Stranger

VI.

-ROSIE-

"What makes you think that I'm not into girls?" The brunette bella whispered, smiling at me devilishly before planting a delicate kiss on my right cheek, making my eyes widen more in surprise.

Wait, hold up! Did I hear it right?

She's into girls then?

Bella laughed upon seeing my face, "Why do you look like you're not believing what you're hearing?"

"I don't label myself Rosie, love is love... and in this day and age, you'll lucky to have the chance to get to know your person." She smiled, knowingly eyeing me.

"I'm not saying no to someone who can make me feel invincible, just because of their gender." Bella further added.

"Love demands to only be felt. When you already feel it, then that's it." Bella smiled before pulling her camera. "Let's take a picture, I wanna remember this day for the rest of my life."

I wasn't sure what made me admire her more than I already do, maybe it was her words, or her perspective, her broad understanding, or perhaps the genuine pureness of her soul that makes her more beautiful to my eyes.

It's so rare to find someone beautiful both in the inside and out.

And this bella, is among the rarest of them.

"Snap out of it, you look like you're dazed." Bella whined, pouting after.

It's because I am bella, you get me all dazed and confused.

"Sorry... Let's snap some more pictures." I smiled before crouching a little bit to match her height.

"There! Perfect."

---

-JENNIE-

"Today was so exhausting!" I groaned, dragging my body heavily to our next destination. "Remind me not to wear heels next time." I added, massaging my tight shoulder muscles.

Running around Verona and seeing all those beautiful churches are great and so worth the aches of my body, but I think I've had enough for the day.

"You should just dress comfortably bella. I know you love dressing up, and trust me, you look absolutely breathtaking when you do, but I bet you'll look exactly just the same when you wear casual ones." Rosie nonchalantly replied, opening her car door for me like the gentlewoman that she is.

"Thank you." I smiled at her before climbing inside the car. "But I'm not used to it you know, dressing casually out of the house." I told her and she was quite taken aback by what I said.

"I have to always look my best whenever I go outside, my grandmother was a former senator who married a textile industry's tycoon so it was expected to dress accordingly."

"I have to because I have a reputation to maintain." I look down to my fingers and bit the inside of my cheek.

"A reputation that you didn't want?" I snap my head back to Rosie, her words taking me off guard.

"I- I..." I look away, feeling myself get awkward.

"Trust me bella, I know exactly what it feels like. But this is Verona, you're in a whole different world where nobody knows you, you can experience new things here and just be you without the fear of everyone judging you." She held my gaze with such intensity that makes me feel that oddly familiar warmth, Rosie is indeed a nice person.

"I'll make sure that nobody judges you." She added.

"It's very kind of you Rosie..."

"But right now, I want to go home and rest." I laughed, kicking my shoes off.