Floriography: Red Roses
Chapter 30
When Tracy wakes up in the morning, her phone is still on and connected to Louis but there is no sound from across it. Tracy turns off her phone and instantly reads a chat from Steve who is worried about her.
“Tracy? I tried the phone but the connection was busy.”
Then, “Whose phone are you on?”
Tracy panicked. New time a day dating Steve he's been cheating? Tracy patted her forehead and quickly countered.
“So Mama phone early in the morning, every week so bright-about her off.” Tracy's reply was a lie. Because it's not
maybe he said he and Louis were talking to sleep. After ‘Novel’, they—including those with topic—pun should not disclose the conversation to anyone.
This time Steve responded quickly.
“Oh, so. I was worried about waking you up, but I miss.”
Tracy smiled widely, “I too. What is your activity today?”
“Not much, I don't know, I haven't come down from the room. After getting off Mama must have told me this was.”
Recalling her conversation with Louis last night, Tracy felt this was her chance to ask.
“Where is your house?”
Steve answered quickly again.
“Lumayan is far away with you, near SMP we used to be, in Clementine block Y8. Wh why? You want to play here?”
Tracy's face immediately flushed. They've only been dating for one day, it's too soon to meet Steve's parents today. But there's another, more compelling reason for Tracy not going there today.
“Unfortunately can't. Tomorrow Naka starts to open, so I have a lot to take care of. Besides I don't want to interrupt your time with the family.”
Tracy imagined Steve's smile smiling gently at her.
“Alright then. Don't work too hard, I'll call ya.”
Tracy reply briefly with, “Ok, Happy Sunday.” And lock the phone screen.
Tracy got out of her bed, stretched and sat in front of her computer. An e-mail notification comes in right away when he turns on the browser and opens his e-mail.
“Yes Lord..” Whisper Tracy does not believe. There was an e-mail reply from Gracy, even though he just sent his e-mail yesterday. As Tracy's heart was racing, she told Gracy a lot of things that were important to her in the e-mail yesterday, and this was Gracy's response to that.
To: Gracy_Manson@mymail.com
Tracy!
Forgive me for again leaving your e-mail unrequited for a while
the old one to the point that you sent me two e-mails in no time
too far apart. I feel so happy for you! But what is Steve
someone you've introduced me to? I don't know why that name is
sounds familiar to me in my ears?
And there's good news! Since the 21st was a fall on a Friday, I was able to stay overnight
at home for three days, until Sunday!! Very pleasant
wasn't he? Oho! Therefore, I beg you, I want us to be of quality
time on the 21— no one should bother us, Violetta, Steve or
whoever I DON'T CARE—lalu on the 22nd let's make a small party in
home with Mama Papa and just take your friends with your boyfriend because
OOOOHH it's obvious I want to meet him! I'm. No. gabe. Patience. Then day
Sunday let's go somewhere outside, no need to go far and fancy, fancy,
go home Mama and Papa are okay too, I want us to gather four, because
there's something I want to talk to you about, too. I also feel the need
stop lying about living with you and stuff. Lying to Mom and
Papa is heavy, right? I also feel I've burdened you.
I think this is my message to you, because we're gonna see each other soon?
Ahhhh I can't wait! See you next week Trace, take care of yourself!
The message made Tracy happy, as well as panicked. He looked around him. He forgot to tell Gracy that he has now moved. Tracy quickly sends an e-mail reply with a notice that she now lives in Naka's office and lists her address. But Tracy also wasn't sure if Gracy would read the message in time, so she called Tracy's manager and her number—.
Suddenly a phone came into Tracy's number while it was still stuck in her ear and Tracy almost jumped in shock. He looked at his phone screen and saw Louis's name.
“Hey.” Tracy answered while picking up the phone. He put his phone in loudspeaker mode and put it on the table and stood up.
“Hey, sorry last night it looks like I fell asleep in the middle of our conversation.” Louis's voice was hoarse and Tracy wanted to laugh. The man apparently called her as soon as he opened his eyes.
“I'm the same. Our phone is even still connected until morning, but I turn it off as soon as I wake up.”
“Ah... alright. So I didn't miss anything, did I?”
Tracy laughed as she made her bed. “No. I don't even remember what I said before I fell asleep. Are you busy on Sundays until you wake up at this hour? You're a sleepyhead.”
Louis chuckled with a voice that was like a broken radio.
“I am a morning creature. You're the only one who is directly stereotyped just because I couldn't wake up at that time.” Louis groaned and if Tracy could guess, he just got off his bed.
“I refuse to believe.”
“Suach to you. I might want to exercise for a while and then go to the supermarket for a while. Wanna come with no? I think I need a girl who knows what shopping to do to get home.”
Tracy thought, too, that she had just moved house and her refrigerator didn't have a lot of groceries.
“Good idea. What time do you want to go?”
“Maybe at 11 I just walked. You just wait in the office yeah, let me go there.”
“Oke, if so. I want to clean up first so there do what you need to do.”
“Oke.” Louis answered briefly and turned off his phone.
Tracy ruffled her waist, happy to see her white-dominated bed was neat now. He quickly got out of the room and down to the second floor, tidying up the traces of clothes hangers and podiums that shifted from his place, making sure the room was ready to receive tomorrow's customers, or to use Jasper who will take photos. After that Tracy went down to the first floor and found the ornate flowers around there already clean shiny, cleaned Nini. He arranged the seat and made sure the neon lights in the form of Naka & Team could light up, before returning upstairs to take a shower.
All of Tracy's preparations were finished before 11am, and she was ready with casual jeans, and a long-sleeved, white sweatshirt. He then took his wallet, mobile phone, tissue and other necessities to put in his bag and went down to the first floor. Tracy found her reflection on the glass standing by the door and tidied her hair. Her face looks a little tired without make-up, but she doesn't feel the need to be pretty to the supermarket.
Not long after that the sound of the vehicle rang out from the outside and a large white motorbike appeared in front of Naka's office. The driver of the motorcycle raised the glass of his helmet and Tracy immediately recognized the blue eyes. Tracy picked up her jacket and ran outside, locked the office door and turned towards Louis.
“Motormu?” Tracy asks while picking up the helmet Louis offers her.
“Not, stolen. Of course my motor.” Tracy guessed that Louis was smiling wide from his smiling eyes.
Louis tilted his bike slightly for Tracy to ride, but the girl's long legs allowed her to ride easily.
Tracy put her hand on Louis' shoulder, and the man turned his head slightly.
“Do not giggle me yes.”
“Depends on speeding not your bike. If my hand is near your neck it means you are already too fast.” Tracy says. Louis just laughed and took off his bike.
But it turns out Tracy's guess is wrong, Louis is not the type of motorcyclist who likes to speed— or he is just afraid of being strangled Tracy— and it makes Tracy feel less worried about his safety during the trip.
That afternoon the supermarket was quite crowded, but not crowded until jostling as well.
“You live alone too huh?” Tracy opened the conversation as they walked into the supermarket. Louis nodded as he pushed the sizable shopping cart next to Tracy.
“Yup.”
“Then can you cook?” Tracy grunts, belittles Louis who—according to Tracy—looks a little much like a spoiled child.
“Hey, I almost majored in culinary if I was not accepted at DKV.” Louis said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper like a housewife. Tracy was about to laugh but it felt quite useful also compared to her now suddenly confused and did not know what she needed to buy.
“Oh yes? Try cooking for me sometime if you go to the office. Let me know how good your skills are, Chef Troya.” Tracy stops at a large cooler filled with vegetables, and takes some types of mushrooms and vegetables for days where she needs to eat vegetarian.
“You vegetarian?” Louis asked, watching Tracy's belongings and taking a bag of shiitake mushrooms and peppers.
“Not, but if I don't have a regular schedule to eat vegetables, I will completely forget that I have enough vegetables or not.” Tracy picked up some green vegetables and put them on Louis' side of the grocery.
“Don't be like a kid who just wants to eat meat.”
Louis laughed a little. “Don't be like a parent, Tracy. But okay, I also can't not eat kok.”
“So?” Tracy folds her hands, ready to accept Louis's excuse which she believes is absurd.
“I can't process it.” Louis laughing. Tracy clicked her tongue.
“You said you were a culinary boy?”
“I'm a pastry boy Then the type of cooking my kitchen more to European cuisine, such as pasta and meat-meat.”
Tracy sighed, “Ya already, every time you go to Naka's office let me cook the vegetables.”
Louis nodded, “Good idea.”
They immediately left their groceries after paying, and Louis turned out to be ready with the recommendation of a Japanese restaurant on the second floor which they immediately went to when they finished shopping.
“You said Steve didn't about going with me today?” Louis buttressed his chin. Tracy shook her head.
“No, make what?”
Louis laughs, “Yes. You need permission, Tracy Manson. He's now your girlfriend, and maybe you don't mean to me and I don't mean to you either but he only knows you're ‘away with another guy’.”
Tracy's eyes widened, but then she regained her composure after thinking about Steve.
“Hm, I don't think Steve is that kind of person.”
“Oh yes? Didn't he ask anything after seeing us know when you moved it?”
Tracy racked her brain and recalled when Steve asked about how he didn't want Louis to get too close to her. Tracy patted her forehead and reached into her pocket to look for her phone she had been dropping off for hours, as usual.
Tracy chuckles, “Iya, she says you're handsome so I have to be careful with you.” Tracy said while still
watching cellphone.
Louis hissed and leaned against his stool. He stroked his chin.
“Already expected, Trace. You used to say I was handsome, then your boyfriend said I was handsome, maybe it's time I buy glass with better quality.”
Tracy almost ignored the sentence when she saw no notification from Steve and Tracy was a little disappointed
look at it and put the phone back in your pocket.
“She didn't even look for me, so I guess she doesn't want to know what I'm doing either.” Tracy said a little upset.
Steve raised his eyebrows.
“Oh, seriously, Tracy. Don't be that kind of girlfriend. If Steve went with another girl, you wouldn't be mad if you knew later?” Louis again leaned forward seriously. Tracy glanced at the ceiling.
“Entahlah. I don't think I'm the jealous type, Lou. After all, if he is that easy to tease other girls, he will not survive with his feelings until now.” Tracy shrugged her shoulders.
“You're too cuek.”
“Really?”
“Or too naive.”
“Or both.” Tracy took a breath.
“So you already know where the house is?”
Tracy nodded small. “Already, but yes I haven't been there.”
Louis stroked his chin.
“You want to go there?”
“Yes, he hasn't taken me to his house yet, so—“
“Ugh, no, Manson.” Louis rubbed his face in annoyance. “Try listening to my words. Either because my ex is a psychopath, I'm a little worried about you.”
Tracy looked at Louis who looked very serious. At that point of course Tracy felt more trust in Louis than herself who had no experience at all.
“I feel you at least see him is a person who comes from what kind of family.”
Tracy tried to guess. He should have known about Steve's family condition, at least when they were Junior High.
“Steve's father is quite a famous person, he's a scientist, otherwise he's a lung specialist.
His mother was a painter. Steve seems more inclined to look like his scientist father, because he was smart, he was offered a school out, with a fifty percent scholarship, but he did not take it because he said his father died.”
“Died because?”
Tracy shrugged her shoulders. “Too sensitive in my opinion to ask.”
Louis leaned back on his stool again. He felt that there was something strange about this person.
“Tracy.” Louis took his breath. Then the waiter came and brought their order to the table and Louis paused for a moment to smile at the waiter who had brought their food and thank them before returning to his serious look and looking at Tracy. Tracy thought, this guy could be an actor if he wanted to. Precisely if he is a little neater and acts more mature.
“You and I just met for a minute. But I know your family situation. Hell, you don't know my family situation, anyway, but if you ask me well I'll tell you—but in this case maybe me and Steve are different—and I guess someone when will decide to be in a relationship with someone else, he'll be sure that ‘this is the person I want to be my partner’ unless he's just messing around. You're taking this seriously, aren't you?”
Tracy hesitated. Does he take this seriously?
“Tracy, rest assured with your answer.” Louis who seemed to be able to read his mind.
“OK! Say I'm stupid or naive, but.” Tracy sighed, she was embarrassed to admit this but this is Louis we're talking about, “I actually want to know her more before our relationship can go anywhere. But her love confession she made over the radio was too romantic and I was suddenly lulled.”
Louis was about to open his mouth to protest but Tracy quickly added.
“Added my novel deadline that was getting closer and closer. I feel like I have to date now in order to finish my novel. Let's say I don't have a heart, but yesterday for me it was enough to make me comfortable, he was okay to be my girlfriend. What else you want, Lou? This is my first girlfriend.”
“Yes, but you and Steve are Tracy's adults, not kids.” Louis lifted his chopsticks to eat his udon before it got cold, and Tracy picked up the chopsticks.
“Then?” Tracy's question still doesn't understand.
“If you are a child and this happens, the most severe risk is one of them crying
because one of them didn't do something right, and then the wrong kid would apologize for feeling he was his girlfriend. But adults have strange thoughts. Call me parno but Steve could be dating you because he wants to. Famous hitchhiker maybe?” Louis said at length before he began to eat. Tracy, who was about to start eating again, dropped her chopsticks before she could touch the sushi she ordered.
“Do not equate Steve with us, he is not an industry person. Besides, if Steve wanted to, I'd be hurt by when. Entering Naka's office is not a difficult thing.” Tracy then began to eat, feeling she needed to calm her stomach which began to scream.
Louis still looked at him with concern and when the chewing was over, he went back to talking to Tracy.
“Tracy, you're a girl, you live alone, at least take care of yourself until you're a thousand percent sure Steve is
the right guy. Or at least until you know all about her and you're sure this is real. I don't care if you just want to mess with him or you don't take this seriously, but at least be a little selfish and think about your own safety.” Louis said.
Tracy nodded. I feel that those words have a point too.
“Ok, let me handle that later.” Tracy sighed and began to focus on eating.
“Tomorrow Jasper to the office?” Tracy changed the subject.
“Yeah, so. There are four other models to come as well to try on her dresses.” Louis, almost finished his meal.
“I always love photoshoots. Moreover the photo shoot of wedding dresses.” Tracy smiled as she imagined it. It's not her first time doing a photo shoot, but it's her first time shooting for a wedding dress.
“Why? So you can paint your photo pairs?” Louis cleaned his plate and grabbed his cold ocha to clean his mouth.
Tracy frowning. “Pair photo? No, tomorrow I will have a pair of photos?”
Louis rolled his eyeballs.
“Basic model amateurs, yes! Jasper is a bridal gown specialist, and that means bride and groom. So you'll be photographed in pairs.”
Tracy snorted, putting her hand back on the table before she choked on her own food.
“I'll be photographed in pairs? With model guy?”
“Yes God, yes.. Tracy, with guy model.” Louis growled. Tracy swallowed his saliva.
“OK, okay. Okay. I'll be photographed in a wedding dress, with a male model, and we'll pretend to be
the bride and groom, and the man's model wasn't Steve. Plus the photo will be plastered in all Jasper— magazines probably in many famous fashion magazines, and Steve can see—“
“OK, you can breathe a little, before continuing.” Louis passes his tea glass for Tracy to drink and the girl chugs at him without a second thought. “It's still just the beginning, Tracy. Try imagine. Okay, Jasper's the designer of bridal dresses, but what if Violetta suddenly decides she wants to make a summer dress collection? Bikini for instance. And you're part of wearing a bra made of just two little shells—“ Louis raised his hand, showing a small distance between his index finger and thumb. “This small and performed at Paris Fashion Week?”
Tracy shakes horror.
“Violetta couldn't have been that bad to me.” Tracy passed back the glass Louis had filled. Louis laughing.
“That's not evil, Tracy, you have to be professional. If it's his collection and your body that's fit to wear it then what do you say?” Louis held back a laugh. “That's why you said you had to be a little more serious with Steve. If it turns out that he is a jealous person, it will be difficult for you to work with Naka.”
Tracy sighed in annoyance and stuffed another piece of sushi into her mouth.
“Yes you have a point too, and I can't sacrifice my life, my job for Steve either. But I just had a girlfriend, Louuuu!!” Tracy whines, and chews on her last piece of sushi.
Louis laughed a little. “Cowok there's a lot, not just Steve, you don't have to worry about it, Trace.”
“Yes, but I won't see another guy like Steve.” Tracy patted the tissue to her lips before drinking her own tea.
“What the hell did you find in Steve?” Louis leaned closer to Tracy.
Tracy chuckles stupidly.
“Hm... I feel Steve appreciates me completely. It was as if Steve could understand my deepest feelings without needing to ask me. I also feel Steve connected with all the things I like, he's poetic—and I think rarely a poetic—he's sensitive, and he's sexy, he's, I think those three things are arguably his dream girlfriend Tracy Manson.” Tracy shrugged her shoulders.
Louis nodded. “So that's your type. I think it's rare for a guy like that.” Louis leaned back on his stool.
Tracy chuckles again. “I'm good, right? This is my first boyfriend, Lou. I think you understand why I'm afraid of losing him.”
“That's what I've always confused.” Louis squinted his eyes. “You're beautiful, why are you dating now? Lie if you say no one is—at least—trying to be your girlfriend.” Louis leaned his body again.
For a moment Tracy felt more than flattered when Louis said she was beautiful. It was not an unusual compliment, but somehow, it sounded much more sincere than Louis's mouth.
“Lou, my face and Gracy are exactly. The difference is, Gracy's charisma is better than mine. It makes people automatically prefer Gracy over me. Gracy's impression is like I've been upgraded.” Tracy shrugged her shoulders. Louis still squinted his eyes, then he clicked his tongue.
“That's your problem. You are too low. And I don't know what people think until they say you look like Gracy, you're clearly different from her.” Answer Louis. Tracy almost rolled her eyes. He felt like they were chatting in a ‘novel’ session where Louis was always more open-minded, and this was where Louis was somewhat judgmental.
“You were the one who yelled at me in Japan for thinking I was Gracy, right? Forgot already? Mr photographer?”
Louis laughed and stopped.
“Oh yes, sorry. But that was before I knew you. Now that I've seen your face the more I come here I feel you're less and less like Gracy.”
Tracy just rolled her eyeballs.
“You haven't seen Gracy in person. Later sometime we—oh yes, she came home this week!” Tracy smiled broadly. Really, why did he forget?
“Gracy is going to your house this week?”
Tracy nodded with excitement.
“Yes, he'll be home for three days. So maybe on Saturday you can come eat with us. Friday we'll be alone, and Saturday he invited me to Steve and other friends for a small party at home—or maybe outside I don't know, I'll go with Gracy. Come, come with us to eat.”
Louis clicked his tongue.
“I'll be a mosquito if I come along. What am I there for? It was as if you were going to introduce Steve to your family and then suddenly there was me in your midst.” Louis pouting. Tracy snarled immediately.
“Your position is more or less the same as Violetta now—under Violetta anyway but I want to be kind—so just come.”
“Lah, Violetta is also definitely coming with Jasper, right? Just later. I'm looking for a new boyfriend I just came by
eat at your house. Tell Gracy to come home later.”
Tracy immediately pinched Louis' arm hard, making the man open his mouth wide. He looked to the left right, realizing they were in a public place and he immediately canceled his intention to scream.
“I swear, I promise I won't make you uncomfortable later. Trust me, I'm a multitasking.” Tracy smiled sweetly. Louis just glanced at him.
“Serah ah! See later on.”
