Chapter 16: Chapter Fifteen
"Are you seriously asking me that? Seriously? Think about this, we may have only met once before, but we jumped into bed together instantly. Did you think I wished for a meaningless one-night stand with you? And what about our conversations? Our shared experiences? Don't you see that all these incredible moments we've had together are leading somewhere?" I snapped, my disappointment and anger noticeable.
"I had no idea I had such an impact on you, Danni. I was just trying to befriend you and develop a meaningful relationship-a feeling I haven't encountered with anyone else," Scott admitted with a weary sigh.
"Do you see me as nothing more than a friend with benefits? Are you only befriending me and showing me empathy because you want to backfire on your ex-girlfriend, who left you?" I said crying. "Well, Scott, I adore you deeply, but I won't subject myself to what you're putting me through. My gut feeling was right; being with you was too good to be true," I passionately cried out as I stormed away from him.
"Danni!"
Ever since that moment, when I poured my heart out and vulnerably, and admitted my feelings for him, we never crossed paths again. Perhaps David was onto something when he advised me to stay away from Scott due to the unpredictable nature of our world. What if he discovers that I have been penning our love story, even if it ultimately falls flat?
He gave me false hope, foolishly leading me to believe that a Hollywood actor who is surrounded by beautiful women would ever truly love someone like me, someone who society does not consider conventionally attractive. How could such a thing even be possible?
I had finally finished off half of the manuscript detailing my and Scott's story. With a sense of accomplishment, I eagerly handed it over to my boss. But as he looked at me with that all-too-familiar disappointed expression, I couldn't help but wonder what else was new. It seemed like disappointment was his default emotion toward me.
Mitch took a moment to scrutinize my manuscript, his eyes scanning the pages and then meeting mine. His voice was laced with disappointment as he scanned, "Just this? Isn't it over yet?"
Feeling a surge of frustration, I responded, "Are you expecting more, boss?" He sighed and let his disappointment seep into his words: "You're ending your story with two people who had a lot of fun together. Making out, spending the night with bottles and cans of beer, only to face a disappointing outcome. It's not a romance novel, Danni. It's not even a love story, it's just...stupid!"
Despite the harsh criticism, I gathered my strength and reacted confidently but almost torn like a thin paper, "I'll try to come up with a new ending, boss."
"It better be! You didn't win the Best Screenplay at the Oscars with a story like this. Pull yourself together, Danni," Mitch warned as I exited his office, determined to prove him wrong.
The entire day of my stay at the office did not bring an end to my ordeal. David and Alice's dismay became conspicuous when they found out about my secret arrangement with Scott. I felt the urge to apologize, but why bother? I couldn't even forgive myself for my stupidity in thinking there was a tinge of expectation.
And nothing came of it, as everything was thrown away with no use to anyone. Well, that's not quite true, as I benefited from it, and I couldn't find anyone else to confide in except Vanessa and Don.
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