Its Just Work Fun

CW: Stalking

Julia every morning walked down the same hallway of her job. Every day she looked straight into the walls of the offices. The walls were filled with photos of encouragement, powerful words, and the united family who owns the company. Month after month she walked the same walk until one day she noticed a new bench; they were making a small space in the hall into a waiting area. Julia noticed the boy from one of the pictures sitting there. She thought that was odd. Not a bad thing, just that she didn’t expect to see him there. He usually was never really back here, he was the son of her boss and he was usually in a different area of the building.

Her routine stayed the same, the bench was still there but the boy he wasn't. One day she walked down the hall and she noticed something was different; the door that was usually closed was open. Julia kept walking when her back was to the open door the boy from the bench was rushing in front of her into the office. Julia was confused by his rushing because he almost ran into her but she still paid it no mind. She wondered why his desk was moved over here away from his field too.

The mind over matter came when Julia's team went into the auditorium for a meeting. She took her seat and shortly after the boy from the bench came in with the projector. Julia kept her eyes on the presentation until later in the presentation she had this feeling to look beside her. The room was dark but the light from the projector gave enough light you could still see and she saw the boy from the bench staring at her. She slightly smiled and then looked away. She wasn’t sure what to make of the situation. It was only a couple weeks of subtle interactions like this. She couldn’t help herself to think about him. Julia wondered, was this the point, to get her to think about him? She felt silly to get all worked up about this but she did want to know more about him. She didn't even know his name. They worked in different departments. She worked there for a while and never saw him, and she thought to herself when did he see her? Then she remembered the first time she saw him.

Julia started training in the summer, it was during training when they had an orientation where they all were meeting in the auditorium for team building. She was part of the training team, she would help with training with online coworkers. After the team building she went to leave. When she got to the parking lot she realized she forgot her phone, when she was heading back into the building she saw him come out of the door. There was a girl close to him in proximity, but he held the door open, the girl walked out first, Julia waited and he continued to hold the door until Julia walked in and when she looked at him to say thank you he quickly looked down at his unlit phone as if he had gotten a call. Julia didn't think much besides it was rude not to say you’re welcome. Julia carried on but she didn't run into him again. She worked there for 3 months. She remembers thinking he was cute but no intention grew. She heard the girl talk about getting in his car with him so as far as she was concerned he had a girlfriend.She knew she would see him around but she never thought that she would catch so many unexplainable interactions. He was not in sight until the day he sat at the bench.

Julia's walk down the hallway became different, for Julia started to grow curious about the boy from the bench. She saw him, see her, see him. He smiled every time he could, he walked circles around her, he said eye hellos but he never said a word.She wondered why? Is he cheating with his eyes? Is that even a thing, is it her imagination? Why now? Julia was consumed with curiosity, she asked herself is this just office fun or would he ever say anything? She just wanted answers but she got none. Her consumption made her unwell so she told herself she wont be saying eye hellos anymore for it was time to say a real hello. But every time she built the courage to say hi the "next time he smiled at her" he was never there. Julia’s curiosity got the best of her. Who was the guy that was orbiting her? She realized she knew nothing and he had the advantage because this was his parents' company and how did he know where she would be, her routines, to always be right there? Julia interrupted her work. She went to the hallway and she looked up and she realized the cameras were everywhere.

That day Julia decided she was going to change the tables, she saw that he was spying on her, and she thought to herself can I spy on him? She felt allowed he knew things and she knew nothing. So that day she went to her car. She waited in the parking lot and she waited until he got in his car. He had a black SUV but Julia has seen this car before at a light by her house. She wondered did he follow her home? It encouraged the crazy she already was feeling to know more about him. He left the parking lot and she waited until he got down the block and she followed behind. She noticed he was a speeder but he drove in the same direction she goes to go home from the highway. She was about ten cars behind but she could see where he was going. He exited and turned right. When she exited she turned off and noticed he drove into a gas station. She pulled up to the pumps behind a truck and she could see him walking inside the store. She grew angry because of who he was talking to on the phone and he was too smiley for her, he only smiled like that to her, well so she thought.The jealousy grew and her mind was screaming who was he flirting with but wont come flirt with her?! Julia watched him walk out of the gas station, she waited and then she drove out. He entered into a complex. Julia couldn't believe it because the complex was 2 minutes away from her apartments. Julia went home and told herself she would never be doing that again because now she's mad at someone for smiling and she doesn’t even know him!

Julia, slightly embarrassed of her behavior the next morning, rushed to the cafeteria for a coffee,hoping the boy didn't see her or knew what she did. Her co-worker greeted her at the door, opened the doors and yelled "Smells like coffee !" Julia entered through the door behind her when she entered she was stunned she couldn't believe it, it was him. She could tell he couldn't believe it either because he was too focused on overly stirring his coffee.Julia wondered did he know she followed him? He didn't look up until Julia asked him for the two cups beside him. They made eye contact when he passed them to her and they both paused and there was that smile and the holding of a gaze. Julia grabbed the cups, said thank you, and poured her and her friend a coffee. As they left he watched her walk out and Julia's coworker whispered to her, is it just me or is he staring at you? Julia Sipping her coffee just shrugs her shoulders, her friend laughed and said not a work stocker. Julia, not admitting what has been going on, giggles and they proceed to their department.