So Two Years Ago
Fifteen
Chapter Fifteen:
After dinner, once we’d returned to Pete’s house and I was bidding the boys goodnight, desperate to get out of the skirt and high-heels I’d been wearing all day, Andy promised to call me to hang out again. According to him, “We’ve all reached the point where, if we don’t see you for a couple of days, we’ll all suffer from Tessa withdrawal.”
“Well,” I began with an over-dramatic sigh. “I guess I don’t want anyone suffering on my behalf, so I’ll continue to put up with you boys.”
“Hey, you know you love us. Don’t try to hide it,” Joe said with a snicker as he passed us on his way to the front door.
Joe, Patrick and Pete wished me goodnight as they went inside. Andy, again, promised to give me a call to hang out and gave me a hug goodnight. His arms held on to me tighter and for a little longer than they had the day before. I didn’t mind it, though, which surprised me for a moment. Maybe it was just because I’d been surrounded by couples all night, but having a guy’s arms-- this guy’s arms-- around me for a handful of seconds felt very good.
The feeling quickly faded, though, as he pulled away, wishing me goodnight and waving as he opened the front door and stepped inside.
On the drive home, I listened to Take This To Your Grave and thought about how strange it was for me to be listening to a band, singing and dancing until I couldn’t breathe, and then going out to dinner with them as though we’d been friends for ages.
The thought stayed with me for the entire time I was in the car, and even until I laid down in my bed. I always thought that being with four guys who I’d admired for so long would feel much more surreal than it did. I suppose that’s not such a bad thing; they’re regular guys, after all. It was only in these moments that I stepped away from my reality to closely inspect things that the situation seemed odd. The casual chatter became like a figment of my imagination, the warm hugs the stuff of dreams.
Warm hugs… I smiled dreamily in the dark bedroom at the recollection of the cozy feeling that came with Andy’s arms. He was the only boy who ever made the effort to invite me over. It wasn’t that I suspected unfriendly sentiment from the others; more that I suspected something more than friendly from him.
I shook my head at the idea, though. I always did this to myself, raising my hopes and imagining feelings and intentions that were never even marginally present between me and a guy. At least I caught myself this time, I thought, resting my head on the pillow and closing my eyes.
I went into work the next day in slightly more comfortable clothes (pants and flats instead of a skirt and heels) because I expected a call from Andy-- even though he didn’t specify a day, I had a sneaking suspicion that I’d be hearing from him-- and I didn’t want to be stuck in something so uncomfortable all night again.
Sure enough, around 3:30pm, I noticed my cell phone blinking and buzzing from inside my purse. Only one vibration, though, which meant I’d gotten a text. I snatched the phone out of the bag and flipped it open. One missed call: Andy; one new text message: Andy.
I read the text. hey. you didnt answer when i called.
sorry. didnt notice it ringing.
pssh. yea right. excuses excuses.
whateverrr. anyway whats up?
As I hit send, I noticed my boss, Jack leaving his office and approaching my desk. I immediately snapped the phone shut and dropped it into my lap, preparing for a stern talking to about company policy regarding personal phone usage. Great, I thought. I’m going to be fired on my second day for texting on the job.
I maintained my composure, though, as he stopped in front of me with a grin on his face. Either I wasn’t in trouble, or this guy just really liked scolding his employees.
“Tessa, I just wanted to ask you if you’d like to join me for dinner tonight.” I raised a brow slightly to his question. Was my boss asking me out? “I like to take my new employees out to dinner or something like that, just to get away from the office environment. Just to get to know who I’m paying, ya know? And it’s hard to have a casual conversation from behind a desk.”
“Oh,” thank god it wasn’t what it sounded like at first. Can you say sexual harassment? “That sounds great.”
“Great. Do you have any objections to dinner right after work? I didn’t think you’d wanna sit in rush hour traffic just to come right back into the city.”
“Good thinking,” I said with a friendly smile as I felt my cell buzz in my lap.
“Alright,” he was still grinning. “I’ll let you get back to work, I guess.”
Once I was sure he was inside his office, I opened the phone to continue my conversation with Andy.
wanna hang out tonight?
geez. withdrawal symptoms already? lol. actually i cant.
what?? why not?
dinner w/ my boss. i think itd look bad if i flaked out on the guy who signs my paychecks.
aw lame. i guess youre right though. some other time?
def.
After dinner, once we’d returned to Pete’s house and I was bidding the boys goodnight, desperate to get out of the skirt and high-heels I’d been wearing all day, Andy promised to call me to hang out again. According to him, “We’ve all reached the point where, if we don’t see you for a couple of days, we’ll all suffer from Tessa withdrawal.”
“Well,” I began with an over-dramatic sigh. “I guess I don’t want anyone suffering on my behalf, so I’ll continue to put up with you boys.”
“Hey, you know you love us. Don’t try to hide it,” Joe said with a snicker as he passed us on his way to the front door.
Joe, Patrick and Pete wished me goodnight as they went inside. Andy, again, promised to give me a call to hang out and gave me a hug goodnight. His arms held on to me tighter and for a little longer than they had the day before. I didn’t mind it, though, which surprised me for a moment. Maybe it was just because I’d been surrounded by couples all night, but having a guy’s arms-- this guy’s arms-- around me for a handful of seconds felt very good.
The feeling quickly faded, though, as he pulled away, wishing me goodnight and waving as he opened the front door and stepped inside.
On the drive home, I listened to Take This To Your Grave and thought about how strange it was for me to be listening to a band, singing and dancing until I couldn’t breathe, and then going out to dinner with them as though we’d been friends for ages.
The thought stayed with me for the entire time I was in the car, and even until I laid down in my bed. I always thought that being with four guys who I’d admired for so long would feel much more surreal than it did. I suppose that’s not such a bad thing; they’re regular guys, after all. It was only in these moments that I stepped away from my reality to closely inspect things that the situation seemed odd. The casual chatter became like a figment of my imagination, the warm hugs the stuff of dreams.
Warm hugs… I smiled dreamily in the dark bedroom at the recollection of the cozy feeling that came with Andy’s arms. He was the only boy who ever made the effort to invite me over. It wasn’t that I suspected unfriendly sentiment from the others; more that I suspected something more than friendly from him.
I shook my head at the idea, though. I always did this to myself, raising my hopes and imagining feelings and intentions that were never even marginally present between me and a guy. At least I caught myself this time, I thought, resting my head on the pillow and closing my eyes.
I went into work the next day in slightly more comfortable clothes (pants and flats instead of a skirt and heels) because I expected a call from Andy-- even though he didn’t specify a day, I had a sneaking suspicion that I’d be hearing from him-- and I didn’t want to be stuck in something so uncomfortable all night again.
Sure enough, around 3:30pm, I noticed my cell phone blinking and buzzing from inside my purse. Only one vibration, though, which meant I’d gotten a text. I snatched the phone out of the bag and flipped it open. One missed call: Andy; one new text message: Andy.
I read the text. hey. you didnt answer when i called.
sorry. didnt notice it ringing.
pssh. yea right. excuses excuses.
whateverrr. anyway whats up?
As I hit send, I noticed my boss, Jack leaving his office and approaching my desk. I immediately snapped the phone shut and dropped it into my lap, preparing for a stern talking to about company policy regarding personal phone usage. Great, I thought. I’m going to be fired on my second day for texting on the job.
I maintained my composure, though, as he stopped in front of me with a grin on his face. Either I wasn’t in trouble, or this guy just really liked scolding his employees.
“Tessa, I just wanted to ask you if you’d like to join me for dinner tonight.” I raised a brow slightly to his question. Was my boss asking me out? “I like to take my new employees out to dinner or something like that, just to get away from the office environment. Just to get to know who I’m paying, ya know? And it’s hard to have a casual conversation from behind a desk.”
“Oh,” thank god it wasn’t what it sounded like at first. Can you say sexual harassment? “That sounds great.”
“Great. Do you have any objections to dinner right after work? I didn’t think you’d wanna sit in rush hour traffic just to come right back into the city.”
“Good thinking,” I said with a friendly smile as I felt my cell buzz in my lap.
“Alright,” he was still grinning. “I’ll let you get back to work, I guess.”
Once I was sure he was inside his office, I opened the phone to continue my conversation with Andy.
wanna hang out tonight?
geez. withdrawal symptoms already? lol. actually i cant.
what?? why not?
dinner w/ my boss. i think itd look bad if i flaked out on the guy who signs my paychecks.
aw lame. i guess youre right though. some other time?
def.