Tom didn’t stand a chance. Hilde practically grabbed the phone from the table before it even rang.
“Why does this bitch keep calling?”
“Hilde…”
“No, Tom, don’t hush me! She calls multiple times a day; it’s not normal!”
“She’s my student…”
“She shouldn’t keep calling!”
“She took an exam today; maybe she just wanted to tell me the results.”
Tom buried his face in his hands. The jealousy that had recently cast a shadow over their everyday life was exhausting for the young Mandarin tutor. No matter how many times he explained to his partner that one of his students was preparing for an exam and needed extra help, it didn’t matter. Tom had offered to be available whenever she needed for those few weeks. It only meant a few short phone conversations or quick text exchanges daily. It wasn’t hard for Tom, and he felt it was his duty, anyway.
Hilde’s self-confidence was never on solid ground. She saw herself as ugly, skinny, and awkward. Despite trying to hide her perceived flaws with makeup and bright, sporty clothes, she was never happy with her reflection.
She had met Tom in Beijing a few years earlier. Hilde, working as a tour guide, had suggested to the young man, who was already fluent in Mandarin, that after finishing his studies and returning to Germany, he should teach Mandarin. Initially, he was thrilled as his clientele grew, and he was grateful for the excellent idea. Teaching online gave him immense freedom. Hilde, who taught history at a high school, sometimes envied Tom, who held lessons in a nearby park or on their apartment balcony.
Then came Melanie. Ten years older than Tom, with striking green eyes, a curvy, athletic body, and a seemingly luxurious lifestyle. She had raspberry-red lips and “cute” dimples on her cheeks. When she smiled, two small dimples appeared around her lips. Tom had said at least a hundred times how cute her smile was. Melanie had no self-esteem issues. She adored herself and the whole world. Her annoyingly charming style and impeccable manners drove Hilde crazy. Her dedication to learning Mandarin, despite the jealousy it sparked, impressed her.
But Hilde couldn’t get used to her presence. Melanie insisted on in-person lessons. She clearly enjoyed Tom’s company, and he gladly taught the elegant, sweet-smelling woman, who arrived in a luxury car, for eighty minutes instead of the agreed sixty. Hilde had imagined countless times kicking Tom’s favorite student down the stairs, then hurling a few heavy encyclopedias at her. She didn’t want her to get seriously hurt; she’d be satisfied if the “bitch” announced she was finding a new teacher. No matter how much money she brought in.
At first, Hilde made small comments about Melanie. She called her “old lady” in hopes that Tom would start seeing her age too. Later, she referred to her as a “gold digger,” since it seemed she didn’t work. She also liked the name “plastic doll,” as Melanie’s chest was too good to be real, at least in Hilde’s opinion. Later, Hilde started barging into their lessons. Not often, but regularly enough that she just “happened” to need something from where the two of them were studying.
“I don’t understand you,” Tom began, exhausted. “What have I done to make you jealous? I would never put you in a position like that!”
“I don’t know,” Hilde sighed.
Sometimes she realized she was going too far and was on a dangerous path. Her friends had warned her several times that she might push Tom away if she kept this up.
“I’ll cancel her lessons. I won’t teach her anymore, alright? It’s not worth it.”
Hilde felt ashamed. She was just about to apologize when a message appeared on the phone in front of her.
“I passed my exam! Tomorrow, we’ll make love in every corner of the apartment! I bought those fluffy handcuffs you wanted so much! I adore you, Baby Boy!”