In the darkness, Jedidiah slowly emerged. His sharp eyes fixed on Brendon. “Why are you so persistent in bothering my sister?”
Brendon was annoyed by Jedidiah’s constant use of the term ‘sister’ for Ranita. It made him sick to his stomach.
“Jedidiah, what business is it of yours if I’m involved with Ranita?”
Here we go again! Every time these two meet, it’s like a collision between Mars and Earth.
Ranita was at her wit’s end.
“Brother, go home and wait for me. I’ll talk to you later.” As she spoke, Brendon glared at her angrily and asked, “You don’t want me to know where you live but you let Jedidiah into your house in the middle of the night?”
Before Ranita could answer, Jedidiah cut in, “Ha! Brendon, that’s hilarious! What relationship do I have with Ranita? Not only did I enter her house in the middle of the night but I also have a key to it! And as for Ayaan – he goes by Bowman now – he has nothing to do with you.”
Brendon found himself being trampled underfoot by Jedidiah’s words. But when it came down to it, he couldn’t refute them either.
When love is involved there are no winners or losers; however, Brendon was willing to lose for Ranita’s sake. His face darkened as he said, “Ranita, let me take you upstairs.”
“I’ll take her,” said Jedidiah before she could reply.
“No need,” said Ranita quickly as she stopped him from getting angry again. “Brother, please go up first.”
“Ranita!”
“Brother!” With pleading eyes on hers, Ranita held back whatever else Jedidiah wanted to say and turned away from him.
Under cover of darkness, Brendon stood facing Ranita without speaking for a long time.
After what seemed like an eternity, Ranita sighed and said, “You should leave now. Best forget about tonight. I might have spoken out of turn while drunk. Don’t take anything personally.”
Brendon’s heart skipped a beat. He couldn’t just forget about tonight. He couldn’t just brush aside what she had told him earlier – that she liked him.
“Ranita, it’s impossible! Adults should take responsibility for their words,” Brendon paused, getting closer, casting a shadow over her. He looked down at her cheeks, tinged with a hint of blush, and felt warmth in his chest.
He said, “I like you, and you like me. Why don’t we give it a try?”
Ranita’s heart ached.
How could Brendon say such things so easily and casually? A surge of anger suddenly welled up within her. “Brendon, in what capacity are you saying these things to me? Don’t forget, you have a fiancée.”
“I don’t want to get involved in your relationship with Miss Murphy. If you have any pity for me and Ayaan, please don’t hurt me like this.”
“From now on, don’t say such things again.”
Ranita went home.
Jedidiah was waiting for her, probably in a bad mood as he had opened a bottle of red wine and was drinking it sip by sip.
“It’s late, don’t drink anymore!” Ranita walked over and took the glass from his hand. “Brother, I’m sorry for causing you trouble.”
“It’s no trouble,” Jedidiah said, silently looking at Ranita for a while before pursing his lips and asking, “Ranita, do you still have feelings for Brendon?”
Ranita pursed her lips, and a storm surged in her heart.
She knew she should deny it, but she couldn’t bring herself to say those words. She knew better than anyone that she still deeply loved Brendon…