Chapter 14

'This place is good' Hazel said looking at Ryan as they reached their table inside the restaurant.

'I put a lot of effort into finding the best place for our second date' he told her looking away from her afraid that she would notice his shyness.

'Thank you, it's perfect' she told him smiling.

He smiled back satisfied that she is happy with his choice.

'Ryan?' she called after a minute of silence.

'Were you my college senior?' she asked.

Ryan kept quiet for a minute before answering her;

'Yes, How did you know?' he asked her.

'Well…I heard it from someone' she answered smiling slightly enjoying his expressions.

'It's Chris, right? That guy promised' he yelled slowly in anger.

'What? Chris knew?' She asked taken aback by his words.

'It's not him? Then how did you come to know?' he asked regretting to have let her know.

'It was Char and Ava' she answered waiting for him to explain his previous confession.

'So you and Chris knew each other before but yet...…well I am amazed! Both of you act really well' she told Ryan and her voice clearly expressed anger. She felt betrayed, how many things have been hidden from her, she wondered.

'So there are somethings I don't know right?' she asked him demanding an answer...an honest answer.

'It's almost time why hasn't Ed and Ava come yet?' he asked looking at the entrance diverting the topic.

'Ava texted me. They will be here any minute now' Hazel replied and he kept looking around trying to escape from further interrogation.

'Don't try to change the topic now, Ryan. Just answer me' Hazel asked determined to know things that have been hidden from her. By now she was pretty sure that she didn't know certain things that the people around her knew. She knows that Chris and Ed wouldn't say a word about it to her and her only source to know all this was Ryan and Charlotte but considering that if Charlotte knew she would have told her by now and so her last hope is Ryan.

As she was about to ask Ryan again she noticed Ed and Ava entering the restaurant. She felt it would be better if she asked Ryan later. Whereas Ryan was overwhelmed to see Ed and Ava cause he didn't want to tell Hazel anything and if they were left alone for another minute he knew he was going to crack.

Ed and Ava arrived and sat opposite to them.

'Finally we are on a double date' Ava told Hazel excited.

'What does finally mean?' Ed questioned her confused.

'Me and Hazel planned that if we ever date someone we will surely go on a double date' she explained looking at the boys.

'So does that mean you are dating me?' he asked Ava. Ava grew silent after hearing his question. She didn't know what to tell him. She looked at Hazel hoping for some help but she was too busy laughing at her distressed state.

'No it's not like that' she answered finally.

'So you don't wanna date me?' he asked and Ava noticed a hint of sadness in his eyes.

'So you want to?' she asked him.

'Look Ava, I know that we have been on only a few dates but I have liked you for a long time and I asked you out only before some weeks but I don't know your feelings towards me but I have always liked you and will continue to' he answered looking at her.

Ava looked at Ed dumb-struck. She was just joking when she asked him that question but she didn't expect him to be this honest.

'Did that answer your question?' he asked looking at her. She nodded slowly.

'Guys!' Hazel called out.

'Enough with your romance, I am hungry let's order something' she told them giggling silently looking at their embarrassed faces.

'So are you guys dating or is it just some date where you are still getting to know each other?' Ava asked looking at Ryan and Hazel after they have ordered.

'No, we aren't' Hazel replied quickly.

'I don't think she even wants to give me a chance' Ryan told them smiling but his eyes told a different story.

Hazel kept silent as she didn't know what to say to him because whatever he said now was partially true; she didn't want to give him a chance nor to anybody. She was already done with love and now she didn't want someone to love her but she wanted someone to heal her which was pretty much not gonna happen.

They finished the rest of the dinner chatting on various topics and once they were about to leave after paying the bill, Ava stopped Ed.

'What's wrong?' he asked turning towards her. Hazel and Ryan stopped too and looked at Ava waiting for her to continue.

'Ed…Will you...will you be my boyfriend?' she asked finally after taking a deep breath looking at Ed expectantly.

Ed grew serious and silently looked at her without giving her a reply. All the other three were anxiously waiting for him to respond.

'Ava, you misunderstand things a lot...' he started.

Ava looked at him shattered. Ryan looked at Hazel as he was also shocked by Ed's words.

'Hazel I thought he liked Ava' Ryan told Hazel.

'He does' she replied looking at him calmly.

'But…' Ryan started.

'Just watch Idiot' she scolded.

Ryan turned towards them waiting for Ed to finish.

'So you don't wanna be my boyfriend?' Ava managed to ask him without choking on her words.

'Look, again you are misunderstanding things...it is me who must ask you to be my girlfriend but instead you proposed. Do you now how much effort I put into preparing all of it so that everything would be perfect. But now you ended up asking me' he told her throwing a dejected look towards her.

'So is that a yes?' she asked still unclear of his confession.

'Yes I would love to be your boyfriend' he told her clearly smiling broadly.

Ava walked closer to him and all the tears she held back rolled down her cheeks continuously. But now it was for a different reason...now she was crying out of happiness.

She hugged Ed out of happiness and he returned the hug gladly.

'So you knew this was gonna happen?' Ryan asked hazel smiling happily.

'Yes, it's Ed style. At first he makes us so anxious and scared and then he tells us the good news' She answered.

'Well at least he answered her question' Ryan told her. Hazel clearly understood that Ryan was quite upset her not taking him seriously but she decided to remain silent.

'If you both keep hugging like this we are never gonna go back home' Hazel mocked turning back to the newly committed.

Ed and Ava turned around to hide their reddened faces.

'Haze, I am going to drop Ava home so maybe you could come with us itself' Ed suggested looking at Hazel.

'That's a great idea' Hazel replied but she noticed that Ryan's expression changed slightly after her reply.

'But I will come home with Ryan' Hazel told them. Ryan's face instantly lit up hearing her reply.

'Ok then Haze, see you' Ed told her and they waved her goodbye.

'So why didn't you go with them?' Ryan asked as they walked towards the parking area.

'Because you still didn't answer my question' she answered holding back a smile.

Ryan's face clouded with anxiousness.

'Calm down I was just messing with you' she replied laughing.

'Oh ok' he replied heaving a sigh of relief.

'Just tell me when you are comfortable' she answered smiling.

"This girl sure knows how to get information out of people, I better be careful" Ryan told himself as he quietly looked at Hazel.

Ryan drove her back to her apartment as she was about to get down she turned towards Ryan and said;

'I am willing to give you a chance'

She silently got down from the car and went inside. It took a few minutes for Ryan to understand the meaning behind her words, his face straightway lightened up with joy.

'Don't worry Hazel! I won't let you down like others did' he said taking a U-turn and drove back to his place.