The 29-Year-Old Virgin

Margaret Cruz looked up as she saw from the corner of her eyes that her boss has returned. She stood up, then waited for Fatima Velasco to pass in front of her table before she followed her to her office. Fatima went straight to her executive table, then sat down on her chair.

“How was the meeting, Ma’am?” Margaret asked.

“Good,” Fatima answered. “My friend Auguste is now the CEO of the Ortega Group. His father is still the Chairman of the Board, though. He just wants to have an easier life and less responsibilities, I guess.”

Margaret nodded indicating her understanding, though she doesn’t have any idea who that Auguste guy might be. She just knows that he’s someone affluent just like her boss.

“Did anyone look for me while I was away?” Fatima asked.

“Your cousin, Sir Mark, called earlier,” Margaret answered.

“Call him back, and tell him to come to my office now,” Fatima said.

“Okay, Ma’am,” Margaret said. “Will that be all?”

“Yes. Thank you,” Fatima answered.

Margaret went out of her boss’s office and returned to her desk. She haven’t sat down yet on her chair, when her colleague Kayla approached her.

“Happy birthday to our resident NBSB!” Kayla said as she put down two cupcakes with pink-colored frosting on Margaret’s table. The two cupcakes bear the numbers 2 and 9 on each one together with some sprinkles.

“You made that sound so cringy,” Margaret said to her colleague.

“That’s better than calling you the 29-year-old virgin.” Kayla even winked at her.

Margaret scowled at her. “It’s just as bad.”

“You know, you really need to have a boyfriend now,” Kayla said.

“That’s not my point,” Margaret replied.

“What else is there to point out?” Kayla countered.

Margaret took a deep breath. She paused a little before answering Kayla’s question. “I mean, my love life has nothing to do with my... life.”

“What?” Kayla said as if that is the most ridiculous thing she has ever heard.

“I mean, so what if I am still a virgin? That I never had a boyfriend in my entire life? Is it that important?” Margaret asked.

“It is,” Kayla said. “Unless you want to stay single forever, then I guess it’s fine. Do you want to?”

Margaret did not answer. Of course, she doesn’t want to stay single forever. Not once did she hope that a man would come to her life and end her 29 years of being single. Unfortunately, no man came.

“I guess it’s not yet time for me to have a love life,” she just said to Kayla.

“Girl! What are you waiting for? Your 39th birthday?” Kayla asked. “You really need to go out tonight and try your luck with men. It's your birthday, so maybe the love fairy will gift you a prospect tonight.”

Margaret shook her head.

“Come on! Sometimes, you have to search for what you are looking for yourself. You cannot just wait here and let Fate give you the man you dream of. You have to look for him as well,” Kayla added.

In fairness to Kayla, Margaret was amazed at her philosophizing.

“So you will come with us tonight, since it’s a Friday. We will celebrate your birthday, and we will find you a man to finally end your 29 years of drought!”

That made Margaret cringe.

That night, her colleagues were able to persuade Margaret to join them on their Friday night out. After all, it’s her birthday. They were so persistent, and Margaret thought that the easy way out is to just agree with them, than argue then still make her come in the end. At least she dodged the argument part.

“So, what must be the reason why until now, you don’t have a boyfriend ever?” Kayla asked Margaret. It has been two hours now since they arrived. They finished dinner, and the group had started drinking alcohol.

Except for Margaret who is contented with her iced tea.

“I know!” Dina, also one of her colleagues, said. “Because she rather get swamped with iced tea than take a sip of this very delicious... whatever this is!” She drank the cocktail she is holding.

Margaret just winced at what Dina said and did. She literally gulped whatever she is drinking, making some of the liquid trickle down her chin and neck.

“Woo! This is the best!” Dina even said.

“You’re drunk, girl,” Anna said, also one of their officemates.

“Maybe you’re scared,” Joan, another one of Margaret’s colleagues, said.

“Why would I be scared?” Margaret asked.

“Of commitment,” Joan answered. “Love is a very dangerous thing, you know. It makes you do a lot of things that you don’t know you can do. It changes you; it makes your world troublesome.”

“You’re too hard on love,” Kayla said to Joan.

“I’m just telling the truth,” Joan explained.

“Based on your very unsuccessful love life,” Dina said to Joan, making the latter scowl at her.

“Or maybe, you’ve set very high standards on whom to love,” Anna asked.

“That’s not true!” Margaret exclaimed. “I don’t choose who I would fall in love with.”

“You’ve never fallen in love ever,” Kayla said.

Margaret is getting a little offended with her colleague’s questions about her love life.

“Listen! I don’t know why love kept avoiding me, okay? I just can’t find someone to love,” she said exasperatedly.

“Maybe, you’re not really looking,” Anna suddenly said.

Margaret did not answer. She just stared at Anna.

“Girl, you know, sometimes you also have to search for love. You can’t just wait for it to happen,” Anna said.

“And how would I do that?” Margaret asked. It was an honest question.

“Why don’t you do it now?” Kayla suddenly said.

“Huh?” Margaret asked.

Kayla smiled smugly. “Go to the bar, then talk to the first guy who joined you.”

Margaret looked at the bar. At that moment, it was empty except for the bartender.

“Or maybe he can just flirt with the bartender instead,” Dina suggested. “He’s kind of cute, you know.”

“I agree,” Anna said. “He looks like a good one night stand.”

“He’s actually hot,” Joan agreed as well.

Margaret winced at what her colleagues said.

“What do you think, Marga?” Kayla asked her. “If it’s true that you’re not scared, then why don’t you do our challenge to you?”

“I can’t just do it like that!” Margaret said. “I can’t just flirt with a random guy on the bar.”

“You know, that’s your problem,” Kayla said. “Girl, love does not always happen the way the movies or fairytales do. Sometimes, you have to learn how to flirt to attract love.”

Is it really like that? Margaret is still adamant, but deep down there’s a part of her that wants to believe in her friends.

“Girl, if you don’t go for it, then I’ll just do it instead,” Dina said. “That bartender is one hell of a hot guy!”

“Hey! Let’s give our friend a chance,” Kayla said. Then, she looked at Margaret again. “So, Marga, try to flirt with the bartender. Or if you want, you can do what I first told you: flirt with the first guy who joined you at the bar.”

“I can’t!” Margaret is being honest now. Just thinking about it is making her anxious.

“You can do it!” Kayla said. “Just believe in yourself.”

“Do I really have to?” Margaret asked.

“Do you not want to experience love?” Kayla asked.

Of course, she does! She wants to know what love is ever since she started believing in romance and happy ever after.

“Hey, wait! Don’t tell me… you’re not attracted to guys,” Anna suddenly asked.

The four ladies stared at Margaret.

“Of course not!” Margaret exclaimed. “Are you saying that I’m a lesbian?”

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Joan said.

“Yeah, but… I’m not, okay?” Margaret said. “I just… I don’t know how to do it.” Her innocence is starting to manifest.

“Just go there and let it all take its course,” Kayla said.

“Yeah, girl,” Dina agreed. “Everything will unfold once you started.”

Margaret looked at her friends. It seems that she has no choice but to do what they want her to do.

“We’re not leaving here until you found a guy for yourself,” Anna added.

“Yeah,” Joan said. “And don’t make us introduce you ourselves. That would be more embarrassing.”

It will be indeed, Margaret thought. It’s like your friends making you talk to your crush in high school.

She looked at the bartender again. Well, the guy looks handsome alright. Maybe it won’t hurt to try talking to him?

“Okay, I’m doing it,” she said.

She took a deep breath, then walked to the bar area. But before she can even get near it, a guy suddenly appeared on the bar. It turns out it’s the replacement of the cute bartender whose shift just ended. The new guy doesn’t look so bad. It’s just that he looks more like a bouncer than a bartender with his big muscles and rugged features. It’s something that Margaret does not quite fancy.

She contemplated if she will go back to her friends behind her. But then, that would be more embarrassing, right? Especially since the new bartender already caught sight of her. And so, she just continued going to the bar and sat on one of the bar stools.

The bartender looked at her, then smiled. “Good evening,” the guy said.

Margaret smiled back. She suddenly does not know what to say, or do.

“Anything I could get you?” the bartender asked.

Margaret’s mind went blank. What would she say to him?

“Uh… why don’t you try our bestseller?” the guy asked after a few seconds of waiting for Margaret’s answer.

Margaret totally felt embarrassed. “Uhm… I don’t drink.”

The bartender looked confused. Margaret just realized that it’s kind of weird for her to go to the bar if she does not drink alcohol. Except if you want to flirt with the bartender, just like what she planned on doing.

“I’ll get you some of our bestseller iced tea, then,” the guy said to her.

Margaret just nodded. She winced as the burly guy left his post to get her iced tea. Now, she’s starting to regret why she even let her friends persuade her into doing this.