Petals of a Forgotten Lover

ISOLDE

CHAPTER I

Two lovers ended the night by sharing a kiss and finishing their drinks, stumbling up to the room while giggles spilled out of them like water out of a fountain. Too tired for anything else, they simply curled themselves around each other, closing their eyes and drifting asleep.

Yet when Isolde woke in the morning, she was alone.

At first, she thought nothing of the abnormal silence within the house, walking around in search of Esme. She'd paused in her search to make breakfast and pulled out her phone, crimson-red case glittering at her in a sort of odd good-morning. Plating her breakfast-an egg-and-bacon sandwich-she fired a quick text to a contact she had long-labeled 'Ever'.

>is esme at your house?

Ever> .

Ever> ..

Ever> Pardon?

>?

Ever>Esme?

>yep. we got bored and had drinks last night, but she's not here.

Ever>I have no idea who you're talking about.

Isolde frowned at the message, the gray text bubble seeming to stare back at her.

She and Esme had met a few weeks after graduation at a delayed graduation party because Ever had wanted all of her friends to be able to attend. They'd met and had fit with each other like a glove, their interests, passions, and ambitions liking up to a tee. They'd begun dating not long after that and had been for the past four years, with Ever always being there as a mutual friend.

>yknow? esme?? my girlfriend??

Ever>...you have a girlfriend...and you didn't tell me...

>YOU KNOW HER???

>you're the one who introduced us in the first place???

Ever>Literally no idea wtf you're talking about

Ever>I think you snapped girlie

>don't ever call me girlie again.

>also there's no way you forgot my GIRLFRIEND

Ever>But you're single...

>YOU'VE BEEN TO OUR HOUSE

Ever>You live alone??

>this isn't funny

>is she over there???

>tell her that it was a nice prank and to come home

Ever>I'm not joking. I don't know an Esme

>no fucking way

>you know esme.

Isolde sent Ever screenshot of an old group chat between the three.

Ever>ok what the actual fuck

Ever>I don't remember who that is.

>u have the contact saved?

Ever>Nope.

>wth?? you're the one who introduced us

Ever>Starting to think you're the one pranking me.

>i feel like i'm being gaslit by the universe.

Ever>Honestly? Real.

Isolde opted to call Ever instead. Only two rings and then her friend's bubbly voice wafted through, dampened only by slight concern. "So who's Esme?"

"My girlfriend of four years?" Isolde prompted. "We met at your graduation party? I even debated proposing to her while talking to you?"

She was quiet for a moment. "No clue who that is."

"Ever."

"Isolde. I'm trying, I just don't remember an Esme."

"You can't just not remember her, you knew her before I did!"

Ever let out a sigh. "Let me come over there, okay? You sound upset."

"Of course I'm upset, I-actually, I'm going to call her boss. Maybe she's at work."

"Where does she work...?"

"Ever." Isolde strained to keep the frustration out of her voice.

"I swear on my life this isn't a joke, where does she work?"

"The supermarket down the road? She helps restock shelves?" Isolde frowned. "You don't remember her at all?"

"Sorry, Iso." Ever sounded worried, be it for Esme or Isolde's sanity, she was unsure.

Isolde sighed and hung up, finding her boss' number and calling him.

"Yello?"

"Hi, this is Isolde. Is Esme at work today?"

"Esme?"

Isolde's heart sunk. "Esme Wenricker."

"Never heard of em."

"She works with you."

There was a bunch of background noise. "Joe, do you know anyone named Esme?" There was something that sounded like a no. "Yeah, I think you have the wrong number."

"But-"

Esme's boss hung up and Isolde let out a frustrated groan, calling Ever back. "No luck."

"I think you went off the rails, friend-o."

"Don't call me that." Isolde walked into Isolde's room. "Four fucking years, and you just forget like-" She froze.

"Like...?"

Isolde didn't say anything, taking in the room again.

"Iso. You're scaring me."

Isolde turned on her camera and pointed it at the wall. "Her graduation certificate was right there below mine."

"...Okay..." Ever sounded a bit doubtful.

"It's gone."

"Mhm..."

"It was there last night."

"Look, do you need me to come over? I'm free right now and if you've gone off to the loony bin, I'd at least like to be there to say goodbye in person." Her voice took a theatrical quality. "Oh, my beloved friend Isolde has succumb to her insanity, dreaming up a girlfriend for himself who has, mysteriously, disappeared...she has truly gone off the deep end, there is no hope for my dear friend..."

"Shut up." Isolde rolled her eyes. "It'd be nice to have you here."

"Give me ten minutes." Isolde didn't have to see Ever to hear the big grin she was wearing as she hung up.