Chapter 116 - Its The First Time (2/2)
”Whatever. That's all in the past. We all have broken a heart or two knowingly or unknowingly. There is nothing to be ashamed of.” Xiu tried to lighten the mood with an awkward laugh. ”Oh, so there is really no one else in your family other than your mother?”
”Nope. My grandfather died when I was five then only mom and I were left,” replied Darren without any sign of being irritated by her questions. When he didn't mention anything about his father, she didn't bother questioning him as well. It was like a silent understanding that the father's topic was not allowed.
”Do you know I never had a midnight date ever before in my life?”
”Now I know,” said Darren in a knowing manner.
”Huh? What?” She asked in confusion.
”That you're Cinderella. Because she always has to run back home at midnight that's why she can't have a date at midnight,” replied Darren looking at her with a straight face. ”So, Cindy, why aren't you running back now?”
Xiu's lips twitched at his words as a smile was threatening to escape and it did. She took a deep breath and said, ”Do you believe in love at first sight? Who do you think has a higher probability of falling in love at first sight? Men or women?”
”Men,” was Darren's reply without even thinking.
”How are you so sure?” she asked.
”Because it saves them trouble and saves their money as well,” Darren shrugged his shoulders so nonchalantly as if this was the most sensible thing to say. ”Usually, they believe it's the love calling out to them but later they realize that it was just another wrong number.”
However, Xiu didn't know why she ended up laughing like a fool. Seeing how she was laughing heartily, he added, ”I always thought people could only laugh at my love life, didn't know my jokes are also funny sometimes.”
At this, Xiu laughed even more. She laughed to the point of tears in her eyes. It took her a while to stop laughing and as she wiped the corners of her eyes, she looked into Darren's eyes and said, ”Can I tell you something?” As he nodded, Xiu only said, ”It's the first time...” After that, she didn't speak. Not a word escaped her mouth. But she had said a lot in her mind, 'It's the first time that I have tears in my eyes at midnight because of laughing so hard. It's the first time, my tears don't represent the loneliness of my heart or life. It's also the first time that I actually have someone to hold my hand at midnight.'
Darren lifted his hand to rub her cheek with his thumb and smiled at her. He could feel her strong emotions through her eyes. Without a word, she said a lot to him. So much that he couldn't stop himself from pulling her in his arms and said nothing. He didn't feel like it was necessary at all.
But that silent hug was enough to make everything seem better to Xiu. She had heard that hugs did the magic that words of comfort could never achieve. She really felt good inside his arms. It was like a feeling of being protected. It felt safe in his arms. But how did she develop such a feeling for him so fast, was astonishing to her as well.
Perhaps, time really had nothing to do with feelings. Because being around Darren always felt like she knew him for years and she didn't even feel like that around her own mother whom she spent her whole life with.