Death of a Bachelor

#7 I can't let you go

Lewis’s face slowly turned a deep shade of red as the weight of his words hit him. He bit his lower lip, mentally cursing himself, and turned his attention to the window. The once orange and pink clouds had now darkened to a stormy grey, promising rain at any moment. Lewis squeezed his eyes shut in frustration. What on earth had possessed him to say that? He took a deep breath, attempting to regain his composure, and turned back to Simone. She was visibly trembling with anger, glaring at him with a look that could kill. The urge to strangle him until he was lying motionless on the cold floor was almost overwhelming.

"I'm sorry—I don’t—"

Before he could finish, Simone grabbed her bag and stormed out of the classroom. The five men in black suits standing outside were caught off guard as they saw her march past, with Lewis following closely behind. He shook his head at them, signaling for them to stay put. As they stepped outside into the cold, brisk wind, Simone’s eyes were drawn to the darkening sky. She quickened her pace, ignoring Lewis, who was calling out to her.

“Look, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to say that!” he pleaded. Simone glanced at him briefly, then rolled her eyes, continuing to walk away “Come on, forgive me, Simone! Let me give you a ride!” he shouted, drawing the attention of a few passersby. Simone’s annoyance grew with every word he spoke “Please, Simone!”

Is he seriously trying to embarrass me even more? she thought, feeling the first cold raindrops hit her face. She looked back to see Lewis still trailing behind her “I told you to forget what happened between us!” she yelled over her shoulder.

“What? I didn’t hear you!” Lewis replied, catching up to her, his breath heavy from running.

A small, involuntary smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he finally caught up to her side. He chuckled, which only caused Simone to stop abruptly and face him.

“Nothing is funny!” she snapped “You’re stressing me out! don’t you realize that!?” The smile on Lewis’s face slowly disappeared, replaced by a more serious expression.

As the rain began to pour, drenching everyone in its path, people on the street hurried to find shelter, their laughter and screams filling the air. Simone didn’t have time to react before Lewis grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him. They ran together, his arm wrapping protectively around her shoulders, his other hand shielding her head from the rain. They ducked into an empty bookstore to escape the downpour. Simone felt the warmth of Lewis’s hand and the slight spark of electricity where their skin touched, prompting her to quickly pull away from him.

Concern was etched across Lewis’s face as he looked at her. She was soaked and shivering from the cold. Without a word, he took off his cream-colored jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. Simone stared at him, her expression unreadable. He was just as soaked, his brown cargo pants and sneakers caked in mud.

She noticed the details of the tattoos on his arms and fingers, and despite herself, she couldn’t help but be mesmerized. When she looked back at Lewis, she realized he was gently wiping her wet face and hair with his jacket.

“W-what are you doing!” she stammered, pushing him away slightly.

“S-sorry, but at least wear the jacket" Lewis replied, pointing to the jacket now draped over her head.

Simone ignored his apology “You don’t need anything from me, Lewis. What are you trying to prove?” she asked, her voice laced with frustration. She watched as his expression shifted. “That you can throw around millions—maybe even billions? If you’re used to women chasing after you, I’m sorry, but I’m not like them. Please, just go away.”

Lewis frowned, her words hitting him like a punch to the gut. Was that really how people saw him? “Why do you think like that?” he asked, his voice soft but filled with a hint of desperation “It’s my duty to donate money to help children, Simone. I use my money to help did you hear that?” He stepped closer, close enough that he could see the tiny mole under her right eye and the freckles on her cheeks. His gaze dropped to her full lips “And now that I’ve seen you again, I can’t let you go.”

....

The warm wind drifted through Simone’s studio, lifting strands of her hair away from her face. The weather was perfect—sunny with a gentle breeze, ideal for wandering the streets of Paris without worrying about the cold. Julien glanced at Simone, who seemed lost in her thoughts, sitting in her chair and staring blankly at the empty canvas in front of her. She had been sitting there for over an hour, her paintbrush dry in her hand, her face growing paler by the day.

Simone bit her lower lip, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She had already had several cups of tea, but her energy was still nowhere to be found. It felt as though she was always tired and hungry, and it had been like this for a week now. She had so much work to do, but all she could do was sit and stare into the void.

“Come on, get up and take a shower. I’ll help you get to your doctor" Julien said, putting down the book he had been reading and getting up from the sofa “You’re scaring me, Simone. The children are already asking about you. They think you’ve died.”

“I don’t want to go” Simone replied, not taking her eyes off the blank canvas “Tell them I’m fine, I just need a little rest"

“‘A little rest?’” Julien shook his head in disbelief. “Si, you’ve been resting for a week already. That’s more than enough time”

It had indeed been a week since she had taken a leave of absence from teaching, though it wasn’t just because of what had happened between her and Lewis. She looked down at her right hand, remembering the satisfying feeling of slapping someone for the first time. A smirk crossed her face, which made Julien frown in concern.

“Come on, think about your parents, Si. Aren’t you worried about yourself?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll make an appointment for tomorrow" she replied, her voice distant.

Julien rolled his eyes “I can’t even imagine how much patience Jordan must have with you" he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.

Simone finally turned her attention to him, a weak smile playing on her lipsb“I’m the one who needs patience to deal with her” she joked.

“I heard my name. So, Julien, what’s going on here?” a voice interrupted them.

The door to the studio opened, and a blonde woman entered, her tired eyes fixed on Simone’s weary face “What are you doing here? I thought you were coming home tomorrow” Simone asked, watching as Jordan patted Julien on the shoulder before joining him on the sofa.

“Someone called me to report that a certain grown woman is being stubborn again" Jordan replied, casting a knowing look at Simone.

Simone rolled her eyes and glared at Julien, who smirked and winked at her “Oh, shut up, both of you,” she mumbled.

“By the way, what’s going on with you and Lewis?” Julien asked, causing Simone to give him a tired look.

“Obviously, he donated a huge amount to the school” she answered innocently.

“Really?” Julien smirked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

“Who is this Lewis?” Jordan asked, intrigued.

“He’s a famous Formula One driver,” Julien explained, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “Ask Simone—she knows him better than I do.”

Jordan gave Simone a confused look, but Simone quickly turned her attention back to her empty canvas, refusing to meet her friend’s gaze. She could hear Julien laughing softly behind her, and she glared at him before dipping her paintbrush into the jar of water for what felt like the hundredth time. What's happening between her and Lewis? obviously nothing! that one night stand for her is nothing, a memory that needs to be forgotten.