Confession with Rivalry…

 

I was under her spell but I was not alone. A lot of guys have also been constantly flocking around her like vultures. She had that effect – the “Audrey” effect. But I was determined. I also didn’t want to have anything in common with these guys. I’m trying to simply utilize proper timing.

“Paul, you really have to make a move. I’ve heard that Albert is being pushed by his teammates to pursue Audrey,” said Liana while shaking both my arms.

“Wait a freaking second! First of all, I am not deaf. Second of all, I can hear you and lastly, I can hear his teammates wooing from here.”

“What are you gonna do about it?”

“I don’t know. Although it makes me grind my teeth.” A habit of mine which Audrey hates.

“Well, you better get a move on, boy.”

“I know, and I am just taking my time. I did tell you about my conversation with her a couple of weeks ago. Haven’t I?”

 

“Yes. But Albert isn’t the only one trying to get her attention.”

“I also know that he’s not the only one. Audrey is beautiful. And I mean beautiful! But who is the other dude you’re talking about?”

“Arren. He’s the discount James Reid some of the girls are talking about and now he’s also making a move. He handed Audrey some flowers yesterday if I’m not mistaken. Now are you just going to sit there?”

“Why do you have to tell me all this? If I was going to make a move to make it obvious like what they are doing, what would make me unique? What would set me apart from them?”

“It’s up to you. That question is for you to answer. I’m just saying.”

“Okay. I’m trying to keep a low profile. I also do what I can so that she’ll notice me without having to do anything similar that they have done.”

“Can you ask her if she’ll have lunch with us, though?”

“Do it yourself, Mr. Unique. That would “set you apart from them.”

“You just say all the right things. That’s why you’re my friend. Now leave and do your job.”

“Okaaay.” Liana said while walking away with her annoying smile.

I constantly just try to look at the area where they were at. If I notice her look my way, I lower my seat. As low as possible along with my body so that she can’t see me. The feeling is as if I’m really the one she’s looking at. LOL. I don’t know how I managed not to turn my head in spite of her getting me excited every time she passed by. I think I still just had good peripherals back then.

A few days later, fate decided to intervene. I received an inquiry. It was from Audrey. I was my usual self and tried to remain chill.

“Hello, Audrey! How can I help you today?”

“Hey, Paul! I was trying to figure out if I should send this customer your way? He’s talking gibberish, but what I understood was the word “hack”.”

“Okay. Let’s have a look. Can you please give me the ticket details?”

“Sure.”

“By the way, how’s it going?” All while checking out the ticket.

“It’s all good. Been working on cases as usual. But I think I’d like to eat out for lunch. Albert was asking me out, but Liana already asked first. She said that you guys were planning to eat at Subway. I’d really like to have a sub too.”

Imagine my relief finding out that Liana made the save for me. And I “acted natural”. “Okay. Cool. So I figured out what happened. It’s something which is related to the article that is written on our resource tool and had just been posted a few minutes ago. I’ll send you the link.”

“Whoops. Sorry. Thank you so much for letting me know about it. I’ll relay this info to our customer.”

“No problem, Audrey! Just let me know if you have questions about the cases you’re handling. I will help you.”

“Okay, Paul. I guess I’ll see you at lunch time?”

“You’re welcome.” I said, botching another line.

Lunch time arrived. Liana was nursing a bruise on her forehead from accidentally hitting it against the glass wall at the lower level lobby. It looked painful, but she was still her usual happy self. While I, on the hand, was trying to keep my composure, stopping my legs from shaking. I was extremely nervous to grab lunch with Audrey. I knew that at that time, I needed to let her know that I wasn’t fooling around. That I like her. More than Albert, or Arren, or even Med. My heart was racing and then suddenly…

“Liana! Paul! What’s up? Shall we go?”

I literally jumped and said. “Alrighty!”

And Liana, trying to stop herself from laughing. “Let’s go.”

I never said a word while we were walking towards Subway although I could hear the two of them talking about stuff I can’t really seem to remember at this point. We then got to Subway, got our subs, and took a table. There was an awkward silence until Liana decided to speak up.

“So, how’s your sub, Audrey? It does feel like it’s just the two of us, don’t you think?”

“It’s good, girl. It’s great. Yes, I noticed,” she said as she looked away.

“I’m here,” I responded in a very low tone.

“Well, I should get going. My head still hurts a bit so I’ve to go back to the office to relax a bit. I’ll leave you two to it,” Liana walking away giving me the “death stare”.

“Okay. Bye,” I said in tune of Do You Want To Build A Snowman.

“Hey, Paul…”

“Hey, Audrey…” It was like magic as we coincidentally talked at the same time. “You go. Ladies first.”

“No. You go first. I want to hear what you want to say. I haven’t really heard you say anything.”

“Okay. I know that there are other guys trying to make a move on you but I remember the conversation we had last time at the pantry. It got me more interested in getting to know you. I just don’t know how to do so given that all these other guys are also trying to get your attention.”

“Paul, I’m just entertaining them because I don’t want to be rude. Just as much as I don’t want to be rude to you. If you really want to talk to me, you can do so at any time. I don’t see anything wrong with that.”

“That’s the thing, Audrey. I just don’t want to be like them. If I’m being honest, the reason why I don’t really talk to you that much outside of helping you with work is because I was hoping you’d notice me that way.”

“And you’re certainly doing a bad job. It gives me the impression that it’s only Liana who’s shipping us. Or maybe she’s just doing your bidding for you.”

“It’s not that, Audrey. I just don’t really know how to express myself. If you can see me with my friends at work, which could only be counted in my fingers, I am expressive. I am jolly. I am my “usual self”. But with you, it’s different. I don’t really know what to do. I like you. When I’m around you, I want to be impressive to you.”

“Oh. Did you mean all that?”

“Yes. And I’ve said more to you in five minutes than I have ever said to anyone in a week.”

“Paul, that is not worth anything if you feel like you can’t talk to me.”

“I know. It’s my bad. But have you seen yourself? You are smart as well as beautiful, and I will need all the tools in my toolkit to dazzle you.”

“Are you for real or are you really just that of a smooth talker?”

“I could say things that I don’t mean. But all of what I told you just now, I mean it. I really do.”

She sat silent for a minute and smiled. In the background, music was playing. It went something like, “Small talk, no conversation. That look makes me impatient. I can’t tell what you’re thinking. Please tell me what you’re thinking…”

“We should head back to the office as well. Lunch time is almost over. But it’s nice to know what you have to say and that you had to say something. I thought you were going to just let me do the lifting in this talk we just had,” she followed up after a few seconds.

 

“Of course. It’s also nice to actually be able to get this off my chest.”

We started to walk back to work and continued chatting about other things. I felt the tension getting less than what it used to. It felt good.