When Two Girls Collide

Chapter 2

At noon Gwen emerged from the lift, back onto the fifth floor. 

The floor was alive with people shouting directions to each other and clothing racks being moved to their final resting places. Walking down the long corridor, she stopped to look into one of the many studios that lead off it.

Peering in she saw twenty girls drowning in chiffon, linen and silk dresses making the adjustments to these masterpieces so that they sinched into the models every curve, showing off not just the models picture-perfect figure but also the layers of the garments, the patterns and finishes of every seem. Turning back to walk down the corridor she saw Morgana strutting towards her.

"You're on time!" she exclaimed, seeming almost shocked at Gwen's punctuality.

"I didn't want to make a bad impression on my first day" she replied, hastening her walk so that she met up with Morgana.

"No, you'll leave that for your second day?" she retorted with a grin before readjusting her hat and shoving her hands firmly into her jacket pockets. "If you follow me I'll show you the main parts of this little operation before we head off to Mon Petit Chien, the food there is absolutely divine. You'll love it!"

Gwen followed Morgana down the hall, shortening her pace so as not to overtake her and appear rude slowing further so that she was a stride behind Morgana. As she took in more and more rooms of people draping models in fabrics and shoving shoes onto feet as light and cameras flashed in other rooms and people ran back and forth between printers, delivering glossy pages onto their desks before grunting and looking back at their laptops. Morgana pointed out several areas which Gwen would need to know how to find. Explaining the uses of each of the hundreds of rooms which cascaded, one on top of another from the landing before reaching the lift, pressing the button and sauntering in with Gwen hot on her heels.

Morgana and Gwen walked out of the lift into the basement carpark. Very few knew about Morgana keeping her old car in here incase she ever wanted or needed, to use it. Opening the passenger door she smiled at Gwen as she gasped at the interior. Little blinking lights filled the car roof, grey cushions lined the back seats and a sheaf of papers lay scattered on the floor. As Morgana closed the door and walked round to the drivers side she knelt on the seat to reach behind and try to tidy the papers. Morgana got in the car putting her hand on Gwens shoulder and quietly saying  "Don't bother, I'll just mess them up again next time I'm working late." Gwen hesitated before leaning back and squirming to put her seatbelt on.  

Morgana's arm brushed gently against Gwen as she leant down, taking her heels off she apologised "Sorry, I don't normally take people out in this car". She smiled at Gwen as she shoved her heels onto the backseat and put the key in the ignition. 

They made smalltalk as Morgana navigated the Parisian streets, speaking about their favourite bands and other such frivolous things. Pulling onto the street opposite the restaurant Morgana asked Gwen to pass her her shoes back, after slipping them on she got out.

When they walked into the cafe Morgana was treated by a grinning waitress " We have your booth free if you want it" she said. Morgana smiled back and simply nodded, it wasn't much of a question but she guessed that she had asked as she didn't normally bring people to lunch. Instead preferring to get a runner to grab her a salad or some sushi that she would graze on throughout the afternoon. 

After being shown to a dimly lit booth at the back of the restaurant and being handed the menus Morgana started to point out her favourite foods, the foods that she believed Mel (the chef) had truly mastered. When Amelia, the waitress, came back to the table they ordered two croque monsieur, a coffee, bottle of water and a herbal tea for Gwen. Once she had left they started to natter again, Gwen started talking about how she had come to France from England with her ex boyfriend Arthur but by the time they broke up and he had returned to England she had fallen in love with Paris, later falling for a girl but not having the guts to tell her until it was too late and she was taken. She explained how she had looked after her mother for years prior to dating Arthur but her mother had died and the only thing that she had left tying her to England was her sister. Fifteen or twenty minutes passed as Morgana sat listening intently to Guinivere's life story until they were interrupted by Amelia coming back with a large tray of food and drinks for them.

"I'm sorry if I'm over stepping a mark here but are you bi?" Morgana asked once they had finished their food, "you don't have to answer and I'm sorry if it's a touchy subject"

Gwen looked up from her empty plate and smiled at Morgana "yes, I'm Bisexual" she confirmed "do you mind me asking what you are?"

"No, not at all! I'm not quite sure how to explain how I'm attracted to different people. I just use the term Queer, I tend to fall for girls but with every person I have fallen for it has felt different and sometimes the types of attraction is different, say my ex: with her I was only ever romantically attracted to her and whilst she was beautiful I was never sexually attracted to her" Morgana explained blushing. Gwen just nodded her understanding and smiled supportively at Morgana. "Anyway, I'll get the checque now if that's ok" Morgana finished.

Walking back to the car Gwen noticed that Morgana was quieter than she'd been all morning. Not making the astute observations of the world she had been making on the walk to the restaurant. Not saying the silly comments about the time, that Gwen had started secretly to love. Gwen put her hand out towards Morgana "penny for your thoughts?" she said. 

Morgana smiled, "what I told you back there about who I like, promise you won't tell anyone. You dont get to have my job, be female and be out around here and I really shouldn't have told you." She started to apologise for ever bringing the subject up and Gwen laughed. "Your secrets safe with me. You can trust me" she reassured Morgana.

Getting back into the car, Morgana's mood started to lift again. She smiled whilst turning on the ignition only for her glow to dissipate again as she saw the time. "Shit!" she shouted to a bemused Gwen "quick, put your seatbelt on, I had to be there ten minutes ago" she whined seeing the clock turn four. 

She'd never done this before, gotten so caught up in the now that she forgot the thirty other things going on inside her brain and just enjoyed herself. She'd been on hundreds of dates and meetings, going as far as to agree to have dinner (and only dinner) with the bosses son a few years ago and whilst the chemistry had before been palpable for the first time, possibly in her life, all she wanted was for the girl who had sat in front of her to think her interesting enough to like her. 

But that was never going to happen. Was it?