Sandra immediately got excited while Adeline remained embarrassed.
“What are you thanking us for?” Sandra asked Thomas who apparently squeezed in right next to the ladies, well, right next to Adeline to be precise.
He referred to Adeline, “For what she did.”
Adeline glanced at Thomas who was staring at her and smiling genuinely.
“I did-”
“She did nothing.” Sandra cut her.
“Yes, she did. She called the guy’s name earlier, now I know his name even though he didn’t tell me.” Thomas explained.
“Really? All thanks to me then!” Sandra exclaimed.
Adeline and Thomas glanced at her, quizzical.
“I told Adeline that guy’s name. His name is Colton.” she said.
“How did you know that person? A close friend, perhaps?” Thomas asked.
“No. He happened to be our co-worker. He’s really an ill-mannered guy.” Sandra said.
“I see.”
Thomas remained to stare at Adeline and she couldn’t help but to feel uncomfortable standing right next to him. A few more people got out of the elevator and a few more got in after reaching a higher number of floors.
“I’m Sandra Veronin, by the way.” She told her name to him.
Thomas smiled at her and nodded. However, he glanced at Adeline.
“And you are?”
Adeline glanced at him, but when she was about to open her mouth to talk, Sandra interfered again.
“She’s our department newbie, Adeline Maynez.” she said.
Thomas’s reaction suddenly changed after hearing what Sandra said and maintained his eyes looking at Adeline’s face.
“Your name is Adeline Maynez?” Thomas asked her.
“Y-Yes.” Adeline replied.
“From KIPP Texas Public School?” he continued.
Adeline was stunned after hearing the name of her previous school before graduating and coming to New York and getting a job.
Sandra looked at them with confusion, “What is happening with you two, by the way?”
“I’m sorry but can I talk to her for a second? Just her.” Thomas told Sandra which made her shocked and kept her mouth shut.
Adeline looked at Thomas again.
“You don’t seem to remember me,” he said. “during the year-end party.”
“I’m not sure. I’m not really good at remembering things.”
Thomas couldn't help but to smile wryly. He wasn't sure if Adeline doesn't really remember him or if she's just pretending not to.
However, Adeline noticed Sandra's immediate tight-lipped reaction since she was asked by Thomas not to join their conversation.
Adeline felt her friend's annoyance with the fact her crush is talking to someone else.
She whispered to her, "...you go to the office first."
Sandra glanced at her in confusion. Before she could even ask Adeline, the elevator reached the 62nd floor where a few of the passengers got out.
Adeline hurriedly went out as well without saying goodbye to Thomas. As she walked away, getting upset and having a sudden regret etched on her face.
She remembered him, but she didn't want to tell. She thought of Sandra's feelings more than hers, because that's what a real friend does.
Adeline was sullen, her mind was vacant while she was walking along the hallways of the 62nd floor. The advertising management department is still on the higher floors, now she will have to either wait for another elevator to ride on or walk her way up using the stairs.
"Wait!"
A modulated voice was heard as a hand gently grabbed Adeline's right arm.
It was Thomas. He followed Adeline out of the elevator, a few seconds before the door almost closed.
“80.” He was panting.
“Huh?” Adeline got confused.
Thomas let go of her arm and gave her a radiant smile.
“Your stop is still on the 80th floor, your friend said.” he said.
Adeline can’t help but to feel embarrassed and Thomas immediately noticed her reaction.
“I want to take this chance to invite you for dinner, later tonight.” Thomas said.
Adeline felt nervous after hearing Thomas’s invitation. She immediately thought about her friend and felt downcast. She felt guilty for talking with the man her friend likes.
But she’s too kind to reject Thomas’s offer, even though it was a friendly invitation and nothing romantic.
“It’s not considered a date. I just want to have a good conversation with you since it has been a long time.” Thomas added.
Adeline gulped, still worried for her friend’s reaction if she finds out.
“It’s just for dinner.” Adeline told him.
“Indeed.” Thomas smiled at her.
“Okay. I will accept your invitation.”
Adeline soon heads to their office to look for Sandra and tell her what happened, especially Thomas’s dinner invitation.
But she didn’t find Sandra on her desk. Instead, she found Colton standing and waiting for Adeline on her station.
“Hi,” Adeline had a taut reaction. “Is there anything I can help you with?”
“I know what you did, you wench.” Colton insulted her.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Jeremy suddenly interfered after what Colton just called Adeline.
“What the fuck is wrong with you, Colton?!” Shizuko also asked Colton.
The two rescuers approached to back-up their troubled friend.
Jeremy went closer and face-to-face with Colton, “Why are you suddenly opening that sewage-mouth of yours, early in the morning?!”
“She did me wrong! She embarrassed me in front of a lot of people!” Colton raised his voice while pointing his finger on Adeline’s face.
“Do you really want them to know how you treated a gentleman who was trying to help an elder woman who’s being squished inside the elevator?” Adeline explained aloud.
“You should have minded your own goddamn business just like that highly opinionated asshole who’s trying to look like a hero!” Colton told her.
Shizuko glared at Colton because she couldn’t believe he’s saying all those kind of stupid and nonsense statements.
“There's no doubt you’re an ill-mannered son of a bitch who thinks highly of themselves.” Shizuko exclaimed.
“What did you just call me?!” Colton questioned Shizuko as he was about to hit her by raising his right hand.
Jeremy immediately holds his hand, defending Shizuko, before giving him a great hard punch on the face. The hit led Colton to his embarrassing fall on the floor.
“I will not let you hit any women who’s important to me, you jerk!” Jeremy raised his voice at him.
Their clash was cut off when Shirley arrived in the office, who was followed by Sandra from behind.
“Early in the morning and this is what I’ll be encountering as breakfast?” Shirley confronted those involved.
Her sight went to Colton who was still fallen on the floor.
“What happened to you?” she asked him.
“Barton punched me.”
“So? It’s just a punch.”
Colton smirked, “What?”
“Get up there, pussy. You still have a lot of work to do instead of lying on the floor and act like a fucking victim.” Shirley told him before going inside her personal office.
Everyone scattered and went back to their workplaces. Adeline let out a sigh as she sat down in front of her desk.
“What happened? What did I miss?” Sandra whispered to Adeline before sitting on her chair.
“Colton got back to me with what I did earlier. I didn’t know he would be so mad about what I did.” Adeline said.
“What did he do to you?” Sandra asked.
“He just confronted me. It’s a good thing Jeremy and Shizuko went to my rescue.”
After a few hours of doing all the office tasks as usual, everyone in the office were all surprised after Shirley loudly and savagely opened the door of her office.
“Colton! In my office, NOW!” Shirley raised her voice.
Everyone looked at Colton as he went inside Shirley’s office. The office remained quiet and all they could hear was a faded sound of Shirley scolding Colton inside her own area.
It took Colton half an hour inside the manager’s office, being lectured at and all. The happening was also a pressure for Adeline since she was overthinking about what she did and it could be the reason behind Colton getting pinned.
Everyone’s attention was caught when Colton went out of Shirley’s office after overhearing her loud voice, scolding him for the final time.
“You’re FIRED! Get out of my office!”
Colton was glowering down towards Adeline’s way before proceeding to his desk to clean up his workplace.
No one decided to approach him and he walked out of the office freely, without hearing anything from his co-workers.
Sandra, a few seconds after Colton left the office, had secretly followed him. They met on the hallway which was a bit far from the office.
"Hey." Sandra called him.
Colton stopped walking and turned to look at Sandra who's approaching him.
"Oh, it's you." Colton said.
"Of course. I'm the only one who's concerned about you." Sandra smirked.
"What do you still want?"
Sandra looked around to see if there are other people seeing them, but apparently it's already working hours that's why the hallways are vacant and quiet.
"I need you to work for me." she said.
"Work for you?" Colton laughed in a mock.
"I'm sure you want to get revenge for what that newbie did to you, right?" Sandra was trying to brainwash a stupid person's already damaged brain.
Colton's reaction changed and went serious.
"What do you want me to do?" he asked her.
Sandra gave him a wolfish grin before whispering to him her plan against Adeline.
7:00 PM
Adeline and Sandra were ready to go home when Adeline remembered her dinner with Thomas. She hadn't told her friend about it and was scared to do it.
So, she decided to lie to her and had the mindset of doing it for her own good.
"Sandra," Adeline stopped walking and called her friend. "I just remembered something."
Sandra who had already walked afar went back to where Adeline was standing.
"What is it?" she asked.
"I- uh… I have to visit someone. A friend." Adeline said.
"A friend? At this hour?"
"Yes. He- I mean, she. She invited me for dinner. At her home." Adeline stammered.
Even though Sandra had a suspicion already, she remained as if she was clueless.
"I see. Well, I envy you for getting invited for dinner." Sandra smiled.
"Yeah."
The silence went in between them.
"Well, I guess I have to go home alone." Sandra said.
"I'm sorry." Adeline wanned.
Sandra shook her head, "Nah. It's okay. We'll get dinner together next time."
"For sure." Adeline suddenly smiled.
"I should be going then. See you next week." Sandra walked away while waving her hand goodbye.
Adeline kept all her nervousness to herself. She doesn't want to lie to her friend, but she has to do it at least.