"How do you know my name, though? Did I tell you my name?"
"I heard your friends call you Daffine,"
"Very observant,"

"I am when it comes to you, Daffine :)"

I look at his messages while I sit on my bed, Max is sleeping on my lap.

...My dog, Max.
I'll just call this dude Maximus, Max sounds weird now.

We exchanged our socials that afternoon. Oh yeah, and Femke's food made me sick. I've been in bed since the last two days. All I have done all day is talk to Max and take a shower. I don't feel like eating and neither do I feel like getting up. 

"Are you feeling better, Daffine?" Max texted.
"Looks like someone is worried about you?" Casper looked at my phone as he stood beside me. 
"Yeah, unlike you. You even got the wrong medicines," I complained while Casper conveniently ignored me.

"I'm good, Max," I type and suddenly I wonder, "Why does he always use my name? Absurdly enough, it doesn't bother me when other people say it. But when he says my name, something about it is different..."

"You like the dude?" Casper asked me. Oh, so now you can hear me?
"Hell no,"
"Look, you can like a Dutchie, but their food is terribly bland. Sucks to suck on that for the rest of your life,"
"I can cook for myself,"

"So, you do like him?" Casper grinned.
"I don't see where I said it,"

"You just compromised your taste buds...for a Dutchie. That's a big sacrifice. What must it be, if not love, madam?"
"I- I don't know. Look, I don't like him like that. He's just... a very kind person that I happen to know,"

Casper had a twisted grin on his face, "Kind? Maximus? You don't know him,"
"What unkind deeds has he done?"
"His ex-girlfriend told me he's the most emotionally intolerable person she has ever known. Almost as if he's afraid to feel,"

"There's a reason why Femke is his ex and that's because she doesn't matter anymore. At least not in his life,"
"Look at you, standing up for him," Casper grinned, "You like him,"

"No, I don't. I respect him."

. . .

"She totally likes him. She just doesn't know it" Casper told Femke as they sat together in a cafe. 
"What is so likeable about Max?" Femke asked.
"Hey, you can't deny it. He's a charming man. I hope he's nice to Daffine, though. She's too pure for all the emotionally unavailable shit. I am concerned about her as her best friend,"

"I'm sure she'll be fine if he's as charismatic to her as you claim he is,"
"Oh, he's gentlemanly. I noticed he stopped smoking around her. That's cute,"
"That's only decent. He never did that for me and we were together for a year. I think he has changed then,"

"See? Daffine has nothing to worry about," Casper smiled and began eating his wrap.
"Is Daffine the reason why he broke up with his current girlfriend?" Femke asked.
Casper stopped eating, "His girlfriend? He has a girlfriend?"
"He did. They broke up. Like yesterday. At least that's what Glen told me. I wonder if Daffine knows that."

"Hold on," Casper kept his wrap aside, "I have to know this. What is going on in that dude's life?"

-To be continued