Captured (A Modern Medusa Story)

CHAPTER 20: PHOEBE💙

Averista.

Her name tasted weirdly good on the tip of my tongue.

I ignored Noreen's phone calls and her entire existence. She sent a text saying she wanted me to accompany her to college, but for the first time, I declined.

"Working on your stupid poetry books again?"

Her voice freaked me out of my skin and I almost dropped my phone to the floor.

"Nory, what the hell are doing here?"

"I'm sorry, Ma'am," a familiar voice of the maid reached my ears. "I tried to keep her off, but she–"

"It's fine, Vanessa. Leave." I marked sternly.

The maid's footsteps rushed out of my bedroom.

Now it was just me and that bitch.

"Why didn't you pick up any of my calls?"

"Did my father also pay you to call me?" I held back the urge to yell.

I didn't even turn. I moved my fingers on my braille, tapping.

Noreen sighed in disgust. The clank-clank of her stilettos approached me.

I felt her presence next to me, her expensive Chanel perfume wafting through my nose.

"I'm not gonna beat around the bush anymore but, you should stay away from that girl. If you don't want to bring trouble."

"Jealous now, bestie?" I turned my eyes up at her.

"Oh please," she scoffed. "I wasn't paid enough for that."

"I can do what I want to whenever I want to with whoever I wish to. It's none of your business, Nory. Now get the fuck out of my space."

"Does she know you speak like that? Or does she still think you're nothing but a sweet little blue-eyed angel?" Nory was leaning over toward me.

"Get out."

"You should follow your father's orders, princess. If you know what's good for you. People aren't to be trusted that easily."

"And if you're that desperate for money, then you should go start a business or something instead of eating off my father's plate."

"You're just a typical barbie bitch."

She cursed, strolling away.

I felt enraged and thought to argue but then remembered I had better things to waste time on rather than Noreen.

I smashed my braille onto the floor the minute she was out of my senses' sight.

The thing broke to pieces.

I stomped into the bathroom and stepped on the bath tray in my pink minidress and silver platforms. My face made up and my hair curled, ready to leave after Averista had asked me out for a brief night walk.

I felt for the switches and let the water run down on my body as tears streamed down my cheeks.

Typical. Barbie. Bitch.

The water rained down on me, and I choked on my sobs.

Why did their words always get to me?

I wanted all the pain and anger to get washed out of me like dirt. And I cried more when it didn't. I could hear my phone ringing in the background, but I ignored it.

I couldn't tell how long I had stayed in the water, but I suddenly heard Miss Halima's voice calling out for me. She had a night shift from 9pm. I guess it was clear what time it was. I was two hours late for Averista's appointment. Our date. If it was even a date at all.

"Phoebe darling? Are you in there?" Miss Halima knocked on the bathroom door, but I didn't answer. I had locked it.

When she disappeared, I turned the shower off. I walked out and opened the door, stepping out.

"Phoebe?" Her shocked voice came from somewhere in the middle of the room. "What's wrong, dear?"

I could hear her approaching, but I held up a hand, telling her to back off.

"What's wrong?" I could still hear her trying to move close to me, but I ignored her.

"Is it your father again? Should I yell at him for you?" She pestered, worried.

"If you do that, you'll be both fired and dead," I murmured, grabbing an overcoat that I had hung up by the door.

"Where are you going looking so wet like that?" She called out as I took my cane and left the room.

"Please don't follow me. I need to be alone."

"But–"

"Please."

Miss Halima went silent after that.

She came here to take care of me, but I was too messed up to care. Guilt could eat me up later on. Now all I wanted to do was leave. I didn't care if a bunch of imbeciles were going to gang up on me again. I was in the mood to die.

I only wanted to be alone.

Alone with the scent of wildflowers.