FRIENDSHIP

Evie forced a smile on her face as she walked toward a table. It was lunch break and she wanted to use it as an opportunity to know her workmates better. She had chosen to go with them to the company's eatery so she could try to get to know them better. She approached the table where Eris, Matt and three others were sitting and pointed to an empty chair.

"Hi guys. Can I sit here?"

"Sure." Eris responded. She was the team leader and everyone else agreed to whatever she said or did.

Evie watched her warily as she sat on the empty seat. There was something about her that made Evie feel uncomfortable. But she decided to overlook it. As soon as she opened her mouth to start up a conversation, Eris stood up and walked away. She went and sat at an empty table. Before Evie could think, Matt and the other two had joined her.

"Hi Evie, I'm Laurel. Mr Martinez's secretary." The lady who had stayed behind said with a sweet smile plastered on her face.

Evie noticed her neat ponytail, simple yet alluring makeup and her tight fitting dress. She felt like an ugly duckling sitting across her. But she smiled and stretched out her hand to her. "Nice to meet you, Laurel."

Laurel took her hand with her sweet smile plastered on her face. "Nice to meet you too. I was wondering. Mr Martinez called you special today, are both of you a thing?"

"Uhm.. I don't think.." Evie stammered as the question took her by surprise. She paused for to a while to get her thoughts straight. "No. We're not dating."

"That's great. Thanks." Laurel said as she stood up. "See you around sometime."

"Ugh.." Evie exclaimed frustratedly as she watched Laurel join Eris and the others at their new table. Mike had been pretty convincing about her colleagues being nice but from what she was seeing, it seemed like he had made an overstatement.

"Hi, Miss Rivera. Can we join you?"

She heard the two young boys that had approached the table say. Hoping that they weren't there to interrogate her, she smiled at them. "I guess so."

"Thanks. My name's Josh and this is Caleb." The first boy spoke after they sat down. Evie looked at the second boy. He looked nothing like her brother but something told her they had more than names in common.

"Caleb. Nice name. You both can call me Evie. So what do you do around here?"

"We're interns. The errands, small tasks, things like that." Josh spoke again. It seemed to Evie like he was the outspoken one.

"Oh that's great." She replied.

"What about you? What's your job here?" Josh asked.

Evie shook her head. Her first day and the so-called team leader had not talked to her. "I don't know yet. Eris who was supposed to assign me to a post has been ignoring me. Is she always like that?"

"No, she's usually nice. Maybe she's in a bad mood today." Josh said, glancing over at Eris.

"Or maybe she just doesn't like you." Caleb spoke, earning stares from Evie and Josh.

"And what would be the reason for that?" Evie asked, puzzled.

"Only people with proper qualifications and experience can work in this department. Except from me, Josh, Laurel, and now you, everybody else has at least five years experience." Caleb stated.

"So she hates me because I have no experience?" Evie quizzed.

"Not really. Mr Martinez called you special." Caleb paused briefly before adding quietly. "Everyone thinks you slept your way up here."

A frown formed on Evie's face as she tried to explain. "What? No! That's ridiculous. Michael and I are just friends."

"Well not to them." Caleb concluded as he saw Mike looking at them.

Evie followed his line of sight and saw Mike. She frowned as he began walking to the table. On reaching them, he curled up his lips in a sheepish smile. "What's up?"

"Oh! We were just talking about how you ruined my chance of getting along with my colleagues." Evie said rather annoyed as he pulled out a chair and sat across her.

"How do you mean?" Mike asked, faking ignorance.

"What in the world is 'she is special'?!"

"I said that so they could treat you well." Mike explained.

Evie groaned. She had never expected a simple 'she is special' to ruin her day and probably her time here. "Well thank you. Right now, everyone in the department hates me."

"I'll go talk to them." Mike said as he stood up but he sat down back because of Evie's intervention.

"You've said enough. I'll handle it on my own."

Mike sighed and agreed reluctantly. "Sure. How can I make it up to you? Have you had lunch yet?"

"No."

Picking up a menu, he passed it to her with a grin. "That's great. Pick whatever you want, I'll pay."

"No way. I don't want any special treatment from you." Evie scoffed as she rejected the menu. Everyone was already looking at them. She would never be able to convince them that the only relationship she had with Mike was friendship.

Aware of how stubborn she could be, Mike groaned as he made a compromise. "Ugh. Okay. I'll buy lunch for everyone including you. Sounds fair?"

"Mm. Better." Evie said smilingly as she took the menu from him.

***** ***** *****

"Wow! It's wonderful. I love the view from up here." Evie exclaimed excitedly as she looked at the city through the balcony of Mike's apartment.

He had recently bought an apartment and wanted to know her opinion therefore he invited her to check it out. Situated at the top floor of the building, it was large and spacious and had a balcony that overlooked the main parts of the city. It was a really good choice.

"So do I. Seems I made a good decision letting Laurel choose." Mike said, admiring the view.

"Your secretary picked it?"

"Yeah. I guess women are better when it comes to homes." Mike remarked.

"Right." Evie said as she left the balcony and went into the parlor.

"What's wrong?" Mike asked as he entered the parlor.

"Nothing. I just felt you should have let your girlfriend pick. She's the one who'll live here with you at the end of the day." Evie blurted without thinking.

"Uhm.. I don't have a girlfriend." Mike mused.

"Really." Evie raised a brow as she pointed out. "What about that lady that sends you dinner every time you work overtime?"

"Tessa? She's a friend from school. She's not my girlfriend." Mike replied.

"I wonder if she'll say the same thing when asked." Evie muttered under her breath but he heard it.

Mike explained. He couldn't have her thinking of him as a player. "I'm serious Evie. She's not my girlfriend. There's only one woman in the world that can fill that position. And that woman is you."

"Ha ha ha, really funny. Tell me another joke." Evie remarked, sarcastically. She regretted bringing up the topic and she hoped he would just laugh and dismiss it as a joke but he didn't.

She gasped as Mike pulled her close, tilting his head and placing his lips over hers in a kiss. Her mind blurred and her head spun as his lips caressed hers in a gentle yet swift motion. The smell of his cologne filled her nose as her widened eyes fluttered close. And as his hand gripped her waist gently, all she could hear was the sound of their heartbeat.

Evie felt like staying like that forever. Just she and him. But her senses came back and she pushed him away and slapped him. He tried to say something but she ran off without giving him a chance. As she walked out of the building, she waved down a taxi and entered it.

She knew that Mike liked her - he had made it known to her seven years ago. But she didn't expect it to last this long. So when he kissed her the other day, she had brushed it off as he trying to play her. But this time, she felt his sincerity. And it wasn't just him, she also had feelings for him. But they just weren't enough.

Not enough for her to overlook the fact that both his parents contributed in the death of her brother. Or the great resemblance between them that she couldn't look at Mike without seeing his father. Or the fact that each time she is in close proximity with him, the memories of that day would come flooding to her.

But that wasn't the part that she feared the most. What she was most afraid of was the misfortune she brought to people around her. She didn't want Mike to get hurt and she didn't want to have him choose between her and his family. And she didn't want him risking his life for her not when she wasn't worth loving.

***** ***** *****

Mike tapped nervously on his desk as he waited for Evie to arrive. After he kissed her the other day, he had been looking for an opportunity to apologise to her. Since she had refused to pick his calls or reply his texts, he had no choice but to call her to his office. His eyes swayed to the magazine on the table and he stared at it for a while before the door opened and Evie walked in.

She had a frown on her face as she stood in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest. From her countenance, he could see that she was still mad at him. It pained him when a realisation hit him that she didn't reciprocate his feelings.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you the other day. I'm sorry."

"Is that why you called me here?" Evie quizzed impatiently, worried about the stares her coworkers were giving them through the other side of the glass door.

"Yeah. I'm sorry." Mike replied, apologetically.

"Stop apologising. I forgive you." Evie stated.

"Just like that?" Mike asked in surprise. She had run off. He felt she would be mad at him.

"Yeah. Or what do you want me to do? Slap you again, beat you up or have you arrested?"

"Not what I was thinking but.."

Evie shrugged. "It's okay, Mike. I get it. You were lost in the moment and you kissed me. That's all."

Mike explained even though he knew it was futile. "No, I wasn't lost in the moment. I chose to kiss you because I love you. Since that day at the beach, my love for you only grew. While I was away, all I wanted was to come back to the country. To come back to you. But you don't seem to care."

"Shit happens. People change. Love is for teenagers. And I'm no longer one." Evie remarked coldly.

"Sure. So you want us to just stay friends, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. I won't disturb you anymore but.." Mike paused and shut his eyes for a brief moment. "I'll keep waiting for you."