The Experiment © [Completed]

Chapter 8 - Falling Slowly

"So how was the first couple of nights?" Matt asked excitedly as they sat in front of him in his office. "I saw your snapchats by the way, and let me tell you, they are gold!" He added winking at them.

Dei and RJ looked at each other.

"It was good," RJ said. "It wasn't like anything I have expected about this whole project."

"Really?" Matt asked, intrigued. "Can you tell me more?"

RJ glanced furtively at Dei. "Not yet." he said.

"What about you Dei?" Matt asked, turning to her. "How annoying did you find Faulkerson?"

Dei laughed. "He wasn't, to be honest," she said, looking at RJ who seemed to be studying the hem of his shirt for some reason. "He's actually pretty sweet. And just like what he said, the project isn't turning out to be anything I've expected as well."

Matt smiled at them both, clearly figuring out what was going on. "You know what I wish? I wish that by the end of the three month period, or even before that, you two would end up being together. You're so perfect for each other, I hope you know that."

"Except I may not be the type of guy she wants," RJ said suddenly, looking at the wall behind Matt.

Dei glanced at him, confused.

Matt raised his eyebrows at them. "Well... I'm still wishing. A girl can wish right?" he said, looking at them both. He coughed as he started feeling some tension. "Ok, go away now and find something to do. RJ, I need that article from last week. Apparently you forgot to forward it to Railey and the deadline's today."

"Okay," RJ said, standing up and leaving.

Dei quickly ran after him. RJ had been a bit weird since they came home from the coffee shop yesterday morning. They went out again around lunchtime. They ate, went shopping and watched a movie but he was quiet almost the entire time. He said he just wasn't feeling well.

"RJ, what's that about?" she asked, grabbing his arm.

"Nothing," he said, smiling at her. "Just... It could be the truth, right?"

"You don't know that." Dei said.

"Will you tell me?" he asked but Dei didn't respond. She didn't know what to tell him. "I thought so. I'll see you later Dei, I still need to finish that damn article." he smiled at her once and walked over to the elevator.

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"Hey, what's up, RJ?" Ken asked as he walked into their cubicle and found RJ leaning back on his chair with both his arms over his eyes.

"I can't think," RJ groaned. "I forgot to forward this article to Railey last week so now I have to beat today's deadline... but my brain's not working."

"What happened?" Ken asked, leaning against RJ's station and looking at him. "Did something happen with Dei?

"No... Yes. I don't know," RJ answered and then sighed. "Ken, I'm fucked up, dude. I think I'm starting to like her, like her."

"How is that a problem?" Ken asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Because I don't want to. And because I'm not who she wants." he said.

"Oh. Did she tell you that?"

"Kinda." RJ answered. "She hates guys like me."

"Wow," Ken said, scratching the back of his head. That was unexpected. All the girls he knew wouldn't say no to Richard Jay Faulkerson. "Well, it's too early bro. You can still make her change her mind. Why not try to be the kind of guy that she wants?"

"Because I'm already what I am," RJ answered, throwing his stress ball onto the wall of his cubicle and then catching it back. "Yesterday morning I saw her doing yoga and I just wanted to..." he trailed off, looking at Ken. "... never mind. But yeah, I can never be what she wants"

"Woo her," Ken suggested.

"I'm not ready for another heart break." RJ said.

"Just try it, either way you'd still end up being heartbroken if you don't at least try." Ken urged.

"I don't know..."

"It's been three years, dude. This is the first time you felt that way again in three years. You better do something about it." Ken said firmly before taking a seat. "Give me the article and I'll finish it," he added.

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AN: Thanks for the votes and comments guys. It's amazing to see that this book already has 5k views in just its second day. Please don't hesitate to let me know what you think. Some of the comments here make me LOL. And someone said some of the parts here are making them laugh too. So I guess the com part of the rom-com is finally kicking in? Haha! Thanks guys! Lamyu.