Him

I’ve been like this for fifteen minutes.

Hands stuck in midair as I was trying to type. Today has been mundane, like any other day of my life. But nothing I usually do every day registered. My head can’t wrap itself yet around on what happened.

I glanced on the phone sitting beside my laptop. Metal, cold, and still. Waiting for “Let’s have lunch.” or “I’ll cook dinner tonight.” messages to flash.I am still in denial, I admit. But managing to go to work, function like a compensated human being weirded me out. I, myself, is aware I will barely move a muscle if it was true. I blinked several times, stopping heaviness weighing my eyes shut.

“Hey, Will, the boss wants the report by tomorrow. Is it okay if you send it to my table later? I have to review it ASAP.”I looked up, Jerry’s cheery face greeted me. He is my team leader. His grin, stretching from an optimistic man dancing in the rain to a psychotic killer’s. I wonder if he finally got his roof leak sealed or struck a conversation with that pretty girl on the pantry. Or both.

“Should I add vultures with that dead meat get – up?”

I sighed.

“That was me, laughing.”I rummaged into the collection of binders, stacked up in perfect chaos. “Here’s the report, Jerry.”

“Damn, Will. You don’t have to be this cold.” He made a shivered gesture as he gets the folder. Jerry cleared his throat, the sound unexplainably getting on my nerves.

“So, I saw this new girl in our department. My man, hallelujah! Never such beauty graced these barren, slippery office floors ever since I worked here. You should, you know, get out of here. With her.”

“Are you here to talk about nonsense again? Coz I’m quite busy, Jerry.”

I started to work my hands and type.

“You’ve been staring at your phone since you sat down, idiot. And, you just started typing.” Jerry indignantly scuffled his fingers in his hair. “Will, I love you.”

“That absolutely plummeted my mood further but thank you.”

“Will, I love you and I can’t watch you be miserable. How long has it been? Three months?”

“Why do you care? Besides, it’s not affecting my work.”

“It does affect your work.”

“Nope. I’ve never felt so thrived than I am these last three months.”

“Oggy’s, after shift. Drinks on me.”

If my brain could possibly drool in the sound of Oggy’s name, it would’ve drowned my neurons and put me into sudden short circuit, if it’s not currently malfunctioning. Oggy’s beers are the best in town. No, in the world. And that guy, right there, Jerry, kneaded me into being pliable in his best interests. Oggy, if only I can marry it.

“Fine.” I swallowed, my throat anticipating the taste of Oggy’s beers hitting it.

“Ha!Oggy’s is your Jesus!” He smugly pointed at me and made a mini woot - woot dance.

“Now, woot – woot dance all the way back to your cubicle.” I continued what I’ve been trying to do few hours ago, the afterthought of Oggy’s occupying my head.

Her

I wonder if I can tilt my head until my neck breaks then it’ll drop to the ground. Will it make a loud thud? I contemplated when another stack of paperwork appeared on my desk. They simply won’t finish, ever.

One of the reports says, “The guy prefers to be alone. Despite the heavy rain. Despite the woman sharing her umbrella. Despite that brilliantly executed introduction of his upcoming romantic prospect.”

I thumbed through the rest of the unread report. “Then this indicated that this guy intentionally rejected this other girl because she looks just like “her”. But I kind of understand where he is rooting from on that one. But this.”

I pickedthe paper out, stopping myself from disintegrating the report with my very own hands. “He dismissed the girl he likes since junior high when she confessed to him. Give me a proper explanation. I still remember, clear as day, that this person has been praying on every gods and goddesses of love on every mythology. I complied and this idiot refused.” I let go of the paper, exasperated by the idiocy this human showed.

“Miss Aphrodite, you might want to rest for a bit.”My assistant, Arion started to mend the parchment I crumpled earlier.

I breathed deeply, helping my chest to at least decompress all the tightness that’s in there. “What should I do now? I give up.” I can’t think of any solutions for now. I rested my back at my chair and closed my eyes. I miss nestling in the confines of my comfy bedroom, downing ambrosia without a single attention to give to the world.

“Maybe you should let the guy alone for now miss.”

I slightly opened my right eye to see Arion looking at me.

“What do you mean?”

“If you will give me the consent to say what my observation is, I think he needs to move on, Miss.”

I looked straightly at Arion.

Move on?

“Moving on? From what?”