I was in my office, sighing occasionally while glaring at my computer.
"Come on, Kel, you're not a snake. Stop hissing, will you?"
"I wish I could, but it's not me. I can't be idle this way. The others are at their game while we are sitting here jobless."
"Come on, we are also on our A game. Have you forgotten we pulled an exclusive just last week? Chillax, handsome," Tracey said, winking at me.
I quietly smiled at her. Monica can be a sweet pill when needed at the right time. One reason why I like her so much.
"Okay, okay, I see what you're trying to do. By the way, why haven't I seen Greg lately?" I asked Monica while looking around the office, hoping to see a glimpse of Greg.
"Well, I wouldn't know. He might be somewhere snooping his nose around some news. You should know by now what he knows how to do best," Monica said with a shrug.
"I know, right?" I answered. Monica wasn't wrong about what she said at all. This is who Greg has always been, and what I want to be as well. Greg's passion is that of journalism, just like me. Maybe that's why we have been able to stay as roommates for five years now.
We had the same passion. In the past, we would search the internet for what could be used as a news article. We studied at the same school and became roommates even at school.
"Hey, Kel, why don't we go grab a drink, since everyone is less busy at the moment."
I took a glance at Monica and paused my lips. I contemplated whether to listen to her or not.
"Come on, stop contemplating now. We'll be back before you know it. There's nothing to think about now."
I heaved a long sigh with a roll of my eyes under my transparent glasses.
"Come on…" Monica pulled me up from my chair by holding my arm.
"Okay, okay, I'm coming with you."
"Yes!" Monica exclaimed.
"Ah, don't get excited too quickly. I'm not going to stay long hours with you, just bear that in mind."
"We don't have to stay long hours outside. What's more important is, we get to get some fresh air outside."
We both went out to the cafeteria, where we ordered the same coffer. As far as I can remember, it turned out, Monica liked the same thing I liked, which made me wonder if this was because we are similar or if it was just me liking the things that girls liked as well.
"Hey, what will you be doing this weekend? Mind if we hang out?"
I took a glance at Monica. For the past one year, as far as I can remember, she's been trying to ask me out. At least, that's what I can get out of all the things she's been doing. But at the same time, I might be dead wrong, and it could be that she wasn't even thinking of such, who knows.
"I don't know about the weekend. I promise I'll be visiting my mom this weekend. I can't really tell."
"Oh, I see. That's no issue all the same. We can always hang out whenever you are free, if that's okay with you."
"Huh? Of course, it's okay with you." For some reason, I could tell the disappointment written all over her face, even though she was trying to smile and not show just how bad she felt. But seeing her putting efforts into her smile even when she didn't feel like smiling only made me feel terrible.
"I'll try my best to hang out with you," I repeated.
That seemed to have worked, as she smiled brightly at me.
"Then I'm going to take your word for it."
We both smiled at each other and smiled. We drank our coffee in the silence of each other's company.
Just then, a lady walked up to us. I knew who she was, but pretended to be so engrossed in my coffee.
"Hey, Kel, you're here," she said, sitting next to me on the table I and Tracy shared.
"H…hi," I replied, not sparing her too much glance.
"Uhm, Kel, I was given a project to work on, and since you are my senior in this field, I would like for you to help me out, please?"
"Uhm, I can help you too, Rosa," Monica offered.
I heaved a silent sigh of relief. Monica must have noticed that I was in a difficult situation earlier.
"No need," I heard Rosa say as she quickly stood up from the chair and walked away.
I quickly raised my gaze up at Monica.
"You must have been my savior in my past life, I'm certain. Thank you so much for saving me," I said genuinely.
"It's no problem, Kel, I'm always here for you," Monica said, placing her hands in mine. She rubbed the back of my hands with her thumb. For some reason, I didn't like what she was doing with her thumb, it made me cringe. I slowly withdrew my hand from hers.
After spending an hour at the cafeteria, we decided to head back to the office.
Just as we arrived at the office, I was shocked to see Greg sitting on my chair with his hands in his cardigan pockets.
"Greg, you're here," Monica uttered while scurrying to meet him. I also walked over to him, wondering what he had been doing these past few days.
The moment he turned around, and his gaze fell on me, he suddenly lit up. Immediately, he stood up from the chair to meet me. He pulled me with him outside the office.
Monica wouldn't just sit back, knowing Greg was up to something.
"What's going on, Greg, why did you pull me out here?" I asked, while staring at him, confusedly.
"You won't believe anyone who just got the opportunity to get an interview with a world-famous celebrity," Greg said with a gigantic smile plastered on his face as though he were about to announce pay day. We all know it's just the beginning of a new month, so pay day doesn't come until the end of the month.
"What are you talking about, Greg?"
"Remember what we talked about last week? You know, after that day I did some research about him, and I found out that there are so many journalists all around the world who are dying to get an exclusive with him, so I took it to the boss through a letter."
"H…hold on a minute, who are we talking about here?" I asked, trying to understand the situation.
"Well, who else if not Drake," Greg stated, nonchalantly.
At that very moment, my heart stopped.