prompt: annoyance

word count: 428

Small Annoyances

Amanda was sitting at the table trying to think of a way of saying "sexist pig" that she hadn't yet employed in her article when Jennifer traipsed up to stand too close to her. She didn't say anything, just stood there playing with the bottom of her jumper, irritating Amanda.

Just as Amanda was opening her mouth to tell Jennifer to go away, Jennifer mumbled, "Amanda I wanted... tell you something."

"I'm rather busy at the moment, actually, Jennifer," she said snippily. "Can't it wait until later?"

"Probably yeah, could wait until later..."

"Good."

Jennifer didn't leave, though; she just stood there, looking at the floor. After a minute she spoke again: "I just wanted... to say I like you."

Amanda put down her pen and smiled up at Jennifer in a rather forced way. "I like you too, Jennifer. You're a super girl. Now if you don't mind, I really need to finish this article for Spare Cheeks." She turned back to her article.

Jennifer waited another moment before tapping Amanda on the shoulder.

Amanda was really beginning to get annoyed by this point. "Jennifer..."

"Not what I... trying to say..."

Amanda squeezed her eyes shut and sighed, turning to Jennifer. "Fine. Just say it, then. And then leave."

Jennifer bent forward and pressed an awkward kiss against Amanda's lips. Pulling back, she gave a halting smile, moving a section of hair in front of her face and smoothing it between her fingers nervously.

Amanda blinked in surprise.

"Wanted to say... like you."

Amanda recovered somewhat, clearing her throat. "I see that."

Jennifer glanced through her hair, muttering, "Well... Do you like me..." It was meant to be a question but she didn't quite hit the right intonation at the end.

Amanda opened her mouth to respond and promptly closed it, not sure what she was going to say. "Is this... How long have you felt like this, Jennifer?"

"Well, sort of a long time, I guess, really... Well actually that's why I came, actually... When I brought you your jumper that wasn't really what I wanted to come for..." She peeked out hopefully from behind the hair she was beginning to eat.

Amanda smiled. "I did think it was a little strange for you to come all that way to bring me a jumper I left behind five years ago."

"And I'm not really doing a course, secretary/grooming."

"You're not, are you."

"No." She cast her eyes down at the floor, twisting her foot uncertainly. "So... What now..."

Amanda tilted her head, smiling enigmatically. "We'll see."