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“Speaking of foolishness, I h I own s than the artist herself at this point” The crowd loved his jokes, but he didn’t stop to enjoy their laughter “If failing to worship her art is foolish, then what is to be said about the man who fails to worship the artist?”

He stared atHeat rose on ht and bury started bubbling up to the surface, beckoned by Rafiq So in the air of the room

“Being in this gallery is to be surrounded by beauty,” he said “But Evie, truly…you are the most beautiful work of all” He held his hand out to me

Not knohat else to do in front of all the staring eyes, I took his hand, and he kissed the back of mine delicately Shivers ran down my spine

The croatched with hushed, baited breath

“Evangeline, I have to ask you so,” he said

My breath caught in ?”

“I know that our relationship began as soand war “But it’s become more than that for me, and I think it has for you, too I didn’t expect it, but I would be a fool to run from it You’ve made in ht now”

Soan to coo, and I was suddenly very aware of the sea of eyes staring at us, watching, waiting

“Evangeline, I want you to be with me Honestly be with me I want to take care of you, and love you,” he said “Do you love me, Evie? Will you let me be yours?”

A thousand tons of pressure weighed on s, and I al to screareat difficulty to quiet that voice I couldn’t do it totoon a show, in front of an audience—I knehat he was really like I kne he spent his nights and days and what he found hile, and it certainly wasn’t domestic bliss with me, or anyone else This was just another show, just like our relationship was a show for his father

It was fake, I told myself It had to be fake; there was no way Rafiq loved me

With every passing second, the smile on Rafiq’s face faded just a bit

Finally I found the voice to blurt it out “Rafiq, I…I can’t”

His shoulders fell Behind hied low, sad words, and so to spare Rafiq the eaze

“What do youforbetween us? I know I didn’t i you in my arms”

His questions pierced the core of me, and I couldn’t find it in myself to lie to him about what I really felt, but I couldn’t tell him, either Or maybe it was that I couldn’t admit it out loud to myself

“It’s just…our lives are so different, Rafiq I don’t think you would really be happy with me I don’t live like you live, with all the parties, the constant nightlife…”

Rafiq’s posture straightened, as if I had hit a deep nerve in him that overcame the sadness of the rejection itself

“Oh, is that what it is? I see” He suddenly started looking around, see but ht, our lives are very different”

“Rafiq, I’m sorry,?

? I said, reaching out to cover his hand that lay on the counter “I’ to hurt you, honestly And it’s not that I don’t care…”

As soon as my skin touched his, Rafiq pulled away as if I had shocked hi the pain on his face

“I don’t need you to care, Evie It’s fine Hell, I’ve got a hundred other woht? That’s not who I ao be the party boy and leave you to your work I’m sorry to have interrupted your day”

The pain in his voice, and in his eyes, betrayed any illusion Rafiq was trying to build that he was unhurt at the rejection Seeing him so clearly wounded and upset made me feel sick to my stomach, but I didn’t knohat else to do I’d already decided that co down on a railroad and crossing your fingers that the track wasn’t being used anymore; it was a risk with almost certain pain involved

But as I looked at hi across fro didn’t feel so flawless anyh All I wanted to do was make him feel better, and take his pain away

“I’ll leave you to your work,” said Rafiq, running a hand through his sallery without looking back, or saying another word toI could do to deny the hollow his absence left in my heart