Taking Chances

Twenty One

Monday comes too soon and I find myself balancing transactions and analysing checking out financial reports in my office.

On my way to the office, I was about to bump into Samantha in the reception area and she turned back to avoid me.

The pink roses she gave me as still in my office alongside the daffodils Zhoya have me.

This is getting ridiculous. It nags my mind the entire morning.

At around afternoon, I go up to her office. I knock once and she says come in, in her soft voice.

She looks up and is shocked to see me. I ignore the pang in my stomach.

"Hi," I say

"Hi"

"Listen, we need to talk. We can not continue like this. At some point in our line of work we will have to work together and this hide and seek won't take us anywhere."

She is quiet. I think I prefer her talking my ear off. This Samantha unsettles me.

"So I was right then, you are dating the head engineer," is the first thing she says.

"No and yes. I wasn't dating her but now I am." I tell her.

She looks hurt at my words...

"Listen, I wasn't even aware I liked her... I made the realisation later and decided to give us a shot..."

"I have been asking you to give us a shot for over two years" she says

"Samantha come on, we both know you just wanted to play around. And frankly I'm not about that." I respond

"What?" She says incredulous and stands up, her fresh lemon scent wafts through the air and I am taken aback by how much I like it.

"When have I ever said that? Zuhrah I have been trying to go out with you for over two years. Everyone in this building knows it. Even my uncle... How can you say "I just wanted to play around with you"... She says making air quote with her last statement.

"But you are always just flirting and being playful..." I accuse

"With you. Only with you. I never do any of those things with anybody else... Zuhrah I like you so gaddamn much. Everything about you. From your curvy body. How your pencil skirts cling to you... your walk... Your uptight attitude. Your demeanor... And I've been trying to get you to like me for over two years only for you to tell me I'm just playing around?? Wow" she says serious... Her eyes glassy.

I have never seen her this serious and I am moved. I can't believe it. She actually likes me.

"Wow... So you really like me...?" I trail off

She is sniffling and I understand she is really hurt.

"Listen Samantha, I never thought you were that serious and to be honest,I just saw you as this playful gorgeous woman. You seemed like a heartbreak waiting to occur. I thought you just wanted to play around and I'm not that type... And to be honest, I couldn't fathom how someone as beautiful as you could be into me... I deemed you way above my league..." I finally tell her the truth

"So you think I'm beautiful?" She batts her eyelashes smiling at me

"Is that the only thing you got out of what I said?" I roll my eyes...

"And now you are with the engineer..." She trails off

"Yes..."

"You really like her?" She asks

"A lot. I do... I really like her..." I admit

"What about me?" She asks

"I'm with Zhoya, Samantha" I say trying not to hurt her feelings...