Roses and Flames (ongoing)

5. Thea

"Mom, this is the last time I'm gonna say this. I'M. NOT. GOING." I spoke over the phone.

I refused to read the messages mom sent me for the past week and now she wouldn't stop calling me on the phone. Frustrated, I answered the call, finally. And I was right. It was another blind date. I hung up on her and when I looked up I saw Mr. Anderson was staring at me from outside. Exasperated, I sighed and turned on the tint. I didn't want to deal with him too right now. I usually keep my tint on, but we are working on a new product launch, so I had to for any emergencies.

Going back and settling down on my chair, the door swung open. I looked up from my seat when the door opened and Mr. Anderson made his way to my desk. I stood up and said, acknowledging him, "Mr. Anderson."

Ignoring that he asked, "Why did you turn on the tint when you saw me?"
So straightforward. Well, I didn't look at him and thought 'Oh! Mr. Anderson is looking at me. Lemme turn on that tint.' I'd have done that even if it wasn't him.

Impatient, he asked, "No answer Ms. Smith?" his voice tinged with a bit of discontentment.

"I-" I began to respond when he interrupted and spoke,

"Ms. Smith this isn't a place you can argue with your boyfriend or someone else, and when I found you engaged in that, you turned on the tint."

I was speechless for a second.
BOYFRIEND?
CAUGHT?

I scoffed, came out of my desk and stood in front of him, narrowing my eyes "How did you get to the conclusion that I was arguing with my boyfriend?" I asked, looking straight into his eyes. Hmm, his hazel eyes are undeniably captivating. I forced myself to snap out from my inner musings.

He rolled his eyes and muttered, looking away "I can already see that the one dating you is gonna suffer."

"You have your entire life to be a jerk. Why not take today off?" I crossed my arms and asked.

A message popped on my phone, my eyes instinctively darted to the screen. But before  I could react, he, with his quick reflexes, snatched the phone from the table. My heart pounding, as I stood across from him. His expression remained stoic and his voice low as he read,

Mom: You must be there at the café in St Martin's Ln at 6 pm tomorrow. Don't make me call you again.

I reached out for my phone, my fingers enclosing the phone's rim. As I began to pull it from his grasp, he tightened his grip. The struggle for control over the phone turning into a quiet battle of wills. He glanced at me with an unfamiliar expression in his eyes.

"You are going on a date?" he asked, his voice hushed.

"You care?" I retorted.

"Never."

"Give me my phone"

He glared at me and loosened the grip on my phone, and said, "Just because you are good at your job, I'm not gonna make this issue any further."

"I'm the best, Mr. Anderson" I paused "Care to explain what this issue is? Seriously, what did I do? Attending a personal call? Is that a big offence now?" I asked.

He took a step forward, closing the gap between us. His eyes bore into mine, intense and determined. He is trying to intimidate me, not anything else. I stood still. Inches apart, he said, "You'll get to know that later, love."

Love? LOVE!? Okay, I admit that it did something to my stomach because of all those books I read. But nah, he didn't mean anything like that, certainly trying to intimidate me. I was taken aback by him calling me love, that I didn't notice he got out of my office.

________

"He didn't mean anything, Thea," I told myself as I unlocked the door to my apartment. Stepping in, I leisurely made my way to my room. Emma hasn't reached home yet. Heading to my bathroom, I indulged in a slow and relaxing shower, allowing myself to unwind. Afterwards, I flopped onto the couch with a scoop of ice cream.

I went back to my musings. No one has ever called me nicknames... and I've always kind of wanted it, not by him though. Fictional characters doing so made a tiny part of me want that in real life. But I was happy with them. I mean many elders where I've gone volunteering have called me, but this felt like something else. My mind swirling with curiosity and emotions, I let myself remember that it was just an act of intimidation.

"Thea," Emma called me, her face looking concerned. Emma is home?

"Emma? When did you come?" I asked, standing up from the couch.

"Right now. You were zoned out that you didn't notice me coming in," she said, her brows furrowed.

You better be joking. Now I'm going blank because of hearing a nickname?

"You okay, T?" she asked.

I shook my head and said "Yeah, yeah. I am. Well, Mom called me and said I've to go on that blind date." I diverted myself from those distracting ones.

"Oh! You've been postponing it too much. Give it a chance, " she said, "and… she called me too. Yesterday." her lips curled into a small grin.

"I knew it. That's why she started calling me nonstop today."

She laughed and said, "You better go on that date, Thea. What if he is the one?"

"Fat chance. My ones are on my bookshelves," I laughed with her, "anyway, I decided to go. If this is over I can finally breathe."