I stretch my arm, as the clock strikes six PM. It's still Thursday and I am looking forward to reading the recent novel released by my favorite author. Its name is Princess of Fate by Cassandra. It's pretty young adult stuff, and despite being an adult, I still love the characters in the series.

"Lyrica, we are going to hang out at the karaoke, wanna come?" Erica asks. She's one of my friends in the international company I am working for, specifically, she's one of my co-managers.

I shake my head and give her a curt smile. "Sorry, got plans already."

Erica pulls a chair and sits closer to me. "Dave will be joining. You know, that new heartthrob hire. I heard he's interested in you."

I roll my eyes at her. Since I've become twenty-five years old, she has started to suggest guys to me—nonstop. And I am thirty now. Once, they even set up a romantic event for me. They invited guys into the event wherein I asked them questions and I chose who I want to be my date based on the answers.

I rejected it at first. But my friends and officemates were enthusiastic, which gave me a hint that they were planning to match me with a specific guy. To avoid more discussion and complications, I allowed them to continue the planning of the event. I may not like it, but I am still touched that they're planning an event just for me.

However, I still want to avoid the awkward situation of being on a date with a guy I barely know. So, I started a cheating plan. In a subtle way, I told them I have a crush on a guy from our department. I told them the name of my crush was Troy. But that's a lie. Troy is a dear friend, but my teammates don't need to know that.

However, it only made their anticipation of the romantic event even worse, and it became more stressful to me. I don't know how to open it up with Troy until he asked me why he's being invited into an event in my department. I couldn't look him in the eyes. I realized he might really think that I like him differently. However, I still give him another lie and right after I said it, I feel as if I betrayed him. Yet selfishly, I still pray he'll forgive me.

When that romantic event comes, I realize that the guy they are pairing me with perfectly matches my personality. Even our choice of vacation is the same!

I still cheated, though. There are only five participants, and I am familiar with the voice of the two guys because they are Troy's teammates. And well, I am very much familiar with Troy's voice. I don't recognize the other two voices, though, but it doesn't matter. As long as I can pick up Troy's voice, I can choose him and it will be a free meal for us! And maybe he'll forgive me? And whether or not the date happens, I hope nothing will change. He will still be my friend, and there will be no awkwardness that will happen between us.

"Come on, you really should come. Just a few hours will do. I want you there, please?" Erica asks and pouts.

I take a deep breath. "Fine, fine, I'll join. What time will we be leaving?"

"Right now, Dave has his car outside."

I roll my eyes. "I see you didn't prepare for this."

"Yes! Completely coincidental!"

I retrieve my things, and Erica pulls me away from my workstation. Seems like it will be late before I can return home and read my reverse harem novel.

**************************

Dave, I see, is a charming man but still has an adorable side. My friends tease him when he shakes my hand and invites me to sit with him in the passenger seat. He just laughs it all off, but it's evident that he's embarrassed with all the teasing. So I say yes, which might have given him a boost of confidence.

When dinner comes, I sense his interest in getting to know me better. I patronize him because he's very easy to talk to. No airs, despite being successful in his career. During our karaoke session, he sits beside me and I discover he is also attentive. He's observing me too much that even before I ask for anything, he's already handing it to me.

I smile at him when I catch him staring at me. I'd be lying if I don't get pleased with the attention. But I am afraid that like all the other guys who tried to court me, they will all back down when they realize I am more successful than they are. I even got a guy who told me that he doesn't deserve me. So, I told him that he's probably right. Honestly, I like him, but I don't like guys like that. He should have let me decide if he deserves me or not.

"Would you like to sing?" Dave asks, smiling down at me.

He's got an older-than-his-age face, with a thin stubble of facial hair—which only accentuated his looks. He's older than me by three years, which explains his success. And that's one thing I want in a guy. I need him not to feel any insecurity about my success.

"I'm good," I say. "I'm tone deaf."

"Oh! Alas! There is something you're not good at. I'm getting worried that I am about to court a perfect woman."

I giggle. It's been a while since flirting had made me lightheaded like this. "I didn't know that was your plan," I answer. "I should have continued with my disguise."

At the stroke of nine PM, I ask to leave, making up some excuse so I can read my reverse harem novel. Dave offers to drive me home, but I politely decline because I don't like unscheduled visits. Unfortunately, polite rejection does not work on him. In the end, he drives me home.

"Here you go," he says. Before I get out of his car, he reaches for my arm and asks, "Not going to ask me to come up?"

I remove his arm from me. "That's a first group date," I remind him. "Maybe next time."

Besides, I am dying to start reading Cassandra's novel. I don't want any distraction.

"Apologies, Lyrica. I feel like with you, I need to act fast, or else, someone will snatch you away."

"No one's going to steal me. I have no suitors right now." And I'm not even sure if I'll consider him as one.

"Are you serious? No one knows how amazing you are?"

I laugh and I lean towards him to give him a peck on his cheeks. "Good night, Dave. See you around."

And I wonder how long before he'll realize that I am too much for him. When will he decide to stop all this attempt of courting me? Besides, it's always been like this. I should not get my hopes up for something more. Maybe I will give him a week. Or two weeks of giddiness? And then, he'll leave without saying why he decided to stop the courting.