[Heretochillx]

[Slow burn, work of fiction]

Do you ever find yourself wondering, in the course of your everyday life, about the women who cross your path?

Maybe it’s the neighbor who doesn’t wear a bra when taking out the trash. Or the moms of your kid’s friends, always in those tight, flattering yoga outfits. Maybe it’s a coworker — the kind you get to interact up close and objectively rated her a solid nine — or a stranger who locks eyes with you for a fleeting second.

And in that moment, quiet and unspoken, do you ever wonder… what it would take to sleep with her/him, if the opportunity ever came up?

These are a series of stories about those moments and what comes after.

Before our meet up last Friday, I already had a feeling there was something different about it. Alison is a coworker who I’ve been working with for the past five years. I have so much fantasies about her because she is my cup of tea/vege. I had not made any moves as office romance is almost never a good idea. Last Friday we decided to try out a new bar that night that we had been talking for a long time.

Alison and I occasionally saw each other outside of work, usually at team bonding dinners that sometimes turned into late-night hangouts with colleagues. We both enjoy a good bottle—whether to unwind, loosen up, or simply to enjoy a conversation with good company. And sometimes, after a few more drinks, those conversations took a different turn—especially when we were the last ones standing after everyone else had called it a night.

We had been talking about visiting this speakeasy bar in Joo Chiat forever and finally decided to make a reservation to go last Friday. It was not the first time we met up for drinks, but I felt there was something different about this time. On my end, I paid attention and planned for what to dress in advance to hopefully impress her. I didn’t want to overdress for the occasion and to put her in an awkward situation the whole night. So, with that in mind, I casually prompted her in WhatsApp with a celebratory tone that the place warrants good outfit to match, and she responded saying she has already got a nice dress in mind. Somehow, I felt that we were in-sync for our intention but I wasn’t certain. Typically, we would ask colleagues to join but none of us suggested that for this Friday, but I knew she would happily welcome the idea if I were to suggest. I chose not to do that this time and she didn’t as well. The vibe before leading to Friday felt like a date night, but I tried not to see it that way, I guess it’s a way to put a distance between our relationship, she is happily married with a boy.