Office Mates

The Love Guru

Marian and Robin walk together back to their office upstairs. Marian opens the door and sees Graham in the office. The very large and muscly accountant is sitting on top of Robin's desk. He is always in a muscle shirt and some shorts. His legs are dangling down and kicking slightly as he waits for the two coworkers to return to their office. As the door opens, Graham stands up and smiles very excitedly. He has been waiting a while for them.

Graham, "Marian, I don't know how you did it, but my new profile picture is getting me so much action on DAPP. Like, I have so many DMs with images. And so many girls trying to meet up with me." Graham pulls out his phone and pulls up DAPP. Marian's face is lit up by the screen. She starts to look shocked at whatever it is that Graham is pulling up on his screen. Marian suddenly puts her hands down and covers the screen, "Dude, warn me before you swipe past a picture of you...like that." Marian's face starts to scrunch up. She normally doesn't care to much about nudity, but for some reason when it's a coworker that she has never thought of in that way, it makes her feel a little nauseous. 

Robin wipes his desk off before he sits back down. He watches Marian and Graham pouring over the dating app and wonders how people find that fulfilling. From what he hears Graham talk about, there isn't much beyond hook ups. Robin has never been interested in instant gratification like that, so he has never even thought about using DAPP. But, Robin was starting to feel like he was one of the last humans in the city that didn't like the  modern dating world. He would much rather spend time getting to know someone before ever thinking about them romantically. It's not like his is a prude. He did things with his ex and they eventually lived together, but it took them lots of time to get to each new step.

Marian finishes looking at Grahams phone, "I am glad I was able to help you." Graham smiles at Marian, "I am going to ask you for dating advice from now on. You are a genius." Marian starts to smile. She originally thought Graham was a gym bro, but he can grows on you as you get to know him. She just thought his brain was all work outs. However, he is a good friend of Robin so there had to be more in his brain than Marian previous thought. Marian looks back at Graham and starts to realize that maybe her first impression had been wrong.

Robin looks at the two having a moment. If Graham keeps building Marian, up she will be even more annoying to share an office with. The last thing Robin wants is for his one work friend to start visiting the office to talk to Marian. She is why everyone else comes to the office. Robin smirks, "Graham,I don't think you should build up Marian's ego this much." Marian looks slightly offended at this jab. Marian feels the need to fight back, "what are you talking about? Of all people, you need my help the most. Let me help you get Aurora. I don't think you will get her attention without my help. If you take too long, she is going to get bored an move on."

Robin shakes his head, there is no way he needs Marian's help to get a date with Aurora. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of my own personal life. I have been doing that without your help my whole life. Plus, I am not interested in naked pictures on a dating app. I am looking for something more substantial from my relationship with Aurora."

Marian is determined not to back down. Robin is not only private, but he is stubborn. He can't see how he is ever wrong. He would rather sit here and ponder his existence than just ask Aurora out and see if the chemistry is there. He won't learn about that until he goes out with her. There is no substitute for good chemistry. So Marian decides to make a bet with Robin. "If I can tell you exactly how you first relationship went, without ever even hearing the story from you, you will accept me as your new love guru." Marian fold her arms and waits to see of Robin will accept the terms of her challenge.

Robin is not one to be corrected. He too fold his arms. He is sure that Marian's understanding of his first relationship will be horribly wrong. She is way too different to understand the complexities of his life. So Robin smiles at Marian and accepts. "Fine. There is no way you can relate to anything in my dating life." Graham is watching the two and starts to get all excited at this high stakes bet. He starts to look at Marian and then back to Robin. He is not sure how this is going to end.

Marian sits down in her chair and leans back in it. She is completely confident that she is going to nail Robin and his relationship in a second. Because if there is one thing that makes her a super engineer it is her attention to detail. She finally speaks. "Just like me, your first relationship had 'Romeo and Juliet Syndrome'". Robin looks confused, "what are you talking about? There were no teenage suicides in my first relationship." Marian smirks because she KNOWS she got him.  

Marian explains further. "Romeo and Juliet Syndrome is when you are in a relationship that your friends and family don't necessarily support. It is the two of you and your love against the world." Robin doesn't respond, his face is blank. Graham on the other hand is all excited and starts pointing excitedly at Robin and says, "she nailed it, right?!" Graham was never told much about Robin's last relationship so he honestly doesn't know.

Marian continues to reel in Robin, "and when your relationship is hit with "Romeo and Juliet Syndrome" it just drives the two of you closer together. You do anything to protect your relationship from everyone else. These relationships tend to drag on because it's hard to admit, your friends and family knew better than you did. They were right about the fact that you and your ex were poorly matched. Its super difficult to come out of a "Romeo and Juliet Syndrome" relationship because they were so intense. You constantly put one person at the center of your world and now they are gone and you have to find a new center for your world."

Graham looks sadly at his friend Robin. "Buddy, who hurt you?" Robin starts to puff up his chest. He had NO idea that Marian would get so much right about his first relationship. Especially when he was sure that he had never told her anything about Livia, her parents, and No Fun Inc. Robin defends himself, "No one hurt me. I left the relationship as my own choice." Marian is victorious. She explains, "I knew your relationship had to be bad because you left your job and moved because of it." Robin tries again to protect himself, "I left No Fun Inc for many reasons..." Robin stops himself. After a minute he caves, "alright, you might have something of value to add." 

Marian is so excited! She starts jumping up and down and waving her arms in the air in an excited victory shake! She pauses and puts a little "V" up in her hand and bites her lip and looks at Robin. She always loves hearing that she is right. She is an engineer. "Yes! Now you must accept me as your official love guru. I will guide you through this new stage of your life. Dating someone new! Help you make sense of all these feeling you have. And if I get a few more clients I can officially quit my job at Blahco."

"Wait, really?" Graham asks her, with a very confused look on his face. Robin cuts in, "no, she loves this job. She is really just being facetious about her win and is rubbing it in my face." Robin is next brought into a tight grab by Marian. "Yes," she clarifies, "and as your newly appointed relationship advisor, I demand payment in the form of your side of your one and only relationship. NO deflecting." Robin gives an exhale, "Fine, but not at work. And only if you promise lots of alcohol. That's the only way I can talk about Livi" Marian is excited. He has never shared his ex's name before. This is going to be great.

 Robin continues, "I don't know how all of this is going to help me date Aurora." Graham and Marian start hugging a little and doing a happy dance. Marian is so excited, "Ha, so you do want to date Aurora!" Robin looking at her, "Obviously" Graham is also so excited, "I am so shocked Robin, you have been  denying you even liked Aurora and now you are on to admitting you want to date her. Please don't meet up without me. I don't want to miss anything important. This sounds way more exciting than any show I could watch at home." Robin looks like Graham has betrayed the bro code between them. The one rule is we don't ask questions. Graham looks sad for a second, "I had no idea you left Blahco because you were dumped. I even knew you in college and you never mentioned a girlfriend." Robin, "I already told you guys that I left that job for MANY reasons" Marian smiles, "And I can't wait to hear all about it on our night out." Robin sighs. He gives up. They clearly mean it this time. But it's been a year an maybe he can finally talk about the whole thing without wanting to crawl into a pit and disappear. But he isn't sure that won't sill be the case, "a night out with lots of drinks. And I mean a lot." 

Graham, Robin and Marian make plans to go out for drinks on Friday after work. Graham offered to drive but Robin insisted they take a TUBER. He didn't want to ride in Graham's car unless it was necessary. Since Marian was coming that meant three people could chip in for the price. Graham gets up and walks out. Marian starts texting someone on her phone. Robin turns on his computer to start his work. He looks at the clock. It's been over and hour since he got up to take his lunch. He definitely needs to stay late tonight to make up the time. He puts his headphones on and gets back to work.