Imperfect Desires 214 Love Is Blind

"Since you won't say it, let me tell you that I really was waiting for your call," said Darren in all honesty without any hesitation.

Xiu was taken aback by his words. And a gush of warmth spread in her heart knowing that there was someone who actually was waiting for her, just like she was. She closed her eyes as she said, "Instead of waiting for so long, you could have dialed this number as you did just now."

"Hmm..." Darren hummed in reply and answered, "I could have done so but I wasn't certain whether the Nation's Goddess would want to talk to a nobody like me or not." Xiu stayed quiet in reply for a long moment and he added, "Hey! You there?"

"Hey, stranger! Why did you call me today?" 

"Huh?"

"You said you weren't certain whether I'll talk to you or not then how come you're certain today?"

Darren looked towards the balcony of her room where he saw her last night and said, "I wasn't certain but today I needed a friend." Obviously, he didn't tell her that he called her because, for the first time, he felt like she needed a friend. And oddly enough, he wanted to be that friend she could count on.

Xiu chuckled at his reply and ended up groaning because of the pain that shot through her head. She took a moment to say, "People like me should be in need of a friend, not someone like you. Don't you have like a million friends or so."

"How can you assume that on your own?" he questioned.

"Because you have the eyes of a heartthrob. There is no way that you wouldn't be surrounded by people." Xiu seemed assured by her words.

"Dear Goddess Xiu, aren't you surrounded by people? Then why are you the loneliest person I have ever met in my life?" His words hit a mark as Xiu's face went blank. He had said the reality of her life so easily and yet she didn't feel anything. Taking in her silence, Darren tried to divert her attention as he said, "Oho! You didn't answer my question yet."

"Which question?"

"Love at first sight! Does it ring a bell?" 

"I'm not answering that stupid question," replied Xiu intently.

"I told you it's not a stupid question," insisted Darren stubbornly.

Xiu rolled her eyes at his reaction and said, "For me, it's a stupid question. Because the question itself doesn't make any sense. How can you possibly not believe in that?"

"Oy! It's not like I don't believe in love. I just think falling in love with someone, at first sight is nothing short of a miracle. That's all," replied Darren.

"Dumbo! Love is a miracle in itself. One day a person means nothing to you and the next day, the same person becomes your whole world. That person's mood can affect yours. You laugh with them and cry with them. Isn't that the biggest miracle of life?"  

Darren was dumbfounded for a while. He had never thought about love much less taking love as a miracle. But hearing her say it made him really question what love really felt like. Especially when he could relate with her words now. Since he felt the pain in his heart when he saw her hurt. Just like she said, wasn't that also a miracle?

"But don't you think it's irrational to fall for someone just by one look? Wouldn't it be more like lust rather than love?" questioned Darren seriously and added, "I mean how can we scan someone's good and bad traits in a matter of one look? It's impossible!"

Xiu smiled at his reply as she said, "So you're telling me you'll stop loving someone if they have more bad traits than good?" 

"Huh?"

"If love could see the good and bad it wouldn't be called blind. We love the person for who they are with their good and bad sides. Then does it matter whether you fell in love at first sight or second? Because love can't be calculative like that."

Darren was speechless yet again by her words. 'Love is blind' he heard that as well but he never heard someone defining it this way. 

Recalling something, Xiu asked, "By the way, why are you asking about this? Did you fall for someone at first sight?"

"I think so," said Darren with a small smile playing at the corner of his lips.

"Huh? Who is she?" asked Xiu excitedly but unknowingly felt like someone poked her heart with a needle.

"You," replied Darren calmly making Xiu's heart go bthump!

She rubbed her hand over her heart to calm her heartbeat as she said, "That was a nice joke." There was no way she would let herself fall for delusions. It wasn't worth it. Breaking her heart with her own assumptions really wasn't worth it.

"Aiyo! Why do you think it's a joke? Why can't I fall for you?" Darren found her reply really weird.

"Although I'm beautiful and there is no doubt in that, I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that someone like you can fall for someone like me."

"I thought you're known as the confident queen of the big screen. When did you become so pessimistic?"

"Confidence is over-rated," said Xiu.

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really!"

Xiu heard the sound of the door opening and looked at Han Bohai who came with the doctor trailing behind him. She took a deep breath and said, "Let's talk some other time. I have to go now."

"Will we talk again though?" Darren inquired curiously.

"Yes, if only someone didn't forget my existence for another year," with that taunt, she hung up the phone leaving Darren gaping at the phone screen.

He really wanted to shout at her that he wasn't the only one who forgot to call, she could have called him as well but didn't do so. However, he was really surprised how at how well she hid through that phone call about her pain as if nothing was wrong. It made him wonder just how much was she used to pretending? Did acting become a norm in her life in a way that she forgot how to express her feelings as well?

Chapter end