Chapter 8 Fridays 2.2

Emma jolted awake as her alarm clock blared through the quiet morning. It was 6 a.m.-time to get ready for work. Yet, her mind lingered in a fog, unable to recall how she'd managed to fall asleep the night before. William's last text haunted her thoughts: "You know me, and you're good at pretending." The words played on a loop in her head, taunting her with their cryptic weight. But there was no time to dwell on it now. She had to pull herself together and face the day ahead.

For starters, Emma wasn't rushing. Instead of channeling her inner "Fast and Furious" driver, as she cruised patiently down the road, her favorite Spotify playlist setting the tone for an oddly tranquil morning.

When she arrived at the office, everything seemed normal-until she reached the elevator. Standing there among the usual crowd was Patrick, her long-time crush from the finance department. Her heart skipped a beat. They exchanged polite nods and a "good morning," but then Patrick surprised her by striking up a conversation.

"So, did you guys started implenting the campaign yet?" he asked casually.

Emma, caught off guard and hyper-aware of her colleagues' prying eyes, could only manage a series of awkward nods. She wasn't sure if they were watching because of yesterday's drama or because Patrick had just spoken to her, but their stares felt like lasers.

By the time she reached her floor, Emma was still reeling from the encounter. But her excitement didn't end there. She hurried to her desk, eager to check her drawer, where William had promised to leave something for her.

Opening it, her heart leapt again. Inside was not one but two movie tickets for Friday night.

What the hell? A movie ticket? Seriously? Emma stared at it, utterly baffled. It had been ages since she last watched a movie-so long, in fact, she couldn't even recall the details. Her mind drifted, trying to summon the memory of her last cinematic experience.

Oh, right. High school. That one awkward, cringeworthy movie night.

Back then, she'd gone to her sister for permission to watch a movie with a guy-her study buddy, Jerome. Her sister, ever the dramatic advisor, warned her about the dangers of cinema dates. "Guys take advantage of the dim lights and silence," she'd declared ominously. "First, he'll hold your hand. Then, he'll put his arm around your shoulder. And boom! He'll try to kiss you. And you know what happens when a guy kisses a girl? She gets pregnant!"

Emma, being young and tragically gullible, believed every word. Her school didn't teach sexual education, so who was she to question such wisdom? Beside her sister is the date goddess pratically having guys line up for woe her. She swore on her life she wouldn't let Jerome so much as brush her hand, and with that promise, her sister reluctantly agreed.

The day of the movie arrived, and Emma was a nervous wreck. Her heart pounded as if it might leap out of her chest. But Jerome, bless his oblivious soul, was nothing like the predator her sister described. He was polite, respectful, and, frankly, didn't seem all that interested in her.

They sat in the cinema, side by side, watching the film. Emma braced herself for something-a handhold, an arm around her shoulder, maybe even the dreaded kiss-but nothing happened. They just... watched the movie. They laughed at the funny parts, stayed silent during the dramatic ones, and that was it.

By the time the credits rolled, Emma's heart was still racing, though more from sheer anticipation than any romantic interaction. As they exited the theater, she spotted some classmates on the same floor of the mall. Naturally, they teased them mercilessly. She flushed crimson, her heart pounding anew.

The only moment of contact came when they were on the escalator. She was hearing some of their classmate shouting at them but she could not recall what. When Jerome briefly held her hand to steady her. And that was it. Nothing else.

But Emma's anxiety got the better of her. The next morning, she woke up with a fever and skipped school for three days. When she finally returned, the teasing continued, though not as intensely. And then Jerome, in a surprising twist, confessed that he'd only asked her out because he was "testing the waters." Apparently, he was dealing with an identity crisis.

By the time they graduated, Jerome came out as gay, delivering the news with a casual shrug during their grad ball. Emma, stunned but oddly relieved, realized she'd been spared the drama of a high school romance.

And that, dear movie night, is precisely why Emma had avoided setting foot in a cinema with a guy ever since-despite now, knowing that kissing alone won't get you pregnant. For that, you need sperm, as she vividly recalls from her project and checklist.

Emma was checking the movie ticket for It Ends with Us when someone in front of her suddenly said, "Ooh, Emma, always the early bird!" It was Eli, who was also early today. She immediately hid the ticket. She wasn't sure whether to tell him about it- that it was William who had given it to her. She knew Eli was quite the chatterbox, and if he told everyone at the office, it would only add fuel to the fire of resentment among her colleagues. So, she decided to keep it to herself.

"I heard you're also eyeing Sir Patrick. Greedy much?" Eli teased with a mischievous grin.

Emma vehemently denied it. "Patrick? Seriously? He's married!" She rolled her eyes. Sure, everyone had a harmless crush on him, but her concerns were elsewhere-specifically, with William.

She wasn't sure whether to call William and tell him she had the tickets or to wait for him to make the first move. He was the one playing mysterious, after all. Finally, she decided to let him reach out first. But as lunchtime rolled around, there was still no call, no DM, nothing. She found herself increasingly irritated, though she couldn't quite explain why.

At lunch, she joined Eli and Marissa in the cafeteria. Despite herself, she scanned the room for William, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Looking for someone?" Eli muttered between bites of cake.

Marissa smirked, joining in on the teasing. "Is it Patrick? Or William?"

Emma threw up her hands in mock surrender, annoyed.

Marissa grinned. "Wow, something's different about the ladies today. Everyone's all dolled up-sexy outfits, full makeup. What's going on?"

"Unlike our chicken here, who just looks pissed," Eli added, pointing his dessert fork at Emma.

Emma glared. "You know what? Maybe it's not because of me and maybe it's just Friday night, and everyone's gearing up for the weekend."

"Girl..." Eli said, finishing his dessert. "These things? Definitely not about you. It's about him-the prince."

The rest of the day passed in a blur as they focused on the soft launch of the company's new ad campaign. Emma did her best to ignore the office gossip and stay on task. By the end of the day, the launch was a success, earning them some well-deserved congratulations.

"Congrats, everyone!" Eli said cheerfully. "What do you say we celebrate with drinks?"

Marissa stretched her arms above her head. "Success! I'm in. Emma, you coming?"

Emma was about to say yes when her phone buzzed. She discreetly answered, stepping away from her coworkers.

"Yes?"

William's familiar chuckle came through the line. "Did you find the ticket?"

"Yes," she replied curtly.

"Great. Let's watch the movie. It's for the last full show this evening."

"No." Emma is getting back at him for making her wait all day.

Before she could say more, Eli called out, "Hey, girl! You coming or what?"

Emma turned back to her phone, ready to end the call, when William's voice dropped to a whisper. "I hate to break it to you, but I'm waiting right by your car... and people are starting to stare."

"WHAT?!" Emma shouted, drawing attention from Eli and Marissa.

She quickly waved them off. "Emergency. I've got to go!"

As she bolted for the elevator, she muttered to herself, What the hell is this guy trying to do? Make me public enemy number one at work?