Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 38

I wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

“Sorry.” I said to Darren beside me, fiddling with a water bottle, mortified. “I’m usually not such a lightweight.”

Darren’s eyes crinkled with a smile, but there was a teasing lilt in his voice, “Maybe the driver drives in a terrible way.”

Great, now I felt even more embarrassed.

Back in the car, Darren pointed at the wristband in my hand and casually mentioned, “It’s dirty.” I retracted my left hand nervously, staying mum.

He was just giving me a heads–up, but what he didn’t know was the gnarly scar hidden beneath the wristband.

Dirty, he got that right.

I thought to myself, dejected, it’d been dirty for a long time.

Half an hour later, at my request, the sedan stopped at the entrance to my complex.

I thanked Darren and turned to leave when suddenly a jacket landed on my shoulders.

In an instant, the subtle scent of ambergris filled my nose, accompanied by Darren’s gentle voice in my ear, “It’s chilly with the night dew, take it slow.”

The booze had hit me and the breeze made me shiver, so I didn’t refuse the offer.

I staggered down to my building, and before I could step inside, I heard Cecilia’s sweet and sticky voice.

I was just too nervous today, didn’t do

of self–blame was

rush, practice makes perfect, you did

its honest inflection, was really

Cecilia’s Hogan,

couldn’t bear to eavesdrop any longer and headed to the staircase on

ask, “Aren’t you coming up,

half–lifted my eyelids, looking out at the bright moonlight,

perfect for lovebirds to whisper sweet nothings all night

Chacher 33

to thank, because that night.

so that I didn’t notice Hogan’s call until the next

ten, not long after he’d

of politeness, I sent him WhatsApp message.

Zade, what’s up?)

expect Hogan to reply

I knew it.

tapped my fingers, then deleted the message and headed to the

sound chimed again. Hogan had sent a dry line [Ms. March, you seem

I quickly typed back, [Still got a ways to go compared to a

didn’t reply after that.

chat went

get ready for work, and as my eyes swept over the couch,‘t noticed