Chapter 5: The Strangers

"Admiration and familiarity are strangers."

(c) George Sand

Rosé Amelia Meranda's POV

I waved a cab in this early morning. It was just five o'clock but I am heading already to the shop. I wouldn't be this early if it weren't for my friends.

Last night, Ieaving my laptop open. . . I decided to take a shower for the night. I slid in my favorite night gown and snuggled in my bed.

I clicked the first button where my fingers landed on the keyboard and started scrolling down the browser when a notification popped up in my screen; Gian and Gian likes you in Dating.

My eyes opened wide from the notication I just read and hurriedly fetched my phone to call my friends.

Pick up, pick up, I said as I heard the other line rung while biting my nails.

"How did I get into Dating?," I directly asked Dane as she answered the call.

"Dating?," she said trying to think. "Why?," she eventually asked. "Someone liked you?," she asked again.

"So it was you," I concluded.

"No," Dane answered. "It was Lhei's idea. Besides, its just a few clicks at the social media."

I sighed. Technology nowadays are quite so advance. Just a few clicks and then your done.

"Hi, what's with the fuss?," Lhei asked innocently as she join the conference call.

"The Dating," says Dane calmly.

"Oh right," says Lhei in a gasp. "I forgot to tell you that," she added.

"Remember I tell you to leave everything to us?," Lhei asked.

"Yeah," I answered and nodded. "But I meant the outing," I added frustratingly.

"It's an extra," says Lhei. "Wait, I'll send you guys something."

Not long enough, a ding sounds. I look at Lhei's message and read the content.

Stars and You: The Book Signing.

"Where do you get this?," I asked in confusion.

"After your search at the shop, I turned on the notifications for Asterology website," Dane explained. "I mean, It's the astrologer Gian Aster Marcouatu. A handsome man with a Gian in its name."

"You're forgetting the V at the last name," I told them factly. "My dream is a Gian with a V."

"Who knows," says Lhei. "He might be Gian Aster V. Marcouatu. Or a Gian Vincent Aster and he just made it short. After all, reading your horoscope doesn't hurt anyone."

"You're the one who welcome us to the world of horoscope," Dane said factly.

I just smile at the thought. It all started with being in a website were it tackles daily, weekly, monthly and yearly horoscope. Then it becomes my habbit to check my horoscope and the girls daily horoscope and send them the news.

"Check your schedule," says Lhei.

Lucky You, I thought and stands up from snuggling and look at my calendar in for the book signing.

"I'm free," I answered.

I input the event and put a star at the end of the note. You'll gonna have some consultation adventure to conquer Rosé, I thought and close down the calendar.

"Great," says Lhei in victory. "Why don't we move the outing tomorrow?," says Lhei. "We can always look a free accommodation to stop by, " she gladly suggested. "Or best, we can stay at Mari."

Shoot, I thought. I almost forgot we'll gonna have an outing the day after tomorrow. Good thing I travel lightly.

Destiny, her I come!, I thought cheesily.

"That would be great," says Dane. "I don't have anything for tomorrow."

"Great," says Lhei. "Its settled then. See you tomorrow."

"Wait," I said.

"Bye!," says Lhei and ended the call.

"Bye," I just said while staring at the screen of my phone.

I made myself a cup of hot coffee after   opening the shop. The good thing with this shop is it closed at midnight and opens whenever I want. But it mostly opened by seven since most of my staff will arrived by that time.

Dane arrived at an hour after, I picked up the book I wanted to read for our vacation at the shelves. I brewed enough volume for the three of us,  so Dane just poured her own coffee.

"I'm here," said Lhei who just got in.

"How will we go to a book signing without a book?," I asked in confusion.

"I got that figured out," says Dane as she showed me a book. "I bought that the other day," she added as she handed the book to me.

"Perfect," I sarcastically said to her as I look at the book.

I got some bagels from the display for our two hours drive at the book signing.

"You seems," Dane said from the back. of the car to Lhei while thinking for the word.

"Seems what?," Lhei asked as she started the engine.

"Seems excited," I answered. "Is JK Rowling gonna be there?," I added jokingly.

"How I wish," Lhei answered. "But still."

"Interesting," said Dane as she take a bite from the bagel.

After an hour or two of driving, the three of us finally arrived at the city proper. We were happily singing together with the stereo when a man wave his hand for a ride near a broken car.

The man was tall and virile. As we got closer, his hair were grayish and messed but it doesn't changed a bit of how handsome he looks.

"What a charming man," says Lhei as she stepped on the car's break. She turned down the window at my side  Lhei turn down her window. "How can we help you?," says Lhei trying to be sweet.

His face being closed to mine, I noticed his brow were thick that compliments his charming brown eyes, and his smile can melt a women's heart.

"Can I hitch a ride to the city library?," says the man and Lhei look at Rosé.

"Sure," says Rosé. "Good thing were heading the same way," she added.

"Thank you," says the man and slid inside the car next to Dane.

After a 20 minutes drive inside the traffic, they stop at a two-story full glass library. The library has a round shape made of steel and thick tinted glass. Such library has its own mini observatory and function rooms were the book signing will take place.

" I'll be heading then," says the man. "Thank you," he added as he got out.

"No problem," says Lhei. He made a waved before Lhei drives off to the parking.

"Geez," says Lhei . "He's cute," she added.

"And familiar," I said trying to figure out were he seen the man before.

"Let's go," says Dane.

They headed to the function room were the event took place. The event has started already when she got in. Gian Aster was already in the front for a speech, she seated at the chair near the door.

"That's," says Lhei figuring the man that was talking in front was the man they were with earlier.

"He is the writer?," says Dane.

"That's why he seems familiar," I said.

"I skipped that one," says Lhei.

We watched as Gian Aster talked. He even talked charmingly, I thought. The talk lasted for about thirty minutes, explaining how things those and that matter. When the program ended, they were tasked to fall in line for the signing.

Everyone is given a chance to talk and take some photos. When it was Rosé's turn, her friends pushed her that grabs people's attention.

"Hi," says Rosé as she handed the book.

The man smiled. "What's your name?," he asked me.

"Rosé," I answered. Trying to pull myself together.

"Hello Rosé," says Aster as he signed the book. After signing, he handed the book back to Rosé with a smile.

"I actually have a question," says Rosé as she clasps the book near her chest.

"Well," says Aster. "Lucky for you I have time for some chat. Coffee?, " he added as he stands up.

Rosé was the last one in line, means Aster was done signing.

"There's a coffee shop just across the street. My treat. " And he smiles.

Rosé look at her friends.

"I'm actually looking for a book," says Dane. "You should go on, will try to look for the book."

"Yeah," says Lhei. "I think I needed additional reference for my lessons."

The two of us headed to the shop across the road. I ordered cappuccino while Aster ordered a black coffee.

"Thank you," says Rosé as Aster brought the coffee to their table.

"It's nothing," says Aster. "Besides, I owe you one for letting me hitch." He added. "I was surprised you were actually there for my signing."

"Yeah," I said and smile faintly. I don't know if its quite obvious that I'm actually composing myself with this talked.

"So," says Aster as he cross his legs. "How can I help you?"

"Aside from citing stars as reference to faith. Do you believe in the messages of dreams?," I asked him shyly.

"Hmm," says Aster while thinking. "That seems tough, but sort of."

"Then, as a cancer woman," I said hopefully. "I would like to know if our compatibility is at strongest or weakest?, " I added while sipping the coffee to hide the embarrassment.

I know its embarrassing, but sometimes when my curiosity leads conversation, it seems that I am more concern with the output that anything else.

Aster laugh for a moment. "I didn't expect such question."

"It may seems weird but," I finally let out a breath as I put my cup down. "I have this dream when I was young, I dream of a guy named Gian. And so here I am."

"You should know that dreams were created by subconscious honey," he said sweetly. "There's a scientific explanation about that."

"I know," I said and heave a sighed. "I encountered that already for a million times."

"We're actually have the strongest compatibility," says Aster that give me hope.

I feel my eye lighted in delight of the news. This is it! This is it, I thought.

"But," his words cut me off the middle.

"But?," I asked.

Trying to pull myself together with the but. But is never been good as a continuation of a sentence. He was anput to talkes when his phone ring.

Aster excused his self. He fetch the phone from his pocket and answered it. It was a minutes of yeah, hmm, okay, and lastly I'll be there. With those words, I was hoping we'd still talk it over but. . .

"Sorry Rosé," says Aster as he ended the call. "But something came up and I need to go, " he added regretfully.

"No problem," says Rosé. "Thank you for the coffee."

Gian Aster Marcouatu headed his way out of the shop, waving a cab for his ride as he landed the sidewalk.

* * * * * x o x o x o * * * * *

Rosejeizel

All Rights Reserved

2020