No Date For You!

"Well, Emily," Marky begins with a widening grin, "we're going to go see 'The Horrible Creepy Terror.'"

You can barely keep from rolling your eyes. This isn't the first time a guy has tried to take you to a scary movie hoping you'd end up screaming and clutching at him for safety. Safety he'd be only too willing to supply.

"That sounds..." you say though clenched teeth and a phony smile, "...really great." :::::groan:::::: Looks like you've got a long boring night ahead of you. You've already decided to have him buy you lots of candy that you have no intention of actually eating.

With that his arm circles around your waist and he draws you close to lead you out of the building and out to his car. He's actually pushed open the door so you can step outside when somebody suddenly speaks behind you.

"Emily?" says a relatively attractive man in a suit. It takes you a moment to remember where he works in the office. He's not your boss; but more like your boss's boss's boss. At any rate, your entire relationship with this man has consisted of occasionally seeing him wander past a distant hallway or stepping onto the elevator; so to have him addressing you by your first name is surprising to say the least.

"Uh, yes sir?" you reply, worried that you're about to get into trouble for something. Your mind races as you glance down at yourself. You haven't done anything 'wrong' that you remember. Maybe he has a problem with your uniform. You skirt IS kinda short for office work.

"Hey," says Marky as casually as he can behind you.

"Ah, hello Melvin," the man says to Marky before turning his full attention to you as if Marky were no longer there. "Emily, I realize that it's getting late, but I'm working on a few proposals and I was hoping you might come and... assist... me in my office."

Something about the way he'd put it bothers you, though you can't figure out why. And even if you accept, you've only exchanged one boring evening for another.

"Well, uh, Mr. ..." you begin.

"Johnson," he adds helpfully with a grin.

"Right, Mr. Johnson, but we were just about to go out," you finish indicating the somewhat irritated Marky over your shoulder.

"Hmmm...." says Mr. Johnson without taking his eyes off of you. "I can pay you triple time for your... services."

"Done," you squeak quickly as you spin around to face your date. "Sorry Melvin, uh, Marky, duty calls. Rain check?" You don't wait for a response as you take a few folders from Mr. Johnson's arms and start down the hallway, leaving Marky standing in the doorway with his mouth hanging open.