Imperfect Desires

This very Sunday was postcard-perfect. The bright sun shining magnificently with the sky as an unbroken backdrop of blue. The weather was like the kiss of summer without the fiery heat of noon. The leaves in the park had their first autumnal blush while it was humming with activity. No wind, ambient temperature called for a perfect picnic or a date. 

However, Xiu found her perfect date right there lying in Darren's arms. She didn't know when she had fallen asleep in his arms. But when her eyes fluttered open again, she found herself facing Darren. His eyes were closed but whether he was sleeping or not, she couldn't tell. Xiu brushed her nose against his chest and snuggled in his warmth again.

When she felt him tightening his arm around her, Xiu smile in bliss. If there was one thing she learned from her previous relationship it was, she never wanted to beg for love ever again. Perhaps, that's why she had fallen so hard, so fast and so deeply for Darren. He never left her guessing about where she stood in his life. She never even had to question his feelings since he always did his best to let her know that what he felt for her with his weird but cute actions.

And most importantly, he gave her the love and attention she always craved for. He was so attentive that it made her feel bad for not knowing anything about him. He seemed too perfect to be real. But he was real. And his only flaw was that he had no flaw at all.

She heard his phone's ringtone but didn't open her eyes. Darren stirred in his sleep and found the phone to see the caller id. "Yes, Dylan!" 

Hearing Dylan's name, Xiu rolled her eyes inwardly. She really didn't know why he always called at the wrong time.

"Dazi, did you take her there?" asked Dylan curiously.

"Not yet," replied Darren.

"What? Why? Did you change your mind?" Dylan's questions came one after another. "Well, it's a good thing if you changed your mind. No girlfriend would be happy to see that her boyfriend had been obsessed with his first love to the point of going crazy."

Darren caressed Xiu's hair before planting a kiss at the top of her head and said, "But I have to tell Sweets. I mean I want to tell her. I don't want to keep any secrets. At least, not from her. I want her to see every side of mine good or bad."

Xiu's heart warmed up at his words and tears brimmed in her eyes. She had to bit the inside of her lip to keep her tears from falling. The way he wanted to show her all his secrets made her feel like a culprit for hiding her identity from him.

Dylan sighed out, "I should have known that. The way you were flaunting your infatuation with her-"

Darren cut him off with, "It's not infatuation."

Dylan rolled his eyes at his words and went on, "Let me finish. I understood yesterday that it's not infatuation anymore. You're way too deep into this. But since I still need confirmation, let me ask you... Are you really in love with her?"

Darren's smile could be seen in his eyes as he stared at Xiu's face intently. "I am," he replied with certainty. "And that's why I have to make somethings clear to her."

"Why didn't you then? What's taking so long?" Even Xiu could hear Dylan's loud voice without even trying. And that showed how loud Dylan had screamed.

First Darren rubbed his ear and then said, "I got..." His eyes fell on the messy bedsheet and his clothes sprawled on the floor as he added in a small voice, "Distracted."

"Distracted? By what?" 

Darren was feeling a bit annoyed seeing how his best friend was being too nosy for his own good. Not that Dylan was not nosy before but somehow, Darren didn't feel like sharing these personal matters with him anymore. Because it involved her. It involved Xiu.

"Why do you care so much about me? It's Sunday, go seduce someone or something like that," Darren replied in a sharp tone.

"Oho! Dazi, seduction leads a man to hell. I have decided to not walk down this path again," Dylan lied right through his teeth while he was flirting with a woman from across the room. Wouldn't it be too lonely if he stopped flirting around? "Besides, I don't have to seduce anyone. My face is enough of a selling point."

"Didi..."

"Yes?"

"After leaving Paradise Kiss, please, go and see a doctor. You need one."

As Dylan heard Darren mentioning the name of the club he was in, Dylan was shocked. "How do you know where I am?"

"Because I know you," replied Darren matter-of-factly and Dylan nodded his head since his reason made sense. 

"See you later, Dazi! I have a new entry in my to-do list," with that Dylan hung up the call leaving Darren baffled at his choice of words. If Dylan had been before him, he would have smacked his head. 

For the next few minutes, Darren stayed silent and Xiu frowned when she didn't hear his voice.

"How long are you gonna pretend to sleep?" Xiu heard Darren's voice and pursed her lips.

"I'm not pretending to sleep. I just don't want to open my eyes," replied Xiu in a muffled voice.

Darren held her face in his hands and looked at her face as he asked, "Why? Are you embarrassed? Or disappointed?" Xiu instantly opened her eyes to see him pouting like a kid as he went on, "I also didn't want our first time to be here. I wanted to make it special for you. But I lost control."

Xiu shook her head at him and said, "Idiot!" 

"Huh?" Darren stared at her dumbfoundedly.

"I never asked for something special. I stopped dreaming of being special a long time ago. Because I learned that things don't make anything special. It's always the people who make a moment special." Xiu kissed at the corner of his lips as she added, "You're the most special to me. The real miracle of my life. How can this moment be any less magical?"

Darren closed his eyes as if he was in pain and said, "No wonder I lost control. How can I win when you talk like that?"

"How can you lose when I am winning?" He looked at her inquisitively while she elaborated, "Since you're mine and I'm yours then how can my victory is only mine? It's ours. Isn't it?"

"Gosh! I'm in love with you!" Darren blurted out without even thinking. It felt like an instinct because that's how she made him feel. How could he hide his feelings when she was being so loveable?