said. “This is just romantic. I hate that my vacation is going to end soon. I’m going to have to go back to the pizzeria and deal with rude customers again.”
“You don’t have to do that. Come travel the world with me,” Johanna said. “You won’t have to deal with rude customers anymore. Just loads of adoring fans.”
“What good would I be in the band though? I can’t play an instrument, Johanna. I can’t even sing either. The only thing I could do is write lyrics but you have plenty of people for that.”
“We do, but we’d love to sing a song written by you. If you’ve got something, I want to hear it.”
“I don’t have anything yet, but a lot of things inspire me,” Lily whispered. “My biggest inspiration is looking at me right now. She’s stirring things in me that no one ever did.”
“She is a very lucky woman,” Johanna said. “She has someone as beautiful as you in her life. She wants someone like you with her.”
“The only problem is that she lives far away and has to go back to her life,” Lily said. “She wants to follow you everywhere you go. The only problem is that it’s so expensive. She doesn’t where she’s going to get the money to travel.”
“I’ll lend you money.”
“That’s very kind of you, but I have to tell everyone what I’m doing. They’ll think I’m crazy that I dropped my life to follow my rock star girlfriend. They already think I’m nuts for liking girls. They’ll disown when they find out that I’m giving up a good job for this.”
“Hey, you didn’t like your job that much. You wait tables. You told me you don’t want to do that.”
“I don’t but I also have to be realistic, Johanna. I don’t know if I can spend my entire life jet-setting and doing nothing else.”
“You wouldn’t be doing nothing else. You would help out the band and me get ready for our gigs,” Johanna said. “We would pay you. I don’t know how much yet, but you wouldn’t go home empty-handed. Just think about it, Lily. Think about what I’m saying.”
“I’m thinking about it and I hear you, but I’ve got a lot on my plate as it is,” Lily said. “I’ve never been very spontaneous, Johanna. I have to think about everything before I go through with any of it. Even if it means hurting someone I love, I have to think all of it through.”
“Well, take your time but remember; I leave day after tomorrow. I have to be back on the road with the rest of the band,” Johanna reminded her. “You’ll have to make a decision soon.”
“How about you? Would you ever want to stay in one place?” Lily asked. “You could come back with me and stay with me for a while. It would be nice to rest up before you head on for a worldwide tour or something of that sort.”
“I wish there was such a thing as resting up, but there isn’t. The rock star’s life moves very quickly,” Johanna said. “I have to be ready to go at a moment’s notice. I move from one place to another without getting a chance to rest. That’s why I wondered if you could keep up with me.”
“Pfft, yes, I can. I can definitely keep up with you,” Lily promised. “I’m just worried about you. That can’t be healthy for you.”
“It isn’t, but what can you do? That’s just a part of the rock star life,” Johanna shrugged. “Anyway, we only have a day left with each other. I think it’s high time I treated you to something nice.”
“So where are you taking me? To our favorite Chinese place?”
“No, I love that place, but we need something a little more upscale. There’s a great restaurant down the street that serves all kinds of food,” Johanna said. “It’s the kind of place you deserve to eat at. Not to mention, I’ve got a brand new dress that I want to show you. You probably haven’t seen me in a dress, have you?”
“No, I don’t think so. I’ve seen you in your leather jacket though secretly,” she grinned, “I want you see out of it.”
“You are very cheeky,” Johanna wagged her finger in front of her. “I promise that you will get to see me out of that leather jacket. If you come with me on tour, you can see me out of clothes all the time. That’s what you want, right?”
“Now you’re speaking my language,” Lily smirked. “You know exactly what I’m after. However, I have to think about your offer. I can’t just drop everything back home and come with you. I have to do something about my home and my job as well.”
“Put in a two-weeks notice, pack up your things, and come with me. It shouldn’t be that hard.”
“Well, it will be hard. I do have a life back there.”
“Is it a life you like?”
“It’s not a great life, but it is a life. I have friends back there and things to take care. They’re not going to take care of themselves.”
“Well, after you take care of them, you can come join me going around the world!” Johanna exclaimed. “It will be a lot of fun! Come on, Lily! You and I will be taking on everything that stands in our way! What do you say?!”
“I…I have to think about it,” Lily said. “Can you give me a few days to think it over?”
“How long are you thinking about?”
“At least give me from now until you leave this place. That is the perfect time to tell you what I think is the best decision,” Lily said.
“I’ll be waiting for your answer then,” Johanna said. “I hope you say yes.”
Lily could only nod in reply. She didn’t know what she was going to say anymore.
Chapter 11
Lily began to look through her closet at all the dresses she had brought with her. There were so many colorful dresses with wild patterns on them, but she wanted something simple. She finally settled on a pink dress that had no print on it. It was the same color as those fake pink roses that were sitting in a vase on her table. She slipped it on and zipped it up from behind. The dress had sleeves, but short ones that almost made it look sleeveless. The neckline wasn't plunging either. She opted not to wear pantyhose tonight because it was hot. She had a pair of sandals that would match the dress so that took care of the shoe problem.
Next, she sat in front of the mirror and began to put on her makeup. It was nothing crazy or out there, just soft and subtle colors. She used a nice foundation for her face and added on the eyeshadow, blush, and lipstick. They also matched the roses in the room. As for jewelry, she wasn’t going to wear very much. She changed out her earrings to find some rose quartz ones that would work. Her necklace and bracelet would also match it. With her hair now done, she looked ready to greet Johanna for a night in a fancy restaurant. Since they had been spending so much time together, it wouldn’t hurt to have one night where they both just enjoyed each other’s company.
This is it.
She thought to herself.
This is the night where I'm going to make everything count. I’m going to tell Johanna that I’m going with her.
It was a tough decision, but it was the only one that made sense. She was too deep in love with Johanna to let her go now. She didn’t want to stop this relationship on the basis that they were too far away. She finally had someone that she truly loved. She had someone that could understand her and was the perfect person to talk to. The one thing she missed most when she was with another person was communication. For some reason, other women weren’t so good at communicating with her. Johanna was different. Johanna knew what it felt like.
That was the reason why she was going to be with Johanna. That was why she was going to go around the world and follow Johanna everywhere she went. It was the thing that they both wanted in the end. They wanted to be happy and they wanted to be with each other. This was the only decision that would make them have everything.
When Lily laid eyes on Johanna, she saw someone that she didn’t recognize. Johanna was wearing a bright blue dress that had a modest neckline and the hem reached her knees. Gone were the leather boots and in place of them were some modest blue heels. This was not a Johanna that Lily remembered falling in love with. However, she liked the change that she had seen.
“Is that you?” Lily laughed. “I don’t believe it! You look so different!”
“You mean different in a good way or a bad way?” Johanna asked.
“In a good way. I love what you’re wearing,” Lily stood a few feet away to get a better look at her. Johanna had styled her hair nicely and pulled it up. She also wore some makeup that was subtle and not all out there. No one would have been able to guess that this Johanna was the same one who was banging on the drums earlier.
“Look at us. We’re eating a fancy dinner like a fancy old couple,” Johanna said. “I feel so weird wearing a dress. Well, I’m feeling weird wearing a dress that doesn’t have studs in it.”
“You look lovely,” Lily said. “I would never guess that was you.”
“You’ve probably never seen me wear heels before unless they were high-heeled boots. However, I do own nice clothes. In fact, you can see me in them right now,” Johanna stood up for a second and showed off her body. The sight of her body made Lily want to drool all over the table. Johanna was too hot for words. No poet could ever describe it.
“God, you’re beautiful,” Lily said. “It doesn’t matter what you’re wearing.”
“I’m nowhere near as beautiful as you though,” Johanna said. “You look like you came straight out of a painting.
“I’d play you a love song, but I don’t know if I could make one from playing the drums,” she said. “I don’t think it would be romantic.”
“Anything by you would be romantic to me. You should try writing a song on the drums.”
“Sure, if you find banging drums romantic, then yes. Yes, I can write a romantic song for you,” Johanna said. “It may not sound romantic, but I assure you that it will be.”