[Spirit of Lust 2] Chapters 211 & 212. (Patreon)

Chapter 211: Intermission - To work for it (Part 2).

There was something strange about the way Oliver looked back at Isabelle. He looked… surprised. Had her words gotten through? Isabelle fully expected him to brush her aside, but… Was he about to give her a chance?

Oliver removed his glasses and rubbed his face with both hands, groaning like something bothered him.

“Are the headaches still happening?” she asked softly.

“Sometimes,” he answered. He pursed his lips and looked at her, glasses still off.

Even Isabelle was mostly used to seeing him with glasses on, so when he stared at her without them it felt strange.

“I get the feeling you already know,” he said, shaking his head in resignation. “Somehow you always find out.”

Isabelle tensed up. “K-Know what?”

“Answer yes or no. Did you know I’m going out with Mila, Grace and Sarah at the same time?”

Isabelle felt a chill run down her entire body, a mix of conflicting emotions that nearly paralyzed her. Guilt over knowing, relief that it was by accident, joy that he’d admit it to her…

She answered with a knot in her throat. “...Yes.”

Oliver clicked his tongue and rubbed his eyes.

“I-It was by accident, I promise! You guys were…!” She shut her mouth immediately, before she could say more.

Oliver let out a long, drawn out sigh. His shoulders dropped, defeated. “How?”

“I… I came back home one day and… You were here with them. I heard you… talking.”

He winced. “I… see. I’m sorry.”

Isabelle smiled wryly. “It’s fine. Serves me right, huh?”

“No.”

Just… move on. “Does this have to do with why you’re so upset?”

“Where do I even start? We… We have something of an open relationship, but even that label falls short. I go out with the three of them, but they only go out with me.”

Isabelle’s heart skipped a beat. It was as she thought, but she didn’t comment and nodded for him to continue.

“It’s been great so far. It works for us. Somehow they’re okay with this weird arrangement.” He swallowed. “But a few days ago, they… Shit. They told me they would… like me to… go out with other girls, too.”

Isabelle’s eyebrows shot up and she almost staggered in place. That did NOT go where she was expecting. “W-Wait, ‘too’? As in… date them AND other girls?”

Oliver nodded, trying his hardest to keep a straight face through his blush. “They said they’d support it.”

What the hell!? Who agrees to let their boyfriend see other girls, let alone suggest it? What were these girls…!?

No. Stop and take a step back, Isabelle. Don’t just assume they are toying with Oliver. He might technically have less dating experience than her, but if that experience revealed anything, it was that Isabelle was certainly no authority in what made a relationship work. If this was how they wanted to do things, then it was what Isabelle would have to work with. And honestly, if she looked at it from another angle, it meant that her brother got three girls to agree to share him. That was equal parts scary and amazing.

She nodded. “Alright. And this troubles you because…?”

Oliver stopped for a moment, perhaps taken aback that she was being so accepting. Isabelle was only slightly less surprised, and it helped that she knew some of this already.

He groaned. “...This doesn’t get any easier. It’s troubling because… Because I like Alice and Noelle, too.”

…

…

…

…

“Alice and Noelle?”

He nodded.

“My friends?”

“Yes.”

“That’s… not as surprising as it should’ve been. Huh.”

“What does that mean?”

“That Noelle is a cutie and Alice is a babe. Makes sense.”

“I mean… Yes, but that’s not the only reason I like them.”

“Oh, of course. There’s plenty to love about them. Noelle is the sweetest and Alice is a badass.”

Oliver chuckled, and Isabelle was very willing to count that as a win for herself.

“That’s true.”

“Hmm. Okay, I think I see the issue. You like them and want to ask them out since your three girlfriends support it, but you won’t do it when they don’t know you’re already seeing other girls, and if you tell them, then that basically sets you up to be rejected. Did I get it or did I assume too much?”

Oliver chuckled weakly and smiled wryly. “You got it to the letter, pretty much. Except for one detail.”

“Which is?”

“Alice already knows. She’s been close friends with Mila, Grace and Sarah for years, and they told her about it the same day I asked them out.”

“Oh, that’s right. They would’ve told her already.” Isabelle nodded, adding that to her calculations. However… “W-Wait, so does that mean Alice…? Is she okay with this?”

Slowly, her brother nodded. “So long as we clear things up with Noelle first, yes.”

Isabelle’s jaw dropped.

It was one thing to know that three girls she knew in passing were sharing her brother, but another entirely to know Alice was okay with it. She knew Alice, and knew that girl was extremely… particular about her dating life. She basically rejected everyone who asked her out. And yet she said yes to sharing Oliver?

…

…

Her brother was the biggest chick magnet ever.

Isabelle had to take a moment to compose herself, get her bearings and think clearly.

“So… The real issue is Noelle, right?”

Oliver grimaced and gripped his knee tightly. “I happened to run into her while I was out. I was hoping to tell her I was seeing other girls, but… I couldn’t. I’m a fucking coward.”

That wouldn’t do. She couldn’t have her brother beating himself up like that. It was probably his worst habit. As much as he’d grown, that was still there, apparently.

“I mean, it’s a hard thing to bring up,” she told him. “And if I’m honest, bringing a girl to your room, one who’s obviously really into you, mind, only to tell her you’re seeing someone else… I’m actually glad you didn’t tell her.”

“You think so?”

“Totally. In fact… Why don’t you let me handle this?”

“What?”

“I’ll tell Noelle you’re seeing other girls. It might not make it hurt less, but at least she won’t associate the bad news to you. And I know her better than you do. I think I can soften the blow.”

“Seems like another coward move to me…”

“Oliver, there are times when it’s great to man up and do things yourself, but I don’t think this is one of those times. I’ll tell her that you only just admitted this to me, which is true, and since I noticed that she’s into you, I felt that I had to tell her. I… don’t know if I’ll be able to convince her to agree to your crazy proposal, but…”

“No, no. That’s… It would be a great help. Thanks.” Regardless, Oliver really looked like he didn’t like this one bit.

Isabelle racked her brain. Was there anything she could do, anything she could say to make it just the slightest bit more likely that Noelle would agree to go out with Oliver? Because that was the goal, it was what Oliver wanted. And if her brother wanted it, that was all that mattered.

Time to earn some trust back.

************

Chapter 212: Intermission - To work for it (Part 3).

Isabelle thought her words over and over as she rode the bus. She would meet Noelle at 7:30 pm at a small park near her house.

Noelle had been confused, and more than a little apologetic.

“You needed to talk to me and I was just at your house. I’m sorry, I should’ve waited a bit more to at least say hi,” the redhead had said over the phone.

The girl was so innocent and pure it really made you feel guilty for having to bring her bad news. Isabelle couldn’t blame Oliver for not daring to tell her, as the only thing stopping her from turning back was that she’d promised her brother she would help.

The park where they met had stone walkways, areas with short, green grass and a playground with a jungle gym, seesaws and swings. According to what they’d told her, Noelle and Alice had found Cake close to this place. It was starting to get dark, but the park was well lit with tall lamp posts.

“Isabelle,” Noelle called to her from a bench.

“Hey. Sorry to bother you at this hour,” Isabelle told her, walking to her and greeting her with a peck on the cheek. She sat down next to her.

Noelle giggled. “It’s no bother. But what’s so important that it can’t wait until tomorrow? Or be said over the phone.”

“...It’d be even more awkward to tell you at school,” Isabelle said. “But whether I tell you or not depends on how you answer a question.”

Noelle raised an eyebrow. “S-Sure?”

“Sorry to throw this at you out of nowhere, but… Noelle, do you like Oliver?”

Noelle tensed up and her face turned fully red in mere seconds.

“W-W-What? Why do you…?”

“Because it’s kind of obvious. If you don’t, then I’m just seeing things and that’s that. But tell me. Do you like him?”

Noelle pressed her legs together, gripped her knees and stared down at her hands. “I… It’s… I know it might be strange but… I do. I l-like him a lot.”

God, she was so cute! And the most likely scenario was that she was going to get her heart broken! But better be upfront than hide things. It would only hurt more down the line.

Isabelle grimaced. “Then… I do have to tell you.”

Noelle’s eyes widened. Her face fell for a moment before she forced herself to smile. It was heartbreaking. “He’s already seeing someone else, isn’t he?”

“It’s… Yes. Did you know?”

“I had a feeling.” She forced a chuckle. “Who…?”

“Milana, Grace and Sarah.”

“...” Noelle blinked. “Wait. Huh?”

“He only just told me. I finally convinced him to trust me again, if only a little. They have a… semi-open relationship, I guess? Milana, Grace and Sarah are only dating Oliver… but they let him see other girls, apparently.”

Noelle’s jaw half-hung as she tried to process it, keeping quiet for a long moment. Isabelle let her. It was a tough pill to swallow.

“You know, I kind of thought that would be the case,” Noelle chuckled weakly. “The first part, at least. Those girls seem so into him, and they spend all their time together, right? It’s like there wasn’t any other answer.”

“When Oliver told me, I thought of you,” Isabelle told her. “They’re doing their best to keep it a secret, but… I felt it was only fair that you knew, too, since…” Isabelle spoke through the knot in her throat. “I told Oliver I wanted to tell you, and he said okay.”

Noelle’s face turned to horror. “D-D-Does he know I…!?”

“He had an idea,” Isabelle offered wryly. “He wanted to tell you himself, but couldn’t find a way to do it.”

“I… see.” Noelle pursed her lips. Under the park lights, the glittering of her eyes was clearer. “I suppose he didn’t… I never had a chance, did I?”

Should she do it? Should she tell her? It felt like a good opportunity.

…

Fuck it. Go for it.

“I’m not so sure about that.”

“What?”

“Oliver… He really likes you. He told me so himself. But what could he do about it? Just because his… girlfriends encourage him to see other girls, doesn’t mean you’d agree to that arrangement, right? He wanted to tell you this himself, but he was scared you’d hate him for it.”

“...” Noelle bit her lip. “It’s such a wild thing. I like to think I keep an open mind, but I don’t know if… if I could agree to something like that.”

“Yeah, I don’t blame you.” Isabelle sighed. “Still, you know Oliver had a pretty bad case of social anxiety to the point he couldn’t speak to people, right? But ever since he started dating those three, he started to change. He talks far more, he got a job, he hits the gym, he’s willing to take risks and chances he never would’ve before. Those girls helped him change and grow while I was too damn busy looking elsewhere, doing stupid crap and even making things worse for him.” Isabelle’s lip quivered, but she pushed through. “He looks happier than ever. Hell, he LOOKS better than ever. Weird as what they have is, no one can deny it’s been great for him. I used to hate their guts, and for stupid reasons, but now that I know the truth, I know how dumb I was. I need to apologize to them tomorrow.” She clicked her tongue and shook her head. “Sorry. I’m getting ahead of myself. I don’t even know what I’m trying to say anymore.”

Noelle swallowed. “Thanks for telling me, Isabelle. I think… I think I can start moving on now, at least.”

“...I think you two would make a great couple,” Isabelle told her.

“You mean ‘would have’,” Noelle corrected, laughing weakly.

“...” Isabelle stood up. “I bet Oliver will want to talk to you soon to clear things up.”

Noelle nodded. “I still want to be friends with him, at least.”

Isabelle smiled. “Thanks. I really mean it.”

The two girls hugged as they said their goodbyes.

Sometimes Isabelle wished she could read minds, and this was one of those times. Noelle’s face showed she was deep in thought, even as they parted ways. What was she thinking about?

Isabelle wished she had a fail-proof solution to Oliver’s problem. She wished she could convince Noelle to go for it and date her brother, but trying to push her into it would only make her reject the idea even more. No, this was all she could do for now. Much as she’d like to help more, in the end this could only be resolved between Oliver and Noelle. But somehow, Isabelle wasn’t worried, not with the way her brother was now.