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.

nervous today, didn’t

tone of self–blame was kind of

rush, practice makes

voice, with its honest inflection,

was Cecilia’s Hogan,

any longer and headed

ask, “Aren’t

out at the bright moonlight, and managed a weak smile.

it was perfect for lovebirds to

Chacher 33

because that night. I

much so that I didn’t notice Hogan’s call until

night at ten, not long after he’d

temples, out of politeness, I sent him WhatsApp message.

Zade, what’s up?)

reply instantly with [Wrong

I knew it.

tapped my fingers, then deleted the message and headed to

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

ways to go compared to a time master ke you Mr. Zade.]

didn’t reply

went dead.

rushed to get ready for work, and as my eyes swept