"But you said it was for only this week… Why so suddenly?" Elara asked the person behind the phone while putting on a thin chain gold necklace.
After putting them on, she reached out to a pair of small circular earrings that had a delicate gold bow at the top; its circular part was covered with alternating pearls and sparkling stones, giving it an elegant feel.
She had on a white top with lace-up front detailing paired with matching high-waisted pleated shorts and accessories.
She sighed softly, "I'm only accepting this offer because it's you, Mrs Anne. Otherwise, I don't like compromising my free days… it goes on for two more weeks?! Mrs Anne… I love the kids but… Hey, don't baby-trap me here! Using my love for those little ones is so not cool!"
"Alright, but not during weekends; I won't be clocking in on weekends. No problem, it's the least I could do… for the kids. I am not being stubborn. It's true. No, no, no, it won't work ever again. Fine, I'll come visit soon."
Elara ended the call before letting out a loud groan. Now she has no free days for two weeks! Instead of adding extra staff to handle a project, Neva would rather stick to forcing a small group to handle the project while giving them little to no time.
In the end, the group would end up having to hire more helpers on their own just to be able to complete the project on time. Wasn't this workers' abuse?
'I am sure it's some corrupt official trying to smuggle out as much money as they could that's doing this to the staff. If this goes on, I'll have to talk with Mrs Anne about making an official complaint to put them to order, whoever it be,' Elara thought grimly.
The worst part was that it seemed targeted at Mrs Anne, did she offend someone?
Elara knew it probably wasn't an issue from the topmost sector, say the CEO, who she just happened to be close to, but somewhere else in the hierarchy and as a professional, she'd rather follow the correct procedure than skip everything and complain directly to Terrence just because they were close.
Besides, she despised using friendships like that; a favor as large as that she probably won't be able to return was something she'd rather avoid.
Reluctantly accepting her freedom would be compromised for a while, she decided to hurry up to work to at least get her coffee early without having to wait too long.
Putting on a creamy-colored oversized blazer with large buttons, she added a white baker boy cap, a pair of transparent fancy glasses, and lastly, a pair of classic white sneakers.
Staring at herself in the mirror she smiled satisfactorily.
"Alright, time to leave!"
***
"Fuck! I must have left it in the office! Damn it!"
After working from morning till lunch break, Elara was basically in a daze when she went to the break room to purchase lunch from a self-service section.
Because of this she forgot her card and had to go back to where she came from like an idiot.
Meanwhile at one side of the breakroom, two men huddled together discussing something with all seriousness.
"Yeah, I learned the basics from YouTube, and I'm quite fit since I'm always hitting the gym, so I'm very sure I can take on a bear," a brunette male bragged to his colleague.
I don't think it works like that…"
"For you maybe, but let me tell you, I'm built diff—" the brunette was cut off when a large ferocious dog dashed into the room, running right at him.
"Ahhhh!!! What the fuck?! What the fuck is that??" he screamed for dear life while leaping unto a table while his gist partner ran off to a different position.
"Woof!"
Screams and curses erupted throughout, chaos ensued with foods and drinks spilling everywhere and people leaping unto the table to take cover, with some huddling together on one table with little to no space.
"Woof! Woof!" the huge dog dashed through the room, messily eating and licking the foods and drinks that had spilled on the floor while everyone huddled on the tables, shivering in fear.
"Oh my God whose dog is that??"
"Is there no one here who's good with dogs?!"
"They're all in their various offices!"
"Fuck! Sofia aren't you a dog lover??"
"Are you fucking high? You want me to approach… That?!"
The 'that' in question was indeed terrifying; it was almost as large as a person, looked absolutely terrifying, and with how energetic it was like it was on caffeine overdose, they felt lucky it had food and drinks to distract it, or they'd have to face it head-on.
And despite their numbers, they weren't confident in taming that thing.
"Where are the fucking men? Are y'all even men??"
"I support gender equality, no way in fuck am I tackling that thing!"
"How the heck did all the useful people end up in the office leaving us with… ourselves?!"
"Mike, didn't you say you could fight a bear? Why not put it to practice now?"
"Fuck you, Jonathan!"
"Bastard! Am not the one who was spouting crap!"
"Okay, this is just stupid; instead of cursing ourselves out, why not find a solution? Does no one have a phone here? We can call sec—"
The person speaking was cut off by the sound of the door opening. In came Elara, whose face was as dim as a cloudy sky; not only did she walk back hungry to look for her card, she spent a whole five minutes searching for it before finding it, and now her mood was just fucked up.
Just then, she noticed the oddness of the room; looking, she was shocked to see people huddled up on tables, staring at her intensely.
"What the—"
"Woof!"
Before she could complete her words something came dashing at her with great speed! It was a huge bulldog!
Instinctively, she spread apart her legs, crouching to a low position to maintain balance, and thus, when the dog collided with her at full speed, she managed to catch it easily without toppling over.
"Who—hey buddy, whose are you? Hey, that tickles," Elara asked in between giggles as the dog slurped her face in excitement while wagging its tail.
Managing to calm down the hyperactive dog, whose tail was still wagging in excitement, she faced the crowd.
"So… Who owns him?"
Everyone:....
***
Later on, the dog owner turned out to be a security officer who the dog had slipped away from when they were handling an issue in some other department.
The dog might have smelt the smell of food and followed its nose to the writers' department breakroom, which led to chaos.
As an apology, the guard ended up buying for everyone involved in the incident drinks and gifted Elara a one-time use ticket for a free meal in an eatery, which Elara accepted very eagerly.
She ended up gaining some repute not only in her department but in others as well, leaving her with the corny nickname: 'the tough bitch'. Pun intended.
'Someone thought they were cooking with that didn't they?' Elara thought in amusement while eating.
After clocking out by 7 pm she decided to use the voucher instead of pushing her already tired self to cook.
She was glad the next day was a weekend, even though she had work to do then as well.
She sighed, maybe she should have stood her ground more with Anne.
While eating, her phone rang; looking at the contact, she wasn't surprised to see Terrence's number; he must have heard about the incident.
"How are you?" a worried voice echoed through the phone.
Elara sighed internally, everything about Terrence was indeed too perfect even his voice was like soothing music.
The only one she had come across that came close to his perfection was probably Terra.
"I'm alright, just eating," she replied casually.
"I heard it came at full force!" he had been so worried he even checked the CCTV camera, only for his anxiety to worsen.
"I have incredible balance don't worry," Elara consoled.
"Be more careful," he replied with a grouchy tone causing Elara to chuckle internally.
She could imagine the male pouting unhappily because of her carefree attitude towards the matter.
"Then, want to meet up tomorrow morning for a jog around my neighborhood?" Elara suggested.
Terrence was quiet for a while before replying, "Alright, I'll be there by 6, don't be late….. And be more careful."
Looking at her phone with the call already ended, Elara giggled.
Was this what real-life tsunderes were like? How adorable.
***
Meanwhile, in Terrence's office, Terrence was barely listening as Merlin read out the next day's agenda; after he was done, he asked, "Is that all?"
Merlin, getting a bad feeling, instantly replied, "Yes, and they're very important. Postponing them will…"
"I'm hanging out with Elara," Terrence said, staring at Merlin with a clear gaze.
"Sir…"
"All day long."
"....."
"But sir—"
"I'm going to ask her to make me something nice."
"....this is worker's abuse, sir…. " 'I also want to stay with my wife you asshole!'
"You'll be paid triple."
"...."
"...."
…..Fuck!
"I'll adjust the schedule, sir," Merlin succumbed, weeping heavily inside.
"Good."
Watching Terrence beaming with joy all through the journey home Merlin suddenly wished he was back to his single days. At least then he could spend more time with his darling wife.
***
"You're here," Elara quipped happily on seeing Terrence arrive.
He had on a grey short sleeve top and boxers exposing his toned arms and legs along with a pair of black running shoes.
Elara admired his body briefly; the short-sleeved shirt was doing god's work by showing off those alluring muscles of his. Beauty truly was something; just by simply being gorgeous, even the simplest of clothes would become something else once you wore them.
It reminded her of an episode in an anime show she watched where all the ladies started buying a particular set of clothes just because a beautiful girl looked great in it, even though the clothes were horrible.
She had laughed it off as a gag scene, but now, with Terrence standing before her, looking like he came to model clothes right off shelves just by wearing them, she finally believed.
"So? Am not late am I?" she asked cheekily.
Terrence nodded absent-mindedly, seeing Elara in a sports bra and leggings left him a bit occupied.
This was the second time he saw her figure clearly and he had to agree, she was indeed well endowed.
Looking up to Elara he flinched on noticing her grinning at him, "Should I turn around as well?"
Terrence flushed red in embarrassment. How could he be caught staring?! Fuck!
He coughed lightly in a bit to hide his shame, "We should leave."
Watching the male trottle away shyly, Elara teased, "Oh my, are you feeling shy~?"
Terrence: *jogs away faster*
"Haha, okay, okay, I'll stop! Wait up!"
***
"So you're planning to go back soon?" Terrence asked Elara as they approached her house.
They had taken fifteen minutes to circle the neighborhood and were coming back to Elara's house.
"Yeah, soon; I do like taekwondo and would like to go back soon, but I am still very busy with my novels, so although I'll be back, it won't be THAT soon," Elara said while coming to a halt.
"We should walk instead, we're almost there anyways."
Alright."
They finally arrived. Just as Elara opened her gate, a figure flew straight at her at a speed near akin to that of light. Her eyes widened in shock as she instantly changed her posture.
Terrence was a step too late and could only stare in shock as a flash of peach zoomed past him, and the figure leaped unto Elara.
Elara stumbled back at the intact but managed to support the figure that stuck onto her in a tight embrace.
Long peach hair fluttered lightly in the air, cascading onto the owner's back all in one beautiful motion.
Terrence, snapping out of his shock, immediately reached out to Elara… he at least tried to when his heart dropped to his stomach at the sight he saw.
The peach-haired girl had her long legs wrapped around Elara's waist while Elara's arms were placed under her bottom in an attempt to keep her balanced.
She hovered over; tilting her head downwards she pulled up Elara's face closer to hers. Her hair fell over slightly, covering the intimate position of their faces, and leaning down, the peach-haired girl placed a sensual kiss….on Elara's nose.
Terrence's heart, which had toppled into the abyss, rose again as he let out a huge sigh of relief internally. The next instant he grasped the peachy lady by her hand and dragged her off of Elara angrily.
She stumbled away from Elara in confusion while Elara dumbly stood with her hands outstretched making him angrier. Why did she stand there and let all this happen and who was this lady?!
"Ugh… Who the fuck are you?" the peach-colored girl asked rudely, her pink eyes glaring ferociously at Terrence.
"Excuse you?" Terrence retorted, a vein popping on his forehead.
Elara on sensing something bad was about to happen tried to step in, "Guys calm—"
The peach-haired lady cut her off by pulling her by the waist into her; her face nestled to the bundle of softness on her chest.
Terrence felt his anger spike to an unreasonable degree, like a volcano was exploding in his mind but before he could even react, a bomb was dropped right at him.
"What are you doing with my fucking girlfriend motherfucker?!"
Terrence:...
Elara:....
What?!?