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

really do

more but Darren cut him off, “If you guys keep ribbing me like

wisely backed off.

professor, was often bossed around

wonder our paths

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

unrewarded, so I suggested we all

up at Aurora Eats.

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

my side and asked, “This guy looks familiar,

to set the record straight when Darren beat me to it,

moment before extending her hand, “Handsome young man, where do you work?”

thought,

politely, “and I’m a

he spoken than

changed the subject, asking Darren to go ahead and order while I stayed behind

you settling down well, unlike Hogan, who’s really wearing

Only

notice that Hilary’s makeup was a bit

hide it from you, Hogan’s really been over the top lately. He’s even been pushing me to bring Ms. Irwin to social gatherings. If his

looking like

was comfort, “If Mr. Zade insists, just go along with it. There’s nothing between mother

people in

and then returned to the private

the hang of

me, still hustling for my daily

were all old classmates,

I was

home, lying in bed, I felt a strange sense