Page 15 of Single Teddy
Ruby snorted another groan.
“This is deeper than your little Teddy crush. You need to sort out your low self-esteem first. Or you’ll spend your whole life alone talking to your plants.”
I frowned.
“What’s wrong with talking to plants?”
Ruby looked at Hwan and pursed her lips.
“Can you smack him for me? I’ve already filled my quota.”
Hwan chuckled but didn’t smack me. Thank fuck!
“Can plants hug you, kiss you, or screw you?” she asked.
“Rubes!” I raised my voice and looked around, but thankfully, everyone was far too busy with their own conversations to pay ours any mind.
“So, allow me to catch up. You have a crush on a guy named Teddy, but you’re not going to do anything about it because you don’t think you’re handsome enough for him?” Hwan asked.
“Bingo,” Ruby yelled.
“No!” I shouted back. “No Bingo. There’s a myriad of reasons why I can’t do anything about it. And who cares anyway? I just met him this morning. For all I know, he’s a douche, and I’ll be over him by tomorrow. Why are you acting as if I’ve been plagued by love for the past fifty years?”
Ruby shrugged.
“Maybe because it’s the first time you’ve ever said those exact words to me: I’m in love. That’s why.”
“I said IthinkI’m in love.”
“Pftt. Same difference.”
“I think I need to go back home. If I’d known this would turn into a lecture, I’d have kept my mouth shut,” I said and took a miserable sip of my tea, which, no matter how I felt, always managed to sweeten my day.
“I give up,” Ruby sighed.
Hwan turned to me and pressed his lips together.
“Do you really think you’re not attractive? Because if you do, we need to have a few words.”
“No. No more words. Show me mercy.” I fake cried and hugged my tea closer.
Hwan put his hand on my shoulder and smiled. “Fine. I’ll save my praise for another day, but know this, Wesley. You’re one hot, sexy man, and anyone would be lucky to have you as a partner.”
I stared at him and let his words sink in, but what good were they? Hwan was taken, and it wasn’t like his compliment was a universal opinion. I had a whole abandoned Cinderfella account that told a different story.
But it was nice being told I was sexy once in a while. Even if I couldn’t do anything about it other than use it as lube for my private, self-loving moments.
The truth was, whether I was good-looking or not, a dream man like Teddy would never throw a second glance at me.
And I was okay with that.
Soon, I’d find someone else to swoon over or forget about him completely and go back to life as normal. Book boyfriends and plant friends and quiet evenings, Netflix-and-chilling all by myself.
It was a good life. Lonely but good. I couldn’t do anything about it. Not everyone could have a whirlwind romance and a happily ever after. I’d made my peace with that a long time ago.
But the next time I had a crush, I’d probably think twice before I told my sister.
FIVE
