Sticky Note

A romantic short story. A bit of cussing, a bit of spice and some annoying 90ties pop culture references.

He was such an arrogant prick! Flirting with every single woman in the office. Not with her. Never with her. Sure, she probably wasn’t fit enough, or flashy enough or… blonde enough for his liking. The prick! There he goes again! Passing her desk, dropping some papers under her nose like he does every morning.

“I need you to look at these ASAP!” Her new boss said without even looking at her.

“Yes, sir!” She murmured, her fingers already rummaging through the papers. What’s this? A bright green sticky note smiling at her cheerfully.

“I want you. The old elevator in 5 min.” She blinked twice. It must be a prank. She raised her eyes, only to see her new boss giving her a short, daring look, as he left his desk. The old elevator was closed for repairs. Nobody went there. She blinked again, eyes wide as saucers, and got up, clutching the note.

Did she want him? Well, Chelsea found him reasonably handsome. Bullshit! She found him hot. Freakin’ hot! All the girlies in the office did, even the ones old enough to be his grandmother. Even the ones from the other departments. Young, fit, blue-eyed, ash-blond, confidence radiating from his posture and springy stride. Fun-loving as a sunny summer’s day, which could turn to grey clouds of thunderstorm within minutes if the situation called for it. Demanding. Strict. Haughty. What else did Chelsea know about him? Nothing much. Dozens of possible scenarios run through her head, turning her cheeks red. No, no, no, no shades of grey! Chelsea would go to the old elevator and tell him to fuck off. She might threaten him. Harassment, metoo, and all that stuff, you know?! If he really meant it, her boss was playing a dangerous game. The big bosses would fire him on the spot! What was he thinking?! She had to know! Chelsea was dying to find out what was he up to. That and nothing else. Or so she told herself. She crumpled the note and threw the tiny paper ball into the bin under her desk.

Nobody asked any questions when she went toward the old stairs in the back of the office, because that’s where the tiny office kitchen was at. She’s just going to get some water, nothing suspicious. Nobody would see her exiting the door from their angle. Perfect! Or…perfectly wrong. What was she even doing?! Okay, she’ll just speak to him. A civilized conversation…

But as soon as she closed the glass door quietly, somebody grabbed her hand and pulled Chelsea into the dimly lit elevator, pressed the button to close the doors and kissed her. After a couple electrifying seconds, he stepped back.

“Okay…” Chelsea blurted out.

There he stood, still holding her hand, shameless grin all over his ridiculously handsome face.

“Is this a prank?”

“Nope. I want you. You want me, just a bit of fun. I’m not gonna force you to anything,” he let go of her hand and raised his arms submissively.

“Are you serious… sir…?”

“Andrew,” he suggested, “dead serious. Come on, times a-wastin’. Either we do this, or we don’t.”

As if he was talking business. Same tone, same casual smirk.

“I thought you hated me. You never…”

“Because you’re better than them. That’s why you’re here. I know when I see good stuff, and I know what I want. So?”

Chelsea was shocked and lost for words.

“Okay, moving on.” He said with ease and was about to press the button to open the elevator when Chelsea threw her arms around his neck and kissed Andrew. A whirlwind of thoughts raced through her head. Was he mad? Was she mad? What the heck were they doing?! This wasn’t some kind of 90ties romcom her Mom would watch! Nobody did this stuff now! Was he completely bonkers? He could get fired or even cancelled! He risked his career for a bit of fun?!

Meanwhile, their kisses became hotter, his hands slid lower.

As a responsible woman, she should just say no, report him immediately, or even sue him for harassment and get a shitload of money, she pondered, while Andrew kissed her neck. It felt like heaven. Or maybe she could blackmail him for a raise? A promotion even?

His hands glided underneath her blouse to undo her bra.

A bit of fun with financial benefits…wait that didn’t sound right. She’s not a slut!

This was so wrong. Totally wrong. No, she must be dreaming or something. Asleep on the job, of course! Fantasizing about her sexy new boss, as usual.

“This is so wrong!” She said out loud.

“You want me to stop?”

“Shut up!” Dream or whatever, she didn’t want to wake up.

He shrugged and went back to kissing and nibbling her bra to undo it.

“I hate these things,” he murmured at the stubborn piece of lingerie.

“Me too! They always get stuck, I mean when I…”

A sound of crude voices and heavy footsteps interrupted her.

“Shit! The workers were scheduled to 11,” Andrew whispered.

“Moira!” Both said in a chorus and grimaced with mutual understanding. Moira was a new employee, most of her life was happening on social media with very brief encounters with reality. She mixed up dates and times, causing a mild chaos in their bleak office life. Maybe that’s why she hadn’t been fired yet. Her blue hair and utterly terrible organising skills brought some colours into their everyday lives. And also, she was an activist, which meant a big noisy protest, if she were fired.

Chelsea and Andrew held each other close like two teenage brats about to get caught making out behind the school.

“Shit! How do we explain this? Maybe you don’t care about your job, but I do!” Chelsea whispered.

Andrew reached up and opened the hatch in the elevator ceiling. He was a tall and athletic guy, he grabbed unto its ledges and pulled himself up and above the elevator.

“Fuckin’ ell’…” Chelsea whispered, looking up. He reached down and pulled her upwards.

“What are you? Superman?”

“No. I’m Batman,” he whispered low and chuckled. “Parkour, cross fit, free climbing, I’ve done it all.”

Chelsea rolled her eyes, while he closed the hatchet at their feet. It was pitch black and scary as hell.

“What now, Batman? This isn’t exactly Bat cave. We have to get away before they start repairing this thing!”

“Don’t freak out, if you’re a good girl, I’ll make you my Cat Woman!” He stepped to the right, reached and broke open a ventilating shaft, wide enough for them to climb into.

“You fucking kidding me? What is this? “Die hard?”” Chelsea couldn’t believe it - he grabbed her and shoved head-first into the shaft. When she had wiggled her way in, Andrew followed. She couldn’t help but notice him touching her thighs and ass while they crawled onward, and it was no accident.

“This is stupid! We’re going to die, we’re going to die!” Chelsea kept murmuring nervously.

“Sure, we’re going to die! Any minute now!” His voice was full of ridicule. “So, you’re an action flick fan?! “Die hard” and stuff?”

What a time for small talk! She thought, crawling through the narrow shaft by the light of his phone.

“Yeah, favourite Christmas movie,” she whispered back furiously.

“I knew you were cool!”

Chelsea cursed quietly but kept moving onward. So, that’s what he was doing when he stayed in the office after everybody had gone! Not working hard, oh no! He was crawling around elevator shafts, like a friggin’ spiderman! He wasn’t a workaholic, like they all thought. He was a psycho!

“Would you stop touching my ass?! It’s fucking distracting!” She grunted.

“You didn’t have a problem with it five minutes ago.”

“I wasn’t cosplaying John McClane five minutes ago, you…”

“Shhhh! We’re above the office now. Be quiet!”

She did hear the usual office noise below, her heart raced like never before. This was stupid, this was crazy, it was fucking awesome! Chelsea was having an adventure, like a friggin’ hobbit! After a while, they reached another ventilation opening, light shining into the shaft in bleak stripes.

“This is our stop. We’re above the conference hall. I’ll have to get that shaft open. How do you want it  - top or bottom?”

“What?!”

Chelsea realized he had to crawl over her or under her to get by. Either option didn’t excite her, their circumstances weren’t exactly romantic.

“Just get on with it!” She laid flat.

“A good choice!” He moved forward, covering her with his whole body. He pressed his cheek to hers, smirking shamelessly.

“Romantic, isn’t it?”

“If you don’t get me out of here now, I’ll have a panic attack!”

He pushed the shaft open, it fell down with a distant thud. Chelsea realized they were high up. If there’s one thing, she feared more than tight spaces, it was heights.

Of course, the conference hall was closed for renovations. Andrew knew exactly what he was doing. A scaffolding covered the wall right up to their ‘exit’ hole. Andrew got on the scaffolding and helped Chelsie.

“Fuckin’ell’fuckin’ell’fuckin’ell…” she kept murmuring, holding closely to Andrew while both climbed the ladder down the scaffolding and onto the floor.

“You’re a fucking maniac!” She squealed at her boss, still holding him tight. It seemed as if her emotions only now caught up with her physical body. Chelsie squeezed him, shook and cried. Those had been the scariest minutes of her life, and the most exciting ones as well! Her wailing turned into a manic fit of laughter.

“You’re a… a… fucking psycho!” Her laughter resounded in the vast space.

“I’m the psycho, huh?” He smirked down on her.

“Sadly, the fun ends now! I have a meeting with the big bosses in 5 minutes. See ya’ later, kid!” Andrew straightened his collar, ran his fingers through his hair and walked away just like that.

Chelsea stood blinking foolishly. Okay, this was… not okay. What now?!

Chelsie walked to the door with her feet shaking.

“You look pale. Everything alright?” Chelsea’s co-worker Jenna asked, when the latter had sat by her desk hardly blinking, holding onto a glass of water. Chelsea kept thinking, whilst her sight floated over the computer screen blankly.

“Oh… I… stomach out of order, sat in the loo for 30 minutes…” Chelsea stuttered out her lies. What was she supposed to say? The truth?!

“I hope it’s not contagious?” Jenna stepped back.

“I have no idea…”

“Maybe take a day off? I’m sure Andrew will gladly let you. He’s such a sweetheart!” A dreamy smile rose on Jenna’s face.

Chelsea choked on her water.

“Okay, okay, don’t throw up all over your keyboard!” Jenna hurried away.

Andrew danced into the office shortly after. He literally danced. All the ladies melted to the floor at the sight of his slender, athletic frame moving gracefully.

“Did ballroom dancing for a couple of years,” he winked at his amused audience. The ladies giggled.

Is there anything he hadn’t done?! Chelsea thought and rolled her eyes.

 Jenna was always paranoid about catching germs, she cleaned and disinfected her desk ten times a day compulsively. So, it was no surprise she walked up to Andew’s desk and mentioned Chelsea’s poor health state.

Andrew gave a nod of approval, hardly giving Chelsea a glance. What a prick! She thought. How could he play it so cool?!

***

“Are you shitting me?!” Chelsea’s sister Meg blurted out. Chelsea had just shared her adventure over a video call. She enjoyed her day off work, all cosy in her super-comfy, plush, cherry-printed pyjamas.

“No, for real! Oh wait, somebody’s at the door. Must be my pizza. See ya!”

“Wouldn’t wanna be ya! Wait, maybe I would… call me later, ‘kay? I gotta get back to my boooring office life…” Meg rolled her eyes and hang up.

“Just a sec!” Chelsea bellowed, found her wallet, and stomped to the door.

She stood full ten seconds staring at the sight in the open gap. A giant bouquet of cream roses stared back at her. The one holding the roses shoved those into the open gap. A bright green sticky note glared at her from the flowers. Chelsea grabbed it and read.

“Feeling any better? P.s. I still want you.”

“May I come in?” Andrew’s smirk showed between the roses.

Chelsea inhaled the sweet’n’fresh fragrance. She pondered - that’s probably how cave men got their women. They discovered the charming effect a bunch of pretty, fragrant flowers had on females. Before she knew it, Chelsea had already opened the door and let him enter.

“Nice,” Andrew grinned at her pyjamas, “you should wear those to the office.”

“Yeah, sure!” She rolled her eyes. “What do you want? I am not climbing anywhere!”

“Well, I still want you, that’s why I’m here obviously. Maybe you could do just a tiny bit of climbing…” a dirty smile made his face deviously handsome.

“Why are you so damn straightforward?! It’s actually offensive!” This time Chelsea decided to stand her ground. First, they’ll do the talking and afterward…she didn’t have a clue what would happen afterward.

“I have faced death many times in my life. I learned how to walk again after the last time…” Andrew grew strangely oblivious and stared at his shoes, “that’s why I’m not wasting time on nonsense and details. I have three principles in life: Always take risks. Never apologize. Don’t fall in love.”

“And does it work? I mean the principles? I’ve never heard anything so dumb.”

“Well, they’ve got me this far,” he said smiling shamelessly.

Chelsea had to admit his strategy worked - from what she heard; Andrew’s career sky-rocketed in a very short time.

“If you must know - I was a climbing instructor until an unfortunate fall. After breaking my back and a very long recovery the only things, I’m climbing are ventilation shafts.”

“You know that’s insane, right?”

“I like to think of it as exploring the spaces around me,” he said, “and speaking of exploring…” he looked Chelsea up and down.

“Listen, I’m not sleeping with you!”

“Why?” He appeared to be genuinely surprised, “I think we totally clicked this morning. Don’t you want me?”

“Yes… No… that’s not the point!”

“I know you’re not cheap, Chelsea,” he said, “but we’re two fairly sensible adults, who could enjoy each other’s company once in a while.” He had such a dreamy expression on his face, Chelsea felt a strong urge to kiss him. That and him mentioning her name. Oh, he knew name! And the way his lips moved when he said it…Chelsea felt like a dumb teen and blushed.

“It’s cute. When you blush,” he said smiling. Two more words and Chelsea would jump on him without a thought.

“… and your jammies rock! I have a pair with a banana print. I could show you…”

He didn’t finish because Chelsie did really jump on him, and both fell into the couch kissing. Andrew’s hands slid under her shirt. This time nothing could stop them - no workers, no bra… except the pizza order! The annoying ding-dong of the doorbell wouldn’t let them go on.

Chelsea rolled off Andrew and fell to the floor.

“Fuck… just a sec!” She yelled. Andrew helped her up.

“Yeah, thanks, keep the change!” She murmured to the delivery guy.

“Pepperoni. My favourite,” Andrew sniffed the box as she sat on the couch near him.

“This is wrong. Totally wrong,” Chelsea said staring at the pizza box in her lap.

“Yeah, sure it’s wrong! You were about to eat this alone? Do you know how many calories this has?”

He opened the box without an invitation, took a slice and tucked into it.

“What? It’s my lunch break!” Andrew replied to her annoyed stare with his mouth full. As irritated by this whole situation as Chelsea was, she found the sight of him gobbling up her pizza surprisingly adorable. Was everything he did cute, or did she see him that way?

“Now, where were we?!” He took the pizza box from her lap, after obliterating half of it and washing it down with Chelsea’s coke.

What was it about him?! She wondered while both made out on her couch again, taking their clothes off. His cologne was the stuff of dreams, as well as everything else about him. Chelsea realized she must’ve developed a serious crush on him, which she hadn’t even noticed before.

“Mmmm,” Andrew grunted, because his phone buzzed. He took it out of his pocket.

“Yes, sir!” He was up in an instant, while Chelsea laid on the couch just breathing, watching him pace around her living room with his shirt undone. Damn, that sixpack… her head had shut off, Chelsea felt like a bunch of instincts and desires ruled over her. When his conversation with the big boss lingered, Chelsea came to her senses. She was already sitting with her jammies all decent when he finally hung up.

“Gotta run. Moira messed up big time. I have to go fix it. The boss is pissed,” Andrew buttoned up his shirt, tucked it into his pants and grabbed his jacket.

“See ya’ later. I’ll come round after work,” that wasn’t a question. He smiled and winked at Chelsea, but his smile faded quickly after he heard her reply.

“No!” She said loud and clear, “I’m not some fast food you grab on the go. Either you ask me out like a normal guy would or forget it! And… and… you owe me half-a-pizza!”

“Oh…” He stood blinking as if wacked over his pretty face with a wet fish. “Okay! I think I told you my three principles already.  I don’t do “dating”. I’ve been too close to death, to waste my time on stuff I don’t want. Let’s just forget about this and live on. Bye!” He marched to the door.

“You know what the fourth principle should be? You’re a jerk!” Chelsea yelled to the slammed door. She wasn’t sure he heard it.

***

“You did the right thing, Chels,” Meg reassured her over the screen of Chelsea’s  phone. “He’s a total jerk! You know what else you should do? Report him for harassment!”

“Was it though? It was consensual,” Chelsea shrugged.

“But he’s your boss. He’s in the power position. Better report before he turns your office life into hell or gets you fired. Revenge and all that, you know?”

Chelsea sighed thinking. She didn’t want all the mess and the noise that would follow her report. But something definitely had to be done.

“You’re right. I’ll report him. I was being an idiot. Shouldn’t have gone to that elevator at all. But he’s just so…dreamy…” Chelsea sighed remembering Andrew’s cologne when he laid on her. She loved every single second of it.

“Hey, look at me! Guy’s a jerk! Don’t go back to liking him!”

“Yeah, sorry! You’re right!” Chelsea snapped out of it.

“You’re too naïve for this world, sis! And you’re too good for him,” Meg shook her head.

***

Chelsea barely slept at night. The first hours she tossed and turned sweating from the memories of Andrew holding her close, the hours before the dawn she spun in her bed nervous about the upcoming conversation with the big boss. It’s not like they were forbidden to have office romances, but everybody knew the big bosses didn’t approve of it. So, Chelsea was only doing the right thing.

She entered the office block dressed impeccably for the conversation - crisp white blouse, a dark blue knee-length skirt, like a neat schoolgirl, all sweet and innocent. She felt bad though. It’s not like Andrew had tricked her or anything.

“He’s still a jerk! Don’t chicken out!” Meg texted her while Chelsea sat by her desk hesitating.

All her co-workers arrived. Andrew marched into the office; his stride springy as usual. The smell of his cologne drove Chelsea nuts. She looked up at him as he tossed the papers on her desk casually. Something was different. He gifted her a bright smile. He even spewed out a flirtatious remark or something, Chelsea couldn’t really comprehend what he said. He had begun treating her like every other woman in the room. Andrew was nice to her. Nice, kind and fun. The prick! This was even worse than cold vengeance. A revenge wrapped in sunny kindness!

Chelsea observed him all morning. He was kindness itself, especially to her. He even praised her work! Chelsea was baffled and infuriated by this sudden change.

“No, Chels! He’s just blowing smoke in your eyes or… whatever they call it! Don’t let him trick you! Go to the big boss! Now!”

“Now?”

“Yes, right now!” Meg scolded her sister through the phone screen. The lunch break was nearly over, Chelsea couldn’t eat a thing. She lingered in the office kitchen after everybody had gone back to work.

“Okay… okay! You’re right! I’m going!” Chelsea rushed to the nearest exit, the  people in the old elevator held the door for her. Chelsea squeezed into the tight space only to find her back pressing to Andrew. Damn! She must’ve missed him passing by, while she was on the phone. Okay, this was the weirdest situation she’d ever been too, apart from climbing down ventilation shafts. The weirdest and the… sexiest. His cologne, his breath on her hair. Chelsea could swear his breathing became faster, she could feel his chest rising and falling. If it wasn’t for the other people in the elevator…

The elevator door slid open. Two people left. Still, one stayed.

What was she thinking?! Chelsea shivered. She was about to report Andrew for harassment. It was the right thing to do, but it felt wrong. While Chelsea pondered about it, their co-worker stepped out and she and Andrew were left alone. Chelsea inhaled his cologne waiting to be kissed on the neck sensually or held close or…

Andrew stepped backward, away from her.

“Going up?” He asked casually.

“Yeah…” she murmured. “You too?”

“Yesss! Meeting the big boss,” Andrew said rubbing his hands, “I’m pretty sure I’m getting a raise!”

What a prick! Chelsea shook her head - he’s in for a nasty surprise, after she tells the big boss about Andrew’s dirty little games. Let him have his little victory. It will be short. Chelsea wished she had emailed the big boss prior, but a private conversation seemed more impactful and discreet.

The awkward seconds of silence drove Chelsea nuts.

“What kind of a game are you playing?” She spat out, but before he got the chance to answer, the elevator shook furiously, all the lights flickered, while Chelsea shrieked holding on to Andrew. Elevator dropped down a notch, now both screamed, then it stopped, leaving them in darkness.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, we’re alive!” Andrew tried to console both of them, repeating it again and again. He pressed the emergency button, but it didn’t work, none did, even the emergency light hadn’t switched on, nothing! They were trapped in complete darkness, in a tin box, which could drop them down into the open mouth of the deadly abyss below… A panic attack grabbed Chelsea’s chest in a suffocating grip - she couldn’t take a breath.

“Easy there, easy! Hold on to me! Let’s breath together! Slowly! Inhale, exhale! You’re doing great! It will be alright! They’ll get us out in no time!” Andrew held her close.

He pulled out his phone - no connection to the network. There was an office legend, that the old elevator was like a local Bermuda triangle. No phone worked properly in there.

They spent about twenty minutes yelling, screaming, banging on the elevator walls, nothing. Andrew even opened the hatchet and investigated the shaft - no escape, they were stuck between the floors.

After an hour of desperate struggles and pondering in the dark, they finally sat down.

“I’m scared. I don’t want to die,” whispered Chelsea.

“Me neither, but it will happen someday. We can’t escape it.”

“That’s why… that’s why you’re living the way you do?”

“You mean my three principles? Yes, it saves me from a lot of unnecessary emotions and stuff,” she could feel Andrew shrugging in the dark. They decided to use the phone lights sparingly.

Chelsea had another crying fit. Andrew tried to calm her down.

“They will repair the elevator soon, don’t cry. Um… what are your plans for tomorrow?”

“Are you asking me out? Fucking bad timing! We’ll be dead by tomorrow,” she said sobbing and hiccupping.

“No, I mean… you have to focus on your future. On goals.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

Andrew pulled out his phone.

“This is my goal. I bought some land. See this patch is mine, with the cabin.” Chelsea saw a stunning postcard-worthy photo with a shabby wooden cabin.

“You want to live in the mountains?”

“It’s a start. I want to build a hotel there. I could work as a guide, but I want more. A full service for hikers and climbers - a hotel, all the gear for rent, everything. To do that, I need money. So, I work my ass off here. See, that’s my goal in life. What’s yours?”

Chelsea sat thinking.

“You’re not being helpful,” she retorted.

“Why? Cause I’m making you think about stuff you don’t want to think about? Like the future?”

“Damn, you’re fucking annoying!”

“I know, “ he said with a chuckle.

“Well…” Chelsea began after a pause. Talking seemed a better option than sitting in the dark silence. “I had a goal. Or… it wasn’t really my goal. My boyfriend, I mean my ex-boyfriend had a start-up business. I was doing the managing and the accounting part…” she nearly added “the boring part”, but she bit he tongue.

“After he dumped me, naturally, I was fired, so…”

“Idiot! Only an idiot would dump you!” Andrew exclaimed.

“Yeah… he said I was boring.”

“Fucking moron!” Andrew shook his head.

Chelsea didn’t really want to go on about her unfortunate love life, they sat in silence for a while.

“So, what’s up with your third principle?” Chelsea asked.

“Don’t fall in love? Yeah, that’s… after I got into my accident, the doctors were sure I would never walk. I believed I will. My girlfriend didn’t share my beliefs. She dumped me after three months of my rehab. I don’t blame her. It was tough. Even tougher to do it alone. I decided not to waste my time on building relationships. It’s easier once you get that out of the way. You just push on to your goals, and don’t let anything stop you. No apologies, no remorse.”

“That sounds… actually it makes sense,” said Chelsea.

The elevator rumbled and shook. Chelsea shrieked.

“It’s good! It’s good! They’re repairing it!” Andrew yelled.

“Or not, and we’re about to fall!” Chelsea objected. They sat, holding each other close. Another hour passed with the elevator rumbling once in a while. Chelsea cried quietly, snugged under Andrew’s arm. It wasn’t romantic. The warm nearness of another human being was comforting. They were sitting in the mouth of a dark beast, who hadn’t decided whether to swallow them into its deadly insides or spit them out.

“Would you kiss me, please? If I must die, I want to feel something good before I go,” Chelsea begged quietly.

Andrew didn’t object, even he seemed to have lost hope.

They kissed in the darkness; it was a desperate manifestation of life in the death’s embrace. Chelsea had never felt anything like that kiss, as if touching each other’s soul through the lips. It was truly special. Time and space lost all meaning. The kiss was a dark touch of eternity, until… the lights casually switched on, and the elevator just moved upward like nothing ever happened.

Both got up, a ding, the door opened, and they stepped out to a crowd of firefighters, paramedics, co-workers, everybody running around nervously, asking questions, taking their vitals etc., etc. As it turned out, they really were in danger - the elevator might have dropped, but luckily the repairs were done quickly.

The Big Boss himself floated toward them like some office pantheon demi-god, he praised their courage and resilience and granted them a whole week off.

He invited Andrew into his office for a private conversation.

“Whoa, you are the bravest woman I ever meant,” said Jenna after greeting Chelsea. She went back to pick her stuff and was embraced by the sisterly compassion of the office ladies. Chelsea lingered waiting to see Andrew return, but she had to leave eventually without meeting him.

She waited for a text or a call from him. Nothing.

“You want me to come?!” Meg asked concerned.

“No, no I’m okay. I just don’t get it. We were so close… It was special,” Chelsea sighed.

“Maybe it was too much, you know? Give him some space. He doesn’t seem like a total jerk after the elevator and all…”

***

“He’s a total jerk! Guess death threats doesn’t change some!” Meg attempted to comfort Chelsea, who stared at her from the phone screen all red-eyed and sobbing. There was no news from Andrew whole week, no reply even when Chelsea gathered all her courage and texted if he was okay, until a week later when she returned to the office, Chelsea found out - Andrew is being promoted and transferred to their office in Tokyo. He proudly declared it himself, all the ladies sighed ruefully, but wished him all the best. He spent most of the day packing his stuff with Chelsea secretly observing him. Every minute in the office was agony. She hoped to have a word with him, but Andrew avoided staying alone with her.

Chelsea sat on the steps of their office building after work. So, that was it. She had no reason to linger in the office.

She felt somebody stopping by her.

“Go, talk to him. Before he flies away tonight.”

“Moira?” Chelsea looked up at the young sturdy girl with a stack of blue hair covering her eyes. “How did you…?”

Moira handed her a very crumpled, green sticky note. The one Andrew slipped into the papers. Chelsea blushed.

“Found it by your trash bin. He wants you. It’s like sooo obvious even without the note. Go!” Moira murmured.

“Thanks, Moira!” Chelsea grabbed the note, wiped off the tears and ran to him.

Andrew had packed all his belongings. His desk was wiped clean. He was ready to leave when Chelsea ran into the office.

“You can’t leave!”

She didn’t hesitate to wrap around him. Nobody was there, though the security guys would probably have a fun time watching them through surveillance cameras, but both didn’t care. They kissed passionately, Andrew laid her down on his desk and pulled her skirt up, undoing his own pants afterward. More hot kisses and undressing, until Chelsea whispered,

“Please, don’t leave! I think I love you…”

Andrew stopped, as if taken a punch to the face.

“What…?” Chelsea sat on his desk half-naked. He pulled his pants up and turned away.

“I think you should leave.”

“What is it? I thought you wanted me!”

“I don’t do “love”,” he replied sharply.

“So… that’s it?”

“Yeah. I have my principles and…”

“Your principles are worth shit!” Chelsea yelled at him, “always take risks?! You’re a fucking coward! You’re afraid of feelings! That’s the risk you’re too scared to take! A pathetic jerk stepping over people to get your goal! Well, I hope you fucking make it! I hope you’ll sit alone on your mountain top until you rot!”

Chelsea got dressed and marched away from Andrew, who stood staring at his feet. She ran into Moira at the office door. The latter was obviously being creepy as always, secretly observing Chelsea and Andrew making out in the office…

That’s how Chelsea ended up sitting on her couch and crying into her phone screen, while Meg tried hard to comfort her.

“He is right… I don’t have a goal. I’m boring,” Chelsea said with tears running down her cheeks.

“No, no, no! Of course, you have a goal! It’s… You like your job,” Meg objected.

“I like it, but I don’t love it.”

“Well… um… what do you want then?”

“I… want him… and his mountain…” Chelsea resumed weeping. All she could imagine thinking about her future was Andrew’s slender frame in hiker’s clothes and gear, leading a group of hikers into the mountains, while she manages the hotel.

“That’s your problem, Chels! You never show initiative, you always follow someone else’s lead. But what do you want?”

Chelsea sat thinking long into the night.

Chelsea sobbed harder, she didn’t want to “girlboss” her way through life… why couldn’t she be the princess picked up by the handsome ash-blond prince with the sixpack-to-die-for and a mountain shack they both would be all-cosy in?

The doorbell startled her. A bright green sticky note was slipped under the door. Chelsea picked it up.

“I think I love you too. Can you forgive me? I’ve got pizza.”

Chelsea burst out in happy laughter. She opened the door. A cream rose and a pizza box greeted her, with Andrew holding it.

“You missed your flight.”

“I’ve just been on the phone with big boss. I’m still being transferred, but… to another department here,” he explained, “I asked for it myself.”

“Why?” Chelsea said playfully. She already knew the answer. Chelsea stepped back, letting him enter. Andrew threw the pizza and the rose on the table.

He embraced her.

“I want you… no, more than that. I think I love you. And…” Andrew took a deep breath, “I want to take the ultimate risk… and trust you won’t dump me.” His voice brushed her ear with a softness she hadn’t heard before. Chelsea smiled; she liked this vulnerable side of Andrew just as much as his boyish bravado.

“So, I’m asking you out on a date like a normal guy should. And since I’m not your boss anymore, would you…?”

Chelsea kissed him before he had said another word.

“But what about the date?”

“Well,” she said undoing the top buttons of his shirt, “we have pizza.”

He laughed.

“Don’t believe anybody who says you’re boring,” he said, “you are the most exciting thing I’ve ever seen. I knew it when I first walked into the office and saw you. I was going nuts wanting you all these months before I slipped you the note.”

***

(An unnecessary and super cheesy epilogue. Read at your own risk!)

“I don’t get it. Kinda cheap,” Jenna frowned chasing invisible breadcrumbs on the crisp white tablecloth, around the porcelain plate with a sticky note on it. Sticky note was the theme of this wedding, and they used it everywhere - instead of table cards, in the flower decorations, everywhere.

Meg rolled her eyes, sitting next to Jenna. She smiled looking at the newlyweds swirling on the dancefloor. Chelsea moved as light as a feather in Andrew’s arms.

“I think it’s kinda cute,” murmured Moira, while the newlyweds kept dancing.

Chelsea whispered something in Andrew’s ear. He nodded smiling seductively.

“You’re the boss, “ he replied to whatever she suggested, and they kissed.