Office Mates

Experimenting with Marian's Advice

Robin is eating lunch alone in the cafeteria. He is a huge fan of tacos. He is grateful that Marian went to the cafeteria earlier because he doesn't want to talk to anyone at lunch today. He needs a minute to think about all the things that Marian and he talked about over the weekend. Marian is encouraging Robin to be more clear to Aurora that he is interested in her. Even if it isn't exactly them going  on a date. It's too soon for Robin to see himself dating Aurora.

While Robin is eating, Aurora walks in. She doesn't seem to notice that Robin is here. Robin doesn't know what to do. Marian would tell him to ask Aurora to join him for lunch. But the last time that Robin saw Aurora was the night of the noob hat incident. He was acting strangely. He didn't want to talk to Aurora right now and have to explain his bizarre conversation with her. It was a complete fail. Robin is resigned to just pretend like he doesn't see Aurora and hope she doesn't notice him either. Robin begins to dip his face down a little lower trying to hide behind his food.

Aurora gets her own tacos and turns to look at the cafeteria. Despite his best efforts to hide, Aurora notices Robin. He is the only person she recognizes here. She starts walking towards him. Robin puts his hand up to cover his face, but Aurora is not deterred. She continues and arrives with her tray right in front of Robin. She smiles, looks at Robin and asks, "Can I sit with you?"

Robin realizes that there is no turning Aurora back at this point. So he gets up, pulls out a chair next to him and replies, "of course." Robin tries his best to smiled back at Aurora, but it is a half smile because he is still worried about how to explain their last interaction. Aurora and Robin sit in silence for a few minutes. Robin doesn't even know where to start. He tries to start speaking...when he gets cut off by Aurora.

"I had a great time hanging out with your friends a few weeks ago." Robin breaths a sigh of relief at this. It seems like Aurora isn't going to bring up their awkward encounter on Friday night. "More like coworkers," Robin corrects Aurora. Aurora responds, "oh, well, I had a great time getting to know our coworkers better. Its the first time I have been invited to go out with a whole group of you." Aurora pauses to take a bite of her food. This is the time when Robin should step in and say something. But Robin remains silent. He can't think of anything to say. Robin tries to remember back to what Marian said on Friday.

Luckily Aurora is not deterred by the pauses in the conversation. She seems to take to them naturally. After she finishes a few bites of her food she asks, "Do you go out with Graham and Marian a lot?" Robin feels like he should probably clarify that he doesn't normally go out. He likes to stay in. He doesn't want Aurora to get any ideas that he is a social butterfly like Marian. "Not normally. I usually  do things by myself in my free time. I have been exploring the city since I moved here a year ago." Aurora smiles, "That's fun. I have been in this city for a long time. I grew up here. If you need any advice from a local, I could help you. I know all the best places."

Robin is genuinely curious now. He moved here for the job at Blahco that Graham got for him. But hanging out with Graham is limited to lots of places that he thinks will be populated by girls. Robin replies, "really? I would love that. I haven't been her for too long so I am still getting used to the place." Aurora replies, "I can't remember the last time I went somewhere new. I am jealous." Robin takes this as a chance to ask her a question, "What do you normally do?" "I spend time with my family. I go out with my girlfriends sometimes. But not  like drinking out. I don't like getting drunk. I would rather do other stuff with my time."

The conversation is finally flowing naturally. Robin is grateful for Aurora's persistence. He is finding out that the two of them have many things in common. Robin is very close with his mom and he would much rather go on an adventure around the town rather than meet up for drinks. Robin smiles a little and Aurora, "Me too. I hadn't gotten drunk in a long time. But a week ago, Graham and Marian and I went out and had a lot to drink." Aurora asks, "Are you a funny drunk?" Robin gives a small laugh at the question. It caught him off guard a little bit. "I don't think that I get funnier. But I think other people seem funnier when I am drunk." He answers honestly. He doesn't want Aurora to think that he is a funny guy. He isn't. Aurora laughs at his answer. Despite being told his whole life that he wasn't funny, Aurora seems to think he is. Robin smiles a little bit bigger. This doesn't seem to be going so badly.