Everlastingly Loving You - Chapter 115

It was a relief to him that she didn’t believe in romance and love. But now that she was dating Nicholas, it was different.

She had a boyfriend, and Clarisse knew Louis was happy for her… but he felt as though he was losing her, even when he wasn’t.

Louis’ phone rang.

“And who might that be?” Clarisse asked.

Louis shrugged, “I have no idea.”

“And frankly, I don’t care!” He exclaimed.

“If Marcus wants nothing to do with me then so be it, I won’t care,” he said.

“You know what? I won’t pick up the phone either.”

“If it’s him, then I’ll check it out when I want to.”

“He can leave a voicemail,” Louis reasoned.

“Because for all I care, I’m not his boyfriend. I’m not anything to him,” Louis exclaimed.

Clarisse opened and closed her mouth.

“When I said you shouldn’t worry or anything, I did not mean this,” Clarisse elucidated.

Louis shrugged, “I don’t care, because Marcus doesn’t want me anymore.”

Clarisse couldn’t form a coherent sentence. She didn’t understand what to do. Louis wasn’t this… spontaneous at making decisions, this was extremely out of character.

“Um, you might want to pick up your phone, just because… it might be important,” she reasoned.

“However important it is, it can always be postponed till later on,” Louis said nonchalantly.

“It’s time we have breakfast and enjoy what’s dubbed the most important meal of the day. Yes?”

He took a deep breath.

“So, join me for breakfast?” He asked Clarisse.

“Of course,” Clarisse replied.

“Someone’s got to look out for you,” she said to him.

“Besides Blaine’s busy all day,” she added.

“I have literally nothing to do,” she pouted.

“Your boyfriend should be busy more often,” Louis said to her.

Clarisse nudged him in the shoulder.

“I was kidding,” Louis assured her.

“You better have been,” Clarisse narrowed her eyes.

Louis let out a nervous laugh.

__

“I wonder what Louis is up to,” Sophia wondered.

“You’re thinking of your brother during breakfast in bed? Real romantic,” Nicholas said.

Sophia stared at him, “I’m just worried.”

“He’s not telling me whatever’s going on between him and Marcus.”

“And although he’s going to tell me eventually, I can’t help but feel… left out,” Sophia admitted, sighing.

She knitted her brows suddenly.

Nicholas asked, “What is it?”

Sophia tried remembering something.

She was forgetting something, she quickly realized.

She shut her eyes, trying to remember what it was; easier said than done.

“I don’t know.”

“I’m just… forgetting something,” she tilted her head.

“And you forgot what you forgot?” Nicholas asked.

To his surprise, she nodded.

“Oh,” Nicholas said.

Sophia blinked.

She’d remembered what it was.

She practically jumped out of bed.

“Crap, crap, crap!” She cursed.

“What what what?” Nicholas asked.

Sophia looked around, searching desperately for where her wall clock was.

Her eyes widened in panic.

“I’m going to be late!” She cried, rushing to her restroom to freshen up and change into more suitable clothing.

“Late for what?” Nicholas asked loudly.

“Work!” Sophia replied in return.

“They’ll understand if you’re late just this once!” Nicholas reasoned with her, hoping she’d stay.

It’d been two days. Two days they dated and she had to resume work.

“They won’t!” Sophia exclaimed.

“And I take my work seriously!” She said to him.

Nicholas sighed.

It was one of the many things he liked about her.

Her drive for work.

She may not have seemed like she liked what she did – especially when she began taking more of her royal duties, but she did. A lot.

She enjoyed the duties she had to fulfil. She enjoyed every moment of it regardless of what she said about it or how many times she had protested and complained and whined.

He knew she’d make a wonderful ruler.

But, he also knew what her being a ruler meant for him. He had two options.

One of which, to stay with her.

The other? To leave.

It was an obvious choice for him to pick first, but he knew that being a ruler required one to have a spouse.

He sighed, it was too soon to be thinking about any of it. He just couldn’t help it.

He did envision a future with her, no matter how quick it seemed.

He just hoped she did too.

He stared at the restroom door.

__

“So, Louis is spiralling,” Clarisse said to Sophia.

“And why would that be?” Sophia asked.

“Things with Marcus worsened?” She asked next.

Clarisse blinked.

“You know?” She asked in astonishment.

Sophia stared at her, “He’s my brother, if something’s up, I know.”

Clarisse raised both her eyebrows, “Well then, you should also know he’s refusing to answer any of his calls, regardless of whether they’re from Marcus or not.”

Sophia furrowed her brows, “That’s idiotic, even for him.”

“Why would he–”

“He thinks Marcus doesn’t, and I quote, ‘Want him anymore,’” Clarisse informed her friend.

“And what do you want me to do about it?” She asked Clarisse point-blank.

Clarisse tilted her head, “You’re his sister.”

“He chose to hide it from me for a reason, Claire,” Sophia said to her friend.

“Yes, but do you not understand you’re one of the only people who can get through to him!” Clarisse reasoned.

“He’s spiralling because he’s insistent that Marcus doesn’t take interest in him anymore!” She added frustratedly.

“I’ve tried, Soph. I have,” she admitted.

Sophia sighed, she asked Clarisse, “If I do talk to him, how would I explain?”

“Oh I just presumed you and Marcus were going through a rough patch, but don’t worry about it, I can’t read your mind at all times, just this once!” Sophia exclaimed.

“And if he knows you told me then he’s going to be upset,” Sophia added.

Clarisse slumped down, “Upset? Are you kidding me? This isn’t high school.”

Sophia nodded, “I know it isn’t. It’s his business.”

“Are you seriously choosing not to do anything about this?” Clarisse cried.

“Yes,” Sophia nodded, seeming as calm as ever.

“Oh you have got to be kidding me,” Clarisse looked downright distraught.

“Am not,” Sophia answered.

“Now if you’ll excuse me I have my study to get to,” she said, excusing herself.

Clarisse began, “Sophia–”

“None of my business!” Sophia exclaimed before she could say anything else.

Clarisse groaned exasperatedly.

She walked over to the dining hall where Louis was.

She sat down.

“So are we not going to talk about you and Marcus?” Clarisse asked, grabbing food from one of the plates laid out in front of her.

Louis shook his head, “We’re not.”

“We’re going to leave it be since there’s nothing to talk about.”

“So, stop bringing it up,” he insisted.

Clarisse crossed her arms.

“And get to eating,” Louis added.

“Oh come on I’m just worried as your friend,” Clarisse reasoned.

“It might be extremely important,” she said to him.

“Who knows?” She reasoned to him.

Louis stared at her, “Can’t we just enjoy this lunch without you prying into my relationship?”

“So you and he had a relationship?” Clarisse asked, raising her brow.

“You know damn well that was not what I meant,” Clarisse said.

Meanwhile, with Beldovia’s power couple…

“So, you free this afternoon?” Nicholas asked Sophia hopefully.

She shook her head, “Royal duties.”

“I’m afraid I’m busy.”

“I could always move things up, I doubt Guillermo would mind,” Sophia began.

Nicholas sighed.

“Don’t, you know full well what you have to do is more important than us.”

“Don’t say that,” Sophia said.

“It’s nowhere near as important,” she assured.

“Just…”

“Why not spend time with Oliver instead?” She suggested.

“Oliver?” Nicholas asked.

“Why would I spend time with him?” He asked her.

She blinked.

“He’s your brother, Nicholas.”

“And he’s still heartbroken.”

“He’s what?” Nicholas asked.

“You didn’t know he was interested in Clarisse?” Sophia asked.

“I thought you knew,” she mumbled.

“I do, but–”

“Just spend time with him, he’s your brother.”

“He’s not that horrible as a person,” she admitted, “And I’m going to be busy so…”

“Unless you’d rather spend time with Clarisse and Louis…”

“Spend time with Oliver,” she ordered, “Go.”

Nicholas hung his head.

He knew she had a point. She always did.

“Fine, but I’m doing this only for you,” he said.

Sophia kissed him on the cheek.

“I know,” she said, winking at him before she left.

Nicholas sighed.

“Off to Oliver’s quarters to see what he’s up to,” he said to himself.

“God, why am I doing this?” He asked himself.

There were plenty of other things he could be doing right now. Everything but taking a visit to his brother’s quarters.

Had it been three months ago he would’ve never even considered visiting Oliver’s quarters.

Not until last month had they began getting closer to each other. And still, they weren’t that close.

Sure, they talked occasionally, and not all their conversations and interactions included starting fights, but this didn’t make up for how Oliver used to treat him during their childhood.