Chapter 174 Joanna's Questions

"Go on, I am listening," Audrey replied.

"If a man who always initiates intimacy with the woman he loves suddenly abandoned her in bed during intimacy, what does that mean?" Joanna asked with hopeful eyes.

"Does that insinuate that the man no longer loves the lady?" Her eyes faltered as she summoned the courage to ask the question which has been eating her up within.

"Huh?" Audrey was left speechless with her question.

For a few seconds, Audrey couldn't say anything. She couldn't believe that it was her best friend who asked her such a heartfelt question.

Audrey raised her hands and placed them on Joanna's forehead. When she realised that she wasn't running temperature, she brought her right hand to Joanna's neck.

Her actions startled Joanna. "What is it?" Joanna asked as she grabbed Audrey's hand still on her neck.

"I can see that you are not running temperature so tell me, are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere else?" Audrey questioned as she turned Joanna's face to the right and then to the left.

"If you are feeling sick then you can tell me and I will take you to the hospital…," Joanna pushed her hands away from her face.

"You can stop overreacting," Joanna said with a frown.

"You can answer my question or choose not to…,"

"I was just dumbfounded you asked me such a question. I am sure even you would have reacted the same way I did if you were in my shoes," Audrey said as she leaned against the wooden bench.

"Will you answer the question now?" questioned Joanna in a stern tone.

She was more concerned about the answer than anything else.

"Although I haven't been in romantic relationships, I know a thing or two about relationships so I can help you," Audrey said.

"For a man who loves a woman to abandon the woman he loves in bed during intimacy, two factors could be responsible for it…,"

"And what are these two factors?" Joanna cut in, not letting Audrey complete her words.

[She was normally a smart girl… in fact even smarter than me so why has she become a fool after falling in love]

Joanna stared at her friend's glistening eyes.

"What are you waiting for, say it," Joanna ordered, not able to hide her anxiety.

"Hmmm…," Audrey acted as though she was in deep thoughts.

She stood up and walked to and fro in front of the bench.

"The first thing that would make a man do such a thing to the woman he loves is…," Audrey trailed once again. A sly smile appeared on her face on seeing Joanna's scowl.

"It is because he no longer loves her…,"

"I knew it," Joanna remarked as though she was waiting for Audrey to say the words.

"I knew the reason he would heartlessly abandon me in bed was that his feelings for me had changed…,"

"I told you there were two reasons so why are you jumping to conclusions before I even finished?" Audrey scolded in a stern tone.

She walked closer to the bench and sat down at Joanna's right-hand side. "I know he doesn't like me anymore…,"

"What if you find out that the second reason was why he left you on the bed," Audrey cut in softly.

"And what is the second reason?" Joanna demanded. There was a glimmer of hope in her eyes as she waited for Audrey's reply.

"The second reason a man would do such a thing is fear," Audrey finally puts an end to Joanna's curiosity.

"Fear?" Joanna gasped. "Fear of what?" She grimaced.

Joanna stood up from the couch and walked about in front of Audrey.

The memory of last night replayed in her mind.

They were enjoying themselves: at least that is what she thought so what does fear have to do with why he left her in such a manner?

He didn't even glance back at her. It was as if she was something cheap he could easily abandon.

"He is fearless. I don't think there is anything which scares him in this world…,"

"That is exactly where you are wrong, Anna," Audrey said. She stood up and proceeded to stand beside Joanna.

"Those who are in love are the most fearful but also the bravest so don't you ever think that anyone who is in love is afraid of nothing. There is no such thing," Audrey corrected in a calm tone.

"That's what my Dad told me," Audrey added.

"If what you said is correct then what could he be afraid of?" Joanna said as she tilted her head so that she was looking at Audrey's face.

"There are so many things that could caused fear in relationships… like fear of hurting, change of feelings and so on," Audrey said like she was an experienced love expert.

There was silence after Audrey concluded her last sentence.

"Anna, you know I am not against your relationship with him… And I am very surprised to see that you guys have gotten to this stage even though you met not long ago…," Audrey paused to make sure that Joanna was paying attention to what she said.

"But what I am against is giving him your body, soul and everything when you are not even sure of what you mean to him," Audrey said like a good older sister would have done.

"He is…,"

"There is a special bond created when people have sex especially if it is your first time and you the good girl type. And this bond is hard to break especially for beings like you so be sure about what you mean to him before you give him your body… Also, don't forget to use a condom…," Joanna jumped and covered Audrey's mouth with her right palm.

She looked right and left to see whether anyone heard what Audrey said.

"Hey, how could you say such a thing in public…," Audrey pushed her hand away from her mouth.

"We are all adults so what is there to be ashamed of… Also, I don't think there is anyone on this campus who will claim that she has never made love…,"

"Does that mean you have done it too huh?" Joanna asked as she playfully rubbed her shoulder against Audrey's right shoulder.

"You sounded like someone who has done it a couple of times so why don't you be my mentor hmm?" Joanna winked rubbing her shoulder against Audrey's for the second time.

"Hey, silly girl! How dare you tease your elder," Audrey shouted. She stretched her hand to grab Joanna but she slipped away.

"Mentor….," Joanna said teasingly again.

"Wait and see how I will deal with you," Audrey said as she started chasing Joanna.

Joanna ran towards the staircase. She was racing up the stairs when her head bumped into a man's broad chest.

"Why does his scent feel familiar?" Joanna mumbled. She pulled away and raised her gaze to get a glimpse of the face of the one she collided with.