Unrequited Love

Chapter 21

  Taking the subway to the office building I work at, walking into the crowded elevator in the morning with my hot cup of coffee, walking to my desk after greeting my co workers, being invited to lunch, drinking after work; ever day. In some ways it can be nice, my office has a desk I can raise up so I can stand while working instead of sitting. The people I work with are all much younger than I thought they would be; with different colored hair and some even showing their tattoos. The office is rather big, almost as if it was a warehouse before.

"Yuri my man, how are you?" I looked behind me to see Izzy's boyfriend, Micheal walking up.

"I'm not a man but I'm good."

"I need you to send me that code you been working on by the end of the day."

We code video games, I find it rather simple but time consuming on the other hand.

"By the end of the day?" Are you kidding me? I just started working on it this morning."

He laughed, "I'm impressed with your work."

"Thanks"

"You know you don't have to always look so professional, most people come into the office wearing sweatpants."

He was right, but I wasn't any more dressed up than he was- I usually wore a nice pair of jeans with black boots and a button up shirt.

"So you're encouraging me to wear my pajamas to work?"

"As long as you get your work done, fine by me. A relaxed work environment is a less stressful environment!!" He shouted at me as he walked away.

Michael recently took over his father's company and is currently trying to make big chances; 'keeping up with the times' is what he says. Allowing people to dress comfortably, but professionally. Though he considers sweatpants and a hoodie as professional wear. But if you do not get your work done on time or completed right, he is one hellish man- I definitely would not want to be on that mans bad side.

The next day I wore a band t-shirt that showed my arm tattoos, I even put back on my face piercings that I had taken off when I first started working here. The days are starting to warm up, yet the clouds still cover the sky as I walk through the streets in lower Manhattan, it is less crowded than where I used to live. My work is right by the bay, I have been going to a small coffee shop a few blocks down from my where I work almost every morning. 

Before the front door of the coffee shop, I pass by the large glass window that looks in, that is how I saw Ren and Yuri sitting at the table in the corner of the shop. It looked like Ren was doing her work there, she had a laptop in front of her as well as a cup of coffee in a glass; meaning she probably was staying there for a while. Yet Leo had a to-go cup. I saw Yuri stand up from the chair; I quickly walked away from the window and into the alley way that was right next to the shop. I heard footsteps passing by, but I didn't want to look- I closed my eyes like a child that thinks if you cannot see someone, they cannot see you. Then I heard someone walking and when I heard the footsteps stop, I looked up to see Leo staring at me.

She walked up to me in the small alley way, "Yuri? What are you doing here?"

I was flustered, "Uh well I work a few blocks down actually" I awkwardly laughed, "I come to this coffee shop often actually. I was just in the alley way to light my cigarette! Then I was going in."

She wasn't buying this dumb act I was putting on, "You saw Ren and I talking didn't you?"

"Yeah, but it's okay" I scratched the top of my head and looked around not knowing what to say, "I saw you two talking and didn't want to walk in, I mean that would be awkward" I looked up at her, tears were falling from her face, "Leo? What happened?"

Leo looked at me and smiled, even though tears kept falling from her face, "I'm sorry" She whipped her eyes as she was talking, "I was stupid to think Ren would ever love me back."

"What are you talking about? You're like the first person she has ever dated"

"She only dated me because I clinged on to her like a dog."

"Well then that makes two of us"

She smiled at me, "No" She said as she looked down at her hands then back at me, "We are nothing alike, my love is unrequited."

"What are you-"

"I guess you're just as stupid as Ren huh?"

"Bold talk for someone who just turned legal" I'm horrible at comebacks.

She laughed, "I envy you Yuri, you're the one" She paused for a moment, "And you always have been."

I was speechless, I watched her as she walked away from me. I never noticed how tall she was nor how her cheeks turn a light shade of red when she would talk.

She envied me? But why? She was the one Ren choose to date, I should be the one who envies her- I did envy her. I thought Leo and I were the same though, my love was unrequited, why did she tell me it was not. She didn't know anything about Ren and I, about our relationship or who loved who.

I did not go into the coffee shop that morning, especially after what Leo had said to me. I don't think I would know how to approach Ren, I looked over at the window before I left- she was staring at her laptop with her hands to the side of her, probably contemplating life like she always does.

I hope that one day, she will find happiness.

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