Time After Time

It wasn't him. The person who knocked on the door was a mail man who happened to be just come really really early because Rose got new package arrived. She wrote her signature to accept the package and then she closed the door. She sighed and laughed at herself. Some part of her was feeling angry.

And why would you think it would be him? If he wants to talk to you, he'd do it straight away.

So she got ready to do the morning walk as usual, but somehow Lestat refused to wake up. Rose pouted as she watched her dog lying on her bed, sleeping. "Alright, Lazyhead, I'll do it alone." She opened the door and saw dark, gloomy and unpleasant grey sky above her head. It looked like it was going to rain. Instead of stepping back inside her house and cuddle in bed with Lestat, Rose took her umbrella and start her usual morning walk.

She didn't know what she was thinking.

Maybe she was angry at herself for hoping to meet that new neighbor. Maybe she was hoping she can meet him, somehow, somewhere... and then she was angry at herself again.

After ten minutes of walk, the rain started to fall.

Of course, Rose thought. Of course it's going to be raining. She opened her umbrella, staring somewhere else but her path for a second. When she looked up again, she saw him. Walking in the rain with water on his dark hair, his cheek and his black leather jacket. She didn't exactly know why she did that, but she ran to him, then thrusted her umbrella forward to him.

"You're wet," Rose said. Her voice was trembling a little, again. But she managed to sound at least normal and that made her slightly proud.

"I'm alright," he answered. Cold, distant, emotionless as usual.

"P-please... please accept my umbrella," she insisted.

"Let's just share it together," that answer popped up out of nowhere. This wasn't something Rose Lette would expect. Or maybe she did...

"Oh... oh right..." she blushed. What? Why? Am I dreaming? Was he just being nice or he liked me? No. Wait. It can't be. He can't like some random annoying nervous mumbling neighbor girl! "T-thank you, Mr...?"

"Wood. But I'd rather you call me Gustav."

"Gustav... Wood?" she mumbled. That would probably be one of the coolest name she'd ever heard, but it would be really awkward to let him know straight away.

"Yeah," he chuckled a bit. Seeing him chuckled was like seeing a strike of light in the middle of grey gloomy clouds. "Come here, you're getting soaked in the rain."

Rose smiled. She was completely forget about the rain. She was freezing a second ago and now she felt as if someone lit a fire inside her chest; it was warm, fuzzy and it felt amazing. So they started walking and Rose couldn't stop thinking and trying to look normal and calm. She could feel the warmth of his body next to her and it almost drove her mad, in a very peculiar way.

She hoped that the walk would end very soon and yet, at the same, she hoped that they will never reach their house.

"Can I ask you a question?" he suddenly ask, making Rose almost jumped from the ground. There was a slight interest in his voice and that made her happy. Stop it, Rose, it was just in your head... she said to herself.

Rose smiled, feeling awkward, "Um... y-yeah. Why not?"

"Alright. Is it just me or you do look afraid of me?"

"No! I'm not afraid of you! W-well... it's just... you know..." she blushed again.

He was waiting. He raised his eyebrows.

"... I'm just wondering! Wondering... you know... it's not that I get... that I get new neighbor everyday... of course... but then..." Rose stared down, unable to stare at those cold blue beautiful eyes as she spoke the truth. "... but then you looked so sad. And so beautiful. No! I mean... why do you look so sad? Are you doing something by moving in front of my house? Can I help you?"

She couldn't help but look up.

They had stopped walking but she didn't realize that.

"I'm sorry," she snapped, putting on her smile in apology, feeling calmer for the first time of the day. "Of course I can't. I'm sorry. I really am. I was being silly. You know, when a girl is young, sometimes she dreams of saving other people... when all they actually do is sniffing other people's business. I'm sorry... sorry that now I can't stop talking either. I'm so sorry."

And Rose felt warm tears in her eyes. Something had hurt her. Or maybe she was just terrified for telling the truth. She was glad she was wet, because her tears wouldn't be noticeable, since she wasn't completely dry herself.

He was stoned. He stared at her with his blue eyes, his expression was unclear. Was he angry? Was he surprised? Was he simply think she was nuts? Rose couldn't tell. And it was killing her.