Love Beyond Love

Chapter 38

EDITED

"I need to talk to her." Drago said to himself and quickly stood up. "I have to talk to her now!"

Saying so, he took out his phone with slightly shaking hands and called his crush. It rang for fifteen seconds and he was getting impatient when she finally answered.

"Hello?" Her confused voice answered.

"Hey, it's me...Drago." He said and licked his suddenly dry lips.

"I know, why are you...I mean, is everything okay?" She asked, still confused at his sudden call.

"Yes, I guess. When are you coming back?" He said and cleared his throat as his heart beat loudly. All he wished was that she couldn't hear it.

"Soon. Why?" She wondered and walked away from where her parents sat.

"Just because I have some...thing to discuss." He said and sat down in his chair.

"Oh. You can discuss it with Tara, if that's important." She said and walked to the balcony.

"No, no. It has to be you...I mean; I need to talk to you." He said while loosening his tie.

"Okay, we can discuss it now." She said and shrugged to no one in particular.

"No. Come back here, then we will talk." He said and wondered if she was biting her lip, which she did whenever she was confused.

"Okay." She nodded and bit her lip in confusion.

"Okay, I will be waiting for you." He said with a soft smile.

"Okay." She chuckled and he felt his face burn with an unexpected excitement.

--

"Who was it?" Her sister asked and she turned back. "Was it that hottie?"

"Were you seriously eavesdropping my conversation?" Sonia or rather, Alessandra asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I was not eavesdropping. I was totally listening to it; I have nothing to hide. Why is he calling you back? Does he miss you? Oh my God, I am so excited for-

"Oh my, can you stop? Mom! Just look at Alexa, she's irritating me!" She shouted and walked inside, with her sister making kissing noises behind her.

"Whose call was that?" Her father asked as soon as she stepped in the hall.

"My friend's." She said without skipping a beat. It was true, he was her friend. Only a friend.

"Which friend?" He frowned and Sonia sat beside him.

"Boyfriend." She said and laughed as her father's eyes widened. "Just kidding!"

"Dad, will you be so alarmed if she tells you she has a boyfriend? She's an adult for God's sake!" Alexa sat beside her mother with crossed arms.

"Of course she is an adult and can date people. I was not alarmed, just a little shocked." He said and cleared his throat.

"It means the same thing darling." His wife said with a smirk and he looked away as the women of his life laughed loudly.

--

Drago was just getting ready to go home after a long day, which he had spent only thinking about Sonia...no, Alessandra, with his realization and all, when Tisha informed him of a visitor. Before she could tell who it was, Gina came walking in.

"I don't need an introduction so can you just get me a green tea? Thank you." Gina said and Tisha smiled tightly at her before walking out quickly. "Hi honey!"

"Hey, what are you doing here?" He asked, suddenly noticing her rude behavior towards Tisha. Was she always like this or something was different today?

You like So...Alessandra now, not her. That's different today.

Right.

"Let's go for dinner." She said and walked up to him. "I am so hungry."

"I am not." He said and walked away from her. "I was going home."

"Oh, that's great. We can have dinner at your place then." She said with a grin.

"I am very tired today, I just want to sleep." He said and she pouted.

"I will just have a little bit." She said and linked her arm into his. "Let's go."

"Gina. Not tonight." He said wondering if she couldn't take a hint. "I am very-

"Tired. I understand. With your friend's revelation, I am sure you must be very upset. You should take rest. I will see you tomorrow." She said with a smile and kissed his cheek before walking out.

He wiped the lipstick mark she had possibly left on his cheek and wondered about what she had just said.

Upset with Sonia's revelation? He was not upset with it, if he came to think about it. He was shocked, surprised, even angry for a few minutes but not upset.

Why am I not upset with it? With her?

Because you know what she did was not intentional. It's just how she works.

But she should have told me?

Why? Why was she obliged to tell you that?

I don't know.

You should be happy that she did not turn out to be a serial killer or a dangerous con artist.

Yes but-

But what? She's still her, just with a different name. She's still the girl who screamed at you in your first meeting. She's still the girl who is always ready to fight with you. She's still the girl who gets annoyed at your irregular visits to the site. She's still the girl who get irritated by your dumb jokes. She's still the girl who likes to shop for her own groceries like you. She's still the girl who gets excited about new places to eat. She's still the girl who blushes around you unknowingly. She's still the girl for whom you came back from mid-business trip to India-

I did not come back for-

Stop kidding yourself. She's still the girl whom you took to Thomas, come on, that's a big deal. She's still the girl whom your parents adore. She's still the girl whose absence worries you to no end. She's still the girl whose silence scares you. She's still the girl you are yearning for right now.

I am not yearni-

Please. Can you still not see? She's still the girl you love!

What?

"Love?" 

--

I do not own the picture. Credit goes to owner.