Relationships in the Workplace

"So I'm going to hang out with Ari over the weekend" Mano casually shares with his coworker as he types away an email response. His co-worker's ears perk up "Is this a date?" was their straight question. "No Mayve, we're just going to be hanging out" Mano explains to his near middle-aged co-worker. Mayve walks over to his desk and looks down at him as she stands to his left-hand side, "Okay let me ask it like this. Where are you two going?" 

Mano sends the email and looks up at his coworker, "The outlet mall." Mayve tilts her head to one side asking, "Just you two?" Mano nods to confirm "Yes? There wasn't really the idea of inviting anyone else." She rolls her eyes and puts her hands on her hips "Then it's a date Mano. There's no other way to look at it." He blushes to the end and snaps out of it by shaking his head violently, "You do understand that she's our coworker right?! I have a strict policy of no co-worker relationships." Mayve breaks out in a laugh saying "Oh you're cute when you're dumb." 

He glares at her "I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or as a insult..." She smirks as she walks away "Why not both?" He growls but he pauses to take some breathing exercises. "Don't let her get to you, Mano. It'll just be a day out with a co-worker who shares interests with you and nothing more" as a flashback to someone he is no longer friends with comes into his mind. Saddened by the memory he gets back to work hoping the weekend to come soon.

 

Mano doesn't go out a lot, especially on his own and it shows because he's sitting on a bench with his knee jerking up and down. He's calming his nerves almost chanting to himself "It'll be fine, it'll be fine, it'll be fine." Suddenly a voice next to him plays out "Oh hey Mano." Mano leaps out of his chair scared out of his wits not expecting that, but when he realizes it's her his face flushes in embarrassment "OH! Ari hey! Sorry about that. I just didn't notice you." 

Her eyes were wide from his sudden reaction and then she moved on by saying "I could tell. I said your name before, but it was like you were in your own world." Now being told this he ridicules himself 'Mano you idiot!' but that was all in his head. Now he's looking like a quiet weirdo just giving her the thousand-yard stare. He finally sighs rubbing the back of his head, "I'm sorry Ari. I just don't go out a lot." She gives him a brilliant smile reassuring him "Don't sweat it. I can relate, to be honest."

Hearing that sure did comfort Mano so he eyes towards the stores "Any place you want to go first?" She gestures towards a fancy-looking clothing store "Yeah! I've never been to these name-brand fancy stores and noooow I have someone to share that experience with." She starts walking towards that store and that's when Mano realizes her outfit, A baseball cap to help block the sun, a plain white tee shirt, fitted jeans, and converse shoes. 'Wow she can pull off both real professional attire at work and casual outside of work so well...' he thought to himself.

He couldn't stay in his fantasy land when he heard Ari call out to him "Hey! Are you here for a tan or to hang out?" She waves him over to the first store she wants to check out. Mano snapped out of it and ran over. As they walked in he noticed that she was like a kid in a candy store. "Oh my gosh, this is so cute!" She was trying purses, different sun hats, and...dashed over to the Sephora section.

Mano saw a glitter in her eyes when she was shopping around and something about it brought warmth into him, "And here I thought that you went out frequently." She snapped out of her fantasy and looked up at him in curiosity "Hm? What do you mean?" He leans on the wall by the display and explains "Well I just assumed you had tons of outings every weekend or every other weekend but by how you're acting it makes my assumption completely wrong." She puffs her cheeks a little and says "I usually stay home or at a book store reading or I'm spending time with family. Not every day I go to new places."

He thought that made sense and shrugged "Okay you got me..." Ari gets an idea and points a finger near his nose "Let's play 20 questions!" She said it so confidently that Mano just couldn't help but laugh "Where did this come from?" She grinned and explained "It'll be a nice icebreaker ya know? It's our first time hanging out outside of work." He agreed with her and said, "Okay then, ladies first." She became flustered because she wanted him to go first but she ignored that and asked the first question.

"Why, Mano, did you choose little ol' me to spend your time with over the weekend?" she asked going straight in for the good questions. "Easy" he quickly responds "You're interesting" Mano walks with her out of the store into the main traffic areas of the outlet.  Ari didn't expect that but it did bring a smile that she did not want Mano to notice "Your turn dude." Mano leads them to a tea shop so that they may get something to drink "Same question you asked me. Why me?" 

She laughed "Lazy, copying my question, but if you must know." They made their orders and are waiting for them to be served to them. "You didn't disrespect, harass, or annoy me. On the contrary, I thought 'Hey this guy seems pretty cool' and so far so good" She was served her her tea and waited for him. Mano didn't expect that answer, but he felt a sense of pride in himself for giving her a good impression "In all honesty Ari. You're exceeding all my expectations of how you'd be outside of work"

That piqued her curiosity as she followed Mano over to a table where they sat to enjoy their tea under the air-conditioned tea shop, "Do spill the tea, Mano?" He almost spat out his tea when he broke out in a laugh "You did not just say that in a tea shop while we're having tea!" She grins proudly " I did now explain mister" After he was done with his laughing fit he puts his tea down and looks her in the eyes "Sometimes how people behave at work is a façade, but so far I'm just meeting amazing sides of you that I didn't even know existed."

She clearly blushed this time but took a sip of her tea quickly to hide that "Well quit making assumptions that way you wouldn't have been thinking like that." He stirred his tea mug while admiring her, but that's when he starts thinking 'Mano what are you doing?! She's your coworker! Not your date! Stop!' Soon after he thought that the realization of what he has been saying hit him and he felt embarrassed so quick, "S-so um its your turn for a question..." Ari noticed how flustered he got but shrugged it off for now "Hmm... is there anyone at the workplace that has caught your attention?"

This time Mano panics because if he says no then he may let her think that he doesn't like her when clearly he does! 'What am i thinking?!' he rebukes himself but then remembers how great she is. 'Oh my gosh this cant be happening!' Mano suddenly blurted out "Yes!" There's no turning back now "Yes there is someone..." Ari's eyes grew a bit but she quickly hid her expression by following her tea stirrer.  Mano exhales softly to calm his nerves as he asks "How about you?"

She looks up from her cup and locks eyes with him "Well... there is someone, but I don't think it'll work out" Mano grew concerned and asked "Why do you say that? Have you tried?" She shakes her head and squeezes her mug in worry looking back down at it, "I don't want to ruin the relationship we built thus far, so no I haven't tried..." Mano leans back in his chair and simply says "Oh..." as if he's defeated. She then sits up with a sudden burst of hope in her expression "Do you think I should still go for it?!" Mano didn't expect that and met her gaze "Yeah why not? If he's cool then even if he doesn't return your feelings or it doesn't work out between ya'll, ya'll could still be friends"

She smiled and dropped this on him "So Mano? Whataya say? Want to see how this plays out?" Mano gave her a blank stare as he processed everything that just happened as has been said. Then a smile creeped onto his face as he feels like a thousand fireworks exploded inside of him "Yes! Would I ever want to see this through!" She became ecstatic and declared out loud "It's a date then!"