Well Beyond

29

I turn my back to Erik. His gaze burns into my back, his eyes hardening with something I can't quite decipher. The intensity of his stare makes my cheeks flush with embarrassment. I turn away from him, feeling his gaze like a heavy weight on my shoulders as I speak into the phone.

"Excuse me," I snap, my voice strained.

"You heard me. Answer the question," Jasper demands, his tone clipped and commanding.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. "I liked you for who you were, not for your position or any of the titles that came with it. I never cared about your status as the King. You know that."

Jasper's silence on the other end is heavy. I can almost hear the wheels turning in his head. "So, what's changed?"

I swallow hard, my throat tightening with the weight of my next words. "I see now that it was a mistake. I regret meeting you, going to that fucking party, and everything that followed. I thought I knew what I was getting into, but I was wrong. I never imagined things would turn out like this."

"Are you saying you're done with me?" Jasper's voice is almost a whisper, a mix of hurt and confusion evident in his tone.

"Are you really asking me that after calling me a 'cheap whore'? Tell me you aren't that dense," I rant. "I'm done with you, and I'm done with this." 

The line goes quiet for a moment, and I can almost sense Jasper's frustration through the phone. Finally, he speaks, his voice softer but still tinged with hurt. "Alright."

As the call ends, I place the phone back on the table, feeling a mixture of relief and sorrow. I turn back to face Erik, who's still watching me intently, his expression unreadable. I want to explain everything, but the words catch in my throat.

Instead, I collapse into a nearby chair, feeling the weight of exhaustion and emotional turmoil pressing down on me. The silence in the room grows thick, almost suffocating, as if the very air is heavy with unspoken words and unresolved feelings. Tears start to well up in my eyes, blurring my vision as the gravity of everything sinks in.

The embarrassment of Erik overhearing the conversation with Jasper is almost too much to bear. I can't shake the feeling of shame that floods over me. A sob breaks free, the sound escaping before I can stifle it. The sudden, raw sound pulls Erik out of his trance. His eyes, previously locked in a steely, unreadable gaze, darken to a deep, nearly opaque black as he watches me.

His movement is slow and deliberate as he stands and approaches me, each step purposeful and powerful. I can see his figure shift and blur through the cascade of tears streaming down my face. The intensity of his presence feels overwhelming, and despite the distance between us, I can almost feel the heat of his concern radiating towards me.

Erik stops a few feet away, his expression shifting from one of sternness to something softer, more vulnerable. He hesitates for a moment, then extends a hand towards me, his voice low and gentle. 

"Delia, it's okay."

His hand hovers in the air, an unspoken offer of comfort and support. The sight of it, the gesture of him reaching out, cracks open a floodgate of emotion I'd been trying to hold back. My sobs come harder, and I feel my whole body shaking as I try to calm myself.

Erik steps closer, and his hand finally makes contact, gently resting on my shoulder. The warmth of his touch is both grounding and reassuring, a stark contrast to the emotional tempest swirling within me. Sparks flicker around my skin where he touches, a physical reminder of the bond that ties us together. Despite myself, I wipe away my tears with the heels of my hands, feeling both vulnerable and exposed.