Tulip's Destiny

VII - Blueberries

Raine's senses were awoken with soft caressing through her hair. She snuggled in further to the blanket as the soothing touch continued. Every stroke seemed to calm her body down, making her dive into a deeper slumber.

However, it wasn't until Raine felt a tickle on her neck shocking the whole of her body. She squinted her eyes, but instead of the beaming sunlight what met her were a pair of deep blue sea eyes staring back at her. Mesmerized, Raine was frozen for seconds drowning in its beauty.

"Tulip..." Mikhail smiled affectionately looking down at her.

Her brows crunched in confusion at the man's presence. Her head stayed rested on his lap as his calloused fingers pushed strands of hair behind her ear exposing her raging auburn eyes. As time stood still for both them, their hearts were beating rapidly in sync.

"Bleu?" Raine asked, longing was flashing amongst the fire that lives through in her eyes.Her once flooded mind, stopped and all that mattered to her was the man staring back at her.

"I need to go!" Raine said, jolting up to stand. "Is there something wrong?" Mikhail asked, grabbing her hand lightly. His eyes shining with shards of confusion. "Nothing." She answered nervously, pulling her hand intensely.

"I think I need to go." Raine blurted out. "Why don't you stay for breakfast?" He said getting up to walk towards the kitchen. "It's fine, I'll just go." She uttered, avoiding his eyes.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked once again as she pushed herself further away, creating a distance that both seemed reluctant.

"I said nothing!" She shouted in an irritable tone. "I--I need to go." Raine stuttered, immediately rushing to the door.

A lone tear welled up in her eyes as she reached her car. Raine closed her eyes, taking deep breaths but all the more she couldn't get him out of her mind. "GET YOURSELF TOGETHER LORRAINE BUENEZ!" She exclaimed, hitting the steering wheel hard.

"Girl! Where have you been last night?!" Lara greeted as she opened her apartment door. "Nowhere." Raine answered shortly. "Auntie called me last night saying you left in a hurry without saying anything and so I got here to check and you're nowhere to be found!" Lara ranted, while Raine made her way to the unit.

"Oh right. My phone it's dead." She responded, uninterested in the conversation. "Where you crying?! Raine! What's happening to you?!" Lara asked, almost scolding. "I don't know! I don't know!" She shouted giving in to her cries. "I don't know what's happening!" Raine shouted, her legs wobbling in sobs.

"I'm sorry, Raine." Lara sighed, hugging her firmly. "What happened?" Lara asked calmly. "I-I-- I was..." Raine started hesitantly. "You were?" Lara repeated, waiting for her response. " I was with Mikhail. There was an emergency so I went there but it turns out he's fine."

"And?" Lara smiled, pinching her friend's hands gently. "It got late so I decided to stay for the night."  Raine smiled, putting up a facade. "So?" Lara said, raising her voice slightly. "Nothing." Raine blurted out, standing up.

"It wasn't nothing." Lara refused, grabbing her to sit down with her. Her mind was at loss, she did know what to tell her, everything that night felt so important yet so complicated. Although her mind disagreed, her heart couldn't take the heavy burden anymore. "I called him Bleu!" She let out with confusion.

Realization hit her hard, recalling last night's event. "I called him Bleu, I thought he was Bleu."

"And?" Lara sighed looking at her unconvincingly.