How to Not Fall for My Boss ✔

13.1 High School Bliss (Part 1)

Cobie loses count on how many times she tells herself that this is a bad idea, yet her legs betray her completely as if they have their mind on their own. It's okay. She doesn't have to stay that long since she needs to be home before 9 PM. She will just sit, eat, and exit. Everything is going to be alright.

Sauntering to her boss' room with the cutlery in her hands, she recalls every rule she has written on her Post-it notes; the rules that hopefully will seal her from Luke's dangerously invisible attacks. She stops in front of Luke's door which is partly open, and out of reflex, she knocks on it before entering. It's when she sees her reflection on the glass door, and she groans.

"You don't need to knock," his deep voice vibrates across his office room. When she walks in, Luke is already sitting on his sofa with boxes of food arranged on the coffee table before him. He grins as he looks up at her. "I didn't even plan to have a taste when I brought them in. Now, my stomach is pretty brutal just from its aroma."

Cobie inhales audibly while scrunching her nose. "Smells promising indeed." She takes the spot opposite Luke, eyeing the mixed meals in front of her while her mouth starts to produce extra saliva. Crispy chicken strips, juicy spareribs, meatballs, chicken rolls, and chicken satay with various sauces aside are seductively staring back at her.

"What are you waiting for? Dig in while it's still warm. There is also some rice, potatoes, and salad in those other boxes. I believe I saw dessert too." Instead of using the fork Cobie brought in, Luke picks up the chicken roll with his fingers, dips it in the garlic sauce, and brings it to his mouth.

If Cobie was worried about how weird things would go given the sizzling moment they shared the last time, she doesn't find any reason to be. The atmosphere in Luke's room now is surprisingly comforting. And that they're now exchanging silly stories about how they were fed during childhood, the Post-it rules Cobie was holding tightly start to dwindle into a long-lost memory. The way Luke effortlessly shares his life story, laughs at her snarky remarks and shows genuine interest in how Cobie was raised by an interracial couple sends the uninvited sensation in Cobie's guts.

It's a foreign feeling and it urges her inner alarm to go off because of the danger. No, it's not exactly a danger. It's just something she's never felt before, but she likes it. A lot. It's calming and soothing, making Cobie starts to think she can do this every day.

"On which project are you that made you stay behind by the way?" Luke asks as Cobie opens the dessert box.

"Still doing Starlight and Co. I had to stay back because I needed to catch up. I've been a bit slow lately and I was planning to come later tomorrow morning." When Luke's eyebrow shoots up in confusion, Cobie adds, "I'm having" — she bites her lower lip — "a situation at home and I thought I needed to be somewhere tomorrow morning to fix it. But my mom just texted me, and it seems like I don't need to be there after all."

"Are you alright? Is there something I can help with?"

"Everything is fine now. Should be," she says as she fixes her gaze on her pudding, avoiding Luke's searching gaze on her.

"Alright," he says, contrasting his hesitant tone. "But you can always talk about it if that helps. I promise I'll behave."

Cobie shakes her head, chuckling at his line. "No, don't worry about it, really. I prefer to hear further about what happened after you pranked your teacher."

Luke doesn't reply right away but then a smile grows across his face. "They found out, of course."

"Oh! Did you get expelled?"

"Luckily, no. But I got suspended." He laughs. "Plus a few days of slavery job helping out with cleaning up the schoolyard during the sporting event. Our school was hosting the yearly football match."