The Assistant

Talk of Engagement

The office settles down and goes back to its normal working pace, at least until Friday.

I walk into the room to find all of the workers in a happy bustle of noise.

Everyone's talking, and they're all surrounding Fei and Andrew.

"What's going on?" I ask, taking my coat off and smiling myself.

They all turn towards me.

"Fei and Andrew are engaged!" Betty claps her hands together, a huge grin on her face.

My mouth drops open. "Really?!" I squeal, running over towards Fei and wrapping her in a tight hug.

"Let me see the ring!" She holds up her left hand to show us a shining diamond ring.

"Wow!" I exclaim. "Its so pretty!"

I think for a couple of minutes and clap my hands together.

"Guys!" I cheer. "This great occasion deserves a celebration! How about we don't work today and have a little party?"

"Can we do that, Hana?" Andrew asks.

I nod. "Yes! Of course!" I turn towards Drake. "Run to the bakery down the street and get us something to eat! Pick us up some drinks as well!"

"I'm your assistant, you know," He complains, shuffling to the door. "I'm not your errand boy."

He walks out anyway, heading to the bakery.

***

We all sit in the main office, munching on cookies and cupcakes and drinking hot chocolate.

The guys are over in one side of the room chatting away, and all of us girls are together talking.

"So Hana," Addie starts and I look towards her with half of a sugar cookie in my mouth. "How long have you and Jack been dating? When do you think you'll get engaged?"

I nearly choke, and I take a sip of my hot chocolate.

"Oh, uh," I can feel my face become red, and I smile shyly.

I've never even thought about marrying him, or even him proposing.

"I haven't really thought about it," I answer, my face becoming redder. "I could see us getting married someday, actually. He's nice to me and he loves me, so that's all that matters."

I look down at my plate, smiling to myself.

"How long have you been together?" Fei asks, sipping her chocolate.

"Three years," I smile at her. "Three years going on four, actually."

"Aw, how adorable," Betty coos. "High school sweethearts are the best! I can remember when I met my hubby! It was at junior Prom."

"Oh no," Addie leans back into her chair. "Here we go again."

Her eyes flash with an admiring nature as she goes into detail.

"I was at the punch bowl getting me something to eat and drink when I spotted him across the room," She puts her hands into air as an effect. "He was looking at me like I was a glass of ice water in the desert, and I was looking at him like he was a steak on a buffet."

We all chuckle at her storytelling abilities, and listen intently to what she has to say.

"Suddenly, like fate, we both start walking to each other. When we meet in the center of the room, we stop to stare at each other," She purses her lips together. "Back then, Footloose was popular, so when that song started playing, we started dancing! We were glued to each other, and there was no separating us!"