Team Victor: A GoldmAnna Fic

Chapter 8: Anna

Friday

Mei and Anna sat down at a table in the Chen Media office with their lunches. Anna unzipped a purple thermos bag. "So, are you going on the trip?"

Mei looked down at her pink manicure and smiled. "I decided to tell him yes. And I'll gather research for a show about the cruise, and that region of France of course."

"Oh, of course." Anna said, with sarcastic amusement. Yeah right, they were going to do research. Psh.

"You think I did the right thing? Accepting a vacation away? In the same . . . room?"

"Honey, when a rich, beautiful man like that offers to take you on a trip, you say yes, you take your birth control pill, and don't worry too much about what it means for your relationship or what anybody is going to think. Come on, do you really think I would say no?"

"I'm glad you're here for me, Anna. You're like. . . a young cool mom."

Anna put an arm around Mei. "I'll accept that from you, even though I am not a mom, I'm only a part time Auntie, and even though you just said 'young cool mom' you're making me feel a little old, but it's you, so, I'm fine with it."

Mei turned her head with a quick change of subject. "So, let me ask you - you said you had a what's it called, a fuckboi? How is that going? Just between us girls this time." They looked around to make sure nobody was listening.

Anna was amazed Mei finally said the word. "Heh. I did. Or I thought I did. But I think I blew it. And not the sexy kind of blew it."

"What do you mean?"

"He said he didn't want to just be a fuckboi anymore. He wanted to date me. He asked me out when I wasn't expecting it at all. I did not handle it well."

"What did you say?"

"I . . . laughed."

"Oh no."

"Right, guys hate that."

"Well, do you want to date this guy?"

"I thought I didn't want to date anyone, but now I'm not sure. What I know about him is limited. But he seems like an almost overly honest person who is good at his job and who has it together. And he doesn't really have the seduction game of a playboy, I had to take the lead most of the time." Anna stirred at her chicken salad.

"So if you change your mind, you can just . . . tell him you want to date him." Mei smiled pleasantly.

"Well, now he's upset - like the hurt kind of angry, because I guess I felt rejected for sex, so I was an ass, and then he felt rejected, I'm sure. This morning he saw me in the lobby and he avoided eye contact. I guess I hurt his pride. I rejected him, and I wasn't nice about it, and I keep telling you that you don't have to be nice about rejecting a guy, right? It's certainly not the first time I've rejected a man. But it's one of the few times in my adult life that I've felt bad about it. He seems like the kind of guy that might fall for the first woman that looks his way. I guess miscalculated in choosing him. I guess I was thinking with my pussy again."

Mei wrinkled her nose and grimaced at Anna's course language, but she was still listening kindly, so Anna went on.

"He seems like a sweet guy, and there are few of those. Like, maybe I should give him a chance. Because I think he really really likes me. It was supposed to be just sex, and it my mind it was just sex, and really very hot sex that I was really into! I thought that was exactly what he wanted, and that he was really into that too. But he caught feelings. And I hadn't been planning on dating anyone. Whoops."

"Who is this guy? He does not sound like a usual . . . um . . . fuckboi."

"He really isn't." Anna sighed.

"He caught some feelings. Maybe he's in love with you."

Anna grimaced. "I think he wants a girlfriend. He's been a paragon this whole time, with this thing we've been doing."

"What do you mean?"

Anna decided Mei did not really want sex details, not really, even though it would do her well to hear some. Mei was more private about these kinds of things than Anna was. "He checks in really nicely. He always makes sure I'm comfortable and that we were doing something I liked. He gives as much as he takes. And he plays a role well, though his personality shines through."

"Plays a role?"

"Yeah, sexy roleplaying - it's great." Anna decided not to tell Mei the role he was playing for her was Victor while Anna played Mei. Maybe that was fucked up anyway, and they should really stop it. Not that Anna thought she was getting a second chance anytime soon.

"Oh, uh, nevermind." Mei blushed a little.

Anna sighed again, "So now I can't stop thinking about him and I really want to talk to him. I think I need to make it right. I can at least buy the guy lunch and have an actual conversation with him. I just have to figure out a way to talk to him now." She rested her chin in her hand and spoke to the wall decisively. "That's what I should do."

Mei's phone buzzed noisily on the hollow, plastic table with a text. She quickly swyped a short reply with her thumbs.

"Which one of them is it?"

"It's Victor."

"Good. I like him best."

Mei chortled, "I know! I know, you like him best." The phone buzzed a few more times.

"Not that you have to choose between your four lovahhhs. You don't."

Mei's face lit up while she still gazed at her phone. "So you've said, Anna. And that's an exaggeration. Hey, you seem really bummed. After work, let's meet for a girls night out. I could use one too!"

"Heck yeah. Where do you wanna go? Karaoke? The Good Times Tavern again?"

Mei's brown eyes sparkled. "Well, there's this amazing place I want to show you. It's called Souvenir."

*Scroll on to Chapter 9*