It was apparent Esmeralda had forgotten about Phoebus. For weeks, her focus was on Claude or elsewhere entirely. She'd ignored the phone calls, the text messages, and even passing mentions from Nadia that he had hoped to reach her ears. It came without shock to see he had taken matters within himself to appear at their door.
"Hello," Nadia said with a hint of surprise.
"Sorry to show up unannounced, I heard about what happened." Phoebus offered a consoling smile before glanced Esmeralda's way.
Careless of her current and rather messy appearance, she looked away as soon as their eyes met. He was speaking about Remy's recent affairs.
Affairs, Esmeralda spat in her thoughts. That word was certainly making its rounds.
Pushing the covers away, Esmeralda threw her legs over the edge and padded quietly into the bathroom. The business was between Nadia and Phoebus. Besides, any prying on Esmeralda's part would be that of relation to Claude. Albeit, she also wanted to give them some privacy.
As she shut the door, so did the dormitory's, but Phoebus' voice remained, too muffled by the drywall and closed door. However, if she listened closely enough…,
She turned towards the shower and threw the faucet on full blast. Cold or hot, it didn't matter. She needed a medium of sound to separate herself from the bedroom. As the tub began to fill, a knock came.
"Will you come out here for a second?" Nadia's voice rose over the roaring of water.
Esmeralda dropped her head back and closed her eyes, vexed. She withdrew from her leaning posture and brought the door half way open. "What for?"
Nadia's eyes were a brilliant brown, if ever possible, and she could clearly see the scheme dancing within them. "He wants to talk to you."
A muscle in Esmeralda's jaw ticked. "Nadia, please." She begged with her eyes.
"Just a moment, Esmeralda. That's all it'll take." Phoebus interjected from behind Nadia.
Mildly convinced but notsomuch moderately annoyed, she widened the door and stepped around Nadia, immediately crossing her arms. At this point, Esmeralda had enough when it came to a man and his antics.
"What do you want?" She nearly snarled.
"Did I do something wrong?" He began. Upon his countenance was already shadows of hurt and discourage. It was unfitted and foreign to see such a man, broad in shoulder and stature, appear so wounded.
But she was not too be fooled, yet again. She thought Claude, at his air and season, would be disinclined for such a behavior as he had recently exuded. Therefore, it went without saying that Phoebus was still amidst such prime for trouble and play, none of which Esmeralda had any interest in partaking.
"No, not that I'm aware of." Esmeralda responded, coolly. "Why do you ask?"
He chuckled, more to himself than to Esmeralda and certainly not because he was humoured.
An unsettling feeling came before Esmeralda. It crawled from her stomach and up before then snaking around her neck and setting upon her shoulders. If it's one thing, it's another; it seemed. She didn't want Phoebus here, asking questions on whether or not the interest was mutual.
It wasn't.
It had never been.
In the weeks she had been avoiding him, wallowing in Claude's shadow, she assumed he would have cut his losses and moved on. For his age and status, it should have been effortless. The campus was crawling with women willing to take Phoebus wherever he may desire.
"Phoebus," Esmeralda began, suddenly exasperated in it all. "You're a nice guy...but-"
"Oh, save the bullshit." He cut her off. "You think I wanted to come here and do this?"
The abrupt change in tone startled both the girls as they simultaneous stepped back.
"I've got plenty of things to bide my time with, instead I'm here, hoping to talk some sense into you. What is it about me? Am I unattractive to you? Am I too old? Is it because I'm a veteran? Do you see me as some baby killer? What the hell is it?"
Esmeralda cringed at the flurry of questions tumbling over his lips. His face had begun to flush red and the air in the room went stagnant.
"It's none of that," she replied, keeping a steadiness in her voice. "But whatever it is you're looking for, I'm quite certain I can't provide." She squared her shoulders and eyed the door before regarding him once more.
Trembling hands rose up and ran a route through his blonde hair. It looked rather soft and healthy, sliding down into place once his hands made their way back to his sides.
"I'm sorry," he began, respiring. "I thought there was something wrong with me." Another chuckle rumbled in his throat. "But I'm seeing now you're just fucking stupid."
"Excuse me?" Esmeralda spat.
"Alright, it's time for you to go!" Nadia barked as she strode across the room and began shoving him towards the door. "Out! Now! Get out!"
He obliged her herding technique and strolled casually for the door, but not before a parting glance and a sinister wink towards Esmeralda.
Nadia slammed the door and deadbolted it in place before leveling her gaze onto Esmeralda. "What the hell was that?"
"I'm not sure." Esmeralda murmured, placing a hand over her frantic heart. "Something's wrong with that man."
Several hours and many discussions later, the girls decided to call it a night. Esmeralda had no trouble falling asleep, not with the tiring melange of emotions she experienced in a single day.
Lying upon her stomach with her arms folded beneath her pillow, a sudden buzzing sound, soft and seemingly distant, slowly lifted her from a deep slumber.
Her eyes became slits, sifting through the darkness that encompassed the room until they slowly adjusted to the shadows. The buzzing continued.
Abruptly, she sat up and glanced about, suddenly awake.
It was her phone going off.
Disconnecting it from the charger, she brought the screen up and squinted against the harsh light.
The caller was unknown and the hour was 2 a.m.
She swiped the answer button and brought the phone to her ear.
"Hello?" She croaked in a whisper.
"Esmeralda?" A grave voice responded, seeming on edge.
"Yes?" She recognized this voice, had heard it many of times, and elicited various sounds alongside it.
There was only static on the other end, making her heart jump frantically. All recollection of disdain she had felt during their exploitations had vanished; in its stead was alarm and confusion.
"Hello?" She whispered more urgently.
"I just wanted to call and make sure you were okay." Claude finally managed. The more he spoke, the more sure she became that it was him. "I had the most vivid nightmare of you."
He was concerned, she realized. For him to wake from such a spell and find it reasonable to call for peace of mind at a late hour, amused Esmeralda. The day's worth of twisting discomfort, the butterflies in her belly, the sudden spur of jealousy, alleviated at once, if only slightly.
But he was still a married man and she had, in fact, met this woman. In a day's pass, she had felt the lowest of emotions. Humility, jealousy, self-doubt. Esmeralda was no fool in the ploys of love, but never had a ruse been so stormy, so tumultuous. Her heart had played every percussion of panic and desire, sometimes all at once. And although, she was certain that what lie between them was worth suffering for, she couldn't bare another second eliciting this affliction. It had been trial and error from the beginning. And frankly, she was tired of waiting for him to come around. For once, Esmeralda would not garner her wishes and desires. It was time to stop, to cut her losses and move on.
"Claude, we can't keep doing this." Esmeralda clarified in the darkness.
The words came out before her mind could filter them. And though she hadn't intended them to sound so venomous, they stung, even for her. Her throat constricted as a silence came between them.
A moment had passed, and then two. The silence was so deafening Esmeralda had feared he may have hung up on her. But then his voice finally spoke…
"You're right." He said and her heart decidedly sank. "I have done a lot of harm, but I do wish you well."
"Goodnight, Claude." She managed around the knot now forming in her throat. The arrangements she would need to make, to avoid seeing him altogether, began to evolve in her head. She would drop Theology first thing in the morning.
Part of her had expected him to brush aside her suggestion, to over look it as a plea for change; a bargain. Even still, as the seconds went on, fleeting from her grasp, it became clear that was not the case. She had convinced him all too easily, which told her he knew it was coming. It was up to her to pull the plug. He was just along for the ride.
She moved to hang up the phone, but at the last second, she heard something.
She brought the phone back to her ear and listened carefully.
"Please…," he whispered, unaware that she had missed what he had previously said.
"Please what?"
"Please, let me see you again."
[A/N]: PHEW! Any Phoebus sympathizers, please take your exit now.