[1] Midnight Lips | Ghost

𝐂𝐇. 53

VAL
༻❁༺

I lingered for a while longer that day, worked with Alejandro and Price on strategies until my stomach protested because of the skipped meals. It hadn't been long since everyone left the meeting room for dinner, hadn't even been ten full minutes since Simon told me he was getting some food for us, though he hadn't returned by the time Ale, Price, and I were finished for the day.

I was the only one who trailed my feet down the hallway after I parted ways with them. I approached the dining room, wanting to check if Simon was still there and also wanting to get something to eat. There wasn't any sound coming from inside as I got closer, and I realized it might have been later than what I had thought.

I was about to turn around and step in when a soft laugh carried down the hall. It was so obvious that it was Nadia since she was the only woman in this base apart from me, but her tone made me curious. "Oh, come on, I just don't understand," she said, and I understood then that she wasn't alone.

There wasn't any reply, so she continued. "I don't understand why you are so obsessed with her."

"She has a lot to get obsessed with," came his raspy voice.

Simon.
She was speaking to Simon.

The story was repeating itself again. Flashbacks from the other day in the training room filled my head, and my blood began to boil in my temples. Fucking Nadia, my broken thumb was still hurting after she twisted it intentionally. And did I not make it fucking clear that Simon didn't want her? What else did I have to do, actually punch her in the face? That actually sounded a lot tempting.

I wanted to step into the room and interrupt whatever was going on in there, just like I did that day. Except, this time, my curiosity got the best of me. Simon was responding to her unlike the other time, and I just wanted... I just wanted to know what their relationship was like, because I'd never seen him exchange words like this with her.

So I lingered right outside the entrance.

"Like what?" Nadia asked in a mocking voice. "Her nails?"

"Like everything you clearly don't have," Simon grunted. Despite being so furious right then, my heart still fluttered.

I heard Nadia scoff, "You always get so blinded when you obsess over things."

"You think you know me so well, Ibrahim," Simon chuckled drily. "Keep fooling yourself."

"And do I not? Know you, that is? After all, we did spend quite a fun time together that night." Silence followed, and I knew that was my cue to enter and pretend I hadn't been standing here eavesdropping, but her footsteps rang across the walls and her voice dropped when she asked, "Perhaps you need a reminder?"

I forced myself to take a deep breath before control slipped from my fingers and snapped, because who did she think she was? But most important–the question that had me doubting everything and turning it upside down–what was Simon going to respond to that?

My heart stopped when in a low voice he said, "Nadia..."

"It started in a place like this, only it was miles away from here," she continued. "On top of a counter just like this one, remember?"

I felt sick to my stomach. I swear I'm gonna punch her the next time I see her. I could just walk in and do exactly that, but the urge to know what Simon would say next held me back. My heart rammed against my chest, calling for him over and over again, until it hurt so much I had to fist both of my hands, including the one that was still healing. The distant pain blurred the pain in my chest, and I couldn't stop thinking that–please, Simon, don't hurt me further.