The Proposed Fling

□ Chapter 3

No alarms, No phones yet here she was, wide awake in her bed, the sun was yet to make a presence and the cold wind playing peek-a-boo with her.

She was glad she decided to oil her hair last night, now the wild strains kept stuck to her head, at least not disturbing her by flying everywhere. She took a lazy stretch before her curious gaze roamed around her messy hotel room. Her suitcase lay in one corner half open and her clothes overflowing. Her duffle bag laying on the sofa with her towel on its backrest she had left yesterday night.

She pouted seeing the mess but she was nowhere guilty enough to clear it.

The wind swayed the white silk curtains and her eyes caught the first rays of morning, as if a switch was turned on, she jumped up from the bed and searched for her camera in mere seconds. Running to the balcony, she start clicking shot after shot of the beautiful sunset, her eyes behind the camera lens started creating frames, and the captured sound echoed in the silence.

"Not everything should be captured for pictures, try capturing some scenes with your eyes" A voice gritted from the distance ending with a tsk and bang of the door.

She immediately turned towards the sound, her camera positioned in front of her eyes.

Finding only the moving curtains, she rolled her eyes and took some more pictures before she decided to put the lens down, she felt the breeze caressing her face, the sun was up and the bright sky was glimmering with the yellow rays.

"Come on man how do you preserve memories if not pictures?" She said to no one in particular "What about days I'm not here, I need reminders of the days I lived."

She stood there some more and then back inside her room. She removed her hair and let the well-oiled hair down. She finger-combed them a little and then took her things for a shower.

"One day down V, few more to go before you go back to the chaos you left behind." She murmured.

Smoothing her plaid short frock, she took a small twirl and passed herself an impressed look. Pairing them with black transparent stockings and black boots she took another once over.

"Something is still left." She thought and widened her eyes pulling her black scout cap and wearing it with a slight tilt. She winked at herself "Perfecto!"

Picking her camera and a leather sling she had purchased from the airport she moved towards the room door.

She mentally ticked her essential checklist and locked her door behind her.

Skipping down the stairs she peaked towards the reception desk to find the same old man.

She put up her most beautiful smile and greeted him "Bonjour, oncle"

Right words

Right pronunciation

The man stared at her dubiously but nodded after seconds.

"Breakfast?" He asked in a deep French accent.

She nodded excitedly at the mention of food.

The man seemed to be laughing at her, his burly mustache covering his twitching lips. She shrugged, telling her to ignore it and enjoy the first French breakfast.

She followed him inside to what seemed like the dining area. She had missed yesterday's dinner invite as she had lost her way back, she had apologized to Remy who seemed cool with it.

A mane of beautiful red hair caught her attention, followed by a burst of musical laughter, she grinned sniffing the smell of baked delicacies.

"Wow" She mumbled to herself.

Her fingers twitched to get hold of the camera and wait for the lady to just turn a little so she could capture her with her third eye, that too forever.

"Du pain-en tranches, les croissants, des pâtisseries, des biscuits, du jus d'orange, une tartine, du café- au lait, noir, en capsule..."
(Sliced bread, croissants, fresh pastries, cookies, orange juice, Coffee – with milk, black, kettle...)

"Oh my God," She exclaimed as the list went on and on. "I heard French people take breakfast as the least important meal but look at this."

The woman turned and giggled "Oh darling, not all French are the same."

"I know now" Vandita grinned sheepishly.

"Bon appetite" She wished her with a wink.

Vandita moaned licking her plate clean, taking a quick look around she made sure none heard or saw her. She grimaced playfully at herself.

Dumping her plate with dirty dishes, she bid bye to the old couple and glided towards the streets of one of the most beautiful places in the world. The cobbled streets attracted her like a moth. Her camera didn't rest as she kept clicking pictures, may it people roaming the streets, kids playing, couples walking hand in hand, the building standing tall and strong, the empty streets lined with colorful houses.

It was almost mid-noon when she entered a café. The headboard said Mon paradise, the rustic place made her twirl and check out the décor. The casual vibes made her grin. She took the bar stool near the counter and placed an order with the barista who meekly nodded and passed her a foam cup of Iced latte and her late lunch.

Vandita surfed through her pictures, sipping on the cold drink, the soothing freshness made her call the barista again.

"This is amazing, Merci" She praised tapping the glass as she knew the girl was having difficulty understanding English.

She frowned but understood, smiling widely she thanked her and went back to her work.

Vandita grinned at her cuteness, shaking her head she got back to her job. 

"Only if I could print them" She pouted.

"I think you can" A sweet voice spoke and she turned to look toward the source. "Hey! I'm sorry to peep but these pictures are great"

"Hey" The heavy French accent made her smile in a welcoming stature. "You like them?"

"Ofcourse I do. ma Ville never looked so beautiful" She touched the camera and angled it a little to get a better look.
(My town)

"Thank you" Vandita grinned.

"I am Sofia"

"Call her V, Mon amour" (my love)

The voice made Vandita turn, She cocked a brow towards the source as the familiar man walked towards them.

He stood behind Sofia and pulled her towards him to hug her from behind, a chaste kiss on her cheeks was enough for her to be shy and blush.

"Bonjour madame" He greeted Vandita with his ever-charming grin.

Vandita glanced at his ring finger and his eyes questioned him.

As if understanding her silent words, Remy nodded "Meet my lovely Fiancée, Sofia Vasquez"

"You two know each other?"  Sofia asked him curiously.

"The new guest..."

"Who pissed father with her improper French? It is her?" She completed him bluntly.

This time Vandita grimaced.

"Oh mon Dieu, I'm so sorry. I'm too blunt" (Oh my god)

"Oui chérie" Remy chuckled. (Yes darling)

"My Sixth standard lectures backstabbed me"  Vandita pouted, muttering to no one.

"It's alright  Mademoiselle" Remy laughed at her embarrassed face. "I'm sure you can charm my father to your good books, Not that you have to but I'm sure he can develop a liking to you enough to bid you a warm goodbye."

"I'm not leaving, not just yet." Vandita stated "This is just the start of my journey"

"Ofcourse" Sofia nodded, Vandita's eyes spoke something she felt was heartbreaking, She smiled "A start of a new story"

"Two ladies on the same page, only the god can contradict here" He mocked.

Sofia jabbed him with her elbow.

"Ouch"  He grunted in pain, Sofia rolled her eyes as she leaned and kissed his cheeks.

"Now it won't pain"

Vandita stared at the duo, feeling the ache back in her heart. The same she was trying to avoid for the last two days. The day she landed here, she kept roaming the streets in search of anything to keep her thoughts at bay.

She kept pushing her mind to any existing thing in the world to not think about him or the happening of the day.

But now seeing two people who were so in love made her feel the loss of something she was yearning for.
That day when she saw her two best friends happily married, she wanted the same for herself. She wanted to be looked at as if she was someone's entire world. She wanted her eyes to search for a pair of eyes who would be hooked on her every time, not straying away. She wanted a hand to fit hers like a perfect piece of the puzzle. She wanted someone who would be hers, she wanted to be called someone. She wanted so many things at that moment, so many that she decided to take a step no normal would have taken.

Not that girls aren't equal in a relationship but it has always been a man who proposed to his beloved.

No matter how much equality was talked about, it has always been a boy who proposed to a girl.

She had wanted the same but her patience had run off. Waiting for the past 1 year for him to man up and meet her family before she waited for him to ask her out, and before that, she waited for him to do more than just pass her smiles and glances every time they were in the same room.

Now that she thinks back to all the past years of them knowing each other, it was always her who actively participated in their relationship, be it arranging dates, approaching him to spend some time, or introducing him to her friend circle first.

It was always her. She thought he was an introvert, someone who shied away from public attention but his claiming his love for her was enough to empower her to fight all odds in their life.

Only if she knew it was all her, her love, her time, her world, and her relationship.

Nothing from him but a reality check.

A heartbreaking reality check for bursting her whole thick imaginary bubble.

The image of him cheating on her was engraved in her soul, every time her mind was exhausted in the last two days from thoughts, the image reappeared and it caused her to slow down, making her lose a step and fall into the abyss of heartbreak and deceit.

"Hey, girl! Back to earth"

A small push made her eyes snap to the face, she blinked twice before the present clicked.

"You okay V? You look pale,"  Sofia asked in concern, her beautiful green eyes darting between her hazed eyes and a blank face.

"Me! Naah."  Vandita drawled "I am absolutely fine."

A doubtful nod made her stand in her place quickly, Vandita could see her thoughts running through Sofia's mind. It was better to exist now than later.

It was still an hour to sunset and she had to reach the spot she came across on Instagram, if what that reel stated was true, she wouldn't miss the solid sunset for the world.

"Don't leave just yet please, My baked goodies will be ready in a few minutes" Sofia requested.

She glanced at Remy who seemed to be looking towards the door with a cheerful smile. Someone he recognized entered the place as the bell chimes alerted a new customer.

"He is here, mon amour" He announced in a slight whisper and walked towards someone.

Vandita did not bother to look back, her fingers took hold of her sling and camera.

"Next time I promise, Sofia. Right now something very special is waiting for me"  She muttered a quick apology to her and turned towards the gate.

She frowned as the sling bag tangled with her camera sling, she was untangling the two sashes when a figure sidestepped her,

Their arms brushed together, avoiding a crash.

"Use eyes when you got 'em" the man irked.

Scoffing she kept walking out as she felt a pair of eyes drilling sharp holes in her head. She pushed open the door and glanced at the back of the man she had almost bumped into, shooting two icy glares at him.

"Stuck up princess"