Not So Simple Feelings

F O U R T E E N

Tola was sitting on the carpet beside my door, loudly crunching on some Pringles. She hadn't seen me yet because she was focused on her phone.

I considered turning and running for my life but I knew I wouldn't make it far.

She suddenly looked up and saw me and she...smirked.

She smirked.

Has she been spending time with Adrian?

"Girl, you better drag your flat ass here and get this door open!" She said, licking the salt off her fingers and dusting herself off.

"Hello Tola" I stuck my key in the door and turned.

"Nope. Uhn uhn. Rara. Don't 'hello Tola' me" she put air quotes around 'hello Tola'. "You're in big trouble"

I threw my shoes off and collapsed on my couch. The same couch where Mark had... "What did I do this time?"

"What did you do? How about you sleeping that small-dicked asshat??"

I winced. "He's really changed, Tola"

She turned to face me from the fridge she'd been rummaging in and raised an eyebrow " His dick has become big?"

I felt my face turning red with mortification "No! I mean yes! I mean..." I took a deep breath "I mean he's not as big a jerk as he was before. He really seems to have changed"

She got out a bottle of water and shut the fridge "He hurt you Via! Don't you remember how horrible he was? How can you even consider taking him back?!"

"We talked yesterday and he apologised and said some really sweet things. Besides it's my life!"

She sighed and dropped the half drunk water on the kitchen counter before coming over to me "I know. I'm sorry. I'm just really worried about you, y'know? I don't want you getting hurt again. But if you really believe he's changed then go for it. I'll be here with you all the same"

I smiled and hugged her "Thanks"

She leaned back "Now, with all seriousness Vee, has his dick gotten big?"

*******

"Do you want a ride?" Paint shirt guy said the next morning in the elevator.

"Oh..." I really didn't know what to say. "Uh...sure. Thanks"

I followed him down the road where he had managed to wedge his blue Toyota Corolla in between a Hyundai and a Honda.

Yeah, my apartment wasn't in the priciest part of town.

His car had McDonald's and Subway wrappers strewn around and the car reeked of paint.

Is he like PaintMan or something??

"Why do you have paint everywhere??" I blurted out without thinking.

He shrugged, one hand steering "I like to paint"

And shower with paint.

"Where do you work?" He asked me.

"Webber Inc." I didn't need to elaborate. Everybody knew Webber Inc.

"No wonder you're always tired. Adrian works his staff like dogs. So you're a big hotshot business woman huh?"

I blushed. "Nah. Just a secretary."

He laughed "So, a big hotshot secretary then"

He had pulled up in front of the office building and I opened the door.

"Bye Paint shirt guy. Thanks for the ride."

"Stay alive!" He called out as he sped off.

^^^^^^

The days flew by and I settled into my job. I'm sure nobody can say Adrian is the easiest person to work for but I'm pretty sure he makes it hell just for me. His coffee has to be made a certain way. Apparently, black coffee isn't just black coffee. For him, you have to let it brew for exactly one minute. Not a second less. I should know since I nearly had my head bitten off the day I left it for 50 seconds because I was in a hurry.

His newspapers have to arranged "not too far from my chair so that I have to lean to get them but not close that they obstruct my work"

I really didn't care though. I avoided him for the most part, only speaking to him when absolutely necessary.

And now we were riding down in the elevator together. Awkward didn't even begin to describe the situation. It was weird that we were leaving at the same time. He usually left hours before me or vice-versa but we had never left the office at the same time.

He stood slightly behind me and I could feel his eyes burning into my back and we descended. 30...29..

"So, Miss. Ash, are you enjoying working here?"

"Yeah, it's the best." I answered automatically.

Great, now he's trying to make small talk.

22...21....20...19...

"I believe you have heard that Saturday is the company's annual cocktail party"

I snorted. Who hadn't? What else do people talk about all day?

"Yeah, I have."

14...13....12.....11....10....9....

"Everybody's allowed a plus one."

Oh...fudge...is he trying to ask me to be his date??

5...4...3...

Ugggh could this thing go any slower??!

"Hmmm..."

"Yeah, so I-"

Finally!

The elevator jerked to a stop and I squeezed out before the doors were even fully open, making a beeline for paint-shirt guy's car.

Yeah, he drops me off and picks me up everyday now...since we're basically on the same schedule.

I pull open the passenger's side door and slide in.

"Good evening, babe" he said as he gave me a quick kiss on the lips.

Oh, I didn't mention we do that now? We weren't dating or anything but we had kind of developed a friends with benefits kind of thing over the last few weeks.

I looked back at he started the car and drove away.

Adrian was standing there.

Staring. Right. At. Me.

Tee hee hee🤭 .
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