La Crown Rose

Later that day, one thought refused to leave me alone. I never gave him an answer. But the question that followed mattered more than whether I would have said yes. It was why. Would I have agreed because I owed him? Or because I genuinely wanted to know him? Either way, the fact that I never chose lingered far longer than it should have. “Roslyn?” Oakley’s voice pulled me back. I realized I’d been stirring my drink far longer than necessary, the ice clinking softly against the glass. “Are you okay?” Starlette asked. “Yeah,” I said quickly, lifting the cup for a sip. “I was just thinking about our plans for tomorrow.” Oakley and Starlette exchanged a look. “Okay,” Oakley said slowly. “Then what’s the plan?” “A boat ride,” I replied. Starlette blinked. “We already did that today. Unless—” She smirked. “You’re hoping to see a certain someone again?” “No,” I said a little too fast. Oakley raised an eyebrow. “Then anything other than another boat ride?” I sighed. “Okay. Fine. I can’t stop thinking about the fact that I never gave him a real answer.” “The date?” Starlette asked. “It wasn’t a date,” I said. “He called it a favor.” Starlette tilted her head. “Or that was his very polite way of saying, please go out with me.” I shook my head, though a smile tugged at my lips. “Whatever it was… I just wish I’d seen more of him.” They both chuckled. “Okay, not that,” I added quickly. Oakley took a sip of her drink, studying me over the rim. “Careful, Roslyn. It’s starting to sound like you’re falling for the mysterious man.” She paused. “Zylix.” Her brow furrowed. “I feel like I’ve heard that name before.” Starlette snorted. “Yeah. Twelve hours ago.” We laughed—but the name lingered. Unfamiliar. Distinct. Quietly unforgettable. But I knew one thing for certain. I wouldn’t forget it anytime soon. “Okay,” Starlette said at last, breaking the comfortable silence. “I found this really nice café we could check out tomorrow night. It’d be the perfect way to end the day—depending on what we do.” “Speaking of,” Oakley said, turning to me, “what’s on the itinerary?” I pulled out my phone, scrolling through options. “Eiffel Tower in the morning. Then the hop-on, hop-off bus. Lunch somewhere near Notre Dame. And the café at night.” Oakley nodded. “That works.” Starlette smiled, already sold. When Daniel pulled up, we gathered our things and headed back to the hotel. The ride passed quietly, city lights flickering past the windows like memories already forming. Later, as I changed and prepared for bed, my thoughts drifted back—uninvited. Persistent. Zylix. I told myself it was nothing. A moment. A stranger. Something I’d eventually forget. And I hoped that was true. Because I didn’t want one unfinished conversation to consume me—or distract me from the reason we’d come to Paris. Still, as I turned out the light, one thought lingered longer than the rest. Some encounters don’t end when you walk away.