I didn’t mean to scare you."

Of course he didn’t. Why was I scared like a rat stealing food? I was not stealing the cookies. Yet. Maybe it is because I am the only one who ever comes to the pantry instead of the cafeteria. I like the Pantry’s bread and chocolate butter cookies a lot more than the new dietitian’s cooking. The chocolate butter cookies is top excellent. I even sneak some home for me and Annie sometimes. The cookies and bread are supplied daily from the former dietitian’s bakery. She was a lot better cook than this new one. Everyone else thought differently. Hence, I am the only one here during lunch breaks.

"Hey."

"Hey." He comes in and makes himself instant coffee. Stirring it for longer than necessary. "Listen, I. . . actually want to ask you something." He says. "Okay."

"That wedding of my best friend and my ex that I told you about, would you like to accompany me as my plus one?"

"You are going?" I ask and stare in disbelief at him.

"Yeah. If I don’t, it will seem like I am heartbroken. And going alone would be. . . . awkward and pathetic. I will like a cuckold husband."

"Makes sense." I take a straw sip from my hot, cold orange juice. "Think of it as doing me a favor, please."

I was giving it thought when I remember, "Hold on, wait. You did mention that you were already interested in someone else. Ask that person to go with you." I point out.

"I. . . I can’t tell her now. I don’t know how it would make her feel." He lowers his head and stirs his coffee. This shy attitude, he must really like her.

"Don’t overthink it. Fire away. She would understand. You are a great guy." I advise.

"Think so?"

"Yes. I do. Seize the moment. You don’t want her to be taken by someone else, do you?"

"Alright. I will tell her. But you gotta go with me to the wedding. You are the only person I have told about it."

He then adds, "Pretty please. . . .?" He pleads persuasively making me roll my eyes. "Fine."

"Great. I will come pick you up at your place tomorrow."

"You know where I live?"

He sheepishly nods up and down. Perhaps feeling like he shouldn’t have made that slip. "I asked for it from Veronica. I was planning to come see you. You know, as a courtesy of humanity."

"That is so unexpected of you." He smiled, I smile too.

"Is this a party, people?" A voice spoke. Laurel again. What is she doing here?

"We will talk later about the arrangements for tomorrow." He said on his way out.

"Arrangements for tomorrow?" She wiggled her brows at me when he leaves.

"It is not what you are thinking Laurel." I rush to explain.

"What do you think I am thinking?" She perches besides me, looking at my face intently. "You and Raymond? Really? Our department is going to be the center of a scandal."

"Nothing is going on between me and Raymond." I clarify. "Even if there is, it is not scandalous because I am no longer getting married."

"Huh? Why, did something go wrong?" I ended up roughly summarizing everything to her. "I am sorry. That is quite sad." She said sympathetically.

"No it isn’t." I shrug. "I am finding new purposes."

"Is that new purpose Raymond Holt? I had always known there was something from the way he looks at you." The corners of my mouth quirks up in a mocking face gesture. Laurel Cirnwell is an ultimate romance delulu. Me and Raymond just recently started speaking to each other.

"Let it go." I assert. I turn back when I almost reached the door. "And keep your mouth locked. If you must speak about it, fully explain the part that I am single now. Understood?"

NO ONE’S POV

"I think she must have mistakenly made the call without knowing she did."

"Hmmm."

GWENETH

First. . . second. . . third. My anxiety grew with each ring. Just when I thought it would go unanswered, it finally connects on the fourth. "Hello?" A male voice spoke.

"H-hello." I forced out sound from my voice box. "Who. . . am I unto?"

"It’s me-- Gweneth. We met at Cherry’s nightclub last week Friday. . ." I trail off as that would be enough to jog his memory to remember me unless he has anterograde amnesia. I silently clear my throat and continue in a conjured soft voice that I made sure does not sound overly soft and cute before using it. "You left a note with this number on it." I add when nothing but heavy silence came from his end. "I do remember that." His tone of voice is flat—like the systematic AI. Shouldn’t he be like. . .happy that I called? I introduced myself. He didn’t. I tap my fingers on my knee as the disbelieving silence comes again. I fold my lips in, thinking of what else to say. I should not have made this call. This is so damn awkward. Outlandish. "What is your name?" I asked.

"Oh, I am terribly sorry! I have suddenly forgot my manners." He suddenly speaks like he had been half asleep and was jolted awake. "My name is Ronnie Rickson. I am 25. I am six foot one inches tall. . ." Dude begins giving me a detailed background of himself like I am an employer at an interview. I listened but only heard the part where he says his name and age. Ronnie Rickson. Not bad. Age twenty five is also not too bad as it is just a one year age difference between us. But I do prefer guys that are older than me. I have never been in a relationship with a younger guy before. But I guess it will not hurt to try though. I can give him a chance.

"You didn’t have to go that far." I said laughing after he was done with his full self-introduction. "Your name is all I need to know for now.