Margeaux’s mysterious companion went into damage control mode, and nervously offered, “I mean, Margeaux, I have those… uh… files you asked for.”
All three parties regarded one another, suspicion clouding everyone’s eyes. Simon continued to stare at Margeaux and the unknown man who had walked into the office of the Ridgemont Weekly. Margeaux looked like a deer caught in headlights, and, uncharacteristically, seemed to be waiting for something to happen to ease the tension, instead of instantly manipulating the situation to her advantage. The unknown man, tall and with extremely muscular arms, started to say, “Files. I was just bringing the files.” He wasn’t carrying any files, Simon noted.
“Who is this, Margeaux?” Simon demanded, his patience wearing thin.
Margeaux turned to her male companion, clearly giving up any pretense that there was nothing going on between them, and angrily started berating him: “Why did you have to walk in now, idiot? You know you need to be careful on campus. What if someone important just happened to be here? Then what would we have done? Useless!”
The young man walked towards her. “You said there would be no one here tonight, so I wanted to surprise you. I thought you’d be happy to see me. And you said that Ian guy would still be away for a few days.”
“This isn’t Ian. It’s just Simple, Stupid, insufferably Sulky Simon!” Margeaux exclaimed, letting her disdain for Simon show with careless abandon. Clearly, she had now fully regained her confidence, and was taunting Simon. “Why don’t you wait in your car for me, Theo? This won’t take long.”
The tall stranger looked from Simon to Margeaux one more time before he retreated, rolling his eyes on his way out. Simon felt the veins in his temple pulse, engorged with rage, as he bristled at Margeaux’s betrayal of a vulnerable Ian.
“So, this is what you’ve been doing instead of visiting Ian? Aren’t the two of you dating?”
“Well now, lookie here, Simple Sulky Simon entering the ring, vying for Ian’s affections! What a pathetic display of desperation, you pitiable weasel. Ian and I have a connection that only the two of us understand. Your closeted, clichéd, trite tormented gay man stuff is boring and overdone. Theo is a friend, he looks out for me, but with only one friend at your side, I wouldn’t expect you to understand friendship.”
Simon collected himself, deftly sidestepping her baiting tactics. “He definitely looks like more than a friend to me. Listen, I really don’t care what you do with your life, but you’re the one who was pursuing Ian, and if he’s still under the impression that you two are an item, you’re messing with my friend and I won’t stand for it!”
“Friend?” Margeaux scoffed. “What are you talking about? Don’t fool yourself, you silly simpleton! Ian isn’t your friend. Let me spell it out for you: the two of you are not the same kind of people. Do you know that Ian is next in line to take over his father’s publishing business? People of that pedigree don’t associate with people like you. Ian’s a good guy – too good for you, clearly, and good guys are often nicer to lesser achievers, like you. He’s being charitable and kind, and you’re making more of it than it’s intended to be. Get a grip, Stupid Simon, stumble out of your closet, and get a guy that will give a fig about you, already!”
Simon was taken aback at the acrid bitterness and hatred in Margeaux’s voice. She was one of the reasons that Simon had held back with Ian. He thought that there was something between them, and he thought, when Ian said that she was someone whose opinion he cared about, that it meant Ian was open to more with her. And now she was treating him like this. Running around on him when he was injured. “Listen, Margeaux, Ian is a stand-up guy with authentic, genuine qualities that you clearly don’t understand, arranging clandestine rendezvous with other guys. He deserves better, and yes, I qualify as better! I can make him happy, and one way to do that, is to most certainly not run around on him when he’s barely out of crutches, you harlot, you treacherous harpy!” Simon was becoming a little bit carried away, and voicing his true feelings, tinged with a dramatic flair, and even though he felt a bit silly, he also felt better finally telling Margeaux what he thought about her.
Margeaux regarded Simon with a mixture of surprise and amusement. She let out a loud, cackling, guttural laugh. Margeaux did not seem concerned at all about Ian finding out that she was seeing someone else. “Sulky Simpleton Simon, you’re so transparent, it puts a fame-hungry, gold-digger reality star to shame! Transparent and, even worse, pathetic. Do you really think that we aren’t all gossiping about your desperate, high school girl crush on Ian Peters? Do you think this has been some deeply buried secret? Have you really not noticed us all laughing behind your back, embarrassed at how you’re pining after a guy that’s clearly straight?”
Simon was taken aback, stung by Margeaux’s venom and vitriol. She clearly felt threatened and was launching at full throttle. How did she know about his feelings towards Ian? Was he really that transparent? He suddenly felt his stomach turn and a wave of embarrassment washed over him.
She started again, “Let me break this down for you, baby. You’re clearly not computing! You will never be with Ian. He’s not even into guys. I don’t know what gave you that impression. And even if he wanted to be with a guy, he would never choose you. A guy of his pedigree, his standing, not only does he deserve better, you deserve way, way worse.” Margeaux let out a bitter, salty laugh, relishing her hold over Simon. “You’re pathetic for hanging on to him so long, running after him like a sad puppy desperate for approval, just waiting for a measly bone, a crumb off the table. For months now we’ve been laughing at you behind your back. Everyone in the office. There’s no way Ian will ever feel the same way about you.”
Simon’s head sank and he felt all of the energy leave his body. His knees felt wobbly, and he gasped for air as he felt the wind knocked out of him.
“Aww, Silly Simon, quickly morphing into Sad, Sad, Sad Simon. Listen up. Even I’m starting to feel a bit sorry for you now – and that says a lot! We can forget all about this and I won’t tell Ian about your embarrassing crush on him. You can spare us both the embarrassment if you keep your mouth shut. How does that sound? Definitely a win-win proposal to my ears.”
Simon continued to stare at the ground, struggling to regain his composure. He couldn’t bring himself to look up at Margeaux.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Margeaux said, her tone of voice projecting confidence and, worse still, victory. “Cheer up, Silly Simon! This is all working out. I promise when I’m editor I won’t take you off news. You actually do have some skills at investigative journalism. It’s too bad you don’t have the follow-through.”
Not even bothering to conceal her triumphant grin, Margeaux turned around and walked towards the door. She paused, turned around, and slammed the final nail into the coffin: “Ian will be with me. Even if he does feel something for you, he has too much to live up to in his family to ever be gay. He’ll marry a nice, respectable girl like me and all you can do is watch from the sidelines. It’s time you accept that and move on. I’m only trying to help you. You’ll be so much better off if you take my advice.” Margeaux bore through Simon’s soul with a final glare, her gaze shooting daggers of warning at Simon, and he shuddered.
After Margeaux left, Simon sat down at his desk again. He felt empty. He was too broken to even cry about what she had said. Was it true? Would he only be hurting Ian by continuing to have feelings for him? Would Ian be disowned by his family, miss out on his father’s company, for being with a guy?
He had been getting much closer to Ian lately, feeling their connection deepen as they worked on the story together, but maybe it was time to pull away from him for good. It was causing Simon nothing but pain to care so deeply about someone who couldn’t love him back. Not even if he wanted to. But the thought of Ian ending up with Margeaux… Simon couldn’t bear it. She was manipulating him, seeing other guys, using him for her own gain.
Simon thought through his options. He could either tell Ian about
all of it and risk Margeaux exposing him and embarrassing him, or he could pull away, and let Ian make his own choice if he wanted to be with Margeaux or not. Simon pulled on his jacket and went out into the chilly night, his flushed cheeks shocked by the chill of the breeze, and tried not to let his thoughts spiral out of control.
Chapter 18