Since everybody is still sad about 'Somehow, Someday'...have some Smoor!
-Raven
Simone faced the crowd and grinned as the first notes of "Sancta Terra" sounded.
"Give it up for Floor!" she yelled as Floor walked onstage and grabbed her microphone. The crowd cheered wildly. Simone looked up at Floor and smiled, then began to sing. Floor soon took over, her voice giving Simone chills, especially on the line "I feel a passion washing over me." Simone nearly forgot to sing, she was so distracted by the woman next to her. They continued switching off, first one taking the lead,then the other. Simone was struck by just how perfectly their voices worked together. It was as if they had been made for each other. They harmonized beautifully, both voices coming together and soaring high in perfect sync with each other. Simone leaned her head against Floor's shoulder and smiled as Floor tilted her own head so it rested on Simone's. Too soon, the song ended and Floor had to leave the stage. For the remainder of the concert, Simone's thoughts were not with the music or the band, but with Floor. Her heart beat faster when she thought about the other woman, something she knew it should not do, but it did anyway. After saying goodnight to the crowd,Simone and her bandmates left the stage. Simone went to her dressing room to change her clothes and wash off her makeup. She put on jeans and a t-shirt and went into the bathroom to wash her face. When she came back, she found Floor sitting on the couch, waiting for her.
"Hey, Floor," she said, feeling slightly annoyed and slightly excited when her heart began to beat even faster than before. Floor got up and hugged her.
"You did awesome!" she said, grinning. Simone smiled and said,
"Aw, thanks, Floor," but her body was shaking slightly. Floor was still holding her.
"So, what do you say we go get some drinks? My treat," Floor said.
"Okay," Simone agreed. "Let me get my purse." She grabbed the bag off the table.
"Ready?" Floor asked. Simone nodded. Floor smiled and took her arm, then led her out of the building, down the street, and around a corner. "There's a nice-looking bar down here that I wanted to check out," the brunette said. "Let's see...Ah, there it is." She crossed the street and opened the door to a small building with a painted wooden sign lit by small lamps over the window. "After you," Floor said, and Simone walked inside. The bar was not crowded, just a few people sitting on the stools at the counter or at small tables at the sides of the room. Floor walked up to the counter and ordered a glass of whiskey. The bartender turned to Simone.
"What can I get for you?" he asked. Simone studied the list of drinks on the wall behind the counter.
"Floor, what should I get?" she asked. Floor motioned to her to hang on, then ordered something that Simone quickly forgot the name of. The bartender grabbed two glasses and walked to the back of the bar area. He disappeared through a doorway and was gone for about a minute before he returned with the glasses full, one with a dark brown liquid, the other with a reddish mixture with some small chunks of fruit in it.
"There you are," he said, setting the glasses on the counter in front of them. He walked away to serve another customer, and Simone looked at Floor with confusion.
"What did you get me?" she asked.
"Just try it," Floor said, taking a sip of her own drink. Simone lifted the glass to her lips and drank. The taste was pleasant, sweet, but tangy.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Red wine mixed with lemonade and fruit," Floor replied, taking another sip of her whiskey. Simone sipped her own drink.
"Okay, I think this is my new favorite drink," she said. Floor grinned.
"I knew you'd like it." She lifted her glass and held it out toward Simone. "To our beautiful friendship!" she said with a wink.
"To our beautiful friendship," Simone echoed, clanking her glass to Floor's. Floor tipped her glass up and took a long sip. Simone did the same, all the while watching Floor out of the corner of her eye. Her gaze lingered on Floor'slips on the edge of her cup.
I'll bet they taste even better than a cocktail, she thought. Oh, how I long to know for sure. Floor caught her eye and Simone blushed and lowered her gaze. She raised her glass to her lips again.
"You know, I think I'll have something else now," Floor said, draining the last bit of whiskey from her glass. She studied the list of drinks, then called to the bartender and ordered a beer. Simone finished her cocktail and glanced at the drink in Floor's hand,wondering if it was her sort of thing. "You want a sip?" Floor asked, holding the glass out. Simone took it and drank a little.
"That's strong," she said, handing it back to Floor. Floor laughed.
"You like it?" she asked.
"Yeah, it's not bad," Simone replied. "I think I'll get one, too." She pushed her empty glass aside and ordered the same thing Floor had. By the time the glass was half empty, Simone was feeling relaxed and happy and a little bit sleepy.
"Simone? Simone?" Floor's voice penetrated through the haze that hadsettled over her mind.
"Hm?" she said.
"We should probably get back to the venue. They'll be wondering what happened to us," Floor said.
"Yeah, okay," Simone responded. The bartender brought them the bill and Floor paid, then led the way out of the bar. As they walked up the street, Floor slid her arm around Simone's shoulders. Simone smiled and leaned close to her. She raised her eyes to look at Floor's face, then quickly looked away again, embarrassed. They went around the corner and back to the building where the concert had been held. At the door, Simone turned to look at Floor again. She wanted so badly to kiss her, the desire was driving her crazy. Her heart was screaming at her to just do it. For a moment, she fought with herself, and then all of a sudden, the battle was over and Simone's mind was made up. "Floor?" she said softly.
"Yeah?" Floor said, looking down at her. Simone gazed into the other woman's ice-blue eyes, and took a deep breath. She tilted her face up, leaned in, and gently covered Floor's lips with her own. She heard Floor gasp, and then all of a sudden, there was a pair of strong arms around her waist and Floor was kissing back. Simone slung her arms around the taller woman's neck and closed her eyes, almost unable to believe what was happening. She was kissing Floor, her best friend, and Floor was enjoying it, if the way she was holding Simone so close to her was anything to go on, which, knowing Floor, it was. Simone opened her eyes and noticed that Floor looked as if she had stars in her blue orbs. "Did you just...kiss me?" Floor asked, her voice faint.
"Yes," Simone said, suddenly afraid that Floor hadn't enjoyed it as much as she thought she had.
"I'm...I'm not dreaming?" Floor murmured.
"Well, if you are, then I'm sharing your dream," Simone replied. Floor leaned in and kissed her again, and all of Simone's fears and doubts were washed away. Floor's arms around her acted as a wall, blocking all her worries and unhappy thoughts from bothering her. She felt safe and happy and more in love with Floor than ever. This night, which she had thought was going to end in sadness because she loved someone whom she thought didn't love her back, was instead going to end in happiness because two hearts that needed each other had come together at last.
