Of Ice and Hopitals

Chapter 10

"Ontari!"

Roseanne couldn't believe her eyes, right there, in front of her, stood her long-term ex-girlfriend, though they were still very close, whom she hadn't seen in what seemed like forever. Around her, the table had fallen silent, everyone surprised to see the brunette after so long, but Roseanne didn't care; she had all but forgotten about her friends the moment her eyes locked with dark browns. Seeing her ex reminded the blonde just how much she had missed her. Not in a romantic way though, they had broken up because they found they saw each other more like best friends, and it didn't take long before Ontari, already waiting with open arms, was engulfed by a flurry of wavy blonde hair. The two tightly hugged for a few solid seconds before Roseanne was the first to let go, though only to take a tiny step back to look into the other woman's face more closely, once again feeling in awe of Ontari's beauty as she took in the brunette's smoky eyes, the charcoal making brown pupils appear like they were burning. God, it was so good to see her.

"I can't believe it, what are you doing here! Didn't you tell me you would be living in London for a few months to truly immerge yourself in the England culture to write your new book?"

Ontari slightly inclined her head to the side as she let her gaze wander freely between cobalt pools, a soft little smirk barely pulling at her lips. She, too, looked like Roseanne and herself were alone in that moment, since she hadn't even given a glance to Jisoo and Octavia, who she also knew for a long time and was friends with, "Yeah well, I kind of was gone for three whole months, C; my book is finished. Actually, that's why I'm here - I'm having a business dinner with my editor to go through it and discuss about the changes I'll have to make and all that publication crap."

Roseanne looked down, her brows furrowing lightly as a look of confusion crossed her pensive eyes, "Has it already been three months?"

The other woman replaced a stray strand of gold hair behind Roseanne's ear; she appeared a little lost at her best friend uncertainty. Roseanne was not the type to just forget things like that - in fact, the girl had one of the sharpest minds Ontari had ever known - and could remember even the most insignificant details. It was thus more than a little odd that Roseanne visibly didn't keep track of her prolonged absence. Ontari decided that something must have been up with her blonde best friend, she couldn't envision another reason why she would look so lost.

"Hun, I just told you so. Where have you been?"

Roseanne shook out her weird feelings away as a sheepish smile lifted the corner of her lips, getting back to herself. She took another step forward and encircled her arms around Ontari's neck, feeling contentment as she slowly inhaled the writer's perfume smelling like a comforting blend of warm honey and just a little remaining of a hint of the city's polluted air.

"Nowhere, I'm right here. It's just been a crazy couple of last months for me in here and I didn't realize how much I missed you until I saw you earlier. I'm so glad you're back, 'Tari."

"It's good to be home."

The two best friends stayed like that, embracing each other, until Jisoo and Octavia interrupted their moment by getting up from their seats, generous cups of wine in hands, and forcefully prying Roseanne away as the two rejoiced brunettes draped an arm around their small writer friend. Ontari chuckled as she squeezed her friends' shoulders in response to their expressive welcoming, "Hi guys, it's good to see you, too."

For his part, Lincoln calmly rose from his chair and met the small group, taking place next to Roseanne before offering the woman at the centre of attention a warm smile, which Ontari easily answered back with a genuine pull of her lips.

"Ontari, you're back, about damn time! How was London - please tell me you hooked up with some hot English chicks for us?" Octavia bluntly asked the brunette which earned the PE teacher a little cough from Lincoln and a reprimanding flick of the finger to the back of the head from Roseanne. Meanwhile, Jisoo clinked her glass against Octavia's as she audibly approved the other woman's question. She then asked while folding her left arm over her chest while bringing her cup to her lips, looking straight in Ontari's dark eyes, "I'm sure you did not disappoint, North."