It All Started With A 'Please': A Sokeefe Story

8: Colleagues

It was Friday, a couple days after the party incident had happened. Keefe, Mark, Anisha and I were sat at a table at the juice bar since it was currently lunch time.

It may seem like, since Anisha is my boss, she's way older than me. But, as a matter of fact, Anisha was fresh out of college. Her father owned the company and handed it down to her. Mark was in his final year of college at NYU, pretty close to NYREA.

Keefe and Mark were still talking about the football game Anisha, Mark, Keefe, and I went to last night. 

Anisha stood up. "I gotta go, one of the buyer's cancelled, and I need to blackmail him into re-buying the property. See you later."

...You got to love her bluntness. 

Mark followed suit. "4 more minutes until the front desk re-opens. I have to go monitor it. Bye guys."

We waved goodbye and soon it was just Keefe and I. 

5 seconds later, I got a facetime that read 'Shane'.

Obviously, since I hadn't talked to my best friend for a week, I picked it up.

"Heyyy." I said, smiling into the camera.

"Hey Soph. How's life treating you?"

"Can't complain. What about you?"

"This place sucks. Every corner you turn, you see someone with overprized clothing and jewelry and cars. I miss you so much."

"Aw, me too. I can't wait to start school with you!" I said.

He smiled. "1 more week, Soph. 7 days."

I seemed to forget that Keefe was here and gasped in realization. "Oh, and this Keefe."

Keefe's usual calm and laid-back persona was now stiff, and Shane's smile faltered. 

"Yeah, I know." Shane muttered, his eyes turning dark.

I look at the two of them in complete confusion.

"Do you two hang out?" Shane asked. 

I was about to say yes but then I remembered the promise I kept to Shane about not talking to Keefe. My mind was an going through an internal battle on if I should tell him the truth or if I should ignore the drama and ignore the fact that Keefe was a really fun person to hang out with.

Me being my dumb self, I chose the first option.

"Uh, no." I said. "We're... colleagues."

When I said this, Shane visibly relaxed, and his smiled was back on. Keefe on the other hand looked like a deflated balloon.

"Anyways, we gotta go. Our shift is starting in some time. I'll try to call you tonight." I said.

"Alright, bye Soph."

With that, we hung up and I turned to Keefe. "Let's go." I said.

But Keefe didn't move.

"Keefe?" I asked. "Are you there?" I knew exactly what this was about. I didn't call him friend and called him a colleague. It was a pretty dumb thing to do and now I regreted. I was about to apologize about the matter at hand when Keefe stood up and plastered a smile on his face.

"Never better, Foster." He said, walking out of the juice bar. We usually walked together, but I think he needed some space. So, I walked on my own to the fax room, where I met Keefe.

Anisha had told us to type out the contract--WORD FOR WORD, mind you--and then print out two copies and then deliver one to the leasing consultant and the other to lease administrator. This was going to be a very long afternoon. Not to mention, awkward.