She was busy setting up for her shift, her last for the week, when she heard someone behind her say her name. She knew it was him without even looking and she felt her body tense up and her cheeks warm at the thought of facing him after their disastrous video call.
She took a deep breath and forced her face into a smile before turning around.
"Dei, we need to talk."
"Uhm.. my shift starts in ten minutes. Can't it wait until first break?"
Instead of addressing her concern, he turned towards the workforce podium and much to the surprise of everyone on the production floor, started talking to the guy in charge.
"Gogna, I'm pulling Mendoza out for extended coaching. Take care of it for me, okay? Thanks!"
Without waiting for anyone's answer, he took her hand and pulled her into one of the conference rooms and closed the door.
"Extended coaching? Excuse me but people are going to start thinking I'm underperforming if you keep pulling me out for coaching. Gahd, what is so important that it can't wait until later?"
"Pwede ba manahimik ka muna, Mendoza? I can't think straight."
"EOP, gago."
She was going to say more but when she saw the way he was looking at her, the words turned into mush before they even left her brain.
"Are you seeing someone right now?"
She swiveled in her chair to look around the conference room.
"You mean like someone here in the room with us?"
"Mendoza... I swear to God..."
"Fine. No, I'm not seeing anyone. Why?"
"Good."
"Good? Why good? Look Faulkerson, I don't know who you think you are and what sort of weird game you're playing but I have better things to do and I--- stop looking at me like that!"
She stood up to leave just as he stood up to walk closer to her. Before she could say anything, his hands were palming her waist and pulling her flush against him.
"I like you, Mendoza. God knows why because you frustrate me to death but I like you and I can't stop thinking about you and I want to get to know you better."
She lost all ability to speak.
"Which is why I'm going to leave you alone for the entire weekend so you can decide if you're okay with me pursuing you. I want to do things the right way. You intrigue me and if I'm being honest to myself, just seeing you makes me want to abandon everything and spend all my time making you laugh and kissing you."
In the split second that it took for him to catch his breath after his confession, she made her decision.
She closed her eyes, leaned in and kissed him.
