"What are you doing here?" I ask the dumbest question of the century.
Of course, he came to buy coffee. Why else will he be here if not to get coffee?
"I came to get coffee. Why else do you think I came here?" He raised a brow.
"To return a library book?" I joked.
"You bet." He laughed at my words, "you truly are something else."
"I've been told that, countless times, for me to remember." I shrug.
"What do you say, we have a talk over coffee?"
"I don't think it is possible. I came to get coffee for my boss. Wouldn't want to anger the boss man."
"Who would want that?" He smirked, "of course, I was joking. Let's have a drink after office hours? I need to go through something, with you."
"I'll be there then." I smile at him, "give me a call when you reach whatever bar you might choose."
"When are you getting off work?"
"Should I be late, it will be at eight."
"Roger that," he smirked, "I will be sure to check on you by eight, tonight."
"I'll be waiting for the call."
"Won't keep you waiting," he winked, before he pointed, "it's your turn."
"Oh," I turn in surprise. "Thanks for the head up."
I was busy having a chat with him, not knowing it was my turn.
"What do you want?" The male behind the counter smiled at me, "the usual dark coffee?"
"Thank you," I smile at him.
"Why do you like having that bitter stuff?" He wrinkled his nose as if he can't entertain the thoughts of drinking the dark bitter caffeine.
"It's not mine. It's for my boss at the company I'm working at. He loves to have his coffee, dark and bitter."
"I see." He turned to prepare the coffee.
"Here you go." He placed two coffee cups in front of me.
"Sorry, I ordered one," I called his attention to the coffee he placed in front of me.
"The other is yours. It's on the house."
"Oh, thanks." I smile at him, "I will be sure to drink the coffee with a goofy smile on my face."
"I hope you like you."
"I will."
I paid for the one I bought for my boss and bade farewell to Kel before I started the walk back to the company.
Mar must be shutting in his pants. I know I wasted enough time standing in the queue. Not to talk of the time I wasted speaking with Kel and the barrister whom I forgot to ask his name from.
Had it been the other café on the other side of the road, I wouldn't have needed to ask for his name. His name would have been written on the shirt he's putting on.
*
*
"You are back?" BB asked when I came into the office building.
"Are you monitoring me now?" I raise a brow at her.
"I'm making sure you don't get lost in the sea of people."
"And why should I get lost?"
"I don't know," she shrugged before her eyes lighted on the drink in my hand. "Who did you get this for?"
"Who else, but the boss?"
"No, I mean this one with a beautiful cup. Who's the owner?"
"I'm the owner."
"When did you start drinking coffee?"
"Today."
"Did you buy that for yourself, or did someone get it for you?"
"And what concern of you is that?"
"Tell me." She looked eager to hear the juicy gossip, "I promise, I won't tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me. I won't tell anyone. Trust me with that."
As if.
I resisted the urge to scoff at her words. Telling her my secrets is the same as shouting out to the entire universe.
Before I reach the office, my supposed secrets will undoubtedly reach the ears of all the workers in the office.
By nighttime, my poor name would have passed through the mouth of every worker.
"The boss gave me the money to buy mine. He said I deserve to have caffeine in my system."
"Oh," she sighed in disappointment.
"What were you hoping? Who did you think bought it for me?" I asked, despite knowing what she has in mind.
"I thought a secret admirer. It would have made a juicy secret. If only you and the boss has something going on between you, it would have made a juicy gossip."
If only you knew.
"As much as I would have loved to chat with you all day, I can't do that. I need to give the boss his coffee. I will be back when I have the chance."
Probably in my tenth life.
"You promise?"
'I can't promise that. But should I get the chance, I will pay you a visit in your office."
"I will be waiting."
Keep on waiting until you grow gray hairs.
"Okay." Waving at her, I walk to the elevator. I entered and entered the number of the second to the last floor.
Had someone told me I will be this eager to go to the boss's office, I would have doubted their words, but it seems the words are true.
Currently, I feel like the elevator isn't going too fast.
*
*
"You took your time, didn't you?" Mar raised his face to look at me.
"The queue was much. I was twenty persons from the counter when I went." I drop his coffee on the table and took mine.
"You bought?" He gave the coffee in my hand a look.
"No, I didn't buy it." I look at the coffee in question.
"How did you get it?"
"One of the baristas gave me. He said I deserve to know the taste of their coffee."
"And he gave you a designer cup?"
"This might be the cup he saw when he was making mine." I shrug, "The content is what I'm after." I open the cap.
"Bring it here."
"What?" I blink in question.
"Bring the coffee. I want to check something."