Chapter 5: Water Cooler Conversations

After making things right with Tails, but losing sight of Senator Bryce, Fiona finishes her shift and heads to Amy's apartment for some rest. The next day, Terry and Fiona are hoping to progress in the case...but an encounter at the water cooler seems to change those plans...

Terry's POV

9AM...time for work. Today, however...was going to be different. Today's the day...the day I ask Fiona out on a date. When? Sometime today...hopefully not at a bad time, either. I was nervous...shaking, a little bit. I had butterflies in my stomach...and they were fluttering like crazy. My throat was dry...so dry...I need a drink. All this...for love. If she said 'yes'...it would be worth it. IF she did.

I went down the corridor...hoping to find a water cooler where I could get a drink. Anything to cool me down...and to sort out my dry throat. Then...I spotted it...and guess who happened to be there? Fiona...oh...damn. I hid behind a wall, just around the corner from the water cooler. I think she hasn't seen me...maybe she has? No...definitely not. She was facing the other way.

I breathed in...and out...and in...and out. Come on, Terrence...you can do this! You have to believe in yourself! You have to...you need to. I took a deep breath...and came out from behind the wall...walking towards Fiona. Her ears pricked up at the sound of my footsteps...and she turned to spot me. "Oh, hey, Terry!" she smiled, holding a cup of water. "Hi, Fiona. Funny bumping into you, here..." I chuckled, nervously. Damn...I don't know if I can do it, now.

Fiona giggled, a little bit...which sounded adorable. I leaned against the wall...trying to look cool. If it was 1986...and I had my youth...and a white suit...I reckon I could charm her, just based on looking cool. It wasn't 1986, though...it was 2019. Wow...I AM old. "Listen...I was...thinking..." I began...but that lump in my throat came back...causing me to cough...looking even more awkward.

"You were thinking...what?" she wanted me to finish. Here it goes. "I was thinking...maybe you'd like to...hang out...sometime? If you're...not busy, of course?" I asked her. Finally...I felt so relieved I said that! But...now for her response. Oh, no...I dread this moment. "Wait...Are you...asking me out?" Fiona put her hand on her hip and cocked her head. Yes...I was...but what would she say?

Fiona giggled, covering her mouth to hide it. "Aww...I'd love to hang out. When would be OK for you?" she responded with a question. It's...it's a 'yes'? Was I...dreaming? No...it couldn't be real...could it? "How about...later on, tonight? 7-ish?" I suggested...pulling a random time out of my brain. "Sure. You can meet me at my friend's apartment...42 Bluebell Avenue? Oh...and you'll want this..." Fiona said, reaching into her pocket. She handed me a piece of notepad paper. "My number. Call me...if something comes up...or you can't find your way." she smiled...adjusting her bangs, casually.

"Thank you...I'll...see you, tonight, then." I told her...still in a state of shock. "Yep...and we'd better get to work, now. I heard the Chief doesn't like it when we stand around, chatting." Fiona quickly got my mind back on the job...but I still couldn't believe it. I was going to have a date...with Fiona...tonight! Oh...tonight? Honestly, I had no idea where we could go...I didn't know the area. Damn.

Fiona's POV

Did Terry just...ask me out?! No...no fucking way! I...I must be dreaming! Yeah, that's it! I hid pinching my arm from him as we walked along...and I felt it. Ouch! Oh...it's REAL! Fuck, yes! I had a huge grin on my face...and red hot cheeks. Man...it felt like they were on fire. But then...a thought came out of the blue and smashed my schoolgirl glee with a sledgehammer. What if...he only wants to be...friends? He's hardly asking me to go to a candlelight dinner, for fuck's sake! He's just being nice...so...so nice. I better not let him see my reaction...it could ruin everything. Be cool, Fiona...be cool.

We arrived at our office, where the Chief was waiting for us. Uh-oh...I guess he wants to ask how the case is going. The answer is: not well, honestly. "Ah! Terrence! Fiona! Just in time...You can tell me all about what you've found out about Bryce...if you have ANYTHING, that is..." he turned sinister, again. Jeez, what's with this guy? One second, he's friendly...the next, he's going for the jugular! Marriage breakdown? Mid-life crisis? Getting old getting him down? How should I know?

The Chief definitely wasn't happy with our progress. "So...you have NOTHING?!" he yelled. Both me and Terry nodded our heads...looking down at the floor. "We're...trying our best, sir. We'll get something, soon...I promise." I told him. Terry's expression changed from shameful...to downright shocked. What? It's not as if I shouldn't have said that! Oh...Shit...I shouldn't have said that! "Very well. You have until next week to produce something meaningful...or else...YOU'RE FIRED!" the Chief yelled at the top of his lungs...making the whole room vibrate. A lamp almost fell off the desk.

The door slamming, afterwards didn't help, either. He almost broke the glass in the door. "Why did you say that, Fiona? We don't even know if Bryce HAS been up to something he shouldn't be doing." Terry was showing he wasn't supportive of my actions...but...he didn't raise his voice. He sounded...calm, actually. Maybe he likes me...REALLY likes me! No...Fiona, focus, for fuck's sake! You messed up by saying that! "You're right. But...what's said is said. Besides...I got a feeling that there's more to that guy than meets the eye. A cheesy grin don't hide jack shit, in my book." I told him. Terry smiled at me...and I instantly felt better.

After work had finished, I went back to Amy's place...pretty excited about my 'date' with Terry at 7. Scratch that...I was VERY excited. So excited that I didn't even mind it when Amy was going on and on about gossip she'd heard. "-So, Silver was all, like...er...are you even listening to me?" Amy broke out of her jabbering...and stared right at me. I was just staring at the ceiling...a grin on my face...and thinking about you-know-who. "Yo, Fiona? You there?" Amy snapped her fingers in front of my face...which brought me into the real world. Damn it...I was enjoying that!

"Yeah, I'm here! Jeez! Can't a girl think, anymore?" I gave her a taste of my classic attitude...which didn't deter her from asking her next question. "Whatcha thinkin' about, then?" Amy asked. Ohhh...I fucked up. "Um...well...you see...OK! You got me! I'm thinking about that guy I work with. We're...meeting up, later." I told the whole truth...hoping she'd get off my back. Nope. "That Terry guy? So...who did the 'asking out'? You or him?" Amy dug deeper.

"Nah...you got it all wrong. We're just...meeting up...as FRIENDS. It's not a date.". Did I want to just be friends? Nope. I wanted the full Monty. The holding hands, the laughing...the kissing...the fucking. I wanted it all. First...I'd have to see how it goes, later on. Maybe I can find out how HE feels? Get to know him a bit better. Yeah...that's it.

"Well...date or not...you can't meet a guy looking like that." Amy added. Did she just...go there?! No...she wouldn't fucking dare! "Looking like...WHAT?!" I glared at her. "Like THAT! Seriously, guys like it when you make an effort! You can't just go out in casual stuff and expect him to carry you home, afterwards!" Amy exclaimed. Amy was a bit of a...fashion critic. The kindest way to say what she was like is...FUCKING ANNOYING AND RUDE!

"I'll wear what I like! Besides, he probably likes me, this way...cos he's a really sweet guy, OK?!" I raised my voice...and then realised what I had just said. "Oh...'a really sweet guy'...yep...you TOTALLY want him as a FRIEND." Amy said, sarcastically. DAMN IT! Why can't I say things without giving stuff away?! "Fine...I don't want him as a friend. I want him...as my boyfriend. Happy now?!" I crossed my arms and sulked. Amy placed her hand on my shoulder.

"I get it...don't worry. You like him a lot...and you're not sure if he likes you the same way. Send him little signals. Get him interested in you. Talk to him. Share things about you." Amy gave her advice...and it wasn't half bad. Yeah...talk to him. But...what about? Where are we gonna go, anyways? I doubt he knows the city, at all. Whatever we do...I have to try and keep myself under control. No blurting things out...no being forceful. Just making him feel comfortable around me...like he can talk about anything with me. Easy...right?

End Of Chapter 5