ZARA [On HOLD]

Queen Of Sorrow

Unseen scene from the date

As they dug into their main courses, Jermaine looked up from his plate and asked, "Why do you all me Playa?"

Zara smiled and took a sip of her drink, "It's just a habit from high school. We used to call good-looking boys who attracted a lot of girls playas"

Jermaine smirked while shaking his head, "Weird compliment"

Zara nodded, clearly amused, "I know"

"I appreciate it, but I don't feel that term. It makes me sound like the kind of player that plays women, and I'm not in high school anymore", he said before taking a bite of his steak.

Zara laughed, "Sounds like you're the furthest things from that huh?"

He covered his mouth while chewing and said, "I'd rather be seen as a gentleman than a player, especially by you"

"Oh, okay, sir, no more player then," she said before taking a bite of her salad.

He chuckled softly, "See? That's no bad"

* * *

ZARA's P.O.V

I remember back in college, I met a guy who seemed to like at first hand. I was a junior, fresh out of high school, and still figuring things out. He was a Sophomore, maybe even a senior—I can't quite remember.

However, I do remember how special he made me feel that day. It was a surprise because he was a handsome mixed-race guy who could have gone for the hottest girl on campus. But instead, he chose me that day—a girl who had low self-esteem and uncontrollable insecurities. I didn't think I deserved his attention, but he approached me and made me feel special with his kind words.

Shortly after I got comfortable with him through an easy and yet fast conversation he led, he asked if I wanted go out with him. I didn't have much schoolwork at the time, and it was a Friday, so I thought, why not? He told me he'd pick me up by my dorm by a certain time.

True to his word, he knocked on my door at the exact time he promised. That gentlemanly gesture swept me under my feet—it was attractive to be treated like that for the first time. It was a few months after my aunt passed, and Eve had fled home, so I felt alive for the first time in a while, and it was exciting because it was with a handsome guy.

We went to a nearby mall and played arcade games. We had tons of fun that night, and I believe that was when I broke out of my shell and showed him the real me. He was genuine and easygoing, and he seemed to have accepted me just the way I was regardless of the insecurities I had against myself physically. An hour later, he asked if I had tried Go Karting, and I said no—I was new in this city.

He took us to Go Karting, and I still remember how fun it was to bump around the rubber walls and against his Kart since I didn't know how to drive it, and he let me win a couple of laps even. Later that night we went to a liquor store. I wasn't legal yet, but he was, and he said, "Wait out here, I'll go get some drinks, alright?"

I nodded and waited outside the store uncomfortably as people passed by. After a little while, he suggested that we go to his dorm. I didn't see a problem with that. When we arrived back on campus, girls looked at me with distaste as they saw me walking with him.

Honestly, that made me feel so good. The hottest girls were hating on me, and I felt like I was better looking than them, considering that he chose to be with with me instead of them. Crazy, right?