Kiss and say goodbye

Chapter 1 - All work and no love

CHAPTER 1 

He was late again. Not again, he thought to himself. “Shit!” he blurted as he ran towards the bathroom, with the brush still in his mouth he swiftly made his way to his wardrobe, which reminded him again that he still had a week worth of laundry to do. He scowled at the very idea of doing it and took out his last clean shirt and trousers. Breakfast was a hasty affair, due to which his stomach growled all the way to the office. He stumbled, almost tripped on the stairs and waved to his landlady on his way out in a rush. She gave him a scowl look, picked up her mail and made her way to her apartment for a quiet morning tea. He got into his car, and dashed towards his office. When he turned around the corner, his heart sank. All he could see was traffic jam and pedestrians walking. He gulped and sank in his seat. It took him nearly 45 minutes to reach office, a distance which could be easily covered in less than 15 minutes. He arrived at the office, only to find a pile of new files on his desk in his tiny cubical. “Not my best day.” He murmured under his breath to himself.

He had just settled and started working on the first file when Dave came and stood behind him. “What?” Josh said without looking up, his hands automatically moving on his laptop. “You look like a mess.” Dave said with a crooked smile. “This is what happens when you do over time for weeks.” Josh said and looked up to find his best friend giving him a pitiful and sympathetic smile. “Can I work please, it’s really hard to concentrate with you standing on my head and staring at me.” Josh said in a blunt tone. His day was already bad; having a lecture form Dave would make it worst he knew it. “Oh come on you work your ass off for 7 days a week, it won’t hurt to talk a five minute break.” Dave said with a motherly concerned look on his face. He gave Dave a ‘Not again’ look. Josh sighed, he knew the lecture had started already, and now there was no hiding. He rubbed his eyes sheepishly and heard his friend blabber about how he was working too hard which was leading nowhere.  When he finally left, Josh took a sigh of relief and he had just resumed when Dave came back running. “I almost forgot, there is a party on Sunday.” Dave said with a wink.

Josh instantly looked up and a huge smile lightening his face. The only idea of girls, beer and dancing made him excited, it had been weeks since he last went out, the only one he saw late nights these days was the security guard and he replied “Really?” and looked suspiciously at Dave. He was not impossibly hideous; he was a handsome looking guy with brown eyes and blonde hair, but his social life remained on a stand still- curse of a workaholic.

“Oh yeah, all of Regan’s friends are going to be there.” He said with a smile. “You deserve it dude.” He remarked as he walked away to his cubical.

He could not think about much that day except the Christmas holiday and the party. When he winded up his work at 1 at night, the only one left with him was the security guard, with whom he had developed to a certain extent a good friendship. “I am leaving.” Josh said with a sleepy yet excited smile. “You look too happy today, something special?” William asked as handed over the register to Josh. Usually by this time of the night he is dead tired and can barely manage to sign. William was everybody’s favourite; he was in his early 40’s with almost all white hair but with a boyish face and a dimpled smile. “Finally, holidays are here, I can barely wait.” He said as he signed and waved him a goodbye. William waved a goodbye too and wished him merry Christmas. He got into his car and drove to his small yet comfortable apartment. He dropped into his bed with a smile. Weeks of hard work paid off. He was going to get full 2 weeks for himself. He drifted into a deep sleep with a faint smile still lingering on his lips.