Chapter 7

"I am very busy, Benji. I will call you tomorrow." She said as she waved him off.

"I don't understand why you are so preoccupied. This place has nothing interesting to do besides drowning yourself in sorrow, and you are just talking to this old couple who I don't think would mind if you helped me out right now. Right, would you mind?" He directed his last words to Lander and Rachel.

"No, no. Carry on." They told him.

"Don't they seem nice, Miranda?" He smiled excitedly at her.

"I am really sorry, Lander and Rachael. He is a bit overbearing. Anyway, that's Benji, my neighbor." She explained to them.

"What do you want to talk to me about, Benji?" She asked him, frustrated.

"I think I should have some coffee. People who are stressed always drink coffee." Bijin explained.

"But you never drink coffee." She looked at him, bewildered.

"Even so, I am under stress. Everyone who comes here at this time of night is stressed, and I am as well. So, I will drink coffee. Allow me to go order one." He then left to go get one.

"I know what you two are thinking. He is one of a kind. He is special." Miranda explained to her in-laws.

"We can both see it." With a chuckle, Rachael said.

"You should tell your best friend not to hang out with strange guys," Benji said as soon as he returned with his coffee and sat in his seat.

"Wait, what? How come?" She cocked her brow.

"Because socializing with strangers is dangerous." He stated it clumsily.

"Melissa went out with an old friend, not with a stranger. And she is not a child. Are you jealous, Benjamin?" She gave a sly grin.

"No. Why would I be? You know, I think all this stuff is a waste of time." He stated, as a matter of fact.

"Then why are you so stressed and bothered about it?" She asked him.

"Because she no longer spends time with me anymore. Or watch movies with me." He told her glumly and with a frown.

"Did you really expect her to when you rejected her so brutally? She understood that you would never like her, so she is trying to move on. And it is not a waste of time." Miranda explained.

"How so?"

"Love is a beautiful thing. It compels you to do things you would never do under normal circumstances. It gives you the ability to protect them in the same way that superhero movies do. It inspires you to be a better person. You would go to any length to protect them and make them happy, even if it meant sacrificing your own happiness and life. When your loved ones are happy, you are happy."

"You are confusing me." He wore a scowl on his face.

"There is nothing to be confused about. It is not something that can be studied. It's a feeling." She explained to him.

"Just as you have for your husband and daughter." He stated.

"I am not sure what you are talking about." When she realized where the conversation was going, she decided she didn't want to be a part of it, at least not in front of Lander and Rachel.

"Yes, you do know. You still adore your husband and daughter for unknown reasons." He pointed out.

"Let's walk home, Benji. We will talk on the way." She glared at him.

"Why not right now? This is a perfect place for a conversation."

"Benji, if you don't leave with me right now, I will make a mess of my hallway again." This caused his eyes to widen, and he left, but not before saying. "I will stand outside."

Miranda said to the couple in front of her, "Don't mind him. He becomes delusory when he consumes coffee. In fact, he is always insane and delusional. It's a pleasure to meet you both. I have to leave right now. Goodbye and good night." She dashed out of there.

Lander and Rachel exchanged knowing glances, confirming their thoughts.