Amy’s words rang over a hundred times in Bryan’s ears. This is only an imagination, none of this real, he kept telling himself.
“I love you, Bryan”
Amy’s voice brought him out of his trance.
He summoned the courage and gazed into her gorgeous brown orbs. They held some sort of expectation, which made him wonder, why? What was she actually expecting from him? This is madness, he thought to himself, as he pulled his hands away from hers. She knew the outcome of her confession was going to be like this, but still, she went ahead and confessed her feelings. This is all a big mistake on her part. Now, he’s never going to speak to her again.
“Amy. You can’t be in love with me” Bryan eventually said, after staying silent for a long time.
“But, I am” Amy replied, looking straight into his eyes.
He could tell from her eyes that she was saying the truth, and was also begging him to believe her, but he couldn’t. Why in the world would Amy fall in love with him? He never gave her any reason to feel that way about him.
“This is wrong… Whatever you feel towards me, is wrong” He stated, not to give her any false hope.
“You can’t say that cos you don’t know how I feel… I love you, Bryan. I’ve loved you for a long time now”
“I never gave you a reason to love me, Amy”
“But I can’t help it, Bryan. I can’t help the way I feel about you” Amy countered, standing up from the couch, as she desperately fought back her tears.
“Amy. Whatever you feel for me will go away. This is just a phase” Bryan said in a calm voice, hoping the conversation won’t go any further.
He believes beyond every reasonable doubt that her feelings for him must have developed after that incident at the party, when she spent a few days at his place. She was vulnerable then, and had sought love and affection, which he showed her without any second thoughts because she needed it. She must’ve misunderstood his care for her.
“No, Bryan. You’re wrong… I have kept my feelings hidden for some years now” She revealed, shocking Bryan.
“What?!” He exclaimed in surprise and confusion.
“Are you even listening to yourself?... I’m like a father to you” He continued, trying to give Amy the clear picture of what the situation looks like.
“But you’re not my father!” She yelled, finally letting the tears flow freely down her cheeks.
“It has always been you, Bryan. I’ve tried so many times to be with someone else. Someone preferably my age, but I can’t… I don’t see myself with anyone but you” Amy said in tears, letting her emotions out.
She didn’t care anymore if Bryan saw her as weak, insane, confused or desperate. She needed to let him know how she feels. This feeling has been eating her up for over two years now, and she needs to let it out.
“Amy, I’m your father’s best friend”
“I don’t care”
“I’m old enough to be your father”
“That means nothing to me, Bryan. Age is just a number”
“What will people say?”
“I don’t care what people say or think. You’re the man I want to be with”
Bryan rubbed his temples with his hands, thinking of other ways to make Amy understand. She was making this harder by the minute.
“Amy. I know you just went through a rough phase in your life, and I may have played a part in confusing you, but you have to believe me… This is just a crush” He tried again.
“Are you trying to say that I’m stupid?..” She asked with pain in her voice.
“I never said that” Bryan replied, standing up from the couch.
He took careful steps towards Amy, and tried to hold her hand, but she pushed his hand away.
“That’s what it sounds like… You think the fact that I think about you all the time. That I want to be with no one else but you. That I’m worried whenever you go home to your lonely mansion, or when you’re away on a business trip, or when you wear a long face is because I have a crush on you?”
There was disappointment in her voice as she said those words.
“I can tell what a crush is, and what love is, Bryan… I’m not stupid” She stressed the last part.
“Do you know what it feels like, to have something so close, yet it’s so far?... That’s how I feel when I see you. When I hear your voice”
Bryan had no idea Amy felt that way towards him.
“And it kills me, Bryan… It kills me everytime you’re so near, yet so far… Please, just tell me you don’t love me, and stop making me look like a complete fool” Amy sobbed.
It broke Bryan’s heart to see Amy this sad, and he felt even worse knowing that he was the cause of her tears, but this relationship can never be.
“Amy, this-“
“I know it’s going to be the most difficult thing I’ll ever do, and it’s going to hurt so bad, but… I’ll try to get over you, no matter how long it takes. Just tell me you don’t love-“
Amy didn’t get the chance to complete her sentence, as Bryan’s lips cut her off.