Me and my imaginary friends

Chapter 6: boys will be boys.

I woke up the next morning and drove to work. It was odd driving to work. I constantly turned to the passenger seat,where I sat in Toby's car, and expect to see Toby there. But there was no Toby, Real or imaginary. I sighed and pulled into the parking lot. I hope Toby was here today. As if on cue I saw the smiling boy in a green shirt that read "Tobuscus." on it make his way up to my car. I got out of my car and waved to him. He waved back and came over to me. "Hey Holly." He said with a smile. "Hey Toby, how was the drive to work." I said giggling a little. "Quiet and boring, I missed you." For the first time in months, I blushed. "Oh, you did?" I said shyly looking at the ground. toby just laughed and rubbed the back of his neck. "You know I did. so anyway I can't do lunch today." he said I looked up at him, disappointed. "Oh that's ok, at least I can go to lunch with JG now." I half heartedly laughed. Since spending so much time with Toby my feelings for JG and quickly faded, I didn't see him as anything but a good friend now. Toby laughed "Yeah, but I can't just abandon our routine without feeling as if I owe you and myself." before I let him continue I asked "How would you owe it to yourself?" He just smiled. " I owe myself the time I missed spending time with you as much as I owe it to you." I about blushed again. "Anyway what I'm trying to say is maybe after work we could go to dinner instead." I smiled "like a date?" It was his turn to blush and he nervously laughed. "You said it not me." I smiled wider and nodded. "I would love to." I said "I'll meet you back here after work." Toby nodded and I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before we parted ways. I had a date with my the real version of my imaginary friend. When it came around my lunch break I stayed at my desk and continued to work on a storyboard the pilot of my new show. It only took 2 minutes for JG to come over and see what was going on. "Hey Holly, you know it's lunch right?" I looked at the clock then at him, "Yeah I know I just want to finish this scene real quick." which was true. "Won't Toby be waiting for you?" He asked in an almost jealous tone. I continued to work on my storyboard. "No, I'm not meeting him for lunch today he was busy." "Oh." JG said sounding surprised but happy. "Well do you want to go to lunch with me?" I looked at him then at my work in progress, and then back at him. "Sure." I said getting up and I followed him out into the parking lot. We went to Taco Bell, which made me miss going to lunch with Toby but then reminded me of our date which made me smile. JG and I small talked about work and things but as soon as Toby's name came up our friendly outing turned more into an interrogation. "So what do you think about Toby?" JG asked me. I answered honestly. " I like him, He's really friendly and really sweet, and funny." JG tried to smile but ended up grimacing more. "I see, you've been spending a lot of time with him." I felt slightly offended by this question I was a grown woman and JG was not my dad. "Well yeah, he's nice to me. Not to mention he drove me to work the week my car was in the shop." JG seemed taken aback. "When was car in the shop?" "Last week. It broke down in your apartment parking lot the night of the premiere and Toby helped me out." "Oh, why didn't you come and get me?" I rolled my eyes. "Because you were shitfaced JG!" I said little louder and I probably should of. JG blushed and looked down at the ground. "You were passed out drunk and were in no shape to drive anywhere, so when Toby offered to help me I took it." I said quieter this time but still slightly offended. "I'm sorry Holly, why didn't you tell me." This offended me more. "Because you didn't need to know JG, everything was taken care of." I said getting heated again. "You don't need to know all my business with Toby but since it seems you would like to, me and him are going out tonight." It was JG's turn to look angry and hurt. "Seriously?" He said. "Yes, seriously." I spat back. "Whats it to you anyway? You only asked me out once." That's when JG stood up and hit the table. "I was going to today! I was going to ask you to be my girlfriend!" I shouted loudly. While dramatic scenes at your local Taco Bell were not uncommon in this part of California I was not about to cause one nor be involved in one. I quietly got up threw away my trash and walked out to my car. I started the engine half thinking I should just leave him here, but the adult side of my brain told me it this was a time for it to let it handle the situation, so I sat there and waited. A minute later JG came outside and got in, and without a word I drove us back to work. When we got back I parked and JG proceeded to get out. "Thanks for lunch." I told him but he only nodded and closed the door of my car. When I got out of my car I decided to go to Rebecca's office and vent to her all that just happened. She sat there patiently, listening as I recounted the lunch outing. When I was finished I looked at her waiting her judgement. She stayed quiet for a minute then spoke in a calming but stern voice. "You're totally right Holly, JG had no right to be up in your personal business just because you guys went out once. Also who take someone out once, doesn't for a while, then takes them out to lunch and says they were going to ask to be official just like that?" This made me laugh which made me feel better. She continued. "But I mean, JG is the one of the youngest people that work here, and not the most mature when in comes to real adult situations." I nodded in agreement JG and I were the youngest ones working here and I was still a year older than him. I would forgive him for this, It was just if he would fully forgive me.
After work I went home and got ready for dinner with Toby. I was applying the last of my lip gloss when there was a knock at my door. I smiled and hurried to answer it. When I did I found a sharply dressed Toby, He was wearing black slacks and a white button up shirt, with red converse. He was leaning against the right side of of the door frame holding a rose close to his chest in his left hand. He raises his eyebrows in a flirtatious manner and I smiled. "Well hi there." I said with a flattered laugh. "Hi, you look amazing." He said back. "As do you." I said flirtatiously back and he handed me the rose. "Why thank you, I'll put this in a vase right now. Please come in." I headed to the kitchenette where I filled a glass vase with water and set it on my coffee table. I gently set the rose in while Toby explored my apartment. "Nice place you have here." He said. "Thanks." I said with a smile. then he held out his arm to me. "Shall we be going?" I smiled and took his arm. He walked me down to his car where we got in and went to a bar and grill. He vlogged a bit of dinner, "Just in case I forgets to later." He says. After dinner he took me to the nearby park. When I asked him why he only replied. "There is something you have to see." When we got to the entrance of the park he told me to close my eyes. I did as I was told and he led me to an unknown location. He stopped and told me to open my eyes. when I did I saw a twinkling lake. "Isn't awesome how all the lights from the buildings around us can fit in this little lake." I laughed and looked up at the building and then back down to the lake. "It so is." After a short walk around the lake Toby took me home. "Thanks for tonight." I told him as he approached my apartment door. "You're welcome, so lunch tomorrow?" I smiled, knowing I wouldn't have to awkwardly go out to lunch with JG again. "Absolutely, and I'm free Friday." I said with wink. Toby just smiled and then kissed me on the cheek. "Thought that I would return the favor." He said still smiling. We stood like this for a moment just staring and smiling at one another. "Goodnight Toby." I said unlocking my door making the moment pass. "Goodnight." and I went inside and closed the door. With my back to the door I sighed and went over to the couch. I stared at the rose on the coffee table and smiled. Then I picked up the binder holding my all the things I needed for my show. I pulled out a blank piece of notebook paper and at the top wrote "Imagining Reality." then wrote " The Twinkling Lake." I smiled at my newly found inspiration and kept brainstorming until I passed out on the couch.