At that moment, facing Anna in the quiet elevator, I knew she was completely serious. The look in her eyes wasn't a game. It wasn't a joke. It was just... real. I couldn't look at her face, but I felt her gaze—it was hot—burning into me. My eyes stayed glued to the floor. I didn't know if it was shame or just cowardice, but my chest felt tight, and my hands were totally wet with sweat.
Prove it.
Did she mean right here? Right now? The idea made my stomach clench. She seemed more serious about this than I was about the stupid wish. So this is what the old woman meant—no desire shall be denied. The wish wasn't a gift; it was a huge, scary deal.
Then she touched me.
Her hand slid against mine, soft and slow, like she was testing me—or pulling me into something I wasn't ready for. I got instant goosebumps all over, and I forgot how to breathe.
Halfway to our floor, the elevator stopped. The doors opened, and two people stepped in. Saved. I could breathe again. I felt lighter, even though my heart still beat fast like a trapped bird. Anna just kept smiling, totally calm and impossible to read, as if nothing had happened. That easy smile really creeped me out.
When we reached the office, she walked to her desk with her usual, cool way, acting like she hadn't just wrecked my entire world. I tried to do the same.
And there he was. Mark. Already at his desk, already smug, because of course he had a car and didn't have to ride the packed bus like me.
"Good morning, sad face," he said, grinning like he owned me.
"Why are you calling me that?" I asked.
He smirked. "You rode in with the Ice Queen herself. How lucky are you? But you—man, you always wear that gloomy look. Cheer up, will you?"
I froze. Did he know? Did he guess something? My throat felt dry, like cotton.
"I'm just… dealing with stuff," I mumbled, falling into my chair.
To my surprise, he just shrugged. "Relax, man. Smile. It won't kill you."
It was the first time he'd ever said something that wasn't dripping with mean sarcasm. Maybe he wasn't a total jerk. I forced a weak smile.
"That's what I mean," he said, nodding.
I looked down at the stack of papers—the same ones I'd used yesterday to talk to Anna. My chest tightened. My eyes flicked across the room. She was already typing, focused on her work, looking perfect and distant, like nothing else mattered.
But my mind went wild. I imagined those smooth thighs under the desk, imagined myself grabbing them riding to death, losing myself in the moment. My insides were a mess of panic and wanting.
The CEO's voice, loud and booming, broke the tension. "Attention, everyone. Meeting in one hour. Finish your duties quickly—we'll dismiss early today since it's Friday."
The room buzzed instantly. Early Friday meant freedom.
When the meeting finally started, Lizz presented something. Her voice went on and on while slides flipped across the screen. I sat in the back, pretending to listen.
Anna sat right in front of me.
She didn't look at the slides once. Her eyes kept flicking back, staring right at me. It was obvious. Not subtle at all. Even Mark noticed, shifting next to me with a sour look. For once, I liked seeing him jealous.
My phone buzzed on the table. The jump scared me. My heart skipped a beat.
A message. From her.
I didn't dare open it with Mark right next to me. My chest felt tight until the meeting finally ended. As soon as we were free, I checked my phone.
Her words were short, sharp, and dangerous:
Don't keep me waiting, Luke.
My hands shook. I had to finally man up. I wanted to reply. I had to reply. But what?
After thinking about it for way too long, I finally typed:
Do you have any plans today after work?
Pathetic. The dumbest, weakest thing I could have written.
But her reply came instantly.
No. I'll just go home.
I typed: I was thinking maybe we could..
The text went out before I finished it. It looked stupid. I messed up! I cursed under my breath and slammed the phone on the desk. Damn it! Why was I always like this?
"What's wrong?" Mark's voice cut in. He was leaning back in his chair with that stupid grin.
"Ha… are you still here? Thought you went for the break," I mumbled, trying to hide my hot face.
He smirked. "You always use your phone. Today, though, I'm taking her for breakfast. I hope she'll agree."
I froze. Her? My chest tightened again.
"Who… Anna?" I asked, trying to sound normal, though my voice broke.
"Yeah," he said, with the easy confidence of a guy who thinks he wins everything.
"Good luck, man," I forced a fake smile, wanting to hit him. He stood up, fixed his shirt, and headed toward her desk like a predator going for a meal.
My hand shook as I grabbed my phone again. The screen lit up, and my heart almost stopped. A new message.
Then come to my place after work.
I blinked, rubbed my eyes, and read it again. My pulse hammered in my ears. Was this real? Did she really type this? My mouth went dry. For a second, I thought it was a joke. But it was her. Anna.
I leaned back in my chair, dizzy. Mark was already at her desk, using his best fake charm, but here I was, staring at the words that would change everything.
I didn't believe it—couldn't possibly believe it—but I already knew. Today… today I was leaving my boring life behind and walking right into the fire. Today I was getting laid.
I decided that it was not time to reply. I watched as Mark tried his best, leaning over Anna's desk, talking too loud, but in my mind, I was just laughing. Do whatever you want, buddy, but you don't have a chance. He was wasting his time. I finally focused on my computer, trying to finish my work, but after just a few minutes, those wild thoughts were back, playing on my mind like a broken, dirty movie.
I tried to remember when was the last time I had sex, but I couldn't remember. It was so long ago that the memory felt fuzzy and fake. The thought made my cheeks feel hot.
The day that I thought was never going to end finally did. I looked at my phone; it was 4:15 PM, quitting time. Then I looked toward Anna. She was still there, sitting at her desk, looking busy. I wondered why she wasn't leaving. She told me to come to her place, so why was she taking her time? I wanted to go home, but I couldn't leave yet. I had to wait for her signal, or maybe just wait for her to leave first.
Mark was gathering his things, making a loud show of it, saying, "Finally, weekend!" like he had been waiting for a month.
"Aren't you gonna leave?" he asked me, his voice full of fake concern.
"What's your problem, man? You are acting like we came here together," I replied. I didn't have the patience for his games today.
He decided to go, giving me a final, lazy wave. Then everyone else left, one by one, the office getting quieter until the only sound was the faint hum of the AC unit.
But she was still there. I watched her fingers fly across the keyboard, wondering what she was typing. I wanted to text her, Are you ready? but I didn't have that kind of courage.
She did it first. My phone buzzed softly on the desk. A new message. It was her address. No words, just the numbers and the street name.
I looked at her, and she lifted her head and smiled. It was a quick, simple smile, but it hit me hard. Then she stood up, grabbed a small, neat bag, and walked out.
I could feel a rumbling in my stomach—half fear, half excitement. I waited ten minutes after she left, giving myself time to cool down and make sure Mark wasn't lurking outside.
I finally came outside. The street was already busy, filled with people rushing home for the weekend. I requested a ride on Uber, but my account was crying. The price was too high. I told myself,
It's just halfway a month, and I was going to be broke, but all that didn't matter at the moment. I had to go. I pressed the button and watched the little car icon crawl toward me on the screen.
The car arrived, and I slid into the back seat, giving the driver the address. The place was about a twelve-minute ride. Every minute felt like an hour. My palms were sweating again. I didn't say a word to the driver, just stared out the window as we passed my usual cheap bus stops and the tiny café I went to. We were going to a part of the city I only saw on TV.
And then we were there.
I stepped out of the car. The building was right in front of me. It wasn't just big; it looked expensive and serious, with dark glass and polished stone. I paid the driver, trying not to look at my phone screen as the dollar amount dropped.
The air here felt different—cleaner, sharper.
I walked up the front steps to the main entrance. I took the elevator to her floor, watching the numbers climb, my heart climbing with them.
I stepped out and found myself in a long, quiet corridor with soft lights. Step by step, I moved forward. Door after door passed me. My mind kept screaming:
What are you doing? Turn around!What am I going to do inside there?What if she just laughs?
Her apartment door was now right in front of me. It was a heavy, dark wood door with a simple, silver handle. There was no going back.
I took a deep breath, the air feeling thick and heavy in my chest, and raised my hand. I knocked. It was a small, clumsy knock.
The waiting began.