Office Desires

13. Hopeless

1 month later.

Lou had tried everything.

Lou had tried everything to make Debbie jealous or break her walls.

And although Debbie showed a little something with the fake girlfriend plan,

Nothing seemed to be enough.

First, Lou had decided to subtly implement the strategy of mild flirting with a colleague named Mia.

Mia was friendly and outgoing, and they often shared laughter during office gatherings. Lou had figured that a bit of harmless flirting might catch Debbie's attention without making her uncomfortable.

One afternoon, during a casual office conversation, Mia made a playful comment about Lou's sense of humor. Lou responded with a lighthearted wink and a charming smile. She maintained eye contact for a beat longer than usual, letting a hint of mischief sparkle in her blue eyes.

Over the next few days, Lou continued to engage in these mildly flirtatious interactions with Mia. They exchanged compliments, playful banter, and the occasional shared laugh.

While it wasn't inappropriate, it would be enough to make Debbie question the nature of Lou's newfound camaraderie with Mia.

But nothing happened, Debbie never said anything.

A few days later, Lou realized that the mild flirting strategy hadn't produced the desired effect and that she needed to step up her game if she wanted to make Debbie jealous.

So she had decided to attend a work event with Mia.

As the event approached, Lou and Mia planned to arrive together and engage in friendly, yet noticeable, interactions. They would pose for photos, laugh together, and share animated conversations throughout the evening.

Lou knew that Debbie would be at the event as well, and she hoped that seeing her with another person might stir some emotions within her.

And on the night of the event, Lou and Mia made their entrance, looking like a striking pair. They mingled with other colleagues, and whenever Debbie was nearby, they made sure to be in her line of sight. They danced together, right in Debbie's view.

But again, nothing happened.

If flirting with colleagues hadn't yielded the desired results, Lou decided to focus on a different approach. Over the next few weeks, she put in extra effort to enhance her appearance and her work.

Lou was careful not to cross any boundaries, but she decided to show a little more skin than usual, coming to the office looking hot as hell but still making sure to maintain professionalism while, of course, turning heads in the office.

Next, she dedicated herself wholeheartedly to her work and poured her energy into every project, impressing colleagues and superiors alike with her efficiency and creativity. She stayed late when necessary and took on additional responsibilities, all while maintaining her charming and friendly demeanor.

She believed that showing Debbie what she was missing, both in terms of her appearance and her dedication to work, might finally prompt her to confront her own feelings.

And as the weeks passed, Lou continued her efforts to get Debbie's attention. But it became increasingly clear that Debbie was not responding as Lou had hoped. No matter how Lou dressed or how dedicated she was to her work, Debbie's indifference remained unchanged.

Lou finally realized that perhaps there was nothing more she could do to make Debbie jealous or break through her emotional barriers.

It dawned on her that maybe, just maybe, Debbie simply didn't care in the way she had hoped.