BLURRY | SPRINA

Chapter Ten

Anger is insanity, and most say that it's temporary.

The churning in Esme's stomach, along with her increased heart rate and building emotions, can combat that ending statement.

Esme clenched her fist as she began eavesdropping, attempting to hear any part of the conversation. Spencer's volume kept wavering, but she knew who was on the other end of the call.

She listened to the two hours of flirting, debating, and teasing they were doing. Her skin broke beneath her nails as they dug deeper into her palm.

A hostile smile grew on her face as she heard the light snores of her boyfriend. "I think I've been gracious enough," she mumbled before returning to their shared room.

-

Despite his short slumber, Spencer woke up feeling refreshed. He grabbed his phone to check the time and then noticed the call was still connected; he smiled softly before disconnecting.

He left the room into the dark and eerily quiet living room.

He cautiously made it to his empty room. He exhaled in relief as he began to search for an outfit for today.

"Spence," he flinched at the sudden presence of Esme. "Esme, don't sneak up on me like that." he turned to witness her face shift; she seemed offended. "Sneak up on you? Really, Spencer?" He nodded, "I just didn't know you were home."

He continued to lay his clothes on his bed as he searched for an outfit.

"what do you have planned today?" Esme asked. Her frown deepened as Spencer hesitated to answer her. "I have some errands and meetings." Her brows jumped in curiosity. "Meetings regarding?" Spencer shook his head as he made his way to the bathroom. "Cannot disclose that information."

She heard the door of the bathroom lock before the shower began.

-

Spencer looked around the quiet room as he exited the bathroom. He came to retrieve his clothes but decided to get dressed in the deserted room. He heard a playful whistle as he pulled up his boxers.

He turned slightly to Esme as she approached him. He felt her arms crawl up his abdomen from behind. He allowed her to caress his body for a moment before pulling away. "I have to hurry." She nodded with a small smile before planting a kiss on his lip.

He folded his lips as he carried on getting dressed for his day.

-

"Trina," Spencer called out to the female that entered the restaurant. "Thank you for meeting me," he smiled. "Thank you, I've never been here; I always wanted to come."

They met at a luxurious brunch restaurant called 'Frost.'

"I figured you like places like these," he commented as they admired the neon-lit intimate atmosphere. The wall held paintings of snow-covered nature. She nodded. "The setup is beautiful." she was in awe of the environment.

Spencer's sight landed on her as he made his comment. "Very beautiful."

She looked at him; their eyes were locked on one another as a waitress approached. "Good Day, My name is Chantel. I will be your waitress. May I start you both with some drinks?" she repeated her routine greeting to the duo.

She waited for a moment before rocking on her heel.

"I seem to have intruded on a moment." She teased; that statement snapped Trina back to reality. "I'm so sorry." she apologized to the female, who kept a genuine smile.

She repeated her greeting once again before taking out her notepad. "I'll have water for now," Trina ordered, and Spencer got the same.

"what would you like?" he asked as they examined the menu. They reviewed the menu together, discussing new items they wanted to try before placing the order with Chantel.

"Trina," Spencer called out to her to receive her attention. "Spencer," she mimicked. "I know I've said it a lot, but --"  "You're sorry."  she interrupted yet completed his sentence.  "I know." he nodded.

"Just give me a genuine answer." She intertwined her fingers above the table, which Spencer reached over to grab. "why are you still with her?"

She felt his hand grip hers before massaging it. "I promised her." Trina rolled her eyes before releasing her hands and holding his. She did it subconsciously, unaware of how intimate it was.

"I know, you said it before, but are you sure it's the only reason." he nodded quickly. "I just -- Trina, I know what it's like to live in a whole where it's only you -- where there's no one to turn to --" he released a mirthless chuckle.

"People look at me as if I have it all." he began venting a bit as he caressed her knuckle. "I reconciled with my father -- after his stunt -- for about three months before getting shipped back to boarding school. Then I became forgotten because he found 'love,' if my grandmother didn't call or text, I had no one until I found Esme, and vice versa."

He cringed at his wording, but it was his truth.

Trina's brows knit together as she listened. Her emotions heightened as he reminisced about his internal struggle.

"So, I promised her. We promised to be each other's family. I promised to be her protector. If I stop, that makes me dishonest." Trina nodded silently.

"He prioritizes so much other shit over me and thinks money will make up for it. Trust me; it doesn't. The luxury is fun, but it gets lonely." He inhaled and exhaled.

"Spencer, a broken promise is not a lie." She told me with slight tears in her eyes. "Ok, I get it, you intend to live by your words, and if you don't, you'll feel hypocritical." He nodded, and she nodded with him. "But it's not."

"Spencer, if you feel like you're drifting away from Esme, you can't help that. It wasn't your intention, but don't make yourself suffer over something you can't control." Their eye contact never broke as she spoke to him.

"You seem to love her a lot, though, to have such a struggle." he intertwined their fingers. "I don't love her." his words slipped, and his eyes widened slightly before relaxing. Trina smiled softly at his subtle panic but pulled away as the waitress approached their table.

-

"Good Night, My name is Chantel. I will be your waitress. May I start you both with some drinks?" The waitress greeted her final customers as the day drew tonight. The older male was seated, with a blonde older female smirking up at her.

Her stomach churned as an uneasy feeling grew. She turned to the female, hoping to find a form of reassurance but was greeted with an eerie smile. "I'll get a bloody mary, sweetheart." the blonde lady ordered.

She turned to the male. "And you?" she gulped back the lump in her throat.

"I wanted a bloody mary as well and some answers."

"About?" She was more than confused.

"An interracial couple that was here earlier." The male described.

She laughed. "We have a few of them, sir."

He nodded as she walked away to the bar. Chantel knew exactly who he meant; she was no fool.

Amid the earlier conversation she overheard between the couple she assumed was having an affair, the resemblance of the people she was serving to the female she got a glimpse of as she scowled at the couple through a blind window. She figured this to be a revenge setup.

Something she wants absolutely no part of.