Criminal Love

7. Just a Little Crush

The day before the party

All week, Dylan's thoughts and feelings about Yue have been churning in his mind and his stomach. What is all this? Why does he want to kiss her so bad? Why does he find her attractive now? Why does he want his hands to hold hers all of a sudden? He even dreamed about waking up next to her... Shoots. This is going south pretty fast!

The only logical explanation is that jail must have affected him and made him vulnerable. Yes, it must be that. It's probably a fleeting feeling that will soon pass... Not having dated anyone for a year has made him want the only woman he has access to, his fake girlfriend. Jail and proximity are most definitely to blame. That famous blindfold on his heart did nothing to prevent this.

Finally admitting to himself now that perhaps he might have a mild case of a crush on Yue -but he intends to do nothing about it, or so he believes- today he will make another discovery that will add insult to injury: he has become the jealous type.

Wise men say
Only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you
Shall I stay?
Would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you?

◇◇◇

"I'm gonna get coffee. Does everyone want the usual?" Yue asks around 10 am.

"Yes! Please, you're a darling. I need my java, or I won't be able to fix the bug in your tracker. It's making my head hurt..." Darren sighs, rubbing his temples. Yue's tracker has been disabled since yesterday and consequently Dylan's, but he only found out now.

"What? Since when have I been free?"

Yue narrows her eyes at him. "Don't get your hopes up! My incredibly smart friend here will fix it!" she exclaims and walks behind Darren to rub his shoulders.

What the hell is that? Why is she massaging Darren?! "Weren't you supposed to go get the coffee?" Dylan growls, making Darren grimace.

"Right! Mark expects me to pick the coffee at 10. I'm late already." Yue darts out of the office and Dylan feels a pang on the chest.

"Who's Mark?!" he shouts to his friends, standing up abruptly, making the chair flip over.

Caesar cannot contain a laugh. "What did you say to me a while ago? That you would blindfold your heart or something and Yue was stuck in the friend-zone?"

Dylan furrows his eyebrows. "I'm gonna help Yue with the coffee! You're both useless!" he grumbles and storms out, but not before placing a graceful origami tulip in Yue's desk.

"I think you were right, he fell for her," Caesar tells Darren with a pressed smile. "I really thought Yue was not Dylan's type. He has never dated a sweet girl, only seductive and uninhibited super models."

"Yue is the kind of girl that gets under your skin and you don't even notice," Darren admits with a sweet smile.

"Do you have a crush on her too?" Caesar quizzically wonders. It would be a catastrophe if Dylan and Darren liked the same girl, mostly because Dylan is a rich kid who always gets what he wants. He wouldn't take rejection well.

"I can't say I do. I mean, she's cute and sweet, but I know she doesn't like me. She's nice to everyone... I don't have to spend much time with her while Dylan is forced to be with her for obvious reasons; therefore, he is doomed. It's a recipe for disaster. He has no choice but to fall head over heels," Darren objectively explains without showing any emotion. To him, it's as simple as the ones and zeros on a computer screen.