There isn't a day that goes by that she doesn't press the ring with the glowing stone to her heart and call out to him.
Phoebus, are you there?
He never answers.
She moves on, but does not forget he who gave her a second chance at living.
She worries sometimes that he might not be able to find her in Baltimore. But she knows that Baltimore is the first place he will check after LA. He always believed in her, always believed that she could be the best of the best.
He is the first place she felt at home. Medical school is the second. She can devote herself to helping others as she saw him do so many times. She can't wait until she can put Johns Hopkins graduate and not Johns Hopkins student on her resume.
But sometimes, she just wants to hear his voice, just wants to know that he is okay. But this time will not be like last time. She will not put her life on hold as she waits for him to come and put the pieces back together for her. She is perfectly capable of picking up her own pieces.
She occasionally wonders if there was something she should've done, but she will not repeat the mistakes of the past. She knows she cannot wallow in regret and self loathing as her self respect dips. What is done is done.
Being a medical student, there are many men in her life, and if she felt something worth chasing, she would do it. But she hasn't felt that spark since he last touched her.
Perhaps it is unrealistic to look for that spark again. Perhaps it was one of those opportunities that comes once a lifetime, but she won't settle for anyone who does not make her feel alive like he did.
She does not know what has her walking down one of the worst blocks in Baltimore on that rainy night. Her black umbrella does an adequate job of keeping the rain from seeping into her coat, but her feet are soaked.
Almost as if pulled by an invisible string, she puts one foot in front of the other. She does not know where she is going, but she learned long ago that part of the joy of living is not to overthink things. Pleasures come a little at a time. She can either appreciate them or reject them, thinking that she deserves better.
She is not surprised when the bus station comes into view and there is a figure slumped against the billboard.
He doesn't seem brighter than the gray shades of rain around him like he used to be. But when he looks up, his eyes, blue as cloudless skies, are still as piercing as ever.
His voice is scratchy from disuse. "El."
"Phoebus Apollo," she breathes.
She kneels down and holds out her hand.
â
And Venus' son replied: 'Your bow, Apollo,
May vanquish all, but mine shall vanquish you.
As every creature yields to power divine,
So likewise shall your glory yield to mine."
â Ovid, Metamorphoses
â
a/n: jesus christ what a ride it's been. this story was the fastest i've ever written - something inside it just resonates with me. i loved writing every second of it, even the hard scenes. what was your favorite scene, and what did you like about the characters? were they too fictional or did they feel real to you?
will there be a sequel? i dunno, i have a pretty good idea of what i want to do if there is one, but it really just depends on the reception to this book.
there's a bonus chapter that i will publish if we hit 1000 reads, so definitely add this book to your reading list!! :))
if you liked my style, i'm actually going to be publishing another story now that this one is done. you'll be able to find it on my profile by next week.
and for the last time, thank you for reading. love,
-isadora