Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 23

With a “ding.” Hogan’s glass suddenly landed on the table, making a crisp sound. I couldn’t tell if it was on purpose or not.

He gave me a casual glance, grabbed his glass, tapped it on the table, and downed it in one go. Pretty decisive.

I pretended to take a sip of my juice, too.

The scene looked like everyone was having a blast, but the vibe was kinda stiff, for some

reason.

I felt like a total jerk, stirring up trouble at someone else’s birthday bash–definitely not cool.

Clueless Jack, just there for the grub, didn’t pick up on it and, loving a good show, said, “Darren, Xaviera’s laid it out for ya, aren’t you gonna respond?”

Great, now it was even more awkward.

I wished I could just vanish into thin air.

Thank goodness Darren’s got social smarts. Holding his glass, he said, “Xaviera, you’ve given me such high praise, I should definitely return the toast.”

His voice was teasing, a playful twinkle in his eye as he gave me a secret wink.

At his cue, I reluctantly raised my glass.

That warmed things up a bit.

We

were at the meal for over an hour.

+

left the restaurant, Hogan’s car

and helped a tipsy

popped her head out the window and asked. “Xaviera, wanna join us?”

smiled and declined.

wanted to be a third wheel,

ride way more

take you,” Jack said when he heard I was hitting the subway, “It’s getting

Darren, cheeks flushed, and said,

university’s put me up in a two–bedroom near campus, it’s on

1/3

Chapter 23

tell if he was for real

was so out of the blue.

hesitation, Darren just pulled out a key card from his briefcase and said, “Believe me now?”

there I was, catching the subway with this

end, he even walked

antics at the dinner, I

just grinned and said, “Xaviera, I actually had a great

was totally

Science Department’s pride and joy,

“pride” felt both foreign and familiar,

at my place, I sat silently by the window, pondering my

of “pride“?

dark screen

a friend request from Hogan, with a question

two seconds, then locked the screen and