' Comfortable Clothes '

AFTER LUNCH, I hurried back to Mr. Philip's office, he was scribbling on a paper and he didn't look in my direction as I stepped in. I sat in my chair and resumed reading the newspaper.

"Hey Baby, how are you doing?" He spoke into his phone. I sat upright in my chair and stared at him.

"I'm fine too, I'm at work." He replied and waited for a few minutes before speaking to the person who I figured out was Maya.

"You're at the airport already?  I'll come get you," He hung up, pushed himself off his chair  and after snatching his car keys, he strode out, without speaking to me.

Not wishing to think about my boss, I sighed and shut the newspaper. I bent over and placed my head on my desk.

"Hey." A hand was placed on my shoulder, I lifted my head to see Peter smiling down at me. His smile brought warmth to my heart making me wonder when he started having that impact on me.

As long as I'm able to rid my mind of Mr. Philip, it's a welcome effect.

"Hey." I smiled shyly at him.

I contemplated on telling him about my planned resignation. If I tell him, he might try to persuade me to stay, not that I'll agree anyway. Not telling him might make him jump to unpleasant conclusions about me and I don't want that at all.

I guess I'll have to choose from the two options.

"I'm resigning." The words came out of my mouth before I could hold them back.

He blinked twice at me.

"Why? what did he do this time around?" he demanded sharply.

"He did nothing, I just want to do this, for me." I stated and observed his facial expression changed from happy to sad.

"If that's what you want," he ran a finger through his hair and stared deeply into my eyes. My stomach rumbled and heart sank a little bit lower as he turned to leave.

"We're still up for coffee tomorrow." he said looking over his shoulder as he held the door open. I nodded and he went off.

After work, as I stepped into the cab I hailed, I felt like a huge burden had been shoved off my shoulders, although Mr Philip didn't show up after he left earlier, I placed the carefully folded resignation letter on his desk before leaving.

I peered into my phone and logged into my account on facebook which I rarely used, sorry I'm not a social media addict. I checked the profiles of the few friends I had who are mostly my university mates.

"Miss, you can alight now?" The cabman politely said. I looked up from my phone and out the window. The cab was parked in front of my house.

"I'm sorry," I apologized and he nodded. After I stepped out with my bag and moved a safe distance away from the cab, he drove off.

I stared at the cab as it drove off till it disappeared around a corner.

"Are you gonna come in or what? "

I turned to see Tamara at the door grinning widely with her hands folded on her chest.

I entered the house after taking off my heels, and she trailed behind me.

"How was work today?" I asked her and she sighed.

"It was a long day, I had to attend to all my clients who suddenly decided to show up at once." She took my bag from me and set it on a sofa. I chuckled softly and sank into the sofa.

"I resigned."

"Why?" She scratched the back of her hand and regarded me collectedly.

"What do you mean by why, I'm tired of being constantly oppressed, I'm not his personal slave."

"I know," she replied with a weak smile.

I loved my sister because despite her capability of being nosy at times, when it comes to me making a decision, she won't interfere. She might just try to make sure I'm confident about my choice, other than that, she wouldn't bother me.

We remained silent for a couple of seconds till she spoke up again.

"How's Peter?" I raised a brow curiously. Why was she suddenly interested in Peter's welfare,she asked about him constantly. I felt it's because he happened to be the person that helped me out on that unfortunate day.

"Are you interested in him?" I asked with a smile playing on my lips and she glared at me.

"Don't be silly, I'm just concerned." Tam scolded me. I laughed and raised my hands in surrender.

"He's doing great."

She nodded in response. Observing her face,  I wondered if I should tell her about the coffee date or whatever Peter called it. Telling her wouldn't hurt, or would it?

"He asked me out to coffee this weekend,"

Tamara squealed with excitement filling her eyes.

"You need to appear in your best,"

I rolled my eyes in response.

"It's not a date Tam." I laid emphasis on ' date ' but she chose to ignore me.

"I know you'll need help with choosing what to wear, I'll be glad to assist you."

She clapped her hands dramatically making me wish I had supernatural powers to disappear. I discarded my wish when I remembered a statement mom made a few years back; be careful what you wish for. There are lots of things we wish for, but when finally our wishes come true, we are suddenly filled with pangs of regret as most of those things we wished for aren't what we actually need.

After listening to Tam's lecture on the perfect dress to wear on a date, I made my way to my room and submerged myself in my water-filled bathtub.

💭💭💭

I opened the door to see Peter standing on the doorstep grinning. He was dressed in a green shirt and a pair of jeans trousers. His hair was combed to the back and this enhanced the features on his face, his perfect jawline, perfect nose, piercing eyes and lips... Oh.

"Like what you see?" he teased and I smiled. I adjusted the dress which stopped a decent distance below my knees.

He led me to his car parked in front and opened the door for me and I gladly climbed in. When Peter ensured I was comfortable, he got in and started the car.

I fiddled uncomfortably with the hem of my dress. Peter glimpsed at me and noticed my discomfort.

"Are you comfortable in that dress?" he asked and I shook my head, signifying no he nodded and chuckled.

"What's funny?"

"Your sister forced it on you, am I right?"

"Yeah... how did you know?"

"Your sister can be quite persuasive," he replied turning to me, his eyes travelled from my eyes to my legs.

Why is he looking at me like that?

He stopped the car in front of a shop which definitely was not a coffee shop. Noticing my uneasiness, he spoke up.

"You're getting into another dress that's not this." He gestured at my attire. I tried to protest but he got our of the car and came over to open the door for me. I stepped out and glanced at the shop which had expensive looking clothes displayed inside.

He led the way inside the shop and I gaped at everything that screamed perfection. A few people walked past us holding shopping bags. Others stared at us, probably trying to get a better view of Peter. Some took a few pictures of us but we ignored them.

"Peter!" a voice called and we turned to see who it was. Peter recognized the voice even before he turned because he had a smile plastered on his face.

A girl quite younger than me hugged him briefly and turned to me with a smile.

"Hey" she waved shyly at me and turned to Peter for an introduction.

"Meet Tanya, my cousin."

That explains the slight similarities between them, their eyes, the colors of their hairs.

"Tanya meet Florence, my friend." The butterflies in my stomach did their stupid fluttery stuff as he pronounced the word 'friend'.

Tanya hugged me tightly and I felt lightheaded due to oxygen deprivation. She liberated me and turned to her cousin.

"What can I help you with?" She demanded, her voice suddenly business-like.

"Change her into something more comfortable than this." Peter turned to me with a smile. Tanya's gaze flickered from my face to my dress. She tapped her chin in thought and a light bulb appeared on her head. Not literally though

"I know, follow me." she ordered. I hesitated as I didn't entirely trust her.

"Follow her, you're in safe hands." he whispered in my ear and I shivered as his breath fanned the side of my head. As I followed Tanya, all I could think about was not the effect of Peter's breath on me, all I could think of was the realization that the same words he spoke were the same words spoken to me by someone.  Mr. Philip.

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LOTS OF LOVE AND KISSES,

Tris. ❤💙❤💙