12 1:9.5

Juliet ended up wearing a red suit, with a dark silk undershirt. Over the past few years, she had experimented with more androgynous clothing and it made her feel very good, even if a woman in a suit wasn't at all strange in the modern world of entertainment. She contemplated bringing flowers. Xiang Long loved Lilacs. The white ones come to full bloom in the spring. But she didn't want to make her friend uncomfortable. She didn't want to push any romantic intentions that could hurt their friendship.

One of the strangest things about being famous is that she now gets driven everywhere. Her driver's name is Zhao Mui and on occasion, he doubled as a bodyguard. There was a surprising amount of people that worked behind the scenes to keep her career stable. Having other people's lively hoods rely on her being somewhat consistent in her day-to-day life forced Juliet to be more responsible. Despite living as a completely different person before entering the system. Juliet had adapted to her life as Maria and had spent the majority of her twenties growing into an adult-like person in this unusual situation.

She liked being driven around by Zhao. He wasn't much for small talk and was nothing but professional. She hated driving, for obvious reasons. Every time she got in the driver's seat she felt a rush of anxiety and would have a breakdown on the spot. Plus on occasions like these, she could stare outside the window and imagine kissing girls and dancing under the moonlight.

Their meeting place was a high-end Italian restaurant that was respected but not a place often frequented by the elite, or people that the disgraced Ms. Long might want to avoid. She was the first to arrive and was seated at a table at the back of the restaurant which was floating around with couples celebrating various occasions and anniversaries. Her table was behind a curtain of silk and was presumably for more high-profile customers that wouldn't benefit from the attention of the other occupants.

There she waited. With the black table cloth, intricately folded napkins, and 2 peal candles, she felt almost breathless in anticipation. She chugged the water in her cup and wondered if it was too early to order something stronger than wine.

"Maria?"

Her voice was like a bell, something a call over the phone couldn't do justice. Juliet looked up at her and smiled, wide and genuine.

"Xiang!"

She stood up and pulled her into a tight hug. Then leaned back and gave her a once over. The Villainess also wore a suit that was made of velvet, hers was a deep purple and her eyes absorbed the color to create a galactic effect. While Juliet had kept her hair long, she had cut hers to shoulder length, presumably as some sort of separation between her present self and the abandoned daughter of the past.

"You look ravishing!" Juliet proclaimed. Always the theatrics, though she felt the need to be overly confident in front of Xing Long. It was the greatest presentence she could give to the other woman.

"As do you" She replied smoothly and we sat in our individual seats, though Juliet was actually aware of the way Xiang's bodies lingered against her's.

A waiter promptly appeared and handed them each a menu. Juliet skimmed through it, trying to ignore Xiang Long's eyes which stayed fixed on her.

"How was your flight?" She asked, keeping her gaze firmly on the menu.

"Long, but worth it"

Juliet looked up at that.

"Really? I can't imagine you are truly happy to be back in China. It's not like there's anything here that you didn't have abroad"

Xiang took a slip of cold water and replied, "I wouldn't say that"

Something about this comment made Juielt flush, though not even she knew why. Before she could respond, the waiter reappeared and while Xiang Long ordered, Juliet rushed to find a vegan option. She was in fact still vegan and felt that while it may be an entirely respectable decision for any individual. She felt only restricted, as it had been forced upon her by her damn system and these mysterious consequences.

Recognizing her plight, Xiang Long reached across the table and touched her hand to get her attention.

"I heard the Pasta e Fagioli here is very good"

Juliet nodded gratefully and turned to the waiter,

"Yes, I'll have that"

They were once again left alone, and this time conversation came easily and Juliet felt herself relax into their effortless dynamic. She stared at Xiang's lips and the way they curved around her teeth when she smiled. She could feel the connection between her and the other woman and felt that it was truly magnificent.