Sian slammed the phone down, letting out a frustrated groan. A week, a whole week. That's how long she'd been messing with Paul and it was getting her nowhere. That had been her fourth phone call to him of the day and she knew she was pissing him off, she could hear it in his voice but she showed no sign of snapping any time soon. Not only was it annoying to have to dote on him in such a way but it was costing her a fortune to keep buying him romantic gifts. She'd sent him a huge bouquet of the girliest flowers she could find to his office every day but it didn't seem to bother him. She was sure his friends would mock him endlessly for it but they seemed to think it was sweet. In all honesty, the plan seemed to be annoying Sian more than it was Paul and she was sure she couldn't stand another week of it. On their last date, she'd been extremely close to just giving up, regardless of the consequences and just breaking up with him but after a quick phone call to Sophie in the girls toilets, she'd been talked out of it and continued on as if nothing was wrong. She was more than a little shocked that Sophie was being the voice of reason, she'd fully expected the brunette to be all for her just telling Paul. However, they were both aware of how much danger their careers could be in if she did and they had to admit that despite how difficult things were at current, in the long run, they were doing what was best.
Even though she was meant to be going along with the plan, Sian had decided that she didn't need to see Paul every night and tonight was going to be her night off. She needed just one day without him where she could enjoy herself and not have to act like a love struck bimbo.
She let out a long sigh, knowing exactly what would make herself feel better as she placed her finger on the intercom, "Soph can I see you for a mi-"
Sian was cut off mid sentence as her office door swung open and in stepped her worst nightmare.
"Hey baby, how's work treating you?" Paul beamed as he shut the door behind himself, making his way in to the room.
Sian inhaled deeply, composing herself to get back in to character despite there being nothing she'd rather do less. "Hi sweetie pie, much better now you're here gorgeous." God I make myself sick. Sian stood up from her chair, skipping round her desk and jumping on her boyfriend, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and placing kisses on both his cheeks, one on his nose and a final peck on his lips. Mental note to self, get the bleach out when you get home to scrub your lips.
"Wondered if you'd like to join me for lunch?" asked Paul, stepping back from Sian in a bid to avoid another onslaught of kisses.
Before Sian got a chance to reply, her office door was flung open and Sophie appeared in the doorway.
"Errrm Sian … you errr … you left the intercom on." muttered Sophie, looking a little flushed in the cheeks.
Sian's head snapped over to the machine on her desk and she mumbled a few obscenities under her breath as she made her way over to it and clicked it off, "Sorry Soph." Sian looked up at the brunette, smiling sincerely at her before getting an idea. "Oh are you ready for lunch by the way?"
Sophie looked at the blonde, her eyebrows knitted together in confusion before seeing the look on Sian's face and suddenly understanding. "Ohhh right errm … yeah I'm ready."
"Sorry babe, I've already got plans to go over Sophie's work with her over lunch." said Sian, turning to Paul and flashing him an apologetic smile.
"Oh that's brilliant! I'll join you both and it'll give you a chance to fill me in what the two have you have been getting up to." Paul grinned widely between the two of them, clearly thinking he'd just conjured up the greatest plan known to mankind.
Sophie couldn't hold in the small snort that escaped her at Paul's choice of words and it earned her a death glare from the blonde causing her to quickly try and compose herself.
"You don't have to do that pumpkin, it's gonna be really boring …" started Sian, locking eyes with Sophie who appeared wide eyed, raising her eyebrows at the blonde in an attempt to remind her that she's meant to want to spend all her time with Paul. "But you know I love spending time with my little baby." she added reluctantly, reaching up and pinching Paul's cheek.
…
The three of them had only been sat at the table in the restaurant for twenty minutes and both Sophie and Sian already wanted to die. Sophie had knocked back two scotches and she was moving swiftly on to her third, no one seeming to care that they had to go back to work as Paul was enjoying the lager and Sian was working her way through a bottle of wine.
"Well this is fun isn't it, not often I get to entertain two lovely ladies." chuckled Paul, taking a sip of his beer and looking between Sophie and Sian.
Sian beamed back at him, feeling a little ill at the charade as she placed her hand affectionately on his arm, "Totally babe, I'm so glad you could join us. I was missing you."
Sophie watched the exchange between the two of them, unable to prevent a grimace from forming on her face as she lifted her glass, knocking back the last of her third glass and gesturing to one of the passing waitresses for another.
"Easy there Webster, I'm sure Sian has more work for you to do this afternoon." laughed Paul, watching as Sophie finished off the last of her drink.
Sophie flashed him her best sarcastic smile, something she'd mastered over the years of working with Paul, "I've got a high tolerance for alcohol sir."
Sian shot the brunette a disapproving look, trying to convey with her eyes a message that Sophie couldn't quite understand. "Leave off honey, she's been dead good over the past week, everything's looking amazing."
Paul turned to face Sophie, "Yeah Webster, this ones been singing your praises all week, I'm beginning to get a little jealous."
Sian giggled, albeit a little uncomfortably, playfully patting Paul on the arm, "Don't be daft silly bill."
"Yeah sir." added Sophie, resisting the temptation to roll her eyes, "All she talks about is you, and how she can't wait to spend forever with you, how gorgeous your kids are gonna look. She's totally obsessed with you."
Sian watched as Paul shuffled a little uncomfortably in his seat, clearing his throat. Nice work Soph, double teaming the guy.
"Excuse me ladies, just nipping to the loo." Paul leant across, pecking Sian on the cheek before rising from the table and heading towards the toilets.
Sophie watched as Paul got out of earshot before leaning in towards the girl opposite her, "Sian I can't do this, I'm about five minutes away from fashioning a noose out of the napkins and hanging myself."
"We have to do this. Do you think I like the way I have to act around him? We need to take it up a notch, he's fucking immune to whatever I say or do to him."
Sophie let out a long sigh, running her fingers through her hair, "I dunno … I can't think of anything else. If this isn't bothering him I dunno what else you can do without entering dangerous territory."
Sian cocked her eyebrow, "Like?"
"Like … telling him you love him all the time, saying you wanna have babies, asking him to marry you." stated Sophie, "But what if he says he loves you too? Which I'm starting to think he bloody might since he hasn't legged it yet."
"Don't say that." groaned Sian, pulling a face.
"Well I don't see why else he'd stick around, it's not like he's even getting sex at this point." Sophie paused, studying Sian for a second, "Is he?"
"No!" exclaimed Sian, looking slightly offended.
"Yeah well I dunno what else to suggest … Like I said, all those things are a little dangerous."
"What's dangerous?"
Sian and Sophie looked up to see Paul had rejoined them, taking his place back at the table beside Sian.
"Errrm … just …" Sian struggled to think of something, looking over at Sophie for some kind of help.
"Oh we were just discussing erm … Sian was gonna invest in some new software for the company to make the coding a little easier but I said it might not be a worthwhile investment just yet so it could be a dangerous move." said Sophie, wishing she'd made the attempt to sound a little more convincing.
Paul nodded his head as if he understood, "I see … Well you know Webster can always do some of the work for your company back in her usual cubicle, she's got all the latest software on that computer."
"Speaking of which." Sophie stood up from her chair, suddenly thinking of the perfect escape tactic, "I've got to pop over to my cubicle actually, got some work to pick up that I think'll be helpful for doing your ads Sian."
Sian looked up at Sophie, shooting her daggers, clearly not happy about her leaving, "But you've still got half your drink left."
Sophie looked down at her drink, picking it up and knocking it back in one and letting out a satisfied 'ahh', "There you go, all done. I'll see you back at the office."
Sophie grabbed her jacket, muttering her goodbyes as she walked as quickly as she could away from the table and out of the restaurant. Jesus that was painful. Never put yourself through that again Webster, it's bad enough having to imagine the two of them together, never mind witness it first hand.
She headed straight for her usual place of work, walking through the double doors and in to the lift, pressing the button for her floor. She felt her phone go off as soon as the doors to the elevator shut behind her, pulling it out of her pocket and looking at the screen
I hate you for leaving me here xxx
Sophie had to admit she felt a little guilty for just running away from Sian like that, but not guilty enough to have stayed. It was like torture to sit and watch Sian giggle at all of Paul's bad jokes, constantly touching him, the way he'd touch her leg under the table that didn't go unnoticed by the brunette and whenever the two of them kissed, it caused Sophie's stomach to churn.
Sophie stepped out of the elevator, swiftly making her way over to her cubicle and feeling a small sense of happiness as she took a seat at her desk, feeling like she'd returned home or something. I am such a saddo, missing my desk. Fuck my life.
"Well hello stranger."
Sophie looked up, unable to stop a grin forming on her face as she saw Chesney's head poking over the top of her cubicle.
"Jesus, I feel like I haven't seen you in forever." Sophie jumped up from her seat, stepping out of her cubicle and embracing her friend in a hug. "How've you been?"
"I'm not gonna lie, it's shit here without you." chuckled Chesney, "I've been so bored, and Rick is being a nobhead as usual. We're all having to pick up the slack now that his best coder is off working for his girlfriend."
Sophie grimaced slightly at Chesney's words, hating to think of Sian as someone else's girlfriend, even though she knew that the blonde was in fact someone else's girlfriend.
Sophie's facial expression didn't go unnoticed by the red-haired man and he narrowed his eyes at her slightly, "So how are things going between you and blondie."
Sophie sat back down at her desk, looking through some of the paperwork, unable to look Chesney in the eye for fear he'd figure everything out, "She has a name Ches … And it's going fine, just keeping busy with work yano?"
Chesney watched Sophie carefully, knowing exactly what she was hiding, "Keeping busy? Yeah right Soph, more like gettin' busy. I can read you like a book!"
Sophie suddenly span around in her chair, looking around the office quickly before glaring at her friend, "Keep you voice down!"
"You've fucked her haven't you?" whispered Chesney, leaning down slightly so he was closer to Sophie.
The brunette let out a long sigh, rubbing her forehead before regaining eye contact with Chesney. "I love her Ches."
"You what?" shouted Chesney, earning him a punch on the arm from Sophie causing him to lower his voice, "Sorry but what?"
"Okay yes, we slept together … well … we're sleeping together." admitted Sophie, "I love her … and she says she loves me too."
"And you believe her?"
Sophie frowned, "Of course I do!"
Chesney held his hands up defensively, "Okay, no need to bite my head off, was just asking … Anyway, what about Paul?"
"Pull up a chair Ches, this might take a while …"