Felling the desperation in his voice, she nodded as an answer.
'Is that a yes?' he asked, smiling from ear to ear.
'I guess that' — her voice cracked — 'we can try.'
Sebastian was over the moon and Eleanor felt dizzy. She felt that she was dreaming instead of being awake. None of this felt real. The last few weeks didn't feel real. He hugged her and her head rested on his chest, and she could hear his fast heartbeat. She was nervous, but she felt comfortable and safe in his arms. They were lost in their own world when someone knocked on the door.
Eleanor let go of Sebastian and jumped back and looked at the floor.
'I need to get back to work.'
She showed him a timid smile as she tugged a piece of hair behind her ear.
'And I have a meeting. Which apparently I forgot I had.'
She started walking towards the door, looking at her feet and trying to hide her blushed complexion, when Sebastian grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him once again.
'I really need to go, Sebastian.'
'I know. Me too.' He kissed her forehead and finally let her go. 'See you later.'
'Bye,' she said. Flustered and with her heart racing, she left the office.
Eleanor was back at her desk, her heart beating like crazy, and she could not stop smiling. She covered her face with her hands and stayed like that for a while.
After Sebastian's meeting ended, when he was back at his desk, he received a phone call. One that he was dreading.
'Hi Lina,' he grumbled.
'Is it true?'
'What?'
'Come on! You know what I'm talking about.'
He sighed.
'Yes, it is.'
'You are really dating someone?'
'Is it that hard to believe?'
'A little I'm not going to lie.'
'Bye, Lina.'
'Wait!'
'What?'
'You are bringing her, right?'
'Of course.'
'What's her name?'
'Eleanor. Bye Lina, that's enough for today,' he said, and then hung up the phone.
Sebastian found himself smiling. He was dating Eleanor; she said yes; he was taking her to the wedding as an actual couple, and not a fake one. I'm dreaming. He thought to himself in disbelief.
Eleanor couldn't focus on the rest of the work that she was doing. After spending too much time in front of the computer without accomplishing anything, she got up and went to the break room to get some coffee and something sweet from the vending machine. She sat by one of the tables, drinking her coffee and nibbling on her chocolate with caramel and hazelnuts.
'What are you smiling about?' someone asked, but Eleanor didn't even listen.
Sebastian sat in front of Eleanor and chuckled. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice that it was him. He sat in front of her, stretched over the table and took a bite of her chocolate, waking her up from her daydreaming.
'Hey! That's mine,' she whined.
'What were you thinking about? It must've been something really interesting since you didn't even notice me.'
'Nothing.'
She looked down, trying to hide her blushed cheeks.
'Daydreaming during office hours? That's very unlike you.'
'I'm on break, so—'
Sebastian laughed and stole the rest of the chocolate from her.
'Give that back.'
'Only if you say yes to something.'
'Please, Sebastian, no more surprises today. I think I've had enough for one day. I don't think that I can handle anything else.'
'Just hear me out,' he said, and then took another bite. 'I don't have much free time this week, but I'm going to train tomorrow night, and I want you to come.'
'You want me to be there? And watch you train?'
He nodded.
'I mean, it's just an idea, you don't have to go, it will probably be boring for you.'
Sebastian got up and ate the rest of the chocolate, as Eleanor was still looking at him without giving him an answer.
'Forget I asked, I'll figure out another day for us to do something.'
'I want to go.'
'Really?'
She nodded as she tugged a piece of hair behind her ear. Eleanor was nervous and overwhelmed, but she found endearing that Sebastian was a little nervous, too. He always seemed so confident, and was, but not when it was about her.
'But I want another chocolate since you ate mine,' she said with a timid smile.
Sebastian laughed and got her a new one from the vending machine.