Luna On The Run!

Still Luna Ariel’s POV

Clarita surprises me and even herself while shopping.

She appears to have a refined talent for matching clothes, picking out the right jewelry and selecting the perfect shoes. Even the shop assistants are impressed by her skills. For someone who has never worked outside the house before and who claims not to be particularly fashion-conscious, she now truly seems to have a talent for picking out the appropriate style.

As we were paying at the till, the manager walked up to her.

“If you are ever looking for a job, come join us,” the manager offers. “We have numerous customers who are not sure which style suits them. A talented worker like you would be very welcome”. Shyly, Clarita nods. “I will definitely do that. Thank you for the compliment,” she replies.

It is definitely meant, my new friend thinks too little of herself. And I am confident that if she takes the job, she will make it a great success. In the end, we leave with more than we intended to buy. Just a quick stop at the salon for a manicure and pedicure and we are good to go.

Back at the hotel, we throw ourselves on the bed. Shopping can be an exhausting activity, even though we have enjoyed it tremendously. I noticed that Clarita kept all her receipts, probably determined to pay me back. Another plus for her character.

It is in the afternoon when we enter the hotel restaurant. A waiter came up to us with his eyes glued to Clarita. Like her, he is blond with deep blue eyes. His body is slim, but it is clear that he is a regular at the gym.

“What can I do for you today, ladies?” the man inquires kindly, looking at Clarita appreciatively. She blushes like a sailor and cannot utter a word.

“A juice to start?” he asks her and she nods willingly. When he manages to tear his eyes away from her, he raises his eyebrows and I gesture to him that I want one too.

And then he hands the menu to Clarita first. She was so shocked that she couldn’t grasp it properly and it slipped from her hands to the floor.

“Aahh, forgive me,” she whispers uncomfortably, bowing to the floor at the same time as the waiter. I put a hand over my mouth to keep from bursting out laughing at her expression. Come on, she said she was at college and went to parties. I’m sure she got a lot of attention from the guys.

“Hi, I’m Ivan. What’s your name?” the man asks gently. Clarita shakes her head. “I’m married, sorry,” she replies quickly. The man’s eyes wander to the left hand, where there is no ring. A nerve in his neck twitches, his eyes go cold, but he remains silent.

“What would you like for dinner? Our special today is a seafood mix with exotic vegetables, mashed potatoes and Bulgur. We have a special brand of sauce,” he says now soberly.

We choose the special, after which Ivan leaves.

“He didn’t believe you. He looked at your fingers. Where is your wedding ring?” I asked her. She stares at her hand herself now. “I threw it away after I caught him. It wasn’t worth anything anyway, it was all a lie”.

“The waiter was obviously trying to get a date with you. But now he thinks you lied.”

“No men for me at the moment. I have just decided to divorce my husband. I need to take a break and think about what I want to do with my life going forward,” she explains. “Maybe I should seriously consider the shop manager’s offer. A job is exactly what I need. But first and foremost, I need some time to sort out my future.

A waitress brings our drinks and we sip thirstily.

“This is good. Going from one hand to the other can be quite a mistake,” I advise her. “I want to stay here for a few days and then move on. Maybe go on a cruise. I’ve always dreamed of doing that.”

“A cruise is great. It’s been a long time since I’ve done one. Since my parents died, actually. It’s a great experience,” she enthuses. For a moment I caught a glimpse of despondency in her gaze.

She is probably thinking about being alone in the world again in a few days.

“Why don’t you come with me? You said you needed some time to think about what to do next? And I could use some company. This is my first time traveling alone.”

“Really? Are you sure about that?” sounds almost childish. A broad smile spreads across her face. “I would love to. I was afraid of being lonely and eventually succumbing to the urge to go back to Matt,” she admits honestly.

“Then it is agreed. Let’s hurry. We can get some rest before we go to the club.” Half an hour later we are back in our bedroom. We rest for a few hours before getting ready for our night out. I want to be around people as much as possible and get my mind off my problems. Of course, I am aware that this is a postponement, but not a reprieve.

Not only Clarita, but I too will soon have to decide what to do with my life.

As we leave the hotel, I can sense that we are being watched. I can clearly feel the gaze on us, but the person is hiding. I shrug my shoulders and get into a taxi with my friend.

When we arrive at the club, it is packed.

Indecisive, we stand at a distance and watch as the people jostle to get a seat in the club.

“This way, ladies,” I suddenly hear a familiar voice next to us.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

We turn to see none other than Ivan standing there.

“Come with me, we’ll go through the VIP entrance,” he replies, his eyes fixed on Clarita again.

Hmmm, does Ivan really believe that the persistent one always wins?…