Office Diaries - Chapter 172

“So, are you going to tell me what’s wrong?” Peter asked casually thirty minutes and three pancakes after.

“What’s wrong? Nothing,” Anjee answered innocently and he frowned.

Earlier he had been sure she looked troubled. Looking at her now however made him doubt what he’d seen earlier. She was relaxed and was eating her pancake happily which made him uncomfortable.

Since he thought she had a problem, he had been watching her face more closely than usual, and so he had seen how her tongue flicked out of those rosy lips when some syrup dripped on her chin or how the fork came in and out of her mouth as she ate her pancake.

Peter knew he shouldn’t treat eating pancake as something ėrȯtɨċ but that was just what he was thinking. Damn, but he’d never seen any other person eat pancakes as sėxily as she did. The head in his nether region quite agreed too as it began to stand up and really pay attention.

Growing more uncomfortable with his hard-on, Peter shifted on his seat and turned his eyes away from her.

“So, there’s really nothing wrong?” he croaked as he crossed his leg over the other to hide his erection. It would be weird if she noticed— not to mention that it was embarrassing.

“Nope,” she answered as she ate the last piece of her pancake. “Actually, something good happened,” she announced and his brow arched in curiosity, his almond eyes focusing once more on her face as he waited for the other to complete her story.

“Well,” she began. “It looks like my dream is coming true— at least part of it.”

The real reason why she came to Peter’s place so early in the morning wasn’t only to make him pancakes but also to tell him important news. The song she had written some months ago, the one which she had submitted to a recording company with Peter’s encouragement was accepted for recording.

“Oracle Music said they like my song and someone from that company asked if he could meet with me,” Anjee said breathlessly and her doe eyes watched as Peter’s face turned from curious to that of amazement.

“But that’s just good!” the writer exclaimed as he smiled, his eyes crinkled at the corners.

He tried to reach for her hand again, but again she evaded his touch, making his smile fade. With a frown on his face, his lips pursed stubbornly, Peter tried to get Anjee’s hands again, this time more obviously, but she suddenly stood up before he did.

“Are you avoiding me?” he couldn’t help but ask.

“Avoid you?” she countered innocently, but her was voice a little shaky than normal. “Of course not! Why would I avoid you?” she continued as she tried to turn around and leave for the kitchen but Peter’s fingers bit into her arm and turned her around.

“I don’t know. You tell me,” he answered as his eyes bored into her eyes and she turned away.

“You’re just imagining things,” she said as she tried to let go but Peter wouldn’t make her. ”

I’m not imagining things. If you’re not avoiding me, then why won’t you let me touch you?”

Peter’s sudden outburst made the two of them stop and stare at each other for a while, both surprised at what had transpired. Anjee’s startled face then crumpled into a frown of confusion and then switched to anger.

“Why the heck are you angry? Is this what I get for cooking you breakfast?” she yelled as she harshly shook her arm free and turned around, stomping as far from her friend as possible.

Thinking that he might have been too much, Peter looked apologetic as he walked after her. “Anj, I’m sorry,” he said but the other continued to walk away. “Anj,” he called out, more desperately than the other one and she finally turned in his direction, her huge eyes still blazing with ire.

“I’m leaving!” she announced as she grabbed her jacket and marched towards the foyer and slumped there to wear her shoes.

“Anj, you don’t have to leave. Please don’t leave. Let’s talk,” the writer cajoled and Anjee bit her lips.

“Leave the dishes on the sink. I’ll do them later,” she said, ignoring his words as she wore her shoes and stood up. Peter tried calling her name again, but again, he was ignored. “I’m going to meet up with the agent from the recording company so I won’t be coming back today and might not be here tomorrow.”

“Anj!” With all the frustration spilling out, Peter once again clamped his hand on her wrist and made the other look at him. “Don’t be mad at me anymore,” he pleaded and the other studied his face.

It was rare for them to fight and he didn’t like the idea of Anjee staying mad at him. He just wanted to spend more time with her. He was in love with her. So much that it was driving him crazy!

Anjee studied his face, saw the genuine worry there and she sighed. The flare of anger she felt earlier vanished replaced by a certain sadness which reflected in her eyes even though by this time, she already managed to smile. Her heart had been hurting since almost an hour ago when she heard Peter’s conversation over the phone. She had been…jealous. By other people’s standard, the writer was an aloof person who seldom laughed or smiled at others.

When she heard him asking the caller for a date, she was shocked, hurt, and mad. The green-eyed monster gnawed at her ċhėst and she wanted to run.

“I’m not mad anymore,” she whispered as she touched his cheek, and the writer let go of her wrist to hold her hand that was placed against his cheek properly.

Watching Peter close his eyes as he held her hand against his cheek, Anj felt like crying. Why was it that looking at him doing this to her, she felt so loved, so cherished? But then she knew that she shouldn’t put a deeper meaning to her friend’s gentleness. Peter was just being…Peter.

Anjee felt Peter’s breath fanning against her palm, and soon, the gentle but firm hands holding hers turned her palm towards his lips and Anj felt them pressed against her skin and she inhaled sharply. Her forbidden love for her best friend brimmed to the surface and she felt her throat constricting, her eyes moistening with tears.

Please, please, please, she chanted in her mind though she wasn’t sure what exactly she was pleading for. Did she want Peter to stop or did she want him to continue to touch her? Anjee didn’t know nor did she want to know.