Ruin

4

Friday: 5:30 pm
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The week crawled on slower than a snail...but TGIF!

It is now thirty minutes since COB, and thirty minutes since the kick-off of Nat's party/after-work jam.

"Happy birthday, goodie!" Tasha, one of the Accountants, practically screams as she enters the Sales office.

Natalie beams and runs to hug her friend as they jump and scream like giddy high-school girls.

I smile as I video.

Everyone else is busy doing one thing or the other.

Camille is busy slicing the cake she'd gotten earlier today since when we went to Pricesmart on Monday it was too early to buy it.

Speaking of Pricesmart...

I will away an image of that man whose beautiful face seems to haunt my dreams lately.

I feel guilty. I don't know why: it's not like I'm attracted to him or anything.

Lie.

Plus, I have a very handsome and caring boyfriend who would have a fit if he knew I was even thinking about another man.

Who seh yuh fool fool?

Everyone else is occupied.

Jerome is busy setting up the music, which soon blares through the small boom-box.

The sweet sound of Dexta Dap's 'Breaking News' fills the room. The clean version of course. After all, we are still in office so we have to keep things PG13.

I find myself humming along to the tune.

Shane is at the make-shift bar, organizing the liquor, while Moya sits on the desk watching him.

If you ask me, something is definitely going on between them.

If not, Moya sure wouldn't seem to mind if it does.

I take my eyes off them and look to the other corner of the small room.

Natalie's office chair was designed to look like a throne and she looks stunning as ever sitting on it; her Burger King crown bobbing as she speaks animatedly to Tasha and Sherice.

The music is right, the decor looks pretty, and the overall vibe is soothing.

The place has a buzz.

"So, yuh naah drink nutt'n my yute?" Shane asks, propping his ass on the edge of my desk.

I look up from where I sit trimming the videos I'd taken to post on Snap.

His bright hazel eyes meet mine and his smile draws my attention to his cherry lips. Now I know why Moya has been acting a fool swooning over this redskin boy.

I shake my head and avert my eyes before he catches me staring. "No sah, not today. I drove today," I say. Speaking of drinking, I really do feel thirsty. "Do you have any light beer?"

He smiles again and once again I'm drawn to his lips.

No man, Manda! Wah do yuh gyal?

Shane is very handsome. It was obvious to the blind man. But I'd never regarded him as more than a co-worker before tonight. So why was my mind running wild all of a sudden?

"Manda?" Shane's voice lures me out of the dark well that is my mind.

"Yeah?"

He looks at me with worried eyes. "Yuh good, dawg? Mi a call yuh fi 'bout fifty hours and yuh not even hear. Siddung a stare out a space..."