Quite Quitting

Less Fighting, More Flirting

"What?" Alex dumbfoundedly said. "David, can you give us a second?" He kindly asked. Nicest I've ever seen him with David. David shrugged and hustled out of my cube area. "Okay, what's going on?" He took the seat on David's chair and rolled it closer to me, so we were face to face a few inches away. He used this position to give me a light kiss.

"Nothing. I didn't expect you to start looking for someone to replace me immediately." I quietly mumbled when we parted.

"But I thought you wanted to leave?" He confusedly asked.

"Not till May, remember?"

"Oh, I am not holding you to that! You are free to go as soon as I find someone!" He cheerfully said.

I humph. "Fine, I'll just leave this instance, shall I? And you can hire the girl you met with just now!"

"Wait, what? Are you mad again? I am doing what you asked me to...." He blankly stared at me. Like he couldn't believe he liked a girl so illogical. "And it wasn't a girl. 2 interns who were interested in working here were working in that online clothing store downstairs. Both guys. I was thinking of hiring more than one person for your job, and if you want, none of them has to be a girl." He resisted the urge to laugh as he spoke the last few words.

I may be insane. Based on a few facts David shared, I had imagined a whole scenario in my head. Meanwhile, Alex was trying to do what I had asked, replace me so I could leave. "Sorry, I am a bit out of it today. My brain isn't working right."

"You didn't get any sleep after you left?" He worriedly asked.

"I did. That's the problem. I slept more than my usual 3 hours." I joked, hoping he would overlook my apparent jealous-fueled reaction.

"See, I must get you out as soon as possible. I like you spending more of your time in bed. Mainly my bed!" He winked. I rolled my eyes though a huge smile replaced my previous scowl. He raised his hand so his sleeves would roll back slightly, giving him access to his watch, "Two minutes and 20 seconds."

"What?"

"That's how long this fight lasted–they are getting shorter! Before you know it, we won't have anything to fight about." He commented.

"God willing!" I said, knocking on my wooden desk.

"Okay, let me go and get some work done now that I only have half a secretary who comes in when the day ends. Shame, Shame!" he faked a shocked expression.

"What do you need help with?" I asked, exasperated.

"Nothing, you can head home soon. So start your night early!" He offered.

"You know I am supposed to be the one Quiet Quitting. This feels more like a Loud Shoving out the door. You're fully trying to kick me out of the company now, Mr.Tribecc?" I said, raising my eyebrows at him.

"Okay, fine. We have our first official meeting with Vcard. You can join and take notes. Then do some follow-up on the action items with them. We will most likely discuss deadlines for the VR project." Alex explained.

"Okay, maybe I'll show up, maybe I won't...." I joked.

"Maybe I'll wait, maybe I...." I made a puppy dog face. "Okay, I'll wait. See you in the conference room in half an hour?"

I nodded vigorously. Alex smiled, and I saw a dimple on his right cheek. My heart skipped a beat, and I felt light-headed. I couldn't help it, so I grabbed him by the collar and smacked his lips into mine, breathing him in, tasting his flavor. "Oh–someone is getting brave!" He said when I let him go.

"I've always been brave–did you not see me in action last night? I thought Glenn was going to kill me!" I said without thinking. Alex's expression changed fast at the mention of Glenn. "I am sorry. I shouldn't have brought up last night like that."

"It's fine," He said, faking a smile.

"How is he?" I cautiously inquired.

"I talked to my parents. I...yelled at my parents and then kicked him out–look, can we not talk about this anymore? I've decided not to let someone else's grief be my problem, and I feel excellent about this decision!" He loudly demanded though I didn't quite buy it.

"Okay." I agreed. "I'll see you in a few?" I added to ensure my curiosity didn't contradict his shorter fight theory.

"Definitely." He converted my theory to law with a real full smile. I replied with a beaming smile of my own, and we stayed like that for a while. Neither of us moved. Me just staring at his dimple. Hopefully, he saw past my tired face into whatever beauty I possessed.

I blinked, breaking the spell but not by choice. My phone had started ringing. Alex nodded toward my desk as it threatened to fall due to the vibrations. However, I caught it before it could and answered it without paying much attention to who exactly was calling me.

"Hello," I answered.

"Hey, feel like I haven't talked to you in a while." oh crap. Short fight law is about to turn back into a theory.

"Hey..." I slowly said. "Yeah, it's been a while."

"How is your hotel room friend doing?"

"He is–well–not in any imminent danger currently–I think." I stuttered.

"Oh, good to know. So listen, I wanted to see if you could get dinner. Julia and I–well, we weren't on the same page, and you and I always were. I know you said you didn't want anything serious, but that was a while back now and–and well–" Ben also stuttered.

"Oh, Ben. I think–" crap, I said his name. So Alex did not let me finish my thoughts. He grabbed the phone from my hand immediately.

"Hey, Ben. This is Alex–yes, the boss she hates so much–" He said, widening his eyes at me. "Well, I think she hates me a little less now, we are dating–that's right–yeah, your loss indeed–but listen, that's not what I wanted to talk to you–" that may be one of the reasons I thought. "I wanted to thank you for helping my brother when he had an issue a few weeks back. Thanks–sure, let me give her the phone back." He lazily handed the phone back to me.

"So you're not free for dinner tonight, are you?" Ben knowingly asked.

"No," I smiled.

"I am an idiot–see you around, Char."

"See you around, Ben," and we both simultaneously hung up.

"No, you will not!" Alex added. "And stop smiling while talking to another man in front of your boyfriend," he proudly said, puffing out his chest.

"It helps to know you get jealous, too, and I am not the only crazy one."

"Oh no, no, I saw you make out with that guy. I have the right to be jealous!" Alex yelled.

"I saw you make out with so many girls, so I also have the right to be jealous!"

"Okay, fair, but–"He wagged his finger at me and my phone–"How about you block his number."

"How about you block the numbers of all the girls you've hooked up with?" I countered.

"Okay, touché. Alex relented. "I have work to do!' He said, getting up and walking away.

"You are deleting them, right?" I shouted behind him.

"They are already gone, babe!" He answered back. I smiled at my computer screen, unable to concentrate on any of its contents.