Angels and Humans | Ep06 | Coffee

To: Ep05 | Fresh

She watched him staring

He was not looking at her, he was looking at his screen. Every day it was the same thing. The numbers changed slightly, but all in all, not much changed. He had sat in the office for years staring at those numbers, creating reports, sending them as attachments in emails to people he had never met and more often than not, no reply came. And when it did, it was 'Thanks' sometimes with an exclamation mark as if the person was truly grateful.

Perhaps they were grateful but he would never be able to know it, there is not much meaning one can get from a one word email that seems very automatic, like a 'how are you?' in the corridor while they do not pause stride for a reply.

The office world was grey, dull, uniform, lifeless. Yet, he actually took pleasure in watching those numbers move, checking them twice, three times before collating them into a coherent package that someone may read. The numbers were more real than the automated responses and the predictable robotic actions of colleagues.

She tapped the door frame

He raised his head and looked towards the open door, just as she walked passed and it was as if the warmth of summer and the sweetness of spring flowers flooded his senses. Not everyone was a robot in the office as she moved as if she was floating on a cloud and no matter the environment, she always had space. If there was a highlight to a day, she was definitely it.

His body recalled the awkwardness he felt in her presence. Yes, she was beautiful but there was more to her than that, there was something regal in her, a royalty within but one that did not know it was there. She was natural and witty without ever needing to force a situation, it seemed like magic surrounded her.

She watched and though 'Are you ready?'

As glowing as she was, he never even entertained the idea that they could be together, not even a daydream fantasy. He was too reality based for that, he was a people watcher and he watched how others watched her and at times it made him feel a type of disgust. Like the feeling of seeing a lion, beaten and broken, dying in a cage.

He didn't feel it for her though, he sensed that she could handle herself if the need arose but, it was the way some men trapped her in their eyes, caged her in their minds as if they could own her. Women too. He watched women look at her with simultaneous longing and hatred when they thought no one was watching. They hated her for having what they did not, they loved her for being what they wanted to be. She was an inspiration and a constant reminder they would never be able to reach their ideals.

This amused him since it was a crack in their programming, as robotic as they were, they could not program out their feelings of inadequacy and disappointment at not having their desires filled. Life's customers with open orders and no possibility to do do it themselves.

He watched her glide by and out of sight and turned back to his screen. And then the knock came again.

She looked on amused

Even before he had finished turning his head he knew who was there as he could smell springtime and feel the warmth of the sun. He tried to scramble his thoughts into order as for some reason, they had decided to escape him. As his chair swivelled to face her, his eyes met with hers. It was like looking into clear pools with no bottom and he felt himself sinking, even at this distance. It was his turn to feel caged, and she was not looking at him as a prize, this was self-imposed.

She smiled at the pause without the slightest twinge of self-consciousness at the pause she asked politely if she could come in and have a word. He nodded as he composed his mind and she entered and shut the door behind her.

As he again took hold of reality, he motioned to the chair in the corner and watched as she pulled it in close to his desk and sat down. She was close enough that she could have whispered but, she leaned forward and drew herself closer.

"Most of your reports cross my desk, they are very, very good. I was wondering if after work you could meet me for a coffee somewhere and we could talk. Perhaps you can help."

She smiled and left. There were other things to prepare.

Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]

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