(Derrick POV)
I first met Lisa when I joined this company 3 years ago.
It's a company that helps us network and make connections with different musical artists.
Lisa is talented at writing love songs, ones about heartbreak, and party music.
While the music I make is of a darker, more tortured nature.
She hadn't been there long, so we were both new and became friends.
I thought she was cute, but I had a girlfriend when we first met, and she was in a relationship too, so I didn't say anything out of line.
Even after my girlfriend and I broke up, it was hard to broach the subject of asking her out, but one day fate stepped in, and she asked me,
"Do you want to go out for drinks with me and some of my friends?"
It had been a month since I became single, so now seems like a good time to try to move on.
"Yeah, where are we meeting?"
She told me the name of the club and mentioned how many people were coming, two other men and two other girls.
So, I knew it wasn't a date, but I was thrown off when three extra guys showed up. One of them had half his hair shaved off; the other half was long, black, and wavy.
He had dimples and piercing eyes and seemed to be dating one of Lisa's friends already, so I didn't need to worry about him. His wife, though... she was beautiful, Snowe.
It was hard seeing her sitting with all the others, even though it didn't look like she had an ounce of makeup on, she was without a doubt the best-looking. Objectively speaking.
That didn't matter to me, though, since Lisa is the one who has a connection with me.
The other man who showed up had dark brown hair and bright green eyes.
He latched onto Sarai almost immediately, so he wasn't a threat to me... but I think Adam was interested in her too, so that was his loss.
While the last one, I can't say he was particularly into Lisa right away, but she began fawning over him.
With each drink, it became worse.
He appeared to be the youngest of the three.
This guy had very short curly red hair, no piercings, light brown skin, and bright green eyes that looked like they could glow in the dark.
She wouldn't stop talking to him no matter what, even when I attempted to get her attention several times. Eventually, I got fed up and went home, but she's been weird since that day.
"Hey, it's been a while since we've hung out," I commented to her one day while she was at her desk.
"Yeah."
Her reply was short and disinterested. I'm not sure if I should take that as a cue to leave or not.
"We haven't talked much either, maybe we can eat lunch together. What have you been up to lately?"
She blushed when I asked this, then she brushed her curly blonde hair behind her ear with her fingertips.
"I'm saving my appetite... I'm leaving work early today to get food." Her answer shocked me because she started blushing when I spoke to her, so... why doesn't she want to eat with me?
"Oh, is your family in town or something?" I asked while leaning against her desk.
"Um..."
Before she finished her statement, her phone vibrated, and she snatched it up, checking the text like her life depended on it, then she giggled at the screen.
"I'm sorry... what were you asking?"
She forgot that fast?!
"I've never seen you check your phone during work before," I remarked.
She blushed again and said,
"Well... I'm not with a client right now, it's just you." That hurt. "And I'm only here to focus for a few hours; it's hard to get writing done at home."
"I completely understand! This environment is so relaxing, it helps me think."
She fidgeted and replied,
"It's not that..."
Then her phone vibrated again, and she picked it up, smiled, and quickly sent a reply.
"I guess I don't completely understand, then."
Her cheeks reddened once more as she said,
"When I'm home... It's just hard to think about work. I think I have too much freedom, so I get... distracted. Anyway, I have to go," while putting her USB into her purse and zipping it up.
"Maybe we can have lunch tomorrow then? I would love to catch up."
"Okay... I'll need to talk to my boyfriend about it. I just want to make sure he's comfortable..."
Boyfriend?! Since when? Aren't we friends? Why am I just now hearing about him?
"Boyfriend?" She nodded, then got up and speedily walked towards the exit.
I wanted to ask her more, so I followed her.
Only to see firsthand who her boyfriend was, by seeing them locked in an embrace on the company steps, kissing in a way that was much too explicit for outdoors. I recognized him instantly by his unique hair color.
After their disgusting PDA, he whispered something into her ear, which caused her to go an even brighter shade of red than I've seen all day.
Then they got into a red luxury sports car, the kind I've only ever seen in movies.
He was wearing designer clothes and an expensive-looking watch.
He must be rich... but we make pretty good money here.
He could have gotten that car from his parents, and Lisa could be the one buying his clothes.
Even if he has a well-off family, she's known me longer.
Plus, I know I'm good-looking too...
Maybe I should ask a woman's opinion just in case.
Angela happened to see the same sight I saw, so I called out to her to get coffee with me.
She agreed and, once we were settled in a booth, I said,
"So... if you had to choose between Lisa's new boyfriend and me, who would you choose?"
"That's a super cringey question to ask me, loser," she replied while sipping her iced coffee.
"I'm just curious! I mean, he has money, but I'm better looking, right?!"
She sighed and then said,
"Let me put it this way... with your looks, you probably haven't had trouble talking to women in the past." Okay, so far so good, "And with his, he's probably never needed to approach someone, all the women in his life probably asked him out first. I doubt he's ever been rejected, either."
"Okay, damn, I get it," I muttered while rustling my hair and sulking slightly.
Then I started drinking my water.
"Do you have a crush on her or something?" I kept drinking, staying silent. "Does she know?" Angela investigated.
"I don't think so."
Once I answered, she sighed with relief.
"Good, don't tell her. I'm not sure how long they've been dating, but she is in deep. She will cut you off without hesitation if you're not careful. I don't want things to get tense at work."
"It's been a month... She met him last month." I stated.
I've known her much longer... we're friends, there's no way she'd cut me off that easily.
The next day, I looked around for her, but she didn't show up, and the day after that, she came in late, but I took that chance to talk to her.
She was dressed more conservatively than usual... maybe the guy she's with is the controlling type.
"Did your boyfriend give you permission to eat with me?" I teased.
She looked up at me and gasped.
"I completely forgot to bring it up!.. Plus, it's dinner time now... I'll text him, and we can eat together next time."
Lisa grinned at me as if her reply would please me.
It's been two days; she's clearly not excited to eat with me. I'm not dumb; this is the same feeling I got when she first met him.
Disgust, anger, indignation.
"I saw your boyfriend; he looks like he's straight out of high school. Does he still live with his parents? What are you even doing with someone like that?"
I couldn't hide the bitterness from my voice, and I could tell she sensed it because she rolled her eyes.
"He owns a business, has a car, and he lives in his own house. He's doing much better than half the guys my age, and I'm only twenty-three, so don't talk to me like I'm fifty or something."
"I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry... It's just that he's so young. I'm sure his immaturity has to annoy you sometimes," I reasoned.
She sighed again.
"Not at all... In a lot of ways, he's more mature than I am." I was irritated by her answer, so I said,
"Wouldn't someone who has known you longer... be better? It's weird to jump into a relationship with a guy you just met after how you and Jonah split up." After I said this, she stood up and glared at me.
"Mind your f**king business." Then she started getting ready to leave.
"Okay, you're right, you didn't ask for my opinion on your dating life. I'm sorry." My apology seemed to work.
"Right answer."
It would be a bad time to confess now.
"I'll just see you at lunchtime tomorrow?" I requested.
She nodded, so I gave her space in that moment.
Her boyfriend didn't seem to care about us having lunch since she approached me the next day and said she was in the mood for a sub sandwich.
We ate together on a bench outside the office. Is now the right time?
"Remember the day I started working here?"
She finished chewing before answering,
"Yeah, you were so anti-social back then... wow, I just realized it's been three years! Time really flies."
"Well... I was with someone back then, so I didn't say it but... I thought you were super pretty. I was so awkward with you because I was nervous."
She appeared to be stunned, but then she grinned and said,
"Wow, did you have a crush on me or something?"
She's smiling; this is a good sign.
"I still feel the same way... I wish I had the chance to tell you earlier, but I don't want to wait for you to get through another relationship. I like you, Lisa."
She stood up, then threw the rest of her food in the trash can nearest us.
"Don't talk to me unless it's work-related from now on," she replied coldly.
I rushed after her.
"Wait! You've been missing work and dressing differently; you had to ask permission just to eat with me!
Don't you realize he's trying to control you?! Why are you even with this guy?" I shouted, she paused, then turned to me.
"I didn't have to ask! I asked because I care about his feelings and didn't want him to get the wrong idea! I've been coming into the office less because I'm happier at home, and I'm wearing this outfit because..."
She paused from speaking to unbutton the collar that was high on her neck.
I felt the blood rushing to my face, then when she bent the collar, it revealed several kiss marks.
"It was too much trouble to cover them all with foundation," she began. "I would've been late if I kept trying, so I bought this on the way to work this morning..."
There's no way they aren't sleeping together already... It's only been a month, so I had a little hope they hadn't.
"Oh..." I mumbled.
She buttoned her shirt back up and said,
"I didn't owe you an explanation, but you wouldn't shut up. So now you know."
She waited a few seconds for me to reply before leaving me alone with my thoughts.