Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 48

I never expected the guy I was staring at to actually be Darren.

He was usually rocking those silver specs and had this laid–back artsy dad vibe going on. To put it bluntly, he gave off this slightly stuffy and old–fashioned air.

It was like he was a whole different person from the smooth charmer standing in front of me

now.

What a stark contrast.

“So, Xaviera, you’re disappointed to find out it’s me?” he teased.

I waved my hand dismissively, clarifying, “No, no, that’s not what I meant. It’s just that your current look is a dead ringer for a character in our game, and that’s why I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

That probably came across a little rude.

Darren seemed taken aback, he sighed and said, “And here I was thinking you had a thing for

this version of me, Xaviera.”

I raised my eyebrows, momentarily at a loss for words.

Just then, Tina and Kevin came bounding over from the right and greeted me enthusiastically.

“Xaviera, you have no idea, before you got here, a bunch of chicks were hitting on Professor Yearwood,” Tina said with a hint of pride, lowering her voice, “and they even brought him coffee.”

Kevin mimicked in a falsetto, “Sweetheart, sweetheart, what flavor do you like?”

1

help but chuckle, “Darren, you really do

you guys keep ribbing me

wisely backed

around by Tina and Kevin to attend various comic cons as their errand

our

showed me around different areas and introduced me to various unique anime promotion techniques. I actually learned quite a bit from the experience.

day, and I couldn’t let their help go unrewarded, so I suggested we all

up at Aurora

a second–floor private room, we bumped into Hilary dining with a few

by my side and asked, “This guy looks familiar,

record straight when Darren beat

her hand, “Handsome young man, where do

I thought,

replied politely, “and I’m a classmate

sooner had he spoken than Hilary’s look became more scrutinizing.

the subject, asking Darren to go ahead and

actually happy to see you settling down well, unlike Hogan, who’s really wearing me out.”

Only

makeup was a bit off, with powder caked at

lately. He’s even been pushing me to bring Ms. Irwin to social gatherings. If his grandma finds out.”

looking

I could offer was comfort, “If Mr. Zade insists, just go along with it. There’s nothing between mother and son that can’t

about those people in the Zade family.”

returned to the private room, not before making plans

was really getting the hang of this wealthy lifestyle.

for my

classmates, reminiscing about our college days, laughter

was

bed, I felt a strange sense of contentment, like maybe life