FRAGMENTS ; Simon Riley

Chapter 30.

ROSALIE.

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"Why do we know, but act like we don't?"

"CPT PRICE here. Soldiers, can you hear me?" The captain's voice echoed from everyone's earpieces, Simon's face darkened. Had he listened to my words at all?

"Yes, sir." He grunted, tearing his gaze away from me momentarily as he checked on the other soldiers. I looked at him, lost, confused, my eyes begging for his attentions. Even one tiny bit.

And as if Soap had sensed the situation, I felt his gaze calling for mine. Meeting his eyes, with his head he denied whatever I was doing, and I took it as a sign to sit back next to him, heart in my throat. "Rosalie, what were you trying to do?" I felt him whisper.

A sudden wave of nausea hit me. I shut my eyes tightly, gulping down the agitation, all the emotions that were bottling up. "I needed to talk to him about something serious." I managed to mutter out, avoiding his gaze.

"Why now? You had two days to do so."

"Well, it's not that easy when he's constantly busy."

For a moment, silence fell over us, the conversation lingered heavily in the air with unanswered questions. Only the rumble of the vehicle could be heard, mixed with the quiet murmurs of the other men seated. He had sensed something was up. "Are you okay? You look pale. Dizzy?" Soap placed a hand over my shoulder, squeezing it slightly.

With a small nod, I shook away his worries, "Yeah, this base's food isn't much to my stomach's liking. Plus, the stress doesn't help." It wasn't unusual for me to feel ill whenever I had things going on.

Still, I couldn't shake away the burden heaving on my shoulders, my mind filled by the thought of him. Of the confession I hadn't blurted out in time for him to know.

"You should've taken something before deploying. Have you had a nice meal?" Soap questioned, his tone laced with a hint of worry.

"No, I told you already that I don't digest the food here."

He sighed, defeated, gaze moving towards the lieutenant that sat right across us. Simon's broad figure was stiff, his emotions masked beneath that hard skull mask as he spoke to the captain through the intercom.

Of course, he hadn't heard anything of what I said previously.

When would I get the perfect chance?

❀

As soon as the chinook landed, I was the first one to hop off, running to a secluded spot to throw up yesterday's dinner. It was a nice competition against my body, holding back whatever I was trying not to let out. And now, my body was completely empty from all the previous nutritions.

Between the shutting propellers, the numerous steps and voice, I could make out other heavy footsteps approaching me from behind, while I stayed leaned towards the ground, coughing out the remainings.

"I thought you said you were fine." Soap commented with an amused tone, patting my back softly as if to soothe me. Which did not.

With the back of my hand, I wiped away my mouth and heaved out a loud sigh, turning my body towards him, "Shouldn't concern you at all." I commented, shooting him a warning look as I swung over my shoulder my rifle. And before he could add anything, I made my way towards the team, ready to leave.

The air was freezing, there was snow everywhere. It almost looked like a peaceful landscape -- if it hadn't been an enemy area.

The mission would've lasted a long time, we weren't the only soldiers ready to surround the enemy base. Reinforcements would've come as soon as we were ready, in pairs on each side of the perimeter -- of course who could I possibly end up with? That damn lieutenant.

As if fate was totally in my favor.

And of course, this man wouldn't talk to me at all.

Our walk was enveloped by silence and the sound of our boots landing in the hard snow. Every now and then I sent him glances, hoping that he'd look at me even for once. "Did I do something wrong, Simon?" I spoke after a while, making sure my intercom's mic was off.

His figure loomed over the white landscape, his white uniform almost camouflaging, if it wasn't for his skull mask and sniper. "Professionalism first of all, Sergeant." He replied with a gruff tone.

Professionalism my ass.

"We're alone, walking towards the enemy base. There's no one watching us."

He let out a scoff, and I swore I saw him roll his eyes in annoyance, after heaving out a sigh. "We're still working."

At this point I was getting desperate to talk to him, even for a tiny bit. Just to let him know the truth. Simon kept his pace, his eyes guarding the area surrounding us. And before I knew it, I had grasped the back straps of his plate carrier, halting his steps. "What.." He muttered beneath his breath, coming out like a visible puff in the freezing air.

"We need to talk, and don't find excuses." I stated firmly, my tone leaving no space for discussions.

Finally, he turned around, his tall frame towering over me as if I were nothing but a mere burden. His hazel eyes held annoyance, authority. "Quit your stubbornness, Nova. If it's about our moment of weakness; it didn't mean fucking anything to me." His harsh words were like a blade, trying to pierce through me.

"Can you fucking stop denying?!" I snapped, raising my voice, a small crack betraying the confidence I put up. "You're illusional!" He snapped back with a bark, his rough voice dominating mine with wickedness.

It took me just those two words to lose my shit, because I was to rip off this man's mask and face. "If you fucking listened to what I had to say back in the chinook you would've understood my damn intentions, Simon." I spoke through gritted teeth, for a moment I could feel a vein popping out from my head.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Nova. I told you already I am married, what happened was a mistake and I regret it." He hissed, his body getting too closer to mine, to the point I had to raise my head to not break the eye contact.

"You're married to me!"

Like a slap in the face, he took a step back, his eyes going wide beneath the mask. For a moment, I could see through them, as if the high walls had broken down from my words.

Speechless, shocked, confused, sadness, everything flickered in his hazel irises, his grip on his sniper faltering as it dropped into the snow with a thud. And unexpectedly, tears formed in my eyes, rolling down my cold cheeks and leaving a burning trail from the contrast.

I could hear my heartbeat in my own ears, loud and clear, as if my heart was about to explode.

"Rosalie Harrison.. or would you prefer Rosalie Riley?" My voice cracked as I spoke out, "The wife you tried to avoid so hard."

Simon hadn't spoken a word. Beneath the sun, tears glistened in his red eyes, as if he were trying to hold them back. "The initials on your dog tags. The faded name over the doorbell of your flat." I pointed out quietly, sucking in a trembling breath.

But he stayed still, feet rooted onto the ground, eyes boring into mine with different emotions.

"Please.. say something.."

(A/N: hello darlings! sorry for the late post, I'm moving out, at the same time I have to deal with work and academy so I'm so busy. please be patient, I won't stop this book because it's one of my favorites so far. I hope you're enjoying it too. Love, Aryssa)