Moments From a Love Affair

A few days before the fancy dress party, 4.50pm

The blonde office girl had looked particularly nice today, thought Erica a little wistfully as she waited for her bus. She'd done her hair nicely, and her dress had looked stunning. Her nails and shoes had all matched the dress, too. It was just a simple, plain dress, but on her it looked amazing. Erica sighed and wondered if she would ever get to know any more about the girl. She came in almost every day, although not often before work now. She would usually appear mid-morning, and take three drinks back to her office on a little cardboard tray. They were beginning to share a bit of banter now, and Erica knew she worked somewhere round the corner from the shop, although she still didn't know her name. Sometimes, Erica would be the one making the drinks, and she'd taken to sometimes drawing a smiley face in the frothy milk of the girl's latte. The other morning, when Erica had been on the machine, the girl had lifted the plastic lid while she was still in the shop, to check what kind of face she'd got. She'd given Erica such a dazzling smile on her way out, Erica wished she could make that smile appear over and over again.

This morning, Erica had felt bold. Maybe it was the dress, and how gorgeous the girl looked. This morning, she'd drawn a heart and had caught the girl's eye as she handed her the cardboard cup. She always made the girl's coffee first, as if she was scared she'd leave too early. Erica's own heart had been in her mouth as she'd watched the girl take her drinks, but she hadn't lifted the lid. It was amazing how deflated Erica had felt for the rest of the morning.

***

Amanda was happy to be able to slip off half an hour early. She had some shopping to do, and she needed to pop into the bank. She wondered if Erica would be working at this time. She knew she was the supervisor, so probably got to go home early or something. She decided she would walk past and look in. If Erica was there, she'd go in and sit down for a coffee – she had to see her again, talk to her. Amanda felt like time was slipping away from her, she had to ask Erica out urgently. The little heart in the froth of her coffee this morning had really touched her. She'd spent the rest of the day wanting to go back to the shop and just spend time with Erica. Then again, she'd caught the way Erica's eyes had slid down her dress this morning, and recalling it now and then during the day had given her a little thrill each time. It was a nice dress – blue with a simple, flattering cut – and wearing it always made her feel attractive. Amanda smiled to herself as she decided it was possible that maybe Erica thought so too - which was a very lovely thought, and gave Amanda hope that the heart meant to Erica something like what it had meant to her.

***

Erica spotted the flash of blue out of the corner of her eye. The girl had emerged from an office a little further along and had crossed over, to walk briskly down the road. So that's where she works, Erica smiled to herself. Now what's she doing? God, she looks so lovely in that dress. Or just so lovely, really. Erica watched her turn the corner and thought she could guess where she might be going first. Her heart in her mouth, pulse quickening, she wiped her palms on her work skirt and stepped back from the queue at the bus stop to follow the girl on the other side of the road. Sure enough, when she turned the corner, the blonde was slowing down to look in the window of her shop. Erica was slightly surprised when she didn't go in, but carried on, walking slower now. Erica had allowed herself to wonder if the girl came in so often to see her (at least partly), but she'd never really seriously thought that could be true. Maybe it is, though, after all. What on earth had she thought about the latte art this morning? She picked up her pace and followed her.

Amanda was very disappointed that Erica didn't seem to be in the shop when she walked past. She wondered if the staff talked about her going in so often, if they'd possibly guessed she craved every glance from Erica, every touch of her fingers, every smile, every polite enquiry, every little sign of good customer service. She wondered if they'd ever know how desperately she wished Erica wasn't just being nice to her for her job.

She sighed and made her way over to the Oxfam clothes shop. She didn't need any more shoes, but it did so cheer her up to look at them, and she now felt slightly deflated and in need of cheering up.

Erica saw her head for the charity shop. She slipped in a little way behind her and pretended to be looking at the skirts and dresses. The blonde girl was turning over a rather ugly pair of shoes. Erica felt like going over and saying, 'You have such great taste in shoes, why are you even looking at them?' but she bit her lip and just watched her surreptitiously.

Amanda turned round from the shoes, feeling slightly uneasy. Her mouth opened in a little 'oh' of surprise when she saw Erica was also in the shop. Erica smiled at her slightly and waved her fingers shyly. Amanda thought she was possibly blushing as well. She put the horrible pair of shoes down, and made her way across the shop.

'Hi. What are you doing here?'

Erica grinned uncertainly. 'Same as you? Looking at naff clothes.'

Amanda chuckled. 'Did you see those shoes? Weren't they awful?'

'Pretty bad, yeah. And you with such good taste in them, normally.' Erica bit her lip. Had she said too much there?

Amanda grinned and felt herself blush a little too. 'Thanks. Umm, I'm Amanda, by the way. I'm aware you don't know my name, but I know yours.'

Erica wiped her hands on her work skirt. She felt so nervous. The girls shook hands, and Amanda felt a little jolt of pleasure at how lovely and soft and warm Erica's was.

'How do you know my name, Amanda?'

'Because I look at your name badge every day.' And your tits, actually, thought Amanda, but I'm not going to tell you that. Not today, anyway. She took a deep breath and tried to stop herself from fiddling with a strand of hair. 'Thanks for the, umm, little picture this morning. I was expecting a smiley face.'

Erica blushed deeply. 'Oh, er, sorry. I hope you weren't too disappointed, then.'

Amanda wanted to pour out into Erica's beautiful ear just how secretly special Erica had made her feel all day. 'No, I was really pleased. I thought it was lovely.'

There was a little silence, in which both girls tried to think of something to say. Erica found herself absent-mindedly playing with the hem of a leather miniskirt on a hanger. Amanda giggled, welcoming the distraction from the unspoken tension between them. She also touched the skirt, and for a second their fingertips brushed. It felt like a jolt of electricity shooting through Amanda's body. 'Do you actually like that?' She wondered if her voice really sounded so wobbly.

Erica just about managed to hide her gasp at Amanda's touch. She looked down and snorted with laughter, suddenly equally relieved. 'Not really.' She turned the skirt over, then pulled it out of the row of clothes and held it up. 'Though, actually, it's not too bad. Could look quite cute on the right person.' She glanced at Amanda quickly, and wondered if Amanda knew just how sexy she was. She looked inside the waistband. 'Which is so not me. Ahhh, phew. it's not my size.'

Amanda took the skirt and looked at it critically. 'Hmmm. It is mine, though. It's quite well made, actually. And it's only a fiver...not that I'd ever wear something like this.' Nonetheless, she held it against herself quickly. It would be a good fit, she thought, if slightly on the short side. 

Erica felt her heart thump in her chest. She'd just had a very daring idea. 'Umm. Not even for fancy dress?'

Amanda laughed. 'Well, maybe for that.'

Erica took the plunge. 'I think you should get it, then.' When Amanda looked at her, head on one side, she carried on quickly. 'I've got a mate, she's having a fancy dress party this weekend. I don't really want to go by myself, but if you fancied it...' Erica blushed and her voice tailed off.

Amanda felt a strange mix of emotions, but mainly she realised, rather light-headedly, that the girl of her recent dreams had just asked her out. In the middle of a charity shop. She felt like dancing, but just grinned. 'OK. That could be fun.'

Erica's jaw dropped open in surprise. She'd never supposed Amanda would accept her clumsy advance so quickly and easily. She'd barely had time to think it through herself.

Amanda laughed. 'Wait here while I get this.' She held up the leather miniskirt. 'Then we can go for a drink and discuss tactics for this party. Or whatever.'

'A drink?' asked Erica weakly, still not quite sure of her own luck. 'Where?'

Amanda chuckled. 'Well, definitely not where you work. Somewhere where we can get to know each other without any pressure from curious colleagues.'