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I Don't Love You (the story)
Based on a poem with the same title
Shortly before midnight, the telephone rang. Nash answered it and said, “Hello, who is this?” The female voice on the telephone said, “Hi, it’s Kristine.” He said, “Oh, it’s you.” And then she asked, “Did I wake you?” He replied, “No, I wasn’t sleeping.” She asked, “How are you?” He replied, “I’m fine.” She said, “I’ve been dying to say something to you.” He asked, “What is it?” She said, “I should tell you this in person instead of on the phone. I hope you don’t mind.” And he said, “Go ahead; I’m listening.” She confidently said, “I’ll come straight to the point, I love you.” He responded, “I beg your pardon!” Kristine was bold enough to repeat herself. “I said I loved you,” she said assertively. Her words shocked Nash, and he said, “You love me! I hope I didn’t hear you correctly.” She said, “Why did you say that?” He did not respond to the question, so she said, “I’m not joking.”
Nash hesitated to speak for a while, and then he said, “Hmm, how should I respond? This isn’t what I was expecting to hear.” Kristine said, “I know that this is kind of sudden for you.” He said, Uh, I’m sorry, sweetheart. I really don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I don’t love you in a romantic way.” She said, “You’re a lonely man, and you need a wife. I think I’m the perfect girl for you.” He said, “Yes, I’m lonely, and I need a wife, but I never flirted with the notion of marrying you.” She said, “You don’t know how much I love you.” He responded, “The way you feel about us is like a fairy tale.” She said, “Sometimes dreams turn into reality, so perhaps together we can make this fairy tale come true.” He asked, “Did you get this idea from a movie?” She replied, “You’re not being serious about this matter.” After that he said, “It’s not going to work, Kristine, so whatever you’re thinking, drop it now.”
Kristine was not the sort of girl who gave up easily. She said, “Your romantic poems give me the impression that you love me.” He responded, “Oh, really!” And then he said, “Wait a minute, that’s your assumption.” She remained silent for a moment. He asked, “Do you blame me for your misinterpretation of the situation?” She replied, “No, I didn’t mean it that way.” He said, “I asked you to read my poems and make critical comments, I swear I wasn’t leading you on.” He went on to say, “You called me repeatedly, and I answered my phone out of courtesy, but I never called you back. Haven’t you noticed?” She said, “Yes, I’ve noticed, and I was wondering why.” Furthermore, she said, “I don’t believe that the things you write are just fantasies. They sound like your real feelings.”
At that moment, Kristine’s voice lost its liveliness. She asked, “Are you sure you don’t feel anything for me?” He replied, “Yes, I’m positive.” Furthermore, he said, “I’m not in love with you, Kristine. If I were in love with you, you wouldn’t have to ask me that question.” She asked, “Don’t you think I’m a nice girl?” He replied, “You’re a very nice girl, but that’s beside the point.” She said, “Will you at least think about what I’ve said?” He replied, “What else is there to consider? I’ve already made my final decision, and I refuse to have a titillating conversation with you.” She asked, “Can I call you again?” He replied, “I don’t mind you calling me, but please limit your calls to a social chat. If you can’t do this, don’t bother to call me.” She said, “You sound a bit upset now. Can we discuss the subject further some other time?” Her persistency amazed him. He replied, “No, don’t waste your time. Save your call credit. I just don’t love you. Don’t you get it?” He sensed her pain, but he could not comfort her. "You really hurt my feelings," she said sadly. She did not want to hang up the phone, so he said, “Good night, Kristine.”
The End
Shortly before midnight, the telephone rang. Nash answered it and said, “Hello, who is this?” The female voice on the telephone said, “Hi, it’s Kristine.” He said, “Oh, it’s you.” And then she asked, “Did I wake you?” He replied, “No, I wasn’t sleeping.” She asked, “How are you?” He replied, “I’m fine.” She said, “I’ve been dying to say something to you.” He asked, “What is it?” She said, “I should tell you this in person instead of on the phone. I hope you don’t mind.” And he said, “Go ahead; I’m listening.” She confidently said, “I’ll come straight to the point, I love you.” He responded, “I beg your pardon!” Kristine was bold enough to repeat herself. “I said I loved you,” she said assertively. Her words shocked Nash, and he said, “You love me! I hope I didn’t hear you correctly.” She said, “Why did you say that?” He did not respond to the question, so she said, “I’m not joking.”
Nash hesitated to speak for a while, and then he said, “Hmm, how should I respond? This isn’t what I was expecting to hear.” Kristine said, “I know that this is kind of sudden for you.” He said, Uh, I’m sorry, sweetheart. I really don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I don’t love you in a romantic way.” She said, “You’re a lonely man, and you need a wife. I think I’m the perfect girl for you.” He said, “Yes, I’m lonely, and I need a wife, but I never flirted with the notion of marrying you.” She said, “You don’t know how much I love you.” He responded, “The way you feel about us is like a fairy tale.” She said, “Sometimes dreams turn into reality, so perhaps together we can make this fairy tale come true.” He asked, “Did you get this idea from a movie?” She replied, “You’re not being serious about this matter.” After that he said, “It’s not going to work, Kristine, so whatever you’re thinking, drop it now.”
Kristine was not the sort of girl who gave up easily. She said, “Your romantic poems give me the impression that you love me.” He responded, “Oh, really!” And then he said, “Wait a minute, that’s your assumption.” She remained silent for a moment. He asked, “Do you blame me for your misinterpretation of the situation?” She replied, “No, I didn’t mean it that way.” He said, “I asked you to read my poems and make critical comments, I swear I wasn’t leading you on.” He went on to say, “You called me repeatedly, and I answered my phone out of courtesy, but I never called you back. Haven’t you noticed?” She said, “Yes, I’ve noticed, and I was wondering why.” Furthermore, she said, “I don’t believe that the things you write are just fantasies. They sound like your real feelings.”
At that moment, Kristine’s voice lost its liveliness. She asked, “Are you sure you don’t feel anything for me?” He replied, “Yes, I’m positive.” Furthermore, he said, “I’m not in love with you, Kristine. If I were in love with you, you wouldn’t have to ask me that question.” She asked, “Don’t you think I’m a nice girl?” He replied, “You’re a very nice girl, but that’s beside the point.” She said, “Will you at least think about what I’ve said?” He replied, “What else is there to consider? I’ve already made my final decision, and I refuse to have a titillating conversation with you.” She asked, “Can I call you again?” He replied, “I don’t mind you calling me, but please limit your calls to a social chat. If you can’t do this, don’t bother to call me.” She said, “You sound a bit upset now. Can we discuss the subject further some other time?” Her persistency amazed him. He replied, “No, don’t waste your time. Save your call credit. I just don’t love you. Don’t you get it?” He sensed her pain, but he could not comfort her. "You really hurt my feelings," she said sadly. She did not want to hang up the phone, so he said, “Good night, Kristine.”
The End
Published 20th May 2024
| Edited 22nd May 2024
Author's Note
Enjoy the reading.
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20th May 2024 3:30am
You are so versatile with your musings, my Jamaican King, the rarity of your literacy pieces seems to range from love, political, a call to action, and no matter the genre you stamp your approval upon, you always, and without hesitation entertain my intellect and this gem only give credence to your remarkable craft, or your journalistic instinct.
Please enjoy your late evening as I wish you a blessed incoming week.
Love and Hugs, always,
SKC🤎
Please enjoy your late evening as I wish you a blessed incoming week.
Love and Hugs, always,
SKC🤎
20th May 2024 4:14am
20th May 2024 4:21am
