I sat in the lounge of the bathhouse, waiting for the baths to officially open up! Well, they were opened, but Julia was having a little bit of trouble with the water, so I had to wait. I flipped the page of my worn out childhood novel, that was under an adult type novel, but that was just to hide the fact I was reading a children's book.
The red headed knight on his white stallion, giving the princess the bouquet of roses...I blushed and began thinking of Jack, the new farmer in town. He was handsome, so very handsome! He reminded me a lot of the knight in my fairy tale. I blushed and held my book closer to hide my face, mainly to hide my red cheeks.
"I can't seem to figure it out!" I overheard Julia groan, I made a slight snort giggle. This type of problem rarely ever happens at the bathhouse, but when it does, she usually figures it out in the end.
"Good afternoon, Rosalind!" I looked up from my book, at the face of Ray, one of my childhood friends! We often played together when we were little, the main game being doctor...but he was studying to be a doctor, so there was no use in playing the game anymore, that, and we were way too old to be playing like that anymore! I gave him a warm smile.
"Hello! Good afternoon, Ray!" he blushed and gestured to my novel.
"What are you reading?" he asked as I blushed in return, I didn't want him or anyone to know that I was reading a children's book under the cover. I cleared my throat and lied.
"Just an older novel. I've read before, but...it's been a while, so I've kind of forgotten how it went." he took the lie and nodded.
"I guess Julia is having trouble with the baths again?"
"STUPID WATER! WHY WON'T YOU HEAT UP?!"
"Does that answer your question?" I asked sarcastically as Ray cleared his throat.
"Ah, yes, it does!"
"However, the men's bath seems to be working, I guess you can put your money on the counter, and call for Julia in the women's bath that you laid the gold there." I said while shrugging.
"Oh, I suppose so." Ray blushed and went to the curtains of the women's bath.
"Julia?" He began, "I'm going to lay my money on the counter, is that okay?"
"Oh!" Julia began, "Yeah, that's fine, Ray! The men's bath is doing fine, it's the women's I'm having trouble with!"
"Thank you, Julia." With that Ray laid his gold on the counter and turned to me. "It was nice chatting with you, Rosalind!" he gave a smile as I smiled back.
"Yes, you too, Ray!" I exclaimed as he disappeared behind the curtains of the men's room. I sighed and looked down at the picture in my book. I felt someone watching me as I looked up, slightly jumping at the face of Julia, who had a huge grin plastered on her face.
"So?" She asked, as I gave a look of confusion.
"So...is the bath ready?" I asked as Julia rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips in annoyance.
"Not what I'm talking about!" she retorted, as I raised my brow.
"I'm not understanding, Julia." I said as she sighed in agitation.
"You and Ray!"
"What about Ray and me?" I was still very confused.
"Don't try to hide it, Rosalind! I can see wedding bells in your future!" It was now time for me to blush, did...did Julia really think…
"J-Julia! We're just friends!" she raised her brow as she rolled her eyes.
"Are you really that blind?! Ray's in love with you!"
"B-but I don't..." but before I could finish, the bell of the bathhouse entrance rang as Julia looked up.
"Oh! Welcome, Jack!" I blushed and snapped my head to look behind me to make sure she said who I thought she said.
"Hello, Julia! Rosalind." I blushed and felt my heart pound out of my chest! I stood up straight and tall, dropping the books on the floor.
"Hello, Jack!" I greeted as Jack smiled, picking up the books.
"You dropped these." He said, giving a handsome smile as I blushed in embarrassment. Jack probably thinks I'm such a child now for reading a children's book!
"Ah, th-thank you, Jack." I snatched the books from his hands, turning my face to hide my embarrassment.
"You seem to have taken good care of it..." Jack chirped as I looked at him in confusion.
"I'm sorry?"
"Oh! The small book! It's very worn out, but it looks like you've taken care of it, despite it being worn and old!" I blushed deeply as I gave a nervous smile.
"Ah, th-thank you, Jack!" There was a slight moment of silence before Julia broke it.
"The men's baths are good to go, Jack! If you want to pay and take a bath!"
"Ah! Yes! Farm work is hard work, it really does work up a sweat!" he joked as I blushed.
"Ye-yes, it seems like it does." I replied, then realizing that what I said probably sounded so snotty, I blushed so hard.
"I-I'm sorry, Jack!" I stuttered, "I didn't mean it like that!"
"Oh, don't worry, Rosalind! I know you didn't." He chuckled...he had such a handsome laugh.
"Anyway, here's the gold!" he said, handing Julia the money, "It was nice talking to you, Rosalind!" I blushed.
"Ye-yes. You too, Jack!" as he disappeared behind the men's bath curtain.
"Anyway!" Julia exclaimed, "Dum da da da, dum da da da. Rosalind and Ray, dum da da da da da da da" She hummed the wedding march as I rolled my eyes.
"I told you, Julia! We're just friends!" Julia laughed, as I played a sly grin on my face.
"What's that look for?" Julia asked with a nervous tinge in her voice, as I cleared my throat.
"Max and Julia, sitting in a tree." I couldn't finish the rest since I began laughing too hard.
"He-hey!" Julia blushed, "That was a child's crush at best!" She crossed her arms and pouted her lips. I knew my best friend had a crush on my older brother, it was probably why she was best friends with me...and perhaps it's still why she's best friends with me!
"That was refreshing." Ray's voice said, as the curtain to the men's room opened, he looked at us in confusion from Julia's childish pout to my booming laughter.
"What's so funny?" He asked as I began to wipe a tear from my eye.
"Oh, nothing, Ray! Just a little joke between us!" I said as he shrugged his shoulders.
"Anyway, thank you for the bath, Julia!" he exclaimed, as he walked out of the bath house towards the clinic. But as he was opening the door.
"Ah! I'm so sorry, Ray!" The merchant's voice exclaimed nervously as I looked over towards the door.
"Think nothing of it, Yue!" Ray smiled as I saw Yue blush, pushing her hair back flustered. I smiled, they would make such a cute couple!