All Bets Are Off

Chapter 22

I'll be back soon. Don't forget my gift =D

Dara sighed before putting her phone back at her table again. She had been reading that message from Donghae for about... she already lost count on how many times she had opened her phone to read that short message of his. It was the first thing she saw when she woke up that morning, feeling bleary and tired but receiving that message brought a surge of energy in her, bringing a smile to her lips. But as the day went by, sitting in her desk at CSW trying to keep herself busy, that energy turned into a feeling of uneasiness. This sudden feeling of... happiness... is something so new to her that she doesn't know how to handle it. And the thought on how long it would last... that was the one which she always push at the back of her mind not wanting to dwell on it at this time but it keeps pressing on the surface. Especially when she wanted to see him so badly. Oh god, yes. She missed him. And he's only gone for what, less than 24 hours. What has life turned her into? A blithering, whimpering, middle-aged, teenager-wanna-be. She even vascillated whether to respond to that message, say like, take care and see yah or something sarcastic like, what gift? But they are all so... pathetic. Everything she could think of at that moment seemes so pathetic that she decided not to respond at all. Unless she could go with what she really wanted to say and send him a Come back soon. I'll miss you. She could imagine Donghae's eyes falling out of their sockets if she did send that. Or maybe he would think she was just playing around.

She heaved another heavy sigh as she contemplated on how much it would cost her to have a brain transplant. Or better yet, the more cheaper way. Search for a book entitled Infatuation For Beginners or How To Deal With A First Love For Idiots.

"Hey, you okay?"

She looked up to find Mei looking down on her in concern. She tried to smile brightly but it came out looking like she's having a toothache.

"Of course," she answered.

Mei just looked at her queerly. "You look a little... weird."

"Weird? How weird?"

"Weird, like... I've never seen you so downtrodden. You're either so vivacious or malevolent... or at least when it comes to Kraz, you are."

That made Dara chuckle. "Malevolent? Geez, I never thought I was too obvious."

Mei chuckled too. "You have no in-between so all these sighing and your glazed, lonely look is a little disconcerting. And then I finally realized I knew that look. Are you having trouble with your boyfriend?"

Dara stiffened and felt her smile froze. No, I'm having a paralytic episode of having realized i am a girl capable of falling inlove with a guy whom I have coerced into a binding contract of servitude that is meant to pulverize his pride and wound his ego but I unfortunately found out that he was a really sweet asshole and a jerk who loves his family and now I am stuck with this nauseating feeling of wanting him to be always within the extent of where my eyesight can cover but now he's out of the country and I just can't stop thinking about him. Oh yeah, he also gave me that stupid kiss last night which will probably give me an insomnia for days to come. So no. I am not having trouble with my boyfriend. "Donghae?" She laughed. "Naw... I'm not having trouble with him. I just... " She let out a sigh and smiled brightly. "I think I'm just going to get some coffee."

She stood up ignoring Mei's look and slightly limped her way to the cafeteria to get some coffee. No doubt Mei is thinking how crazy she is.

She inserted some coins on the vending machine and blew out the steam off the coffee, standing on the corner while resting her injured leg. It doesn't hurt that much anymore and the gash has already become an ugly puckered skin on her leg. She was thankful Rick didn't managed to stab her leg too deep. The bruise on her shoulder still hurts a little though and her jaw is still hurting whenever she chew something hard or crunchy. One of her eyes is already on the mend to be normal again but it's still purple around the edges and the cut on her forehead is already on it's way to healing completely. She looked hideous and everyone did a double take when she passed by but no one asked her what happened. Not even Mr. Kraz. They probably thought she was in a car crash or something.