✓ Chaos Theory | Diego Hargreeves [1]

【CHAPTER NINE】

—chapter nine.

  ❛ big dumbass energy ❜  

THE PROS AND CONS OF TELLING THE COWORKER YOU'RE SLIGHTLY FRIENDLY WITH about your failure as a person in the midst of a sort-of possibly romantic situation: a list by Elodie Verbeck.

Pros: bonding with a coworker, getting quality advice about little-known topics, feeling a little less alone in the great big scary world...

Cons: being a terrible liar and horrible at making up tall tales creates the issue that no matter what is said, Charles Alonso will know exactly what, who, and why you're talking about.

In summary, Elodie Verbeck had screwed herself (and not in a good way).

"I never thought such a day would come. Is this the first sign of a great big apocalypse, or what?"

Elodie meant well. Selfishly, she wanted help, knowing that her limited (and quite negative) experiences with romance was just going to lead her down a bad path. She was confused, and quite lost, and Charlie seemed like the best bet. He was wise beyond his years and always friendly no matter the day or time, leading to usually pleasant conversations. He always acted like he was there  for her, and she supposed he was - for what little she allowed him to be.

So, she had swallowed her pride, and asked him for advice.

"Just shut up about it already."

Which had been a big, fat, miserable mistake.

He guessed she was talking about Diego right away (he hadn't known his name, but judging by the way her cheeks heated up, it wasn't hard to know he was talking about the right guy). And that had lead down a horrible rabbit hole of questions, and chuckles, and her composing her last will and testament on a bar napkin, believing this exposure was going to be the death of her that night.

(sadly, it hadn't killed her yet. but there was still time for that, she had to hope.)

"Oh, no, I don't think I can - this is too good to ever shut up about. Who knew that was lurking underneath all that rough'n'tough gristle?"

Elodie rolled her eyes behind her coat collar. "Screw off."

"You know, you might be one of us after all."

"Huh?"

"You know...hopeless and pining, emotion-driven and-"

"-don't you dare pin that bullshit on my name."