Crises in Love (Zora and Jaylan)
Chapter 376

Seeing Catherine looking a bit down in the dumps, I jumped in to give her a pep talk, "Don't sweat it, Cath. Like they say, 'Haste makes waste.' First things first, you gotta make sure your feelings for this guy are the real deal."

Catherine lay there without moving, her eyelashes fluttering slightly.

"You need to take a good hard look at whether you two have anything in common, whether he's really the one you want, the one who'll stick with you through thick and thin. If you're sure about him, then you've got a fighting chance!"

All of a sudden, she sat up, her eyes earnestly fixed on me through the screen. "Allie, I've thought it over, and honestly, despite his wise-cracking, the guy's solid. Think about it, how many can reach the top of their game like he has? Plus, he's so under the radar. No one even knows he's the one and only DragonLord..."

"Hold your horses, Cath," I cut her off, challenging her, "Are you looking for love or idolizing a celebrity? You gotta get clear on that - they're not the same thing!"

"I'm not getting it twisted," she insisted stubbornly. "The first time I met him, he was just like an electrician, showed up in his work clothes, nothing to write home about. I was so focused on helping you out, so I barely gave him a second glance! But..."

"That's just it," I cut in, "but as soon as you found out he was the legendary Dragon Lord, your heart skipped a beat, and you started seeing him in a new light! You got curious, wanting to dig into why he's the cream of the crop, why he could be DragonLord."

I articulated Catherine's thoughts, and she remained still, her gaze locked on me.

"That's what got you hooked, right? But I'm telling you, once his celeb aura fades, you'll start seeing his flaws. He won't be the mysterious figure you imagined. No more aura. You might even feel you've gone overboard and he's just a regular Joe, maybe with a whole bunch of flaws you can't stand. By then, it might be too late for regrets."

I rattled on, not minding Catherine's feelings. When it comes to matters of the heart, it's easy for those involved to get lost in the sauce. I felt it was my duty to give her a wake-up call, to keep her from spiraling. Catherine gave me a look of exasperation. "If you put it that way, maybe I should steer clear of that entire emotional minefield altogether!"

"It all depends on your heart!" I said. "If, no matter how hard you try, you can't shake his shadow, if you want to be near him even if it means climbing the highest mountain or swimming the deepest sea, then don't hesitate."

"I can't say I haven't felt that way," she muttered.

Truth be told, since that day at the hospital when Logan asked Catherine to get him some food, I'd sensed something was up with these two. But my gut told me it wasn't that Logan was disinterested; he was just more clear-headed.

"So, for now, your best bet is to cool off and put yourself in his shoes. Learn to stay collected, shift your focus, pour your energy into work. Just enjoy your vacation and spend time with your family. Don't get hysterical over him, letting him dictate your thoughts, emotions, and decisions. That's the way to go!" I laid out a plan for her. From where I stood, Catherine was getting a tad too gung-ho.

"And then what?" she pressed.

"Then you wait," I replied.

"Wait? How much longer am I supposed to wait?" she asked, struggling to accept this.

"Has waiting a few more days ever killed anyone, especially after being single for so long?" I shot back. "Didn't realize you were so keen to date!"

"Stop ribbing me!" Catherine sighed, on the verge of tears.

"You won't have to wait much longer," I assured her confidently. "But this part is tough; it tests your patience."

I continued, calm and collected, "If he's got a place for you in his heart, the tables will turn. He'll be the one who's restless and wracked with longing. Only then will he realize whether he loves you, needs you, and wants to be with you and it's not just some fling."

Catherine, struck by a sudden realization, slapped her thigh and then winced, "Ouch! You're dead right. It's clear as day from the sidelines. But I'm worried about getting the balance wrong. What if he thinks I'm rejecting him if I play it too cool?"