chasing girl wonder

beloved treat

"You denied your relationship?! Hold up—hold up—hold up!" Alice's jaw dropped. Amidst the clinking of silverware and buzz of conversation around the grand ballroom of Le Cordon Bleu, her shock surely enveloped the entire mood. Earlier, after sampling a miniature croquembouche that tasted like heaven, she decided to help Roseanne secure several promising contacts, thinking she could switch careers. But that went without saying that her little sister should start talking immediately about what happened that Lisa was MIA again on their sort of 'date.'

"It came out wrong, okay! I panicked!" Roseanne, resplendent in a sleek black dress, frowned at her sister and then switched into a bright mood as she saw a renowned pastry chef passing by and engaging him in a conversation.

Alice shook her head in disbelief, watching Roseanne smiling brightly as she handed a renowned pastry chef a neatly printed card.

"...and Lisa's really excited to be featuring local, seasonal ingredients. It doesn't only offer a new experience; its concept is all about bringing everyone back home—wherever and whenever that is, or sometimes, was." Roseanne's voice quieted at the end as she wished Lisa were there with her, talking about her restaurant, her dream. "The Cub opens next month; she'll be thrilled to have you!"

The moment the chef nodded with thanks and left the sisters, Alice tugged Roseanne's wrist. "Okay, you've worked hard for your girlfriend—you're tireless as always. I swear, you've mentioned Lisa and The Cub to everyone here—everyone within a ten-mile radius." Her sister rolled her eyes at that, but it was half-heartedly defiant, she could tell when she had just heard the whole story of why Lisa asked for some space. "But please, Rosie. I need to sit down and have some uninterrupted conversation here."

Heaving a sigh, Roseanne slumped her shoulders and gave in to her sister's plea. "Fine." She led her outside on the veranda, grabbing a glass of red wine on the way out.

After Lisa dropped her home, her parents and Alice were there, planning to go out for a café hangout while reading books. She entered the living room just as they were all considering going to 'The matter with human beans,' a suggestion from Clare aimed at catching Roseanne with her date. Alice laughed, questioning why their mom thought Roseanne would bring a date to an alumni event. Clare almost revealed that Roseanne was dating a chef, so it would make sense when she appeared and asked Alice to come with her instead, leaving Clare looking worried, and Mason, curious.

"Why on earth are your dates with Lisa always ending up like this? Exes showing up for a surprise? Who picked this plot? It's soooo terrible," Alice muttered. When Roseanne did not say anything and only got on with sipping her wine, she added, "So, while we're eating this fancy Sturgeon caviar with pearl spoon, I'm going to need more wine when I hear the rest of it."

Roseanne was quick to turn to a waiter and grab Alice a glass from his tray. "I..." She placed the wine glass on the marble balustrade and rested her hands flatly on either side of the glass. "I got scared. I wasn't being myself."

"Oh, Rosieeeee, honestly? It's in very poor taste, sorry," Alice said, putting her plate and glass on the balustrade as well. "I know it's only been two days, but... Wow. Do you want to set the record for having the shortest relationship? But, oh right. You're probably the longest relationship Lisa's had."

Roseanne pouted, twirling her glass absentmindedly. "We didn't break up." Saying that in a thick voice was to convince herself it did not feel like they did, or that they were headed there.

"Why didn't you slap Suzy with the truth? Suzy deserves that! That you'd fuck her stepsister because she's a stupid, infantile person than Lisa is," Alice said crossly.