Till all the stars go blue [Chaennie]

Chapter 16

At 7:20 Rosie stepped into the main lobby and spotted Jennie pacing anxiously on the other side of the room. She stood and watched her for a long moment.

She was dressed in a sleeveless print dress and a pair of relatively modest heels. Her hair was down in loose waves. This was the girl from the Internet photos.

Jennie spotted her and smiled broadly, waving eagerly. Chuckling, Rosie walked across the lobby and Jennie wasted no time throwing her arms around her neck. If she was at all concerned about public displays of affection, she certainly wasn't showing it.

"I'm not used to you being so tall." Rosie said."It messes up all my logistics," she whispered low beside her ear.

Jennie laughed and kissed her softly on the neck.

"Mine are still quite accurate."

"So I see."

Jennie stepped back and fluttered her gaze up through those impossibly long lashes as she flared the hem of her dress out slightly.

"Do you like it?" she asked.

"You are lovely." Rosie said with a bright smile.

Jennie bit her lip and sashayed her hips at the compliment. Rosie could see the smile crinkle in the corners of her sparkling eyes.

"Ready?" Rosie asked.

Jennie nodded and grabbed a hold of Rosie's arm.

"You clean up nicely yourself," she said.

"I work with what I have," Rosie said, smiling.

"Yes, poor dear. You're so challenged." Jennie teased and squeezed her hand.

For much of the meal Jennie chattered away happily as Rosie listened attentively. She pushed around her food with her fork disinterestedly.

"This is nice," Jennie said with a slight giggle, covering her mouth with her hand. "But weird."

"What's that?" Rosie asked, glancing over her head to the waiter and holding up Jennie's empty glass. He nodded back to her.

"This," she motioned in the air with her fork. "Eating at a table, inside, bug-free."

Rosie smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, I guess it is." she agreed.

She leaned across the table and Jennie leaned in as well.

"You do realize I've done this before, right?" she said with a wink.

Jennie smirked.

"Okay, fine. Mock me all you want. I thought that you might be... uncomfortable in these surroundings. And that might account for why you're not eating very much."

Rosie smiled wanly.

"Uh, no. I'm just not very hungry for some reason." she said weakly.

It was Jennie who broke the awkward silence.

"Everything changes now, doesn't it?" Jennie said, her voice barely a whisper, her smiled faded.

Rosie reached across the table and touched her hand.

"I don't know, Jennie." she answered honestly.

"Because it's...complicated." Jennie said in a monotone.

"Oh Jennie," Rosie shook her head."Things are always complicated."

This wasn't going to go well. Rosie knew that before she ever sat down and that's what was killing her appetite.