𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐝. | 𝐜.𝐛

prologue.

"Don't move just yet," Cate whispered, drawing circles on Y/n's lower abdomen.

Soft chatter sounded through the open balcony door. It was dinner time, tourists were urging to fill up restaurants along the coastline, others were simply drunk already.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," Y/n replied quietly, gazing over the crowded streets beneath.

"I'd want that, more than anything. But..."

"Don't say anything more. No 'but's' for now."

A deep sigh escaped Y/n's lips as she closed her eyes. The touch of Cate's fingers along her waistline was a guilty pleasure.

"We should get dressed and grab dinner somewhere," The older woman whispered, slowly retrieving her finger from Y/n's body.

Cate slowly rolled out of the bedsheets — that covered both of their bodies just a second ago — leaving coldness behind. Even with  the 37° Celsius temperature, it didn't conceal the coldness Y/n felt, when the Australian actress averted her gaze from her and left the bed.

Already, Y/n missed her task of connecting every mole on Cate's arm and figuring out which constellation it looked similar to. And without wasting another glance at her younger lover, Cate vanished behind the sliding glass doors to the bathroom.

Y/n sighed and sat up, letting her feet dangle from the bed. The setting sun was illuminating the rustic room in a deep orange, making it appear to be just another pretty Pinterest picture, only that this time it was actually real. It all looked so peaceful when you looked over the edge of the balcony. People scurried along the narrow coastal road like ants, perhaps trying to get a seat somewhere in a restaurant. But - in experience - the restaurants were already so full at 5:30 that you were only lucky enough to be able to eat something small sitting down again from 9 onwards.

The question "Would you do everything exactly the same again?" played in a continuous loop in Y/n's head. Would she do it? 1,700 kilometers and two countries were between their old relationship and now. While in Berlin, their managers were in a constant state of phone terror with a - probable - nervous breakdown, Cate and Y/n were in a bubble filled with complications of their own.

Did those damn paparazzi really print the pictures?
Did Cate's husband see the pictures?

Y/n's stomach grumbled out of fear of the consequences. Everyone would talk, there would be no end to the gossip.
And all this during an active promo phase. If this wasn't so close to the storyline of the movie, it would be funny again.

An angry Italian man yelled at tourists when they tried to sit in one of the bamboo chairs, out on his restaurant's terrace. He gestured with hands and feet, swatting them away. No seats available. Reserved. The irony, Y/n thought. As the sun had almost been swallowed by the sea, the last bathing guests left the beach — probably to get dressed up for their night out.

Y/n's eyes watered at the mere sight of it all. To stay here. Just for another day. No other people than Cate and her, no nosey people, no judgement. Both women knew about the consequences of their actions, but deliberately decided against acknowledging them. It felt too natural to question anything. But when it dawned to them, that everything they so arduously tried to hold together, was about to fall apart like a card house, the mood turned. And the last day that was supposed to be cherished, was filled — not wholly — with an underlying sadness.

It was one of those moments, where you wished to relive the past 6 days again. Everything. The good things, the bad things, the absurd things. Even the time when Y/n almost lost her finger. It all came together like a perfect puzzle.

Y/n was already dreading the 16 hour car ride back to Berlin. Would it all be filled with silence and endless chatter of radio show hosts, and weather forecasts? Will Cate and her talk about it or will it just be dropped like a hot potato?

The toilet flushed, seconds later the tap of the sink opened and soon was closed again, before Cate stepped out of the bathroom, fully dressed in a flowy floral print dress. Her hair casually tied into a low ponytail. It broke the endless, torturing trail of thoughts on Y/n's behalf.

"Come on, I'm hungry. Please get dressed?" Cate pouted playfully.

A brief smile flashed over Y/n's face, before she pushed herself off the bed and waddled to the closet.

"I'll be quick, promise."

With that, and an armful of an outfit, Y/n reached the bathroom.

"Is this the last time that it'll be this peaceful between us?" Y/n asked in a whisper.

Cate's back was turned to her, but it was almost as if one could hear her ponder.

"I don't know."

And Y/n didn't either. Finally she vanished into the bathroom, a bitter taste left in her mouth.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

A/n; I'm nervous to upload this, but here goes nothing I guess.🫱🏼‍🫲🏽 I've got this whole Book planned and I can't wait to write it all down, for now this is the prologue & I hope it excites some of you to keep reading this. I appreciate feedback a lot, so don't be shy to drop some<33