XY XX

LIKE YOU

How hard can it be? Jaila, my best buddy, asked me to hook her up with Xenia. Easy-pea-what I'm saying, what am I thinking. I should have said no.

Gregory's thoughts shambled up; why did it irritate him. Jaila had already helped him out once; he could at least return the favor.

What was the problem?

Well, he and Xenia weren't exactly on the best of terms.

There was no incident to note since the coffee machine still Gregory could tell the woman waited like a panther to leap on her prey.

"Oh, gosh, Gregory, are you intimidated?" He said as he looked at his reflection in the mirror while he shaved.

Fuck. I have to do it; it could be beneficial I might find out something else.

Gregory hoped for something he wasn't ready to admit.

For now, he would play Cyrano. It was a predicament the man wasn't comfortable with as he always made sure never to entangle himself in any office stories.

It was weird he hadn't crossed Anya yet, was Xenia really with this woman?

Anyway, Jaila asked him to arrange a girl's night out in the Marais. It was the LGBT district Jaila felt lonely, making him feel guilty. Like Wendon, she supported him. The woman made a lot of choices for his sake. He had to do something for her.

Frustrated and a little edgy was how Gregory went to work.

Why didn't he ever cross the two women together? Gregory wondered.

And also, how come he never met Xenia in the mornings. The woman was a mystery in and out of work. It annoyed Gregory to see himself investigate despite himself.

XY XX

In the afternoon, he had to see Cassie on the 18th floor; bumping into Xenia was inevitable.

"Hi, Xenia."

"Gregory."

Xenia stared at him as though she knew the greeting wasn't the end of the conversation.

"Eh, I had a favor to ask you?"

"A favor?"

Xenia almost choked on the water she was drinking. Gregory and her lived cat and dogs fight daily. They didn't get along; Xenia couldn't imagine what the man could want from her.

"Forget it."

"No, no," Xenia said and grabbed him by the wrist. Gregory glanced where her hand paused, making Xenia look at where she touched.

"Sorry, I'm intrigued to know what Monsieur Carlton could want from the humble me," Xenia said, letting go. She mentally scolded herself for the liberty she took of touching the man.

"Do you know Jaila Pratt?"

"Yeah, she comes and gets you for lunch; she medium height and pretty."

Gregory cocked his eyebrow, so she noticed Jaila, he thought.

"Well, she is—em, like you."

"Like me?"

"I mean you two have the same— em," Gregory said and waved his hand in a come-on-catch my drift motion.

Xenia followed his hand before adding.

"Oh, eh, you mean, lesbian."

"Yes, Jaila has no friends here, so I thought since—."

"I'm a lesbian."

"Yes, maybe you can show her some places where you hang out."

"Is this the favor you desired?"

"Yes," Gregory said, putting both hands on his hips.

Xenia couldn't stop herself from following his movements. Gregory had his sleeves rolled up as if he would do some manual work; he is very tall; she thought as she gazed at his posture.

Xenia was silent; Gregory seemed tense, which made the woman think there was a trick somewhere.

"If you don't want to, I understand, I mean—."

"I'll do it, "Xenia said to his surprise.

The man's eyes widened, "you will?"

"Yes," Xenia replied.

"I mean, it doesn't bother you?" Gregory asked with a hint of disappointment in his voice, which visibly escaped Xenia.

"Why would it?"

"Great, then I'll tell her," Gregory said.

Xenia noticed how he furrowed his eyebrows as he said that.

"Okay, cool."

"Okay, oh, just when are you free?" Gregory asked.

"I'm free tonight," Xenia replied. She couldn't indicate another day, unaware of when Sia would come home.

"Okay, well, I'll tell her, in case she can't, can I give her your number?"

"Yes," Xenia replied with a little-gritted smile.

"Okay," Gregory said, turning to leave only to make a u-turn and come back. "Eh, I don't have your number."

"Oh, of course, how silly of me," Xenia replied while internally banging her head against the wall.

The only thing worse than this man having her number was the flame of purgatory.

Xenia imagined him calling and yelling: "you are late, where are you?"

She shook off the idea and started giving her number.

"06 59 06 69 95" [Please don't call this number, I have no idea who it belongs to].

"Thank you, Xenia."

Xenia tried to see under what name he registered her number, but he pulled his phone away and went on to Cassie's office.

What have you gotten yourself into, Xenia? The woman thought.

A few seconds later, her phone vibrated, a message:

Here's mine.

"Pfff did I ask him for his number," Xenia muttered with her cheekbones peaking as she strutted away.

XX XY

"Here's her number," Gregory said. He sent a WhatsApp to Jaila.

"Great, thanks, Gregory. I owe you one," Jaila replied, giving him a wink.

"So, you are setting Jaila up with Xenia, but isn't she with Anya Fernster?" Wendon asked.

The director was still sore about not being at the after-work, but as his duo of friends told him, Directors didn't come to these venues. Wendon was discovering Jaila and Gregory's deal at lunch.

"I'm not setting Jaila up, they are just going to have a girl's night out or whatever they call it," Gregory said, frustrated.

"I bet we'll have fun. Do you want me to tell you the details, Gregory?" Jaila said.

"If he doesn't, I'm listening, Jaila, tell me," Wendon said.

"Wendon," Gregory said in a scolding manner.

"What? I love hearing GXG stories, especially Jaila's. When I hear you, I always feel like you're the better man," Wendon said.

"That's because I am the better man," Jaila replied with the swag and the confidence which was hers. At this instant, both men found themselves reflecting on their manliness.