Strength and Sensuality [Completed]

23 - If it pleases the court

"There's a judicial break next Friday," Bill announces, in front of the whole office.

"Next Friday?" Mr. Warren shrugs. "Okay by me."

Everyone cheers. Except for me. I'm simply surprised that judicial breaks must be approved by him.

"Team building time!" Ollie punches in the air.

I try not to look at her as if she grew another head. Or two. I've never met anyone in my life stoked about the idea of team building.

"We all go to Mark's," she explains. "It's a tradition. We always spend single day judicial breaks there. Only us, not the whole building, of course."

I probably still fail to look enthusiastic enough, hence Mr. Warren addresses me.

"They swarm my house and drink my beer, and that's all," he says. "I cook something, everyone gets drunk, and there's a pool, so it's a great opportunity to drown while being wasted."

"You never let me drown," Bill protests. "Remember last time? You pulled me out in seconds."

"I remember," Mr. Warren says, "you don't. Thelma told you about it the next day."

"Ah, okay, never mind." Bill laughs. "No need to worry about drowning."

That's not exactly what I'm worried about.

"It's not mandatory," Mr. Warren tells me. "If you don't want to come, you don't have to."

"Come on, Mira," Ollie yells. "You can't possibly think about not coming. What's your problem?"

Something I don't want to discuss in front of so many people, so I just shrug.

"I guess my socialization process concluded with different results than yours. On a different continent, as you always remind me."

"So? Don't you have team building events there?"

"We do."

"Don't you get drunk?"

"We do."

"Then what?"

"We do it dressed up properly."

"What the fuck?" She laughs out. "Of all the people in the world, you never came across as a prude, babe."

"I respect your ways." I shrug. "I'm just not ready to adopt them. Work and swimsuits don't mix well in my book."

"Well," Mr. Warren cuts in, sounding hesitant, "you already saw me in trunks."

"Yeah," I admit. "But you never saw me in one. And this is exactly how I plan to continue in the future."

He looks at me as if I just told him that he scarred me for life with the sight of his legs, and I was about to file a complaint about workplace harassment.

"Oh, for God's sake," I grunt. "It's not about you. I just don't want to take my clothes off in front of all the people I work with, all right?"

He still looks at me as if I was explaining to him about string theory.

"Of course, you don't get it," I snap at him, "you look like a fucking statue. And the same goes for everyone else here."

"Not for me," Bill chimes in.

I smile at him.

"You're maybe not that hot, but still look good. It must be a secret employment prerequisite. Just another one I don't meet."

"I never knew you had body issues," Ollie butts in. "Don't worry, babe, you can only get hotter getting out of your grandma dresses."

"You're right." I shrug. "Though instead of body issues, I'd rather call it a war, which left its marks on me."