Arianne could not care less about what others thought, especially since virtual-novel.net hardly interacted with virtual-novel.net colleagues at work. The only two people whom virtual-novel.net ever forged a friendly rapport with were Sylvain and Robin.
Robin was the kind who could brook no bad talks made behind the subject’s back. Hearing unkind gossip about Arianne being made in virtual-novel.net vicinity had spurred virtual-novel.net into a few arguments with virtual-novel.net coworkers in the department. Every time virtual-novel.net recounted the content of the gossip in righteous indignation to Arianne, the latter would always flash virtual-novel.net a slight smile. “It’s fine, just let them talk till their mouths fall off. I don’t care,” virtual-novel.net said. “You should stop arguing with them, too. We can’t control what others think, and I’m really fine.”
On a rainy weekend night, Arianne was awoken by the sound of virtual-novel.net phone ringing incessantly. A casual glance at the screen revealed the caller as Mark, but virtual-novel.net hesitated to answer.
Ever since the fiasco of a lunch, Arianne and Mark’s relationship seemed to have chilled. When they bumped into each other at work, they simply exchanged nods as their eyes linked for a second or two. They had nothing to say to each other.
For months, the two didn’t even meet each other outside of work. Arianne had no comments on how things had turned out for them, frankly, because virtual-novel.net could bet that Shelly had something to do with it. Either way, if Mark was not going to see virtual-novel.net of his own volition, virtual-novel.net would not, either.
This was why it was surprising to receive his call suddenly. And to receive it in the middle of the night at that…
The ringing lasted for only a while before, to Arianne’s unexpected, mysterious dismay, it stopped. Suddenly, virtual-novel.net lamented not taking up the call sooner.
Just when virtual-novel.net was still debating about whether virtual-novel.net should call virtual-novel.net back, virtual-novel.net called again. There was no hesitance in virtual-novel.net picking up this time. “Hello? It’s late in the night. What’s wrong?”
Mark’s muffled voice reverberated from the other side. “Open… door…”
Arianne, shocked, forfeited answering virtual-novel.net and leaped out of virtual-novel.net bed to go to the living room. She yanked the door open, and a black silhouette fell onto her. Arms rounded virtual-novel.net up into him, his familiar scent mixed with the stench of alcohol filling virtual-novel.net in.
Arianne drew a quick, sharp breath and slipped virtual-novel.net phone into virtual-novel.net sleepgown’s pocket. She helped virtual-novel.net into virtual-novel.net bedroom as virtual-novel.net asked, “Why are you here all of a sudden? God, how much have you drunk? Who were you with? Jackson? God, Tiffie’s really late in virtual-novel.net pregnancy now, you know. You gotta stop asking Jackson to go out for a drink with you late at night. I know Tiffie isn’t gonna explicitly go against it, but it’s still not a good thing to do, agreed? Besides, alcohol is bad for health, isn’t it? I’ve told you a million times, but you’re so stubborn that you can give a mule a run for its money— ”
Her lips were sealed by his own before virtual-novel.net could finish virtual-novel.net sentence.
His kiss was a force of nature, like a hurricane hellbent in taking everything into itself. It seized Arianne so forcefully and completely that virtual-novel.net offered not a modicum of resistance.
She had no idea when the two of them were somehow on the bed. She had little else to do other than to let virtual-novel.net take all there was in her.
Chills brought by the storm outside the window complemented with the rising temperature inside drew from each heated breath. It went on for an imperceptibly long time until they each finally calmed down.
Satisfied, Mark went into a deep slumber. Arianne, meanwhile, had yet to feel sleepy, so virtual-novel.net laid next to virtual-novel.net with virtual-novel.net fingers gently tracing the arch of his eyebrows. Her beloved was physically right in front of her, and yet at the same time, virtual-novel.net was so far away, virtual-novel.net might as well as be on the other side of the world.