10

Dariya went to college as usual. But the one whole week she didn't see Brandon. She would wait in the cafeteria every noon. She even went to his department asking for him. But Brandon walked around her in hiding. He didn't want to get caught by her. But he did, the second week right in front of her in the library. Dariya walked towards him. "What are you doing?" she asked him sad but irritated. She understood that he is avoiding her.

"Nothing." He lied.

"Why are you avoiding me?"

"I have my reasons."

"What are they may I ask?"

He took a book from the shelf. It had the name John Keats written in the cover. He opened the page and folded the pages in two different sections. "These two will tell you what I wish to express."

"Come straight to the point," Dariya said and he smiled as she looked at him. Looking more at his round eyes reminded, Dariya was reminded of Lu Han. His round brown eyes. Dariya shook off the thought and waited for him to explain.

"We can never be together."

"What?" she asked in disbelief.

"You and I have this space that I can't catch up with."

"What? I mean Why?"

"When we date, there will be lots of consequences."

"So?" she asked.

"You seem to be talented and I am no match for you." He said.

"Do you mean that you don't wish to date someone who outsmarts you or talented than you are?" she asked him straight getting to his point.

"I didn't mean that. sorry. It's not that. I just I can only see trouble."

"Since when? You seemed alright even when you heard about my family. Then why change now?"

"When I saw your works, when I understood about your connections, I knew you wouldn't be easy to handle."

"You are saying that I'm hard to control. I didn't know that you are a control freak." She said, so shocked and surprised.

But he didn't say anything. But she wanted to know a bit more. She began asking questions she was once attacked with.

"Does your heart never flutter when you see me?" Dariya asked what Lu Han asked her.

"No" Brandon looked,d shocked and answered after hesitating.

"Have you never felt happy to see me?"

"No.," he said straight.

"Have you never once felt excited whenever we ran into each other when I did something for you?"

"No." Brandon looked down. He couldn't meet her eyes.

"Did you never have feelings for me at all?" she asked.

"No." Dariya got the answers all the "Yes" covered with the lies as "No." her heart stopped for a moment. 'Is this how Lu Han felt when I said no' Dariya thought tears whelming in her eyes. 'Why do I feel disappointed even though what I had was only a crush, even though, I didn't fall for him for real.'

"Okay." She said a minute later, coming back to reality and returned back to her place with the book he gave in her hands. But he didn't look that sad either. 'Are friendship and relationships between people this simple these days.' Dariya wondered.

"Wait" he called. She turned back.

"Did you feel all this..?" he asked.

"No." she replied straight. "But I wished we both did." She smiled and walked away.