Chapter Text
Beatrice was navigating through life as steadily as she could. She had experienced enough drama in her youth - coping with the aftermath as best as she could. Which meant locking herself away to protect what was left of her sanity. Being raised in a strict and wealthy family and being rejected by the said family had left invisible scars on her soul that she had been working on since she cut herself from her parents. That was 12 years ago, and she was still struggling to let people in.
Which, apparently, became a real concern for her friends. At barely 28, it seems that society expected her to be in a stable relationship with meaningful projects - which were debatable from Beatrice’s perspective - such as marriage and children. However, growing among potential sociopaths like her loving parents, Beatrice had painted a painful vision of relationships. For her, love meant chaos and agony. Especially since she allowed herself one relationship that ended disastrously - therefore convincing her that love was the worst possible path for her.
All of her past experiences had shaped Beatrice’s behavior and personality. They had all led her to focus on her career above all else. And the fact that she was a successful and recognized figure in her company seemed not to be enough for society. Being Director of Operations at the well-known tech company Halo, owning her own apartment and being independent were not enough at her age. It was frustrating because Beatrice managed to build herself up from scratch, climbing the ladder on her own. Yeah, being lesbian left her without access to her family’s outrageous wealth. Though, she didn’t care and never asked for a penny - she was far too proud to ask for help.
What exhausted Beatrice was not the sheer volume of work she had to accomplish within Halo. No, that she could deal with - she loved leading teams, supporting them and growing stronger with them. What was more troublesome were her friends. More specifically Camila and Mary - her best friends from University. As both were engaged in healthy and heavenly relationships, Beatrice became the single friend who had to be “placed”. The third wheel in disguise. And her friends were obliged by the sisterhood code to support Beatrice in her love quest - a quest she didn't even know existed in the first place. More importantly, they were relentless about it; planning blind dates with whoever they thought could interest Beatrice - which meant absolutely every single woman they could think of, inviting new acquaintances to “magically” turn up when they were all having a drink together or even playing the clumsy wingwoman to get a number.
Beatrice never imagined how far Camila and Mary were ready to go when she had tentatively agreed to let them set her up on blind dates. At the beginning it had been fun and almost charming to see the duo get excited about whatever idea they came up with. Even though she was grateful and happy to have them as her chosen family, they were a lot to handle. Sometimes it was too much for her…
-”Come on, what do you have to lose anyway? It’s just a date!!” whined Camila from Beatrice’s device. “She’s nice!”
Beatrice sighed, her fingers flying over her keyboard to complete a report she was dutifully working on, her phone set next to her coffee with the speaker on so she could hear her best friend as she went about her task.
-”You told me the exact same words about the previous girls you made me go on a blind date with. I don’t have time to wander around with one of your new connections. Just… Can’t you two leave me alone for a while?”
-”What if she IS the ONE?! You would miss the chance to meet your true love!”
-”That argument is no longer valid since you use it constantly. And it is the 12th time - just for your information. Not that I am counting.”
-”What can I say? I am an amazing best friend willing to help a friend in need!” laughed Camila.
-”You should better take care of your own relationship before you try to get me into one. You really need to rethink some of your priorities…” Beatrice muttered, her eyes flashing at the phone as if it were her exuberant, yet incredible, friend.
-”Don’t worry about my love life. Lilith and I are doing wonderfully - thanks for your concern. We are still a happily married couple! And our current common goal is to find you a lover! So you should go on that date tomorrow night. We have approved it!”
-”At this point, you would even approve of a nun,” pointed Beatrice out.
-”Oh, are you trying to tell me about a religious kink of yours?” teased Camila.
-”I think my former catholic private school inoculated me against that,” groaned Beatrice. “I was mainly making a point that you and Mary are so desperately trying to find me a lover that you would accept anyone to blind date me. What might apply for you two does not necessarily work for me.”
-”Just go, I promise we’ll calm down.”
-”I’d rather spend the night alone enjoying some peace and quiet and maybe a glass of wine.”
-”That’s literally what you spend most of your evening doing when you’re not working your ass off!”
-”Speaking of work. You need to do yours.
-”Please consider the blind date - for real Bea. Or at least accept our help. We can go to a bar with the others tonight and you might find someone!”
-”I am serious about work Camila, the project you are working on with your team is due at the end of the week and we cannot delay the delivery - it is an easy one. Be the good Programme developer you are and roll this up.”
-”I would rather talk about your love life!”
-”I’m sorry, I can’t hear you… Connection is bad…”
-”Don’t you dare h…”
Beatrice hung up on Camila and returned her full attention to her report until the door to her office slammed against the wall and a young woman burst into the room, her black curly hair bouncing on her head.
-”Bad connection my ASS! We have the best equipment, I made sure of it!” Camila shouted..
Beatrice rolled her eyes before they landed on Camila. She wasn’t sure if she was fortunate to work in the same company as her best friend. Both started together and Beatrice had quickly risen through the ranks to become Director of Operations, therefore becoming her best friend’s boss. If Camila tended to spread herself around, Beatrice was the exact opposite. She was well organized, hard-working and sharp-minded. So, she had to refocus Camila to get her back on track. At first, Beatrice was hesitant and reluctant to do so, afraid of ruining their friendship. Though, over time she found that it was highly necessary and their bond remained unchanged - which she was glad about.
-”Hi Camila. Bye Camila,” said Beatrice, returning to her report.
-”Don’t bye me. I am deadly serious about this blind date.”
Beatrice sighed and pushed her chair away to stare at Camila.
-”Finish the project and I will consider it,” Beatrice suggested, smoothing the front of her black slacks. I have agreed to your messy assistance as long as you respect my boundaries and needs. This is getting a bit out of hand.”
-”Bea, the reason why we want you to find someone is for you. You are being far too hard on yourself. You barely leave the office, you bring files back home to work on and you don’t take vacation.Life isn’t just about work.”
Beatrice stifled a groan. She could understand the motivation behind her friends’ concern and urge to settle her. It was true that she had a tendency to lose herself in the overwhelming tasks of her job. She mostly lived for it - and she did not mind. That's what she thought. She filled the empty space in her heart with responsibilities towards Halo, keeping her mind busy to avoid wondering about love. Sometimes she relieved some of the pressure at the gym or with casual hookups. However, her relatives did not see these as a solution. It was also true that she never went on holiday because she had no one to visit - her family were a no-go as they cut her out of their lives and her friends were already here. Although, the last time she took days off she ended up spending them in her hotel room to work on an emergency instead of enjoying the Spanish environment surrounding her.
It’s not that she was against a relationship. It’s just that she’d never felt anything meaningful and worthwhile from any woman she’d met. She was also terrified of commitment. Her last lover had shattered her heart into pieces and pointed out how rigid Beatrice could be with someone. Apparently, she was a terrible lover: not physical enough, not communicative enough, too discreet and mysterious. Thank you very much Mother and Father for such an education lacking love’s demonstration. She always had to be perfect and polite in society. That is why Beatrice ended up being the way she was. A poker face that barely managed to show emotions, a heart strongly protected by walls as thick as the China Great Wall and as high as the Burj Khalifa, a vocabulary that could be defined as old-fashioned (or the dinosaurs’ one according to Mary) and difficulties in expressing herself freely.
-”I am not a nun, I do entertain my nights if needed,” managed to reply Beatrice, annoyed.
-”Second time mentioning nuns here,” Camila noted amusingly, with a mocking smirk. “But did you know that you could have sex AND love in one person? Instead of casual one night-stands?”
-”Would you mind changing the subject?”
-”Blind date,” Camila shrugged.
-”No. Finish the project and I will think about it.”
-”Bea!” cried her best friend in despair. “If it’s done by tonight, you go on this date tomorrow.”
-”We shall see. Now, go and do your duty,” smiled Beatrice.
Camila showed no intention of returning to her floor. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, pursing her lips as if to hold the words on the tip of her tongue. She shoved her hands in the front pockets of her jeans and looked down at the ground, trying to summon up some courage.
-”You guys are stuck,” commented Beatrice with a sigh. “I’ll come down as soon as I manage to finish… at least this report.”
-”We are. I am glad that you managed to become Director - it is wonderful and you deserve it because I have never met anyone as dedicated as you! However, the Development Department has lost its most valuable asset and you have too much on your plate to help us every time,” approved Camila with a small nod.
-”I do my best to be on all fronts.”
-”I know, I witness it on a daily basis. I mean… of all the Directors, you deserve an assistant the most! Go to HR and ask for one - I will support the request and so will the others.”
Beatrice gave it a thought. She could really use an assistant, her workload was increasing so were her responsibilities. She felt that since she had become a Director, the amount of work she had to do had skyrocketed. No wonder why she was doing overtime every day.
-”I will this afternoon. Hopefully Yasmine will manage to get me one for next week. And after that, I will stop by your team to sort out the matter you are facing.”
-”Thank you Bea!” beamed Camila. “By the way, drinks with the group tonight so don’t be late! I’ll send you the details later!”
-”Sure, I’ll join you wherever you want me,” Beatrice said in dismay..
Camila smiled brightly and gave a thumbs up before heading back down two floors. As soon as she exited Beatrice’s office, Beatrice rested her head on the back of her chair and drew a deep inspiration. It was going to be a long day.
And she had been right. The rest of her day flew by the window like a stifling breeze. She did not manage a single break, instead concentrating on files and running around the building’s company to help. She had managed to see Yasmine, the HR Director, to require an assistant which had been granted right away - and she thought she might have to bargain to get one. She had not had a chance to change before heading to the location Camila had sent her earlier so she entered the bar in her black suit. For a Monday night, the bar was busy, hopefully Camila spotted her at the entrance and waved to her. The group was sitting near the bar - which was not surprising. She walked towards them - avoiding the already drunk customers- grateful to finally have some time with her friends.
-“Hi Boss!” said Camila, jumping up from her stool to hug Beatrice tightly.
-“You should really drop this habit of calling me Boss out of the office. You don’t even call me that at work!” grumbled Beatrice, still she was smiling softly.
-”You look worn out,” pointed Mary as a greeting.
-”Probably because I am,” replied Beatrice, hugging each of her friends in relief.
-”Here, have a seat,” offered Lilith, pushing a chair towards Beatrice with a small reserved smile.
-”I’ll get you a glass of wine,” decided Camila before turning to the counter.
Beatrice took her seat as her friends watched her carefully.
Camila was her first friend, they met at University, being in the same Major. Beatrice would never understand how someone as bubbly as Camila could want someone as reserved as Beatrice as a friend.
They met Mary in their second year when they decided to share a flat rather than stay in the gloomy dormitory. Mary was looking for a room and they were searching for a roommate. Behind her tough exterior, Mary was actually very caring - a bit rough and straightforward but it was never in a mean way.
They all bonded the moment they met, the three of them completely different and yet complementary. Camila was the cheerful and childish one, excited about almost everything. Mary was practical but also a neck breaker - nothing seemed to frighten her and she loved a good fight. Beatrice, on the other hand, was… Beatrice. Logical, organized and discreet. In their trio, she felt like the unnoticed one.
Their little group firstly grew with the arrival of Lilith - a slender woman with a serious face with high cheekbones framed by long black hairs. She was probably the one Beatrice had the most in common in terms of personality. And Liltih was the one who swept Camila off her feet, the one who melted the curly-haired girl’s heart in no time. Their love story was four years strong and nothing could separate the happily married couple.
Shannon was the last member to join. The tall woman was the softest and kindest among them all. And she had been Mary’s girlfriend for about a year. How her best friend could end up with someone like Shannon was beyond Beatrice's understanding but they were good for each other, and that was what counted.
The silence remained as Camila handed Beatrice a glass of wine. It was odd, no one could stop their group for a lively discussion. Beatrice frowned, wondering if she had something on her face.
-”May I know why you are so quiet?” asked Beatrice. “Have I interrupted a conversation I am not supposed to hear?”
-”Not at all, Mary was trying to figure out why you still haven’t accepted the blind date. I told her that you first ditched the idea and promised me that you would consider the proposal again tonight.”
-”Why don’t you give the woman a chance? She seems great! “ said Mary, pressing her lips tight together.
-”Have you even met her?” questioned Beatrice, holding her glass reverently with a quirk of her eyebrow. “Or did she apply online through your Craigslist ad?”
-”First, we never actually posted that ad,” Camila explained, intending to be serious even though the sparkle in her eyes said otherwise. “Not on Craigslist, at least. I might have posted a picture of you on my Instagram story once. You’re hot as hell on it - not that you’re not on a regular basis. I just wrote something like “Free spot in her heart to be taken”. That’s not bad. I mean…Not that bad! That’s how we managed to organize a couple of dates.”
-”Oh great, those women probably thought I was desperate…” huffed Beatrice. “Did you know any of them ?They all pop-up out of nowhere.”
-”Actually…” Shannon interrupted in a shy whisper. “The one you are supposed to meet tomorrow is because of me.”
Beatrice looked at Mary’s girlfriend in disbelief.Her best friends siding against her was one thing. Adding their girlfriends to the equation was so much worse. She felt like she was a special case, a problem that needed to be solved urgently and that teamwork was the only solution. She wrinkled her nose, worried about how far this had gone. It was as if her friends did not believe she could lift a woman alone. Rather they thought she was too bad at flirting or did not have any faith in her abilities. Perhaps they weren’t entirely wrong. She struggled with social interactions where emotions were involved - so she kept it casual. She never fell in love - it was a foreign sensation to her. She was too busy keeping her walls up to be distracted by women. She had been attached. The one and only relationship she had ever been in made her soft enough to be hurt. She wasn’t willing to go down that road again, not after all she’d been through.
Shannon reached out for Beatrice’s forearm, touching it lightly to comfort her.
-”I may have overstepped here but the woman is genuinely nice. She recently arrived in town and subscribed to the gym I work for. I thought it would be great for her to make friends and it is also an opportunity for you to meet someone new,” gently said Shannon.
-”Consider yourself lucky,” barked Mary. “I wanted Shannon to invite her tonight since you were not open to a blind-date.”
-”Please don’t, I’m not a stray dog seeking a master. I’m aware that you’re trying to… I don’t even understand the reason behind your obsession to get me in a relationship in the first place. And anyway, I won’t be able to make it - I am flying for a business trip tomorrow afternoon so this… blind-date will have to be postponed.”
All her friends’ faces deflated and Beatrice tried to hide the small smile that found its way to her lips. She sipped at her wine, letting the liquid roll over the tip of her tongue. She was tired of it all. She needed her friends to understand that she was fine on her own - that she could satisfy her desires without dating. It had been quite a long time since they’d seen Beatrice flirt or bring anyone home - maybe that would calm them down.
Beatrice couldn’t believe the plan that was forming in her mind. It was simple enough but so unlike her! Pick someone up, flirt and take her home. One night-stand. Easy. Casual. Her previous hookups had happened naturally, most of the time - if not always - the other woman had come on to her with clear intent. Not the other way around. If she has to go through this to get some peace and quiet, she will.
They all continue to drink and laugh as if Beatrice had never countered the blind-date's proposal. At one point, Beatrice made eye contact with a woman leaning against the opposite wall and watching her with an intense gaze. She was beautiful, lean and tall with a pronounced jawline. Their eyes locked for a minute, each weighing the other with wonder and expectation.
This stranger could be it, Beatrice thought with a tight smile. After the few glasses she had, she could manage a flirt in this cramped bar. It would need some liquid courage if she wanted to show her friends what she could do. She took a deep breath and stood up, ignoring the strange looks on her friends' faces. She felt their eyes on her back as she walked over to the blonde woman who was smiling brightly.
Beatrice had not had a hookup in months but the night she spent with the stranger made up for it easily. Chantal - or was it Chanel? - seemed to have an endless stamina and Beatrice took the opportunity to take out all of her frustrations, switching from gentle to rough, her own name echoing in the privacy of Chantal’s bedroom.
By the time the first ray of sunlight made its way through the window, Beatrice was sweaty and tangled up in the sheets,the blonde woman breathing heavily as she came down from their last round.
-"I should get going," Beatrice announced , rolling onto her side to check the time on her phone. . It was almost 6 am and she had to get home - she still had a suitcase to prepare for her business trip and some work to do back in her office.
-”Hmmm…” the blonde hummed , drifting away.
Chantal tried to watch Beatrice get up under her lashes, her gaze unfocused and exhausted.
-”May I use your shower before I go?” asked Beatrice while gathering her clothes.
-”Hmmm…” the blonde repeated, covering her very naked body with the sheet to get some sleep.
Beatrice nodded and padded off to the bathroom. Once the smell of sex was off her skin, she put on her black trousers and bra, tidied her wet hair - a ribbon in her mouth and both hands busy making a casual bun. She was concentrating on her task when the door shot open and surprised her. She barely jumped and turned around to see… Well this person was definitely not Chantal.
The newcomer looked sleepy, her hair disheveled, her eyelids barely open, a loose t-shirt hanging on one shoulder, revealing toned legs and bare feet. Beatrice froze at the sight. She was insanely cute and hot - perhaps the first time Beatrice had ever combined the two words. She remembered that Chantal had mentioned that she had a flatmate but at that time the information had been insignificant. But now, standing in front of probably the most beautiful woman she had ever seen, Beatrice regretted everything she had done in the past few hours. She was embarrassed and very aware of how loud Chantal had been.
Beatrice had never been the type to stick around until morning. She used to flee the scene of crime while her one night-stand was sound asleep. That's what it was made for. Casual hookups were not meant for drinking coffee together in an awkward silence the following morning. When both parties were satisfied, they went back to their lives without exchanging phone numbers. It was simple, no strings attached.
Beatrice bit her bottom lip, uncomfortable. She grabbed her shirt and put it on, closing several buttons to hide her bra - she could have tried to hide her dignity but at this point it was too late.
The newcomer seemed to register the current situation she was in, her eyes bulging from their sockets and a blush spreading across her cheeks. She stared at Beatrice, her gaze lingering on Beatrice’s visible abs and collarbone. Was Beatrice dreaming or was the stranger checking her out? The woman was even licking her lips! Beatrice tried her best to remain stoic, to compose her facial expression as one of detachment rather than embarrassment and gay panic. Though, she couldn't control the tips of her ears becoming red.
This stranger, whoever she was, was beyond attractive. She had short brown hair matching her eyes, full lips and a flawless face. Beatrice could see the generous yet perfect curves beneath the texture of the oversized t-shirt.
Beatrice shook her head. It was neither the time nor the place nor the situation to daydream about the flatmate of her last one night-stand. It was so inappropriate and she had been raised better than that.
-”Good morning,” Beatrice offered, a soft smile spreading across her lips.
-”Oh… You’re hot,” the stranger murmured in awe. “Looks like your face was carved by Gods themselves…”
Beatrice raised an eyebrow, puzzled but amused.
-”Thank you?” Beatrice replied, not accustomed to compliments nor able to handle some coming from the mouth of a woman who looked like an angel herself. “I apologize if I made noise and woke you up.”
-”Oh no, the flat is finally quiet. I was heading to bed for a real rest and needed to use the washroom first,” laughed the roommate.
Beatrice grimaced. Yeah, she should have listened when Chantal mentioned the flat-sharing thing. She would have paid more attention to how… expressive the woman has been.
-"Hmmm sorry about that, " Beatrice muttered and looked away.
-"Oh don't worry, I don't blame you. Chanel is the type of woman with powerful lunges. Though, I do blame you for having so much endurance…"
Well, Chanel it was. Not Chantal. Beatrice should feel ashamed for not remembering the name of the blond woman but she was already too overwhelmed by the newcomer's amusement and… It sounded like a compliment though she wasn't sure about that.
-"Yeah, sorry…" Beatrice offered, standing awkwardly unsure of her next move.
Washroom. The girl needed to use the washroom, Beatrice remembered. She grabbed her jacket and walked around the brunette, doing her best to avoid further eye contact - or even looking up at those legs on which she was dying to run her hands up-
Focus Bea
-"Okay hmmm, goodbye?" said Beatrice.
-"Bye handsome !" beamed the stranger.
Part of Beatrice hoped to see the girl again to make a better impression of herself while another part was too embarrassed. Maybe it was for the best - how could she make it up after such an compromising first encounter? She shook her head. She had work to do, there was no time to think about a woman she would never meet again.
Except that she hardly managed to get the brunette out of her mind.