it was not the first time that rosaline had woken up, with a feeling somewhat similar to cement being layered over her heart.
even when she rested her elbows against the balcony's ridge and breathed in the cool dawn air basked in mediterranean sun, rosaline knew that something was wrong.
for the first time in her life, rosaline felt alone.
rosaline sighed, walked back into her apartment, and dressed in her favorite two piece, an ecru floral print with a top that wrapped around her tunic. not bothering to brush the knots that had only recently started to form in her hair, rosaline tied it back with a maroon scrunchie, before grabbing her side bag and descending the stairs out of her apartment.
she was greeted with the sweet aroma of oils and salt from the nearby sea, one she was greeted with everyday, and it was at that moment rosaline realized that she had never actually left the city, never been greeted with a foreign scent in the morning. she was sick of it.
instead of her routinely stroll to the market stalls, rosaline headed towards the docks, leaving a trail of primroses with every step.
the sun gleamed adorning the sea in sun dust and staining rosaline's fingertips when she ran her hand through it.
how long had it been since she held the hand of a gilt souled boy. rosaline already knew the answer to her question. she had counted each day until they turned to weeks, weeks to months.
looking at her reflection in the sea, rosaline tilted her head noticing how her brows arched, a crease forming between them.
she traced the letters of a name she had once been told into the turquoise waves, one that couldn't leave her head, the first thing she thought of when the sun wished her good morning, the last thing she thought of before the moon kissed her good night.
dantè.
rosaline had no idea how a single name could effect her so much, but she can still make out the slight shimmer of golden flecks on her knuckles, when he had once placed a kiss upon her hand.
she wondered where he was, if he was well, if he would ever come back.
rosaline stood from her place at the dock, a bit too hastily. she was angry at herself for thinking he would come back for her, rosaline was merely a mayflower in a field full of mayflowers, or rather she thought herself to be.
rosaline crossed her arms across her chest, the sun had fallen asleep behind the clouds, she knew it was going to rain soon so she followed a trail of primroses which strangely seemed to lead a path towards her apartment. when she arrived rosaline walked the opposite way through the street and towards the market stalls. the sound of jazz was nowhere to be heard, and rosaline wondered whether they had left too, maybe to a place with a beach. gosh, rosaline had always wanted to go to a beach, paint seashells in her hair and dig her toes into sun kissed sands.
she continued towards the market stalls, stopping when she reached a stall displaying an array of flowers of every hue. but rosaline knew exactly what she was looking for.
the rose dante had given her had shriveled into a star rosaline had placed into the twilight sky one night, for rosaline refused to go near anything that reminded her of a particular sand souled boy. today was the first day she had visited the docks since dantè had left.
rosaline brought the rose and followed her way back to her apartment. by now street lamps flickered and from a distance rosaline wouldn't be able to tell if they were fireflies. she reached her apartment as soon as the sun woke from its slumber, staining the sky magenta and the colour of splattered grapefruit. rosaline changed into a pink silk gown (similar to the sky), and placed the rose in a jug of spring water on her bedside table.
