Iris was mindless that morning, she had never felt that way before. She felt bad and sad, her heart ached at the thought that Joshua had left just like that. She knew he felt something for her, just the way he looked at her and cared for her revealed everything, but apparently, that was not enough for him to get involved with her, and on top of that he just thought she was a rich woman who needed sex.
It was a rare occasion for her to be powerless and not know what to do. Ever since she had started her business, she had plans for everything. When she had a project, she was already calculating at least two steps ahead, but now she had nothing, she was going into a battle without any weapon.
She never felt the need to pursue someone, she never thought she would be in this situation once in her life. She didn't know where to start or what to do to touch Joshua's heart.
She lay there in a daze, not feeling very good. Yesterday she had done her best to stay strong and not show how hurt and lonely she was when Joshua rejected her, and again this morning she had done her best to look strong when talking to him.
At first, she thought she could get through it easily, it was just a man slipping away, no big deal, but she knew she had been lying to herself. It was obvious she had fallen for him, the way her heart ached when he rejected her, the way she felt bad when he thought she was just after his body, the way she desperately wanted to justify herself, the way she could not eat the delicious breakfast he had cooked for her because she was too sad.
It was then that she realised that what she was feeling was not a trivial crush, but that she was really beginning to love him! She wondered why, because as he said, they did not know each other well.
She was starting to get even more frustrated when Sandra rushed over in good mood, looking all happy because she wanted to hear Iris' juicy story. She was shocked to see Iris leaning listlessly on her sofa. It had always been so cold in her house, and that day Iris' face was even colder.
Sandra looked around the house, but there was no one to be seen, so she met Iris' warning gaze. She grabbed her nose in embarrassment, "Why are you looking at me like that? I didn't even sleep after our conversation yesterday because I thought you were lonely, so I rushed here to take care of you, and this is how you treat me?"
If Sandra's words were to be believed, it was time for the sky to turn red. Iris sat up and looked languidly at her friend.
"Why are you here so early? Didn't you spend time with your family?"
Sandra's heart felt a little pinched at the mention of her family. Like Iris, she did not have a good relationship with her family. "My brother is not here, why should I go back? I don't want to stay with these snobby people!"
Sandra's parents died in a car accident when she was a teenager, and she and her brother live with their grandparents, but her cousins and uncles oppose them because they want the large inheritance their father left them. At first, her uncles had even tried to send her away, but luckily they still had her grandparents.
Sandra sat down on the edge of the sofa, gossip running all over her face.
" Come on, tell me what's wrong with you. I thought I'd find you on cloud nine! Where's that handsome boy of yours? Didn't you spend the night together?" Sandra wanted to tease Iris, but she quickly realised that she was not in a good mood.
"What boy? If you have nothing to do, go see your boyfriend." Iris spat a little lifelessly.
"Are you still my friend? I told you all about my boyfriends, but you are hiding yours?" Anyone who looked at Sandra's gossipy appearance would not associate her with the most successful chef in town.
"There's just nothing to talk about! I don't have a boyfriend and would not have one in the near future! If there was really something going on, how could he not be here now?"
"Wait, what? I thought everything was going well between you, looking at your picture from yesterday! What happened?" Sandra was a little confused because she thought the two of them had even eaten each other last night.
"I asked him to be with me... But he flatly refused me," Iris confessed, sighing.
"Really? That's new, I never thought anyone could reject you!" Sandra was surprised by what she was hearing. How could anyone in their right mind reject a great woman like Iris? First, she was an amazing woman, beautiful, sexy and with a brain! Second, she was independent and rich, a woman like her wasn't easy to find. People were lining up to woo her! Maybe the man was too young to see her value and seize a good opportunity.
"He thought I just wanted his body and that I was just playing around... There was some truth to what he said, you know, I am indeed interested in his body, heck, he's just too good looking for his own good. But that's not what got me interested in the first place. The first day I met him I could see kindness in his cold eyes, he warmed up my heart just with a little smile. I don't know why, but I have never felt as safe as I did yesterday when I knew he was here with me, all my worry were gone... . Since I met him, I find myself thinking of him every day, wandering what he might be doing, whatever he is fine or not, if he had eaten… ."
"OMG Iris, you really mean it, you really fell for him! I am so happy for you girl! I thought I would never see you love anyone in this life! And it was worry me to tell the truth" She was genuinely happy for her friend. It had been years since Iris had been interested in men, Sandra could not even remember if she had ever been in love.
"Your so dramatic…, but whatever it's love or not, he doesn't want me." She said with a bitter smile.
"What are you talking about? You can't end it like this! It's your first time to feel this and I can guarantee you that it will become an even more amazing feeling! If you are really interested in him and want to be with him, you have to chase him!"
"I cannot force anyone to be with me, Sandra!"
"I told you to chase him, not to imprison him!" She said laughing. "But wait, first tell me what you told him? If I remember correctly, you have only met three or four times... "
"I asked him to be in a relationship with me, that's all..." Iris tensed a little and her lips pursed as she recalled yesterday's event.
"Well, I would have run away too... I mean, you are a well-known woman, one of the richest people in town, while he's just a student struggling with his life! The fact that you are interested in him is the strangest thing he has encountered in his life! It might be hard for him to believe that you are genuine because, this is something that only happened in books! A rich woman falling in love with a young poor student? Come on, you have to admit that it's not an often thing! Besides, you made it so obvious that you were physically interested in him that of course, he could only think that you wanted him to be a pawn! Also " Sandra sighed, understanding the dilemma.
"I know and I understand him, I don't blame him, but it feels pretty bad to be misunderstood like that... Anyway, now I am wondering if I should continue to get involved with him because I don't want to disrupt his life..."
"You should not leave it at that, I mean he must be just frightrnrd by your confession, I am sure if you have more to do with each other it will work out fine!" exclaimed Sandra, hugging her friend warmly. She did not want to see Iris so lonely anymore. If this young man could cheer her up, she would definitely help her!
Iris did not want to stop; she was someone who had deep feelings. When she loved something or someone, it was always to the fullest! Letting go so easily was something she couldn't do! But at the time she was really lost, she had never pursued a man before and she really did not have much experience in a love relationship. She thought if she was honest with Joshua everything would go smoothly, but instead, she had made him run away.
"I am still thinking about how to make him understand that I am serious, so far I have come up with a plan with five phases." Iris smiled, thinking of what she had started planning in her head just before Sandra arrived.
"That's my girl! So, what about the plan? Tell me about it so I can help you!" Sandra was all excited, seeing Iris so interested in a man was like a miracle to her! She wanted to be there and watch her conquer the handsome young man!