Chapter 13: Stupid

Mandy pushed Migs away. She didn’t expect that kiss at all. She would’ve slapped him on the face if she hadn’t thought about the job that she badly needed.

“You didn’t like it?”

Mandy answered him by gesturing how tired she was and that she wanted to sleep.

Upon closing the door behind her…

“Oh my God! What was that? Did I do something to give him the idea of kissing me?”

Mandy knew Migs liked her. He wouldn’t spend all this time with her if he didn’t. It was not part of his job as an editor to tag along in her photoshoots and it’s not part of his job to pick her up or bring her home.

She was already the toast of the office. She even overheard some women calling her “Mig’s flavor of the month.” Some would even say she just got the job because Migs was smitten. She was psyching herself to endure. The job that she wanted entailed a lot of PR work, a lot of sucking up to the boss, whichever applied.

But that kiss… It should’ve been perfect. Migs was fine. He was successful, smart, and goodlooking but he’s got this weird sense of humor that she just sometimes could not get.

She was so glad Herbie came and stayed with them because for a while, she thought they were going to run out of things to talk about.

Mandy woke up to the ringing of the phone the following morning. She immediately ran to the living room to answer it.

“Herbie!”

“Herbie?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Migs?”

“So how are you? Did you sleep well?”

“Oh, yeah. Actually, I just woke up.”

“So, ahm. I just want to say sorry about what I did last night. I mean you were obviously upset. I’m really sorry about that.”

“Oh, I’m glad you brought that up. I am sorry for pushing you, too. I was just…”

“Oh, no worries, Mandy. I just hope that it wouldn’t change, you know, the way we work together.”

“Definitely not.”

Migs heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you. So ahm, I know it’s your free day today. I’m thinking if you’d like go watch a movie maybe and dinner?”

Mandy was hesitant to ask Migs but the invitation really sounded like he was asking her out for a date. And she was not up to it. She had planned to bring the wedding album to Mr. And Mrs. Cuevas with Herbie.

“Tonight doesn’t sound good, Migs. Maybe we can set it at another date?”

“You have a date tonight?”

“No, no. I just have to do something.”

“I can be your personal driver if you want.”

“You don’t have to do that, Migs. Let’s just do the movie thing and the dinner some other time, maybe Monday after that photoshoot?”

“Alright, Monday it is!”

Mandy put down the phone but lifted the handset again and started to press 8921-4546.

She was biting her nail as she was waiting for someone to pick up.

“Welcome to Superb Manufacturing Company. If you know the extension number of the person you are calling then dial it now or stay on the line for operator assistance.”

“Hello, this is Melba, may I help you?”

“Hi. I’d like to speak with Mr. Molina, please?”

“I’ll transfer you to his secretary.”

“Thank you.” Mandy remembered she met his secretary already.

“Mr. Molina’s office, this is Kelly, may I help you?”

“Hello, Kelly. I don’t know if you remember but this is Mandy, the photographer at your aunt and uncle’s wedding?”

“Of course, I remember you, Mrs. Molina?” Kelly felt comfortable teasing Mandy.

“Haha, I hope Herbie already told you what happened.”

“Yes, he did. By the way, I think you really did a great job with the photos. I’m sure they will love it.”

“Herbie showed you?”

“Ooops, don’t tell him okay? I promised him I won’t tell you but only because I was certain we won’t have this chance to talk with each other but boy, I am so wrong.”

“Oh, it’s okay. I’m glad to get your feedback about that. I hope you’re not just saying that about the album.”

“Not at all. It was really nice!… By the way, you’re looking for Herbie?”

“Oh, yes. Is he busy? Can I speak with him.”

“He’s not busy. Let me just transfer your call.”

“Thank you, Kelly. It was nice talking to you.”

“The pleasure is mine, Mandy. I hope we can get together with Herbie sometime.”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

The phone in Herbie’s office rang. It got his mind off the thoughts that was running in and out of his head as he go about doing his job.

“Hello!”

“Herbie!”

“Mm-Mandy?”

“Yes, it is Mandy. Can we see each other tonight?… After your office.”

“Wh-what? Why?”

“What do you mean why?"

Herbie was stuttering and panicking. Althought he had spent great amounts of time thinking about the scene of the previous night, he still had not decided what to do and now he realized he still did not know how to react. He knew Mandy would know something was up. She just knew him so well.

“You have a date tonight?”

“No! I mean, yes! Yes! I have a date tonight?”

“You have a date? Someone I know?”

“Oh, nobody you know. I just met her yesterday at the mall.”

“The mall? Are you referring to that pretty girl in the Photo Shop?”

Herbie hardly remembered what the girl from the Photo Shop looked like. “Yes, that’s the one.”

“Okay, I really want to see you but maybe tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, tomorrow.”

Herbie put down the phone and was cursing silently at himself.

“What kind of stupidity is that, boss?”

“You’re calling me stupid?”

“Well, yeah. The girl of your dreams is asking you out and you are making up this imaginary Photo Shop girl?”

“I know. I know! It’s stupid. I just panicked. I don’t know how I would react with the kiss that’s still in my head.”

“Well, if you don’t do something quickly, there could be more kisses and you will only have yourself to blame, boss.”

Herbie quickly picked up the phone and dialed Mandy’s number.

“Mandy? Let’s see each other tonight.”