The Divorce

18

Gabriel was waiting very impatiently outside my door.

I had taken more than five minutes, but that was because it took more than five minutes to do up all the buttons on this top. He hadn't told me the dress code so I  had selected a simple black work top and a pencil skirt. First I thought I could get away with jeans but then who knew where we were going, a skirt made it less casual.

Or so I thought.

Gabriel stopped pacing outside the room, almost like he was going to yell at me for taking too long and ask me why I locked the door. Because you were barging in. But instead he looked me up and down and sighed.

"That's what you're wearing."

"You didn't tell me the dress code? Shall I change?" I asked, taking one step backwards. Before my foot could even touch the carpet inside he grabbed my arm and tugged me.

"Too late, we have to go now." he said.

Once my feet started walking after two steps he let go of my arm like I had a contagious disease and rushed in front of me. I was glad I was wearing flats, but it didn't mean I could run after him. Gabriel always forgot that he was tall and a fast walker, he always took long strides. 

It didn't matter that I was working with him for so long, I didn't magically get faster at walking. He looked back at me, almost like he was going to tell me to hurry up but then thought otherwise as it was probably a waste of breathe. Instead he waited at the bottom of the stairs as I caught up, breathless, reminding me how unfit I was.

I thought he was waiting for me and almost thanked him, before I heard Fern behind me. 

Of course

"What are you wearing?" Fern said, as soon as he saw me. 

"Should I get changed? Where are we going though?" I asked.

"Yes," Fern nodded.

"No, we're out of time the car is here," Gabriel said as he rushed ahead. 

"My outfit isn't that bad is it?" I asked as Fern and I started walking to the car. 

"No, it's fine. You look fine it's just not practical since we're walking."

"Walking?" I asked. Fern was definitley dressed more casual than I was, he was in jeans and a button up shirt, semi casual but it was those green runners that he was wearing that did it for me. I had never seen running shoe that shade of green, and it clashed horribly with his blue shirt. 

"We need to get a few pictures." he said as we hopped into the car. Gabriel was in the front seat next to the driver, busy texting away on his phone.

"Oh." I said, well at least I looked alright. I could walk in flats, surely it can't be that long of a walk.

* * * 

I was wrong, it wasn't a walk, no, not at all.

It was practically a hike. 

The material of this shirt didn't help, I felt like I was smelling like an ocean but of sweat, so stinkier. The mesh like material did nothing to make me feel less hot either. I was almost tempted to take it off since I had worn a cotton singlet underneath, but I didn't have that courage just yet to let my work colleagues see me in nothing less than work clothes. 

I had no idea how Gabriel was walking in those working shoes, he didn't look like he was in any pain at all, or perhaps his poker face was too good.

Actually come to think of it his poker face was showing because it wasn't poker at all, it was annoyance, frustrated and disappointed. It would be obvious if his cards were crap, he would be glaring at the cards like they should magically get better.