"So, thank
you for dropping me off," I said politely while trying to add some enthusiasm
into my voice. In fact I was not thankful. I really wished he did not drive me
back to my apartment. I had to sit through 20 minutes of awkwardness which
seemed to be more stressful than the 15 hours I had just spent in the office,
he now knows where I live which I don’t like, I am somehow indebted to him
because he had to get out of his usual way even if he must also be dead tired
and the thing is, I know I could have gotten home safely on my own. I moved to
unlock the door on the passenger seat, but the door still wouldn’t open. I
looked back at him, smiling as if to say, “Hey, you are so tired that you
forgot to unlock the door, hihihi,” although what I really wanted to say is, “Dude,
don’t sleep on me, just let me out so we can both move on to our beds already.”
"I actually feel like I need
a cup of coffere," he said with a grin.
"Oh," I said. So he
thinks he is being cute. This is a generic plot device for characters to get
together in TV shows. Actually, I have imagined myself in a similar situation
before several times, running through different scenarios. The scenario that
applies to this particular guy is to tell him that sorry, but the only edible
thing in my shoebox sized apartment - which I don’t want him to see, is a pint
of strawberry flavored yogurt which I am not sharing with him, so I have not an
ounce of coffee at all. “There is a coffee
shop on the other side of the building; you can get a cup there." Goodness,
do I have to go with him? Does he want me to pay? Seriously, my fare, if he
didn’t drive me, would have been cheaper than a cup of coffee.
"That’s great. Should I go
around or can I park here?”
“You can leave it here. There really
is no suitable parking space on the other side, I think, besides it’s dawn and
there is very little traffic. We can just cross through the lobby to the other side.”
So I finally got out of his car,
the weight of my laptop and some papers I brought home weighing down my already
tired shoulders. My baggages felt twice heavier with the thought that instead
of being able to lay them down on my floor in the next 5 minutes, I would have
to haul them to the other side of the building. I had to get him through the
building, so I have to go with him.
“Let me get that,” he snatched
the sling of the laptop bag off of my shoulder, while he also carried his.
I asked my doorman to look after
the car outside as we passed by him. We got across the courtyard, re-entered
the building and then headed to the coffee shop which staff was already turning
chairs on top of tables, apparently getting ready to close down. We resumed our
awkward silence through all of this.
"What do you want?" I
asked him. "I'll give you a treat since you drove me home."
"I won’t say no to that,” he
answered like he had been expecting that the whole time.
We tried to do some small talk
while we hung around in front of the counter waiting for our drinks. I got tea in
anticipation of a calming well deserved sleep. Just a few more minutes of
keeping my eyes open and trying to be coherent, I thought. And then we got our
drinks and he headed to the nearest table. Ok, he is planning to stay? Then why
didn’t we just put down our heavy stuff earlier? Can’t he just drink and drive
at the same time? Will it be okay if I just leave him here? These thoughts were
running through my head while he rambled about a topic we were both pretending
to be interested about. I had no choice but to take the seat opposite his. We
danced along a few more topics after that and I was in a worse state. My tea
made me sleepier while he was not sipping his coffee that much at all. Seemed
he doesn’t need to because he is livelier now than when we were in his car
earlier. I, on the other hand, was effortlessly displaying my sleepiness, which
he is conveniently ignoring.
"This place feels stuffy,"
he told me as our recent topic reached another dead end. "And I think they
are about to close up," he gestured around the café.
“Yeah, I think they close at 2
AM." Finally! I can feel my bed on my back already.
“I think we should bring this to
pool side.” He suggested, already getting up and pulling at my laptop bag
along.
Uhm, I don’t think so. “It’s
really late, and I have to go home to my parent’s place early in the morning,
which is only a few hours later, so… and if you are not sleepy anymore and can
already drive, maybe you should also get some rest already.” I had to make up
the going home part just to make my need to get rid of him sound urgent, since
just being sleepy seem to be a not good enough reason.
“Oh,” he said, looking like a
drowned puppy. It would really have made me feel guilty if I was not so annoyed
with him right now.
“But you can stay there, I can
tell the doorman to not shoo you away.” I still managed some pretend courtesy,
and I added some glee to my voice just to lighten the atmosphere.
“No, no need. I think I should really
get going.” He said walking ahead of me.
“Are you sure? If you are feeling
sleepy, you can rest first.” I suggested when we exited the store and got near
the courtyard.
“Hmmm?” He halted and turned to
me. He looked puzzled. “Uhm, I am a bit confused here,” he struggled to say.
“About?”
“Was that an invitation to your
place?” I just stared at him. What did he mean? “Coz, I thought you were making
me go home already.”
“I was, if you feel like you can
already.”
“Okay, I guess I misread.” He turned
and walked briskly to re-enter the building.
Did he think what I am thinking
right now that he thought? I don’t really want to know so I resumed my slow
pace. When I got into the building, I saw him waiting near the main door which
led to the outside of my apartment building towards the street where his car
was parked. My laptop bag is on the floor.
“So, thanks again.” I said before
leaning to pull my laptop bag up.
“Yeah,” he said dismissively.
“Drive safely.” I added. I would
normally wait for my visitors to be out of my view before I turn to go, most of
the time I would even walk them out, but I just did not feel like it now.
Besides, he looked grumpy, I was a bit scared and just wanted to get away
quickly. I heard him give a heavy sigh behind me, as if to catch my attention.
I unwillingly faced him back.
“Did I totally misread this?
Because I am already here, and it’s hard to get this opportunity again, given
our out of town schedules and all, and it will be such a waste if we let this
night pass without… taking the next step.”
I have a strong hunch that my
guess on what he is saying is right. I somehow feel insulted at his
insinuation, but flattered at the same time. Okay, this is weird, and if we don’t
navigate this carefully, we would be a mess at work. Should I appear indignant
and make him feel embarrassed? Should I make a light joke out of it as if I am
just cool with it? My head is racing; I would have forgotten I am sleepy if my
eyes aren’t drooping. I decided to go with impulse. “I am tired, you are tired,
let’s talk about this with clearer minds.” I stepped towards him and gave him a
light peck on the cheek. I think I don’t want any of this crap this dawn, but I
also don’t want to completely discourage him.
His arm snaked around my waist. “I
had coffee, I have energy.” His lips then chased mine.
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