Chapter 2: A new destination Part 1
As they went to sleep, Rosa waited for her to fall asleep to put her own blanket on top of her. She had only one and Jenefer had refused politely to take it, noting that she was already bothering her enough. Something in Rosa, however, pushed her to give it to her anyway. She had her hoodie after all, it wasn't much but she should at least do that for her.
And so, she went to sleep, for the first time in a long time, with someone next to her, although this time it was someone totally opposite to her.
When she woke up the next morning, she was surprised to find herself under her blanket. Jenefer was gone. She wasn't in her tent. When she realized that, her chest tightened.
It was oddly familiar. Waking up to your roommate gone, taken by them again. She could never be sure to see them ever again.
She quickly got up, rubbing her chest with the palm of her hand. She tried to remind herself that she was safe, far away from all of that. Everything was alright.
She sighed in relief when she opened the tent flap to find Jenefer already trying to light the fire. She joined her, greeting her quietly as she took over to light it for her.
She really wasn't experienced with this kind of life, it was quite endearing really. She shook her head and lit the fire. She went on to prepare a simple breakfast with the little food she had left from her wandering. She sighed as she realized that she would have to find a town where she could restock soon. It was too early in the season to find anything good in the woods and she couldn't just eat fish all day, if she could even catch one that is.
"Is it really okay for you to help me find the way back to my town?" Jenefer asked as she ate the vegetable stew Rosa had made. "If it bother you I can always try to find it on my own. I'll probably end up finding it sooner or later right?"
"It doesn't work that way, you know." Rosa said, voice as gentle as she could manage. "You could find it, yes. But you could as well lose yourself more and end up somewhere else entirely. It would be easier for you to find your way back if I can help you at least a little."
"But I can't possibly be that far away. I can't be that lost, right?" She sounded worried.
"How would I know?" Rosa said with a small smile. "I don't know where you're coming from and where you're going. But I know how to find out where you need to go. Don't worry. I'll help you as much as I can."
To be honest, Rosa didn't even know why she was trying to help her so much, even trying to force herself to smile and reassure her. It was so unlike her. She never helped anyone so much before. It never mattered how lost they were. Why did it matter now?
When they were done eating, Rosa took to packing up her campsite, telling Jenefer to just sit while she worked on it. She had offered to help but Rosa wasn't one to accept help easily. She wanted to prove to her and to herself that she was perfectly fine on her own. If she trusted anyone to help her too much, she would end up hurt again. It wasn't a risk that she was ready to take, no matter how nice Jenefer had been with her the previous night. She had to stay on her guards.
"Isn't it a little bothering to always wear your hood over your head, even while you sleep?" Jenefer eventually asked as they walked through the woods, curiosity taking the better of her.
Rosa blushed, eyes wide as she looked at her in surprised. She wasn't ready for that question. She knew it would eventually come up if they stayed together for too long but she didn't think that it would be phrased that way, and with so much curiosity and concern. She didn't want to explain herself but she probably should say something.
"I-" Her voice caught up in her throat and she coughed into her hand. "I like it that way." She eventually managed to say, looking away from her. It wasn't really a lie but it was definitely not the real reason for it. She just couldn't bring herself to confess the truth to Jenefer, not when she didn't know her more and not when she seemed so innocent.
"I didn't mean to pry. I'm sorry." Jenefer quickly apologized when she realized that she had made the other uncomfortable with her question. "If it's something you like, there is nothing wrong with it." She tried to reassure with a smile.
"No, it's okay. You don't have to apologized. Everyone can be curious right?" Rosa gave an awkward laugh.
Jenefer didn't seemed to believe that she was really fine with it but, she didn't say anything more, not wanting to bother her again, which Rosa was thankful for.
They continued to walk together in a peaceful silence, occasionally filled with bird songs and the humming of Jenefer along with the birds. Rosa tried to focus on where they were heading and not getting lost in the beautiful humming of the other girl. She had never heard someone humming along with the birds in such a happy and peaceful way.
They stopped when they arrived to a crossing with signs. Rosa looked over at Jenefer with a question in her eyes. She didn't have to say anything before the other seemed to understand and walked towards the signs, studying them closely.
"I think I remember my dad telling me that we lived close to this town." She said as she pointed her finger at one of the signs.
"You think?" Rosa mumbled.
"Ah. Sorry. I can be a little absentminded sometime, but I'm pretty sure that it's what he told me though." She replied, giving her a embarrassed smile as she played with her hair nervously.
Rosa looked at her quietly for a little longer before sighing. "I guess we'll have to go and see by ourselves. It's not like we can get more lost from following your memory. At worst, you'll just get to see more landscapes." She tried to give a small smile at the other girl, trying to be reassuring.
"You're right." She beamed. "And I'm sure I won't get lost with you with me."
Rosa looked at her in shock before quickly hiding under her hood, blushing. How could this girl be so sure of her when she didn't even know her. They had only met the previous night but she already seemed to trust her. It was almost scary for Rosa who wasn't one for much social interaction. She herself couldn't trust Jenefer yet. She wasn't even sure that she could ever trust anyone.
She started walking again on the direction Jenefer had pointed to. She tried not to think too much about the reasons of her trust issues, focusing on the road and any signs of a town close by. Jenefer followed her silently. Even though Rosa couldn't see her she could hear her walking behind her and could feel her curious eyes on her.
"Are you sure it was only one day away?" Rosa asked when they paused to eat. "Shouldn't we already be there?"
"I'm sure it was." Jenefer replied, nervously playing with the grass. "I suppose I must have gotten more lost than I thought."
"I suppose it's possible." She agreed quietly.
"Oh! What if I can't find my way back?" She started to panic a little, tears already filling her beautiful dark green eyes. "My parents won't even know I'm gone. I'm sure my aunt didn't even sent them a letter to tell them that I was coming home. They'll never know I'm lost."
"Now, calm down." Rosa said, trying to get the other to look at her. Trying her best to sound reassuring she continued. "We'll find the way back to your home. Even if it takes longer than it should have we'll find it. I'll help you."
"But I already took so much of your time." She cried. "You must have better things to do and I'm here forcing you to help me!"
"I don't." Rosa said blankly, eyes trailing down the path in front of them. "I don't have anything to do or anywhere to go. I've got all the time in the world to help you."
Jenefer stared at her, she was surprised but there was also something sad behind her eyes. She wiped the tears from her eyes and cheeks.
"Do you really have nowhere to go?" She asked hesitantly, her eyes dropping to the ground when Rosa nodded, still staring off into the distance. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Rosa asked distantly.
"I keep complaining about my problems and I forgot that you must have your own. I'm sorry for being so annoying."
"You don't have to apologize for something like that." Rosa sighed. "You've done nothing wrong, and if it really did bother me, I would have said so before." She lied.
There was silence between the two for a while as they sat on the grass eating whatever Rosa had managed to find in the forest.
"You could stay with us when we arrive." Jenefer said bashfully.
Rosa finally turned to look at her, a look of surprise on her face. She quickly turned her head back towards the road, looking down.
"No." She said firmly. "You don't have to do that."
"But I just want to he-"
"You don't have to help me!" Rosa cut her off, voice a little too loud for her own liking. "Don't you pity me like that. I'm helping you find your way back home and I'm going back on my way."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to sound like that. I'm not pitying you, I promise." She tried to defend herself. "If you don't want to stay that's fine. But maybe you could at least accept to eat with us? At least as a way to thank you for helping me? Or maybe take some food from us or anything you want, really."
Rosa got up, putting her backpack on her shoulders again.
"We should get going." She said tonelessly. "Try to keep an eye on the open to see if you recognize the way or anything."
"I- Okay." She stood up as well and followed Rosa quietly.
Part 1 Part 2