Co-Workers With Benefits

D I O N

Venice and I walk out the building towards my car. We have 40 minutes before the end of the children's lunch so we've got to be quick.

I unlock my Tesla and get into the drivers seat as Ven slips into the passenger seat.

"Where we heading ma?" I ask her.

"Hmm.." She thinks. "I want Chinese."

"I thought you said you wasn't hungry."

"That was before I got outside." She clicks her seatbelt. "There's a good one about twelve minutes away."

"What's it called?"

"Pho house."

"No problem."

We leave the school premises and drive out of our private area, in the direction of a main road.

When we get there, I order her egg fried rice, chow mien and pork dumplings and I get vegetable dumplings and some spicy chicken wings for myself.

We quickly eat our food in the seating area before we start to head back to work.

"Thank you." She tells me, picking at her nails.

"It's cool."

"Dion?" She calls out.

"Yes Ven."

"Just so you know..." She plays with her fingers, staring down at her lap. "What happened yesterday didn't mean anything."

I park the car back in my spot, turn it off and turn to face her as she continues.

"I wanted to make it clear to you that I agreed to what we did yesterday 'cause I was in the mood." She looks up at me. "But that doesn't mean that I didn't like it- hell, I loved it and we can continue doing things like that with no strings attached if you want. Gosh this is embarrassing. But yeah, you know what I mean, we can be co-workers with benefits typa thing."

Her voice gets quiet. "I just don't do relationships." She looks back at her lap as she waits for me to respond.

"Uh...cool. If that's what you want."

I don't know why, but that hurt me on the inside.
Co-workers with benefits?
That's all I am to her?

"I feel bad." She says.

"No ma, it's cool. Don't make this awkward now."

"Okay. Well, thanks again for taking me out." She grabs her bag from the floor between her legs and opens the door. She smiles at me and waves before she turns around and I watch her ass jiggle as she walks back to the entrance.

I rub my hands over my face and release a big sigh.

"Dammit."

I replay everything she said in my head again and I feel a sting in my chest.

"It's whatever. She decides what she wants."

I get out the car and lock it, walking back up to the building, scanning my card and heading to my classroom.

~

"Wait, so you were co-worker zoned?" Lloyd laughs at me, clapping his hands and covering his face.

"Nigga shut up." I tell him.

"I can't believe it. She basically rejected you when there was nothing to reject." He wheezes. "Damn, I need to meet her, maybe she's more into light skins niggas."

"Boy, ain't nobody gon like yo yellow ass." I walk over to the trash can and throw away the empty packet of gum.

"Wait. Is she the reason you changed your mind about coming to the club with me last week?"