small talk
“Are you free after work today?”
Diego looked up from his computer and met the gaze of his coworker. “..What?”
Marilyn laughed a little before leaning over the cubicle wall that separated their work spaces, “Are you free later after work? You do get off around 6 today, right?” Diego blinked and was silent for a moment. How does she know I get off early today?
“I- Yeah I have plans.” He looked back down at his desk and grabbed a stack of papers. “Lots to do.” He began looking through the files pretending to be busy. Marilyn watched him randomly rummage through the papers she knew were already completed. She only gave a small sigh.
“Well how about tomorrow? Or do you also have a lot of plans that day?”
“I’m working tomorrow.”
She gave him a questionable look “...On a saturday?”
Diego put the stack of papers down, “Yes. Overtime.”
Marilyn slumped back into her chair defeated. “I don’t know why you take those extra hours. They don’t even pay you enough to do your regular ones.” Diego didn’t respond. “Well anyways, be careful getting home. I hear that serial killer has been becoming more active, especially at night.”
“You don’t need to worry about me.” Diego responded, clenching his fists. Worry about yourself instead.
“Well someone has to! You work yourself to death. You should take some days off, Diego. Maybe take a nice vacation.” Marilyn began to ramble as she usually does. “I heard the Willbanks are taking a cruise next weekend! Must be nice having enough days off saved up for a whole cruise.”
“Yeah.”
“You’ve been here way longer than I have so you must have a bunch of days saved up. Why don’t you ever take them? I bet you could go on at least three cruises.”
“I don’t need to use them.” Marilyn stood back up and peeked over the cubby in shock.
“Really?” She playfully hit Diego in the head softly with a folder. Diego didn’t react to this. “If anyone in this whole building needed days off it would be you. Hell, I would even give you my days off if I could!”
“I’d rather work.” Diego replied. He wanted to stop talking and just go back to mindlessly typing away on his keyboard. He hated small talk but for some reason he couldn’t help indulging in it with Marilyn. “I have… to finish this report by 4..”
“I see how it really is,” Marilyn laughed, “you just want me to stop talking already.”
“...No offense.”
“None taken! I feel quite honored that the gloomy and silent Diego even spoke to me in the first place! Teasing of course.” Marilyn smiled and returned to her desk finally leaving Diego in peace.
He looked back down at his work space before hearing a familiar voice next to him.
“You seem to get along with your little coworker quite nicely.” Diego did not respond verbally.
Go away.
“Go away? I thought you enjoyed my company.”
…I do.
“That’s what I thought. I wonder, Diego, how do you feel about Ms. Marilyn over there?”
…
“It would be so lovely seeing her beg for her life, don’t you agree dear?”
I have… to finish this report by 4..
“...Fine then. You’ve always been so stubborn.”
Diego closed his eyes before letting out a shaky breath. Back to work.