Chapter

The afternoon had ripened into a splendid evening, turning the golden, blazing ball of fire, to a merry orange that lit the clouds pink.

It was a happy day today. Rosette felt like she was walking on a rainbow. She felt so full will all the love she found herself capable to give and receive. Sitting down on the sofa wrapped in Caelum's warm embrace, breathing felt so easy.

The two sat in front of the television with coffee and pastries, huddled together.

FRIENDS was playing on the television. Rosette's head rested on Caelum's chest while his knuckles caressed her cheeks lightly.

Seeing her so invested in the television show Caelum said, "Rachel's hot."

Rosette nodded, "Yup. She sure is."

Caelum's hand stopped, "Wait, do I have to watch out for women as well?" he asked. He had been expecting a pout or an unhappy remark. He wanted to see her jealous.

Rosette's eyes were still on the TV screen, "Not really," she replied, unknowingly sliding her palm on his chest, "But this entire cast is hot."

She giggled lightly at one of Joey's lame jokes.

Caelum exhaled heavily 'and tackled Rosette on the sofa, kissing and pecking her lips, "You are not allowed to be attracted to anyone but me." He said.

Rosette, who was pinned against the sofa, surprised by the sudden change of positions, broke out laughing.

She placed her bandaged fingers on his cheeks and laughed more. His jealousy seemed so lovable.

Caelum could not stay pouting and serious when she was laughing so merrily, laughing like a metaphor he was trying to write for years. He smiled softly at her. Her cheeks flushing slowly due to the bright laughter.

"Guess who's gonna regret laughing at me?" he whispered as he kissed her lightly. She still laughed.

"I won't regret anything." She replied as her arms hung idly on his neck. Her eyes glittered with childish happiness.

He tickled her waist a little, "Yeah?"

She laughed louder and clearer. When had he heard her laugh this way?

She was laughing as they kissed and kissed again. There is no better taste than someone's laughter in your mouth. But then he abruptly stopped.

Rosette seemed confused, "What's the problem?" she asked.

"The problem is," he said as he leaned in, "If I kiss you any longer, I don't think I'll be able to stop."

Butterflies flew all over her body as the warmth rushed down to her core. They had been at it all morning and had done it again after lunch.

Rosette's body was sore and licked all over with hickeys and love bites, and here was her man, nuzzling her neck again waiting to be allowed to devour her again.

She placed her palms flat on his chest and pushed him away, "Absolutely not." She shook her head in negative, "My body will break if we do it again."

He sighed and pulled away and gently scooped her back into his embrace, "Then let's entertain ourselves by watching Monica and Chandler try to keep it under wraps."

"Yeah." She replied smiling into his chest, inhaling his warmth which felt and no less addictive than weed.

Caelum took a sip of his coffee when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get the door." He said, getting up. The doorbell rang again three more times. He wore his slippers and shouted back,

"Noah or Cole, If you ring the bell once more you'll find yourself six feet under!" he yelled back, assuming it was one of them.

He went and unlatched the door, ready to give the person on the other side an earful but he stopped.

"Good evening, lover boy!" cooed a voice. He was about to slam the door in the persons face when she promptly added,

"Slam it, and I'll break in through a window." The voice firmer.

Caelum let out a heavy sigh, "Why are you haunting me now Soren?"

"To meet the love of your life, of course." She replied, shoving a Louis Vuitton paper bag in his hands, "I come bearing gifts for your wife." She pushed him out of the way and stepped in, "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll like to meet her."

"Wait, Soren." He called after her, but she was already cat-walking her way to the living room.

Rosette was still very much invested in the TV show and the freshly baked chocolate truffle pastry. She heard footsteps approaching. She looked up hoping to find Noah or Cole but instead found a beautiful ebony lady clad in a wine red corset short dress with a plunging neckline, And serpentine heels. Rosette had seen this lady before, but where? Behind her, walked Caelum pressing his temples.

"And this must be the lovely Rosette White." She said as soon as her eyes landed on her. Rosette stood up slowly, confused by this situation. She glanced at Caelum who looked pretty pissed.

Rosette smiled at the woman, "Yes, and who might you be?" She laughed a little "I have a terrible memory."

Caelum walked to Rosette's side.

Soren smiled a little, "Well, you might have seen me at the site of arrest of your pathetic stepbrother."

The puzzles of memory fell into place as the smile crumbled away from Rosette's face. This lady was the head of the mafia. Soren noticed the change of her features, "I am sorry, I did not mean to bring up bad memories" She went to the single sofa and relaxed into it, "Anyways, I am Soren. I bet he didn't tell you anything about me."

"There was nothing to tell." Caelum snapped.

She smirked at him. Rosette winced a little as she sat on the sofa again, she was sore in all the wrong places.

Soren laughed by herself, "Still a beast in bed?"

Rosette looked at Soren and then back at her husband. Her thoughts were asking some very vulgar questions. Soren was quick at catching up, "0h no, we never slept together. As much of a whore I am, I won't touch someone who shares my blood."

Rose was more confused than ever.

Caelum sighed again, "Unfortunately, she is my half-sister." He replied.

Soren raised an eyebrow, "I came first. I should say 'unfortunately' for your butt."

He rolled his eyes, Soren frowned, "I heard its basic manners to offer a cup of coffee to a guest."

Rosette found this to be the perfect opportunity to give the half-siblings some privacy, "I'll go get it right away." She said beginning to get up.

"Sit down, dear." Soren said, "I won't want a half-limping woman to go fetch water for me."

"I'll go get it." Caelum said.

"Make it with milk," Soren said again checking her claw-like glitter nails.

He gave her a hateful glance as he walked away. She smiled, "He hates me." She said to Rosette.

Put a rose that smiled back, "He doesn't. He just has the I-hate-you-and-everyone-in-this-place look."

Soren smiled, "I hope you are right."

Her smile slowly flickered away, "I am leaving for England in two days. I have no right to say this or be here but I wish you two the very best."

She breathe in deeply as if taking an extra breath to exhale the weight of the heavy words she was about to say.

"I am jealous of you two... Of what you two have. In my world, they say, 'if your heart is a bottomless pit that could never be filled, then you will never be able to get out of it.' it made sense but now it seems lame."

Rosette smiled knowingly, "You are in love aren't you?"

Soren bit her lips and smiled, "Yes."

"How are they?" Rosette asked.

She smiled brighter as she started describing her significant other, "My love is the kind of pretty you won't really notice at first, but once you saw her in the middle of the night with messy hair and tired eyes and tears dancing across her cheeks and dripping on her mouth, you won't want anything more than to kiss them away."

'Her' Rosette noticed but did not say anything. She was so occupied by the bright smile on Soren's lips that her heart failed at asking any rigid questions

Rosette smiled back, "I wish you all the luck in the world."

Soren sat there smiling at her pure and good heart. Now she knew why her brother had fallen for this woman.

Soren started in a softer voice, "That guy, he has never loved before. Teach him and forgive him if he doesn't know what to do sometimes."

Rosette grinned and nodded, "I will."

Just then footsteps sounded across the hall and Caelum came into view. He had a hot bag in one hand and a tray with coffee in the other.

"Should I be concerned about the contents of your conversation?" He asked, putting the tray on the table and handing the hot bag to Rose.

"Just girls talk." Rose smiled at him. He kissed her cheek.

Soren picked up her coffee, "Stop before I get diabetes." She said staring into a coffee mug, avoiding the lovey-dovey situation of the couple.

Caelum shrugged, "That'll get you one step closer to death, which would be amazing."

Soren made a face, "You better be good to her or I'm gonna make this doll mine." She said casually as a ringtone started playing.

Soren opened her little purse and pulled out her phone smiling at the name on the screen before picking it up, "Hello love. Will be there in five-," She said before the call cut and she grinned again.

"So, finally confessed to Venetia?" asked Caelum.

She smiled, "found the courage thanks to someone." She said as she got up.

"If you'll pardon me, I have an appointment with my girlfriend who will eat me alive if I don't reach in five."

She smiled over her shoulder at Rosette as Caelum went after her to show her out. Rosette's eyes followed him as he walked away bickering with his sister.

The words that Soren had just said rang through her head like a heavy church bell. He loved her and she loved him back, what could be more splendid?

Not loving him would have been easier for her. She still remembered the confession of his past and she would be lying if she said she hadn't been terrified. He had felt like a blazing fire, ready to burn and destroy anything in its path. She knew that any sane person would run at the sight of that blaze but what would a person covered in ice do?

He was a big fire for our Rosette who had spent her entire life being cold.

She had never wanted a simple love. She was the type of girl who believed in fairytales and dreams, who wished on 11:11 and every star in the sky.

She needed someone to look at her and see the person she hit so well, to look at her like the world could crumble and he wouldn't blink. And when he had fallen on his knees last night, to kiss her tears away, he had become her labitule*, her abiditory*. (*safe hiding space)

Caelum walked in smiling. Rosette looked at him with such bright eyes that he paused a few yards away and fed his eyes on her brimming face.

She giggled at his actions, "what?"

He shook his head lightly and came ahead pulling her on top of himself as he sat on the sofa.

He kissed her. Without warning, without permission, without even deciding to do it, but simply because he couldn't have done anything else. He needed that breath she was holding. It belonged to him and he wanted it back.

He pulled away slowly, the breaths mingling with each other.

"Look at me like that again, and you might claim what's left of my heart." He whispered smiling and pecking kisses on her cheeks.

She laughed slightly throwing her head back, "There is something left?" She giggled.

He shook his head before resting it on her shoulder, "What did my fingers do before they held you? What did my heart do with all this love?" He asked sighing with relief and happiness.

"It waited." she said running her fingers in his hair, "I waited." She placed a kiss on his head.

They both had once believed that love would be burning red, but it's golden, like daylight, and all those heartless people who claim not to need love, they lie. They want so badly to be loved by someone who cares, but they feel they don't deserve it, or can't ever be loved. So they break their own heart before someone else can. Every heart has sought a thing it cannot name. Is it love?

Who knows? For love is unpredictable. You will be surprised by who the love of your life turns out to be. After all, adventure fell in love with the lost.

Just like the two lovers who sat in silence smiling at each other saying nothing yet telling stories of hope and a shared future that they would build together with the love they held in their gaze.

Caelum would forever be a storm and his sweet Rosette would always be the girl who loved dancing in it.

............

ANYWAYS, LET ME WIPE MY TEARS WITH SOME CASH...💵💵

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

Also, I don't think I'll be writing another book anytime soon.. a lot going on... I barely made it through this one buttttttt if I do find the time and inspiration, I won't hesitate to surprise you with a brand new book