Chapter 24
Visha
I’m losing my fucking shit.
I haven’t seen Aoi in two days and it feels like a fucking eternity. I want to see him again, inhale his intoxicating scent and watch him laugh as his sapphire jewels sparkle brightly.
Pulling out my phone, I scroll through our last texts and groan almost audibly. I have been analyzing our chat all morning to understand why he hasn’t texted me back yet, and I just don’t get it.
Me
This might sound extremely weird, but I can’t stop thinking about you and now I can’t sleep.
Me
Take responsibility, please.
My paradise
You’re a total enigma.
Me
What are you doing right now?
My paradise
Texting you. Why?
Me
And before I texted you?
Me
I’m curious.
My paradise
It’s late. Go to bed.
Me
But I want to talk to you.
My paradise
Why?
Me
Because I like you and I love talking to you.
My paradise
You’re crazy.
Me
About you, yeah.
Maybe I came on too strong? But how am I supposed to take it slow when all I want is to bury myself in his arms?
My brain is going to burst from the constant overthinking.
Besides, I still don’t know why Aoi was in front of his hotel, blouse unbuttoned, and expression shattered as he was obviously searching for someone. Something has to have happened for him to basically beg me to get him out of there.
Does Jason, that fucker, know? It’d be surprised if he didn’t. I remember how he used to do his motherfucking best to keep Aoi by his side while pissing me the fuck off at every opportunity.
There’s no way he doesn’t know, and I’m almost certain he had something to do with his state. I don’t know any other person who could possibly distress Aoi that much.
Maybe it was his girlfriend.
Rachel fucking Smith. I will get rid of her when the time is right. For now, I have to focus on winning Aoi’s heart, and the rest can wait.
Though I’m even more confused now. Sure, he doesn’t know that I’m aware of him having a girlfriend, but he could have told me he was taken if he really meant to reject me.
He clearly wants me, too, but technically, he’s dating someone else and actively omitting it. He even told me that love wasn’t for him, then why is he with Rachel?
Olivia snaps her fingers in front of me and my eyes dart back to her. “Pay attention, will you?”
“Sorry. I was thinking about Aoi.” I smile and straighten my back. “I’m listening now. Promise.”
“You’re such an airhead.”
“Just in love.”
“And annoyingly so.”
“You’re just jealous,” I taunt but she flips me off.
“Fuck off and spill the tea about your date, since you’re gonna keep thinking about him even if I were to confess a murder.”
I grin, always ready to talk about my beautiful Paradise. “Girl, I’m so ready to propose to him.”
“You’re so dramatic,” she snorts. “I want every juicy detail.”
Glancing at the grimacing students strolling past us to go to their classes, I let my head fall on her lap. We call it exposure therapy. “Aoi doesn’t believe me when I tell him that I like him. But I’ll make him see it. One way or another. Besides, I’m already growing on him.”
“How do you know?” she asks, flicking my forehead.
“I asked him if he was against dating in general or just against dating me and he ended up admitting that he likes me.” I squeal like a donkey and sigh. “He wants to see me again.”
Liv whistles and lights up a cigarette, taking a drag and blowing the smoke out. “You’re thriving, dude. I can’t wait for you two to finally get together.”
“Me too,” I say, unable to contain the warmth spreading through my bones as images of him pop into my mind. “But he hasn’t answered my last text yet.”
“When did you send it?”
“Last night.”
“What did you say?”
“He called me crazy, so I said, ‘about you, yeah’ and he hasn’t answered since.”
“No wonder. That was insanely cringe. Why’d you say that? In his head, you’re some young dude with a massive crush on him, but also a literal stranger.” She takes another drag of her cigarette. “If I were him, I’d be turned off by your nonsense.”
I haul myself up and almost land on the concrete floor. “He’s not like that! For your information, I’ve been acting weird with him since day one and he still agreed to see me again. If that doesn’t mean he’s a bit into me, then I don’t know shit anymore. I’m gonna text him and see how it goes.”
“Don’t know if that’s a good idea, but then again, somehow you always get what you want. Lucky bastard.”
Me
Hey, are you up?
My paradise
Hey, yeah I am.
Me
Did I do something wrong last night?
My paradise
Of course not, why?.
Me
You didn’t answer my last text, so I got worried for a sec.
My paradise
Maybe I freaked out a bit?
He freaked out? No way! Because I said I was crazy about him?
Fuck, that’s adorable.
Liv nods at me and stubs out her cigarette. “What’d he say?”
“Not telling you.”
“Wow. You’re such an ass.”
“I’m sure he wouldn’t want anyone to see what he said. Anything else I’d show, you know that.”
She rolls her eyes and gets up from the bench. “You’re lucky I love your dumb ass.”
I turn my attention to my phone and type away while grinning like a fool.
Me
You’re too damn adorable, Aoi.