He pulls back his shoulders, something shifting in his expression—part frustration, part something else that makes my breath catch.I pick up my coffee, returning to my seat, a spring in my step.
I expect him to follow me to continue the argument, and when he doesn’t, I hum to myself happily, proud of getting one over him.It might have been a petty blow, but I don’t hold myself to such high standards where I would feel anything akin to guilt for hitting below the belt.He was the one goading me.
Marinating in my small win, I start up my laptop and begin going over the finalized campaign ideas.This time I’m working on two campaign ideas, just in case one is leaked.The idea of having a backup campaign alleviates some of the tension plaguing me.I’ve not yet discussed this with anyone, that I’m working on another campaign idea, but I know I will have to eventually run it by Iris.The only problem I foresee is that working on two campaigns at the same time will mean more resources being divided, and I don’t know whether or not it will affect our main project.
I hear Caleb’s chair creak beside me, and I ignore him.In college, I never had any guy on my radar.Except for Caleb.He was always there, on the edge of my vision, always lingering.He was charming and funny, the most popular guy in our department.Everybody knew him or had heard of him.He was always surrounded by girls, arriving late to class, lounging in the back row.I don’t think I ever saw him set foot in the library, and considering I spent all my free time in there, I would know.
I just couldn’t understand how someone so obviously lazy and carefree could still outdo me in studies.His GPA was always a decimal point higher.No matter what I did, I just couldn’t beat him.And it didn’t stop there.We fought for the same internships, the same RA positions.Whenever I aimed for something, he would be there to snatch it from me.I got the RA position, but he got the internship that would have opened doors for me.He went for it the day after he found out I was applying for it.What made it worse was he didn’t even need the internship since he had completed the alternative assignment.
Frustration floods me.I had hoped I wouldn’t have to see him again.But here he is like a disease I can’t get rid of.
Diving into work, I force all thoughts of Caleb into the background.I’m so deeply focused that when my phone begins to ring, I don’t even look at the screen, swiping the icon automatically and pressing the phone to my ear.
“Hello?”
For a moment there is no answer on the other end, and then I hear a familiar voice which has me losing my train of thought.
“Eve.”
My hand tightens over the phone, and I squeeze my eyes shut, annoyance flaring hot in my chest.Under that strong emotion is the sting of betrayal.
“What do you want, Luis?”I ask sharply.
I know he doesn’t like it when I use that tone.Like most men from my community, Luis believes that women should talk in a soft tone like my sister and pamper him like my mother.That is where we disagree.I refuse to submit to his weird-ass ideas of how a woman is supposed to behave.
“I was thinking I’ll pick you up tonight for dinner,” he says.
I let out a gust of air, leaning back in my seat and closing my eyes as I pinch the bridge of my nose.“What the hell are you talking about, Luis?Why would I go out to dinner with you?Did you miss the part where I broke up with you?”
“To talk about our future, Eve.”I can almost see him frowning in that disapproving way of his.
“There is no future.I told you that.What you and I want are two very different things.Specifically, you want a housewife, and I want a backbone.”
There’s silence on the other end, and then he says, “Your mother said you were ready to apologize.That’s why I called.”
My eyes fly open, cold anger whipping through me like a hurricane.“My mother said that?When was this?When you were complaining about me to her over dinner two nights ago?”I see Caleb walk out of the kitchen, and I lower my voice.“I’m not apologizing for anything, Luis, and for god’s sake, grow a pair and stop running to my mother to snitch about me like we’re in elementary school.”
I don’t give him the opportunity to respond, ending the call and slamming the phone down on my desk, desperately wishing I could throw it against the wall and watch it break into a thousand pieces.
Glaring at the phone, I try to count to ten in my head to calm down.Of course my mother would tell him I’m ready to apologize.How could I expect her not to interfere just because I’ve told her so a hundred times?I’m tempted to pick up the phone and say a few choice words to her, but I know exactly how that’s going to go.
The chair to my right moves, and I see Caleb sitting down, his voice doing nothing to bring down my rising blood pressure.“And here I thought I was the only one you talked to in that tone.”Grabbing the edge of his desk, he pulls himself closer to it, reaching for his bag.“Turns out you treat everybody that way.You must have lots of friends.”
I would normally have a sharp quip to hit him with, but his words strike a raw nerve.They shouldn’t because they’re nothing more than a childish taunt.But my heart tightens in my chest almost painfully, and I try to breathe through the torrential emotions ripping me apart.
Fortunately, I am saved from responding to him as Joshua strolls in.“Morning.Think fast, Eve.”
I turn around, only to see something that looks like a burrito being thrown straight at me.There is no way I will be able to move fast enough to stop it from smacking me in the face.But before I can flinch, Caleb’s hand darts out right in front of my face, catching the burrito before it can make impact.
My eyes wide, I stare at the back of his hand as he slowly lowers it.My heart does this ridiculous stutter at the protective gesture, and I hate that I can’t control my reaction.
“Sorry,” Joshua grins sheepishly.“You usually have sharp reflexes.You good?”
My heart is pounding rapidly for some reason.Maybe the short burst of adrenaline.Or maybe it’s the way Caleb is still sitting close enough that I can smell his cologne.
“Why can’t you hand me things like a normal person, Joshua?”I demand, trying to ignore the warmth spreading through my chest.
He just grins before sitting down beside me.“It’s a breakfast burrito.I know you don’t have breakfast, but I thought you might like it.I got you one, too, Caleb.”
