Chapter 65: reply

Chapter 65: Chapter 65: reply

By the time Vivienne returned to the women’s dormitory...

The campus had already grown quiet.

The sky beyond the window was deep blue, the last traces of sunset long since replaced by the gentle glow of the lamps lining St. Albion’s pathways.

Claire had already changed into comfortable clothes and was sitting cross-legged on her bed with tomorrow’s readings spread across her lap.

Vivienne gathered a fresh change of clothes.

"I’ll take a shower first."

Claire smiled.

"Go ahead."

A little while later...

Warm water washed away the fatigue of the day.

At least...

It washed away the physical exhaustion.

The heaviness in her heart remained.

She changed into a soft cream-colored sweater and comfortable trousers before drying her hair with a towel.

By the time she finished tying her still-damp blonde hair into a loose ponytail...

The clock on the bedside table read exactly nine o’clock.

She walked back toward her desk.

Several textbooks were already waiting.

Mathematics.

Economics.

Reading assignments.

Vivienne let out a quiet breath.

"...Homework."

Then she paused.

Almost unconsciously...

Her eyes drifted toward the school bag resting beside her chair.

One last time.

Just one.

Then she really would stop checking for tonight.

She slipped a hand inside her bag.

Her fingers found the familiar shape of her mobile phone.

She smiled weakly.

"...You’re hopeless."

She pressed the button.

The screen lit up.

For a brief second...

Nothing registered.

Then—

One unread message.

Vivienne froze.

"..."

Her heartbeat stumbled.

No...

Slowly...

Almost afraid to move...

She looked at the sender.

Anthony Ashford.

Her eyes widened.

"..."

With suddenly trembling fingers, she opened the message.

I’m sorry for the late reply. I was occupied yesterday.

If you’re still free this evening, you may call.

She read it.

Then read it again.

Then once more.

"...He replied."

The whisper barely left her lips.

She looked at the time.

Received: 8:31 p.m.

"...Thirty minutes ago?"

"Oh no..."

Her eyes grew even wider.

"I didn’t see it..."

She had been in the shower.

Drying her hair.

Getting ready for bed.

All the while...

Anthony had already replied.

Vivienne stared at the message again.

She wasn’t imagining it.

It was really there.

The heaviness that had followed her since waking up...

Simply disappeared.

As though someone had quietly lifted an enormous weight from her shoulders.

The room looked brighter.

The air felt lighter.

Even her breathing became easier.

Without realizing it...

She smiled.

Then smiled even wider.

Claire looked up from her notes.

"...Vivienne?"

Vivienne slowly turned around.

She didn’t say anything.

She simply held out the phone with both hands.

Claire leaned forward.

Read the screen.

Then immediately looked back at Vivienne with a grin.

"I told you."

Vivienne laughed.

It was the first completely carefree laugh Claire had heard all day.

"He replied..."

"I know."

"He really replied..."

"I know."

Vivienne looked back at the message.

She couldn’t stop reading it.

It wasn’t long.

It wasn’t poetic.

It wasn’t romantic.

It was, in fact...

Exactly the sort of message Anthony Ashford would send.

Simple.

Polite.

Respectful.

And somehow...

She had never seen anything more beautiful.

For the next several minutes...

She did little else besides stare at the screen.

Every few moments, she would smile to herself before reading the message again.

As though afraid it might somehow change.

Claire watched the entire scene with poorly concealed amusement.

"...You’ve read it six times."

Vivienne looked up innocently.

"...Only six?"

Claire laughed.

"I stopped counting after that."

Vivienne felt her cheeks grow warm.

"...I can’t help it."

"I noticed."

Another minute passed.

Vivienne looked at the message again.

Especially the final sentence.

If you’re still free this evening, you may call.

Her heartbeat immediately sped up again.

"...Call..."

Claire noticed exactly where her eyes had stopped.

"So..."

Vivienne looked up.

"So?"

Claire folded her arms.

"...Call him."

Vivienne’s eyes widened.

"...Now?"

Claire stared at her.

"Yes."

"He literally asked you to."

Vivienne looked back at the screen.

"...But what if he’s busy?"

Claire pointed at the message.

"He told you to call."

"...What if I interrupt him?"

"He invited you."

"...What if I don’t know what to say?"

Claire laughed.

"You’ve spent the entire day thinking about him."

"I know..."

"That’s exactly why I don’t know what to say."

Claire couldn’t help laughing again.

Vivienne looked toward the bedside clock.

9:05 p.m.

"...He should still be awake..."

"I’m certain he is."

Vivienne took a deep breath.

Then another.

She opened the message once more.

Her thumb hovered over Anthony’s number.

She froze.

"...I can’t."

Claire stood and walked over.

"Yes, you can."

"...What if he answers?"

Claire blinked.

"...Vivienne."

"That’s the goal."

Vivienne buried her face in both hands.

"...I’m so nervous."

Claire gently took the phone from her hands.

Then placed it right back.

"One step."

Vivienne looked down at the screen.

One step.

That was all.

She had promised herself that much.

She slowly nodded.

"...One step."

Her thumb moved.

It hovered over the green call button for one final second.

Then...

She closed her eyes.

And pressed it.

The phone began to ring.

Once.

Vivienne’s heart pounded so loudly she was certain Claire could hear it.

Twice.

She gripped the phone tighter.

Three times.

"...Claire..."

"Hm?"

"...I think I’m going to faint."

Claire reached over and quietly squeezed her free hand.

"You won’t."

--

Meanwhile...

Several buildings away...

Anthony sat at the desk in his dormitory.

One textbook lay open before him.

Another stack of notes rested neatly beside it.

He had barely finished reviewing tomorrow’s reading assignment when a familiar melody broke the silence.

His personal phone.

Anthony looked up.

The screen lit softly.

One incoming call.

He reached for it almost absentmindedly.

Then his hand stopped halfway.

Vivienne Beaumont.

"..."

For one brief moment...

He simply looked at the screen.

A quiet thought crossed his mind.

...Well.

I did tell her to call.

He almost sighed.

Not out of annoyance.

Only because he suddenly realized...

He hadn’t actually considered what happened after sending the message.

The phone continued ringing.

Once more.

Anthony glanced toward Nathaniel, who remained absorbed in his reading and paid no attention to the sound.

His gaze returned to the screen.

There really wasn’t any reason to keep her waiting.

Not after he’d already done that for an entire day.

He reached for the phone.

Accepted the call.

Lifted it to his ear.

--

Back in the women’s dormitory...

Vivienne stood perfectly still.

Claire remained beside her, silently holding her free hand.

A soft click sounded through the receiver.

The ringing stopped.

The voice that came through was calm.

Low.

Gentle.

Unmistakably Anthony’s.

"...Hello?"

For one suspended moment...

Everything else disappeared.

Vivienne forgot how to breathe.

--

Tbc