Wishful Thinking

Chapter 2: Round Table

It took me a while to figure out where my table is since this is the first time that Vanguard is mixing up it's employees. Usually, you get to sit with people from your own department, so if you're from finance you sit with people from finance as well. And that makes finding your table easier since when you find a person from your department, your table is with them or nearby. It's easier to look for people than for table numbers. But since the people on top wanted a more sociable VC, they mixed it up this year. 

As I'm walking around to look for my table, I have this silent prayer not to be seated with bores or ass holes (cause believe me, Vanguard is full of them). And imagine my relief when I finally found table 14 and saw none other than Gianne sitting there (she's from advertising by the way).

"Please tell me that this is really your table and not that you just passed by and took a random seat" Gianne told me, obviously relieved that she'll have someone to chatter the evening with.

"I actually am just passing by and took a random seat in a random table" I answered teasingly.

"Haha. Very funny Jillian. Anyways, I wonder who would take up the remaining four seats"

The question was just left hanging for a minute when Tangerine (yes, I know. Weird name right?) from Human Resource took a seat beside Gianne.

"Thank the gods, I'm seated with people I actually know." Tangerine exclaimed while sitting down.

"Why do you looked so tired Tannie? It's like you ran all the way here" I asked concerned because beads of sweat were falling down her forehead and the way she was breathing...

"I bumped with Shae and she was again all perky and stuff so I had to run to get away from her. She kept on telling stories about her stupid cats, don't take it the wrong way. I love cats. Its just that I'm not in the mood to listen to stories about cats. Like it's an evening for me to feel welcome and psyched for a new year at work and you tell me a story about cats. It's not just right you know. These are cats were talking about people!"

You see, Tannie (short for Tangerine, just in case you didn't get it) is a great person but she has this tendency to talk a lot. And I'm not saying that what she talks about is nonsense, but it's just (let's put it this way) personal.

"Yeah, cats. I know right" Gianne said while patting Tannie in the back, playing sympathy. And Tannie once again, told the tale of how a cat saved her life that's why she loved them but not wanna hear about them. Something like that, I kind of shut my hearing when I've already heard the story four times.

Three down, three more to go. As Tannie and Gianne had an exchange about cats, I looked to my right and was surprised to see someone already seated there.

"Hey gorgeous! Fancy seeing you here."

The way the sentence was said and the voice, oh so manly, made me shiver and I automatically had goosebumps.

"Never, ever, do that again! That was nothing but creepy Marco!"