This woman is crazy

She interrupts me by raising a finger. “I don't care where your thoughts are. As long as they don't focus on your tasks here, they have no business here. Full concentration, girl, I don't have time for rookie mistakes. "

"I'm sorry. I quickly copy the right applications. "

I rush to the copy room and warn myself not to burst into tears. I'm already behind me, damn it! During my first time here I often hid somewhere to collect myself because I had to get used to dealing with the very harsh tone of my superiors. But after over a year I got an even thicker coat and got used to it - at least I thought. But my nerves are so thin at the moment that I can no longer let everything ricochet off me. In the past, I endured much worse and didn't break down because of it. Even now I shouldn't allow myself to be dragged down by a reprimand.    

"Here." A moment later I handed Mrs. Gordon the requested documents.

She doesn't even look at me when she takes the small stack. No problem, that's nothing new. The woman is not exactly the epitome of warmth.

I go back to my seat and sit down at the computer to quickly complete the rest of the table before I can go home. My eyes glide again and again to the clock on the wall opposite. I'm running late, but I can't tell Jake because I don't have his number.

In the end, I am late by fifteen minutes. He's standing outside at the foot of the short flight of stairs when I run out the door.

"I'm sorry," I immediately apologize, and fold my hands like a prayer. "I still had to do something urgent and I would have written you if I had your number."

"No problem," he waves him away.

"We'd have to go to my place again so I can change." I don't want to show up in my sweaty clothes at the beach club, where I might meet Sebastian.

"I went to your place and took a few things for you." Jake points to the large parking lot opposite. "You can change in my car."

"You've thought of everything." As we stand in front of his dark blue two-door car, I take a critical look at the back seat. "You're not going to excite like Johnny, are you?"

"Who?"

“ Dirty Dancin g. Oh, not that important. ”I wave my hand and get into the back seat.

Jake gets behind the wheel and demonstratively covers his eyes with a hand. "I swear high and sacred that I will not look in the rearview mirror." 

Smiling, I pull one of my favorite blouses and tight jeans out of the bag I brought with me. I'll feel good about these things, and that's important when afterwards I have to pretend I'm throwing myself into the most desirable guy around.

" So you've seen Dirty Dancing before?" I ask, pulling my shirt off.  

“That used to be Claire's punishment for screwing up something. Every time I had to do this shit to myself. And unfortunately that often happened. "

"It's Claire's favorite film."

“Claire also likes marzipan chocolates. This woman is crazy. "

Laughing, I exchange my shirt for a blouse. "I admire your friendship," I tell him. "You prove that there can be platonic friendships between men and women."

“It's because Claire is like a sister to me. I could never do anything with her. And it's the other way around. "

"Right. She said she wouldn't even sleep with you if you were the last man on earth, ”slips out and I immediately bite my lip. 

But Jake doesn't feel offended, just laughs. "And I would never bet against it."

When I've finished moving, I laboriously climb over to the passenger seat. I hit his head with my bottom. "Sorry!" I apologize with hot cheeks. 

"No problem. There are worse things than having a woman's butt on your face. "

"Oh man, Jake!" I join his laugh, and it's really good to feel a little lightness after a long, tiring day.

We drive off, and now a tingling nervousness creeps up in me the closer we get to the goal. I secretly even hope that Sebastian won't be there so that I don't even have to play something for him. I know I'm a coward, but I'm terrified that even though he sees me with Jake, he won't care. This would extinguish every tiny bit of hope that is left in me. And I'm definitely not ready for that.

"Are you nervous?" Jake asks into the silence.

I turn my face in his direction. "Terribly nervous."

“Don't worry, I'm not going to overdo it. And if you absolutely don't want something, you just tell me. "

I nod slowly and take a deep breath. "It'll go wrong."

Jake gives me an encouraging smile and briefly squeezes my hand before bringing the car to a stop. We are there, now there is no turning back.