The Sun and the Moon 1.

Chapter 1.

Lauren wore a green top covered with a white shirt, ripped jeans, and white flat shoes. Leaning against the pillar, she exudes an aura that intimidates whoever is trying to come in contact with her. Hence no one approaches her. The noisy sound of music deafened her ears, and she grew restless. She went to this bar to get closer to the girl she currently has feelings for, but she quickly realized that it was a bad idea. The girl she liked was now too busy standing behind the bar counter and serving drinks, and it was difficult to strike a conversation. 

She met her not long ago at this bar, but in a slightly different atmosphere where it wasn’t so crowded. When the girl took the order and made her the Irish coffee she wanted, she casually chatted with her as if they had known each other long ago. The girl has a sweet smile, and whenever she does, she can see her two shallow dimples exuding a charm that she was attracted to. She had never before asked someone for contact information so directly, and the girl was also willing to give her her numbers, and while she did, Lauren anticipated their closer contact in the future. After grasping the information she needed, she never let anyone wait for long to send a message shortly after returning home, which led to this initial situation. 

Lauren was tired of leaning against the pillar and thought it wasn’t wise to come here alone while her “date” was busy working. Even though the girl she wanted to pursue was extremely busy standing behind the bar counter, she would smile at her when their eyes met, and it gave Lauren a sweet feeling inside that she still cared for her existence. It was not far from getting off work for her “date,” but Lauren felt time ticking away slowly. Why it’s called “date” was because Lauren hasn’t stated her position in this matter since she hasn’t honestly asked the girl if she likes women. She has never approached a girl she felt attracted to besides dating apps. Yes, Lauren is 28 years old, currently single, and likes women. It’s not like she wanted a girlfriend so badly, but she has never met anyone she felt would give her heart to since she is extremely picky. If the girl has intelligence but not looks, she wouldn’t be captivated, and if the girl has an appearance but is not intelligent, it wouldn’t work either. Therefore she has now been to this age, nearly 30, and still hasn’t had any relationship. Coming to the bar at this hour was a disadvantage for her because she had to wait for the girl to finish work, but she had no way to tell why she felt such a fondness for this girl at first sight. 

Aiyla was busy mixing drinks for her customer when she felt someone was looking at her. When she turned her head to look towards the sight, she saw the woman met during her work yesterday leaning against the pillar and exuding a “don’t come near me” aura, and she felt it was funny. Aiyla never thought that the woman would come so early after her suggestion to meet after work. She was still working now, unable to give any particular attention besides smiling at her when their eyes met. She has always been open-minded and extroverted and didn’t mind getting in touch with different people from various cultures. And when she said, “How about off work tomorrow and we can have a drink together?” She did intend to meet her again on a whim, but she didn’t expect that the woman would come as early as one hour before she finished work. After brief eye contact, she kept herself busy serving the customers queued up to buy drinks. It was nearly midnight, and she was still busy making mojitos and various drinks for her customers. 

The girl that worked behind the counter was exceptionally professional while she shook and mixed the drink. Lauren found it very cool to know someone who could show extreme professionalism by making drinks without fretting as if there was no stress, even though the queue was long with sober and drunk customers. 

The clock was ticking away, and people started to dance, and there was laughter and cheers everywhere as if it was a festival happening in the bar. Finally, after standing in one place for nearly too long, she moved to the entrance to go out for a smoke. It was an embarrassing situation to come so early and need to wait, but she didn’t care much about it since she felt it wasn’t a bad thing to wait for the girl to finish her work and see how she worked. She has never cared if she does things alone, whether visiting the bar at night alone or having a coffee without anyone to accompany her. She is not an extrovert, but she isn’t a complete-fledged introvert either. She is in the middle of an ambivert and enjoys both times spent alone and with others. 

Aiyla saw that time was approaching her getting off work, so she did a quick scan and didn’t see the woman standing near the pillar between the bar counter and the dancing floor. She thought maybe the woman was fed up waiting, but she wasn’t sure since they had already made an appointment. After a brief conversation with her coworker, Aiyla went to the back of the staff room, got changed, and sent the woman a message. Almost no time to put on her shirt, she received a reply. 

“I’m outside smoking. Let’s go to another place to have a drink,” the woman replied. 

“Got it, I am coming out now,” She replied swiftly.

Aiyla made her way out of the bar counter and went out. She saw the woman standing not far away through the glass door, and she smiled to herself that this woman was impressive in the way she stood. The woman stood there aloof and held a cigarette with an arrogant look. When she had done her admiration, she went quickly out of the entrance door and approached the woman. 

“I thought you were tired of waiting,” she half-joked and half-serious while smiling at Lauren. 

“How come? Waiting for a beauty like you isn’t tiresome. I just felt stuffy inside and wanted a smoke,” Lauren answered with a flirtatious compliment. 

“You don’t mind it, do you?” Lauren said again and showed her the nearly finished cigarette sandwiched between her fingers.  

“Not at all. Feel free to do it,” Aiyla answered with a coy smile. She doesn’t have the habit of smoking, but she doesn’t mind other people doing it. Because of her profession, she has come across many people who smoke regular cigarettes and other things such as weed.

“That’s fine. Shall we leave?” Lauren said and put off the cigarette on the ashtray. 

“Yeah, let’s go. I know of a place that you would like.” 

It was summertime, and the city was teeming with people even though it was nearly midnight, the sky isn’t too dark, and everyone is enjoying the lukewarm weather. The breeze caressed their faces, and there was a salty seaweed smell in the air that came from the ocean. They were currently walking near the boat dock near the sea, and it felt like a romantic stroll no matter how you see it. 

“You were very cool when mixing the drinks tonight,” Lauren complimented with a gentle smile. 

“Really? I thought I was average,” Aiyla smiled back, and she was modest in her reply. 

They walked pretty slowly, and Lauren thought if she was tired after work, but she was not sure if she should mention going back home to her place or not. She had a feeling that it would be a bit too intimate if she invited her home. Hence she didn’t mention anything about it. 

Aiyla was thinking if it’s better to go home and make some late dinner snacks and drink some red wine instead of going to another bar right now. Today seems a bit off to be going out since she worked so late. Although she did agree to meet tonight on a whim, she felt she was pretty tired. 

“Would you like to come to my place?”

“Would you like to go to my apartment?” Both said simultaneously and laughed when they heard the other party was thinking the same. 

“I am quite tired today after work. If you don’t mind coming to my place, we can have some late snacks and red wine while watching a movie?” 

“Well, if you are tired, we can also do it another time. It seems you did quite the hard work tonight.” Lauren spoke with consideration and felt it was more appropriate to end the “date” since she thought it would be imposed on Aiyla if she went to her apartment while she was tired. Aiyla was unsure whether to end the meeting or insist on coming to her apartment, but at a later thought, she felt it was more appropriate to do it another time when they were more acquainted.

“How about next Friday at lunch?” Aiyla suggested once again. 

“Yeah, sure, that would be nice,” Lauren said and thought of giving herself some time off to write her book on Friday.

The situation suddenly becomes awkward since both think about tonight’s meeting, and neither of them didn’t want the other to feel bad. Still, at the same time, the situation isn’t ideal to do anything else since the words have already come out. 

“Well, then let’s meet again next week,” Lauren said with an awkward smile. She wasn’t sure whether to hug Aiyla or not and stood there stiffly.

Aiyla said yes, and gave her an Amway by hugging her, making the atmosphere less awkward. The brief contact made Lauren feel the warmth, and she was greedy for that warmth and thought if time could stop at this moment, it would be the best.

Lauren strolled to her car and felt that today was somewhat not ideal for her to date, and she couldn’t even tell if it was something between them or not. She had avoided dating for so long and didn’t even know how dating was supposed to be and became perplexed at her behavior tonight. Lauren has never thought of having a girlfriend or married early like her peers. She was picky and didn’t follow the norm. Lauren has always avoided her family from urging her to find a partner with that thought in mind. However, tonight she has done something she wouldn’t do at normal times. The way she stood in one place and waited for the girl to finish work tonight was unlike her.

She opened the car door and sat in, planning to drive back to her apartment, but thinking again, she flipped open her phone and called her friend. 

Calling her friend, the phone connected after several beeps, and her friend’s voice with the noise in the background was loud. 

“Lauuuureeeen, what’s up?” the laughter from the other end indicated that the person was slightly drunk. 

“Where are you? Are you drunk?” Lauren asked with a smile. 

“No, I am not yet drunk, but wait, this is too noisy here. I can’t hear you,” 

After some time, the noise subsided, and her friend returned to the phone. 

“Sorry, now we can talk. What’s going on?” Carol smiled at the other end and asked her. 

“Nosy, I can hear your inquiry from that question, Carol,” Lauren laughed. 

“Hahaha, if you know, tell me already!?” 

“Well, nothing happened. It ended before it started,” Lauren was embarrassed while telling the “story.”

“What?! It ended before it started?! You are kidding me?” Surprised gasped from the phone, and she knew her friend was shocked that nothing had happened. 

“Really, btw, where are you? Let’s have some drinks?” 

“Come, come, come to me. We are having a little gathering here,” Carol invited warmly.

“It doesn’t feel like a “little gathering,” haha. Can we even talk with such noise?” 

“Forget about talking, and I feel you need some drinks and maybe some puffs.” Carole beamed through the phone. 

“Hmm, you know I have quit those,” Lauren said and was unsure whether to go.

“I know, it’s not a pressure, but it’s nothing wrong with that either. It’s your choice, but you need to let loose a bit. I feel you have been stressed and “uptight” lately. Lauren, you need to live before you come to old age and regret it.” Carol’s friendly advice, like a real hippie, came over the phone. 

“Probably, but not tonight. I want to talk, but it’s not a crisis. I can tell you more another day about tonight’s meeting.” Lauren said when she half decided not to go, someone texted her. 

［Aiyla］Good night. 🙂 

It was a message from Aiyla, the girl she was thinking of just now. Did this mean she is interested? 

Lauren, anticipating looking forward to lunch next Friday, smiled from ear to ear with a gentle expression that she didn’t even notice.