Gasoline.

11

"I'm taking you out tonight, okay?" Zayn said as the elevator neared my floor. "What's the occasion?" I asked.

"It's a Friday night, and I feel that we haven't had us time in a while." The elevator came to a stop. "Well, in that case it sounds good and I will see you then. I love you."

"I love you more, bye."

The doors to the elevator opened just as I hung up the phone, and I felt like I was transported from the drab but chic fourth floor, to a party supply store. "Surprise!" One person shouted. It was Jeff who always made the coffee. Nancy nudged him. "It's not Carter." I stepped over the colorful confetti. It was going to be a nightmare to clean up. Everyone from the fourth floor was standing around a table that had a cake. It read HAPPY FUCKING BIRTHDAY! YOU'RE CARTER DOMINIC.

Carter came back to work on Tuesday, but he'd been extremely to himself since then.

"A surprise party, that's sweet," I said. Nancy rolled her eyes at me. Apparently, she'd been eyeing the secretary position for years, but it was given to me in less than fifteen minutes. Jeff nodded his head, tossing a blue balloon into the air and catching it once it slowly floated back into his open hands. "He's going to love it!"

As if on cue, the elevator doors slid open and out waltzed Carter in a tailored navy blue suit. "SURPRISE!" Everyone shouted, and started popping off confetti cannons. Poor Joe the janitor. Carter grinned at everyone, he really did seem genuinely surprised. "Thank you everyone. For your kind gesture, we will have a half day." He walked over to the cake, and Nancy cut him a slice. He thanked her and headed right into his office. I followed him.

"Happy birthday," I smiled. Carter smiled up at me from his chair that he was settling in. "I didn't get you a gift but-" Carter waved his hand at me to stop talking. "Nonsense. I'm having a party tomorrow night. I would love if you would come. Your presence would be gift enough." I blinked at him. Was he flirting? I could never tell. He spoke in such a way to most women. "Tomorrow night? I-"

"No excuses, just tell me that you'll make it. You can invite anyone that you want."

"I'll be there," I said. Carter grinned, satisfied with the result. I however wasn't too sure.

After work Zayn picked me up from my apartment, and we headed to a swanky italian bistro. "More wine?" The waiter asked. I nodded my head, holding my glass out toward him. "Yes, please." After he poured my red wine, he walked away, leaving me and Zayn alone again.

"I wanted to ask you something, Lauren." The way he said this left me with an anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach for some reason. "Y-yes?" Zayn chuckled at how I stammered.

"It's nothing, crazy. My fathers birthday is in a month, and I wanted to know if you wanted to come with my to England to spend a few days out there. I'll pay for everything, of course."

"England? Wow." I've been out there and visited London once for a senior class trip back when I was in high school. "I don't know what your policy at work is, but a month is pretty advance to put in time-off."

"I'll definitely do it, yeah." Zayn smiled, leaned across the table and kissed me.

"Speaking of birthdays and work, that also brought me to the next conversation. Carter is having a party for his birthday tomorrow, and he invited me and said I could bring anyone I wanted.. would you be interested?" I knew that was a crazy question, especially when Zayn stayed quiet after I spoke. He picked up his fork and started swirling his pasta around it.

"Did you hear me?" I asked, knowing he clearly heard me word for word, but he could have also zoned out the moment I mentioned Carter. I played with the ring on my pinky finger. "It was a stupid suggestion. Forget it."