She opened the pot of fried rice she just prepared, inhaled, and smiled so widely at how delicious it smells. She looked at the rice that had all the right ingredients in it and how beautiful it looked.
‘I am sure he would love it’ she thought to herself and bit her bottom lips to cage the smile in. Why are you so excited? She couldn’t answer.
Could probably be because she knew it was one of his favorite dishes and that she was able to get the right ingredients and make it nicely or just imagining his reaction when she goes to drop it off at his office.
That night he took her on that date he said wasn’t ‘a date’, gave her some kind of assurance that there was something for them and she wanted to get in it and enjoy the moment.
“I just hope he wouldn’t go back to how cold and distant he is used to being,” she told herself and let out a sigh then looked at the food and hope for the better.
It would be the first time she would be bringing him food and the excitement escalated making her almost jump up for so much excitement.
She did notice his weird behavior when she came out of the bathroom and how he didn’t respond to her when she said goodnight and even this morning he tried to leave so early but ended up waking her up by mistake and when she greeted him he looked at her strangely and walked away without saying a word.
She thought it was one of his days and made a reminder to let him know how his behavior affects her and makes her feel and hoped he would listen and empathize then try to be better so their now friendship can stand strong.
She put that behind her and let the excitement take over instead.
“Audriana, chill your potatoes down and don’t get too excited. He might not like it but he would love it… I guess” she said aloud to herself.
Then the smile on her face faded and a frown replaced it. What if he doesn’t like it and gets angry that she interrupted his work? He possibly couldn’t react badly to that right? He didn’t eat in the morning, so what…
She shook her head to cut out the negative thought and decided to not think but follow her heart and her heart says to give that man this nicely cooked food so that is what she was going to do.
‘I hope it turns out well.’ she said a little prayer and set off.
***
She got in the building and greets the receptionist who returned her greeting with a smile, then she walked to the elevator and pressed the button for it to open.
Checking the time on her phone, it was already one in the afternoon so she had in mind he would want to get lunch by this time and hope he had not left his office yet so she could give him this delicacy.
The elevator opened and she got in then pressed the silver button that goes all the way to the second boss’s office and that was after her face had been scanned by the scanning device that was above the gold and silver button.
She was feeling excited and was imagining his reaction when he sees what she brought for him.
When the elevator opened it was a large room that had a cushion by the left area probably for waiting for guests and by a brown door is a little office that is being occupied by the lanky man she knew to be his P. A.
When she approached his table, he stood up and offered her a smile to which she returned and nod that she could go ahead.
She nod back and went to the door then stood there and closed her eyes, taking in deep breaths and letting them out when she opened them.
Placing her hand on the knob, she twisted and it opened then she pushed and the faint voice she heard when she opened it a bit stopped when the door was fully opened.
Sitting on the chair is her husband who had a file and pen in his hand up as he explains something to the man in front of him who had turned to look at her when she opened the door.
Realizing she might have interrupted something her eyes went wide and she smiled apologetically.
“I am so sorry, I di-”
“She is your wife?” the man asked still looking at her and Dimitri nodded his head as he gave her a glare and she bowed her head a bit.
“Yes, she is” he replied trying to contain the irritation he felt.
“Hmm… she looks even more beautiful in person” he complimented and Dimitri and Audriana looked at the man.
Audriana had a small smile of appreciation on her face while Dimitri’s own was that of a glare.
He turned to look at Dimitri and found him glaring at him then raised his hands up in surrender.
“I know a beautiful woman when I see one” he defended himself and Audriana had to bite her bottom lips to prevent herself from smiling but when her eyes met with Dimitri’s the supposed smile died.
“Let’s focus on the business we are discussing here Mr. Gain,” he told him using everything in him to contain his anger.
“Sure son” he replied and drank his drink.
Dimitri stood up and looked at the man.
“Give me a minute,” he said and walked to Audriana then took her hand in his, pulled her in the office, and closed the door before taking her to the corner close to his bathroom.
“Take all your time, okay?” he replied and started going through some of the files they were reviewing and discussing.
He looked at Mr. Gain and sighed then looked back at Audriana who had a small smile on her face then at a small bag she carried before looking back at her face.
“What’s this?” he asked looking upset.
Her smile turned to a frown when he asked like that and saw that his countenance had changed. Clearing her throat she smiled again and lift up the food bag.
“I brought you food,” she said and he looked around to see Mr. Gain taking glances at them so he tried to release the frown on his face.
“I didn’t ask you to bring me food” was his reply.
“But we are friends and friends bring food fo-”
“Do you bring food for Sofia?” he interrupted her and she felt her heart drop.
“No, bu-”
“Look, I really don’t know why you are doing this but just because I took you out to dinner or am being nice to you doesn’t mean you should bring me food. I didn’t request for it and didn’t ask you to bother.”
“You would have saved yourself the stress and just went to Sofia’s place instead of trying to prove something that isn’t going anywhere.”
‘Dimitri, what are you saying?’ he asked himself, feeling his heartbeat erratically by the manner he was speaking to her but he didn’t stop there and continued.
“This just proves what I told you before, you look needy, you seem needy… of what if I may ask? I do not like you very much and you are just embarrassing yourself trying so hard” he said and her eyes went wide from what he said and sadness began to grow in them.
‘Dimitri, you are lying, why would you do that? Why would you say that? Stop already’ he told himself but couldn’t understand why he was suddenly this cold and annoyed by her.
Was it because of the pop-up text he saw from Earl last night to her? Was it that he was so jealous and couldn’t figure how to let it out and say what he wanted and didn’t but let it result in him insulting her and making her feel bad.
He saw her eyes tear up and had to look away because of how hurt he felt seeing her that way. He was hurting her, why then did he feel hurt instead?
Trying to brush away that feeling he looked back at her but took his gaze lower so as to avoid seeing the hurt in her eyes.
“Go back home and don’t ever bring me food, I don’t want anything that is from you or of you, we can never work, I have told you it is just friendship and nothing else. You aren’t my type and I can never see you like you want me to see you” then a tear fell from her eyes and rolled down her cheek.
“Like come on aren’t you like some developer or something? It would be better you go fix bugs than come here and show your stupid, lame attempt at making this work” and he broke.
He felt tears forming in his eyes and had to close his eyes to take them back. Why the hell is he hurting?
Opening his eyes to see she was standing there and crying silently.
He walked closer to her and brought out his handkerchief to clean her face. He didn’t know why he was coming closer to comfort her but he knew he had to do so.
Maybe to ease the pain he caused her or… the one he was feeling now, he wasn’t sure.
He wrapped one of his hands on her waist and brought her closer then lift her head to face him with his other hand under her chin. Her eyes were closed but the tears kept coming down.
He looked at her and felt the need to kiss those tears but stopped himself and whispered to her to stop crying. He cleaned the tears and more kept coming.