Unnerving attention

The office isn't all that different from the ones I've seen in movies, but to me, it's one in a million.

The bland colours seem like the beta colours of rainbows, likewise the leather cushion that backs a perfect view of the city below.

"Wow." I rush to the glass window. "This is superb! I bet the view is extraordinary at night." I gushed as I look at the people walking by.

"You're acting like a child." He scoffed, "the view at night is normal. There's nothing extraordinary about that."

" You can't be serious." I scoff at his blatant dismissal of the view.

" I'm always serious with my words. I don't joke. " He said in a formal voice.

Hearing him speak, anyone passing by won't know he's talking to his husband. You'll think he's talking to a business partner he just met in the field.

" It's alright. I know you don't." I walk back to the cushion and sat on it.

*

*

"Why did you bring me here?" An hour in here made me frustrated to the extent I felt like ripping my clothes off my body in anger.

"You said you wanted an out, isn't it?"

"I said I wanted to go out of the house and explore, not stay cooped in, in an office."

You see, this is the reason people should seek understanding when they know.

" You don't like it here?" He looked up from the files he was sorting.

" The house is by far better than this place. Should I be allowed to choose between them, I'll choose the house over this."

" You're saying?"

" This place is so damn boring! The school would have been far better than this."

At least, I have Brit to talk to.

" Take this." He dropped a black platinum card on his table.

" What's it for?" I give the card a dark look. Who knows, this might be one of the ways he wants to prank me.

"You can do it down there, and buy anything you want from my supermarket. There's also a restaurant there, you can eat anything you want."

"Really?" I made it take the card from the table, but he placed his palm on it.

"What? Already changed your mind?" I scoff.

"I don't want you to leave the establishment. Should you want to leave, you have to tell me."

" Don't worry, I'm not planning on going out. Moreover, it's been a long since I went out. Should I go out now, I won't know the route to take."

" You can go then." He removed his hand from the card.

" See you." Waving at him, I walk out of his office, and towards the elevator.

*

*

The moment I walked into the cafeteria, the entire place became as quiet as a graveyard. You can hear the drop of a pin should someone care so much as throw one down the floor.

I gave them a look as I walk to the counter.

"What will you like to have?" A cute red-haired female asked.

Dressed in a blue gown, she looks like one of those Disney princesses.

"Uh—" I trail off, not knowing what to answer.

It doesn't help the fact that all the workers here currently have their eyes on me. The attention unnerves me.

"You can check this out. Here is a list of all we have today." She gave me a paper-like list.

" Thanks." I took the list from her and read through it.

"Have you decided on what you want?" She brightly smiled.

"I have. Can I have curry rice with pepper chicken?"

"How do you want your rice to be made. Partially done, fully done, or baby soft?"

Hmm

Which kind of question is this?

"I don't understand. What's baby soft?"

"The rice will be over soft."

"Nah, I don't want that. I want the fully done one."

" How are you paying, cash or—"

" Here." I brought the card out, and placed it in front of her, "you can charge it to this card."

"Wow, you're fully loaded." She winked at me as she ran it up, "are you a new worker here?"

"Nah, I came to visit my husband." I smile at her, "I'm still a student. Not yet a business worker."

"Wow, your husband?"

"Mmm," I nod my head.

" Who's he? Do I know him?"

" He—"

" Are you going to stand there gossiping all day, or what?" An average looking woman snapped at the female I was having a chat with.

" Of course not, ma. I was on the verge of asking what drinks he'll prefer." She smiled at me, but the smile seems like it didn't reach half her face.

" I'll take a pulpy orange. "

" Right on it," she gave my card back to me. "Your husband must be fully loaded."

You don't know half of it.

He's the owner of this place.

" So, how does it work?" I ask, referring to the food I just ordered.

"You can choose any seat you want, I'll bring your food to you when it's ready."

"How long until it's ready?"

"It won't take more than ten minutes." She winked, "be prepared to be swooned by our meal."

"I'll hold you up to that." I pocket the card and walked towards the sitting place.

Almost all the tables are currently occupied by the workers, who're pretending not to be paying any attention to me. But I know they are.

"Come sit with me!" A female enthusiastically waved me over to her table.

I can hear Snickers from the other workers as I decided to take the female up with her call.

Going there will save me the embarrassment of standing until my food is brought to me.

I take a very deep breath before I walked toward the female that waved me over.

Unlike the others, she's sitting alone. But it doesn't seem to phase her at all. She looked too happy to be considered sad.

"He's not all that handsome. What did the boss see in him?" I heard one of the females say.