Please Love Me Too

A short story inspired by the song “I Say A Little Prayer.”

He was smiling at me, his long eyelashes made his blue eyes sparkle a small smile was playing over his lips as his face filled my vision moving closer towards me.

I lifted my face to meet his as he pushed his lips out, I close my eyes and waited for his mouth to meet mine.

The image before me was shattered by a deafening alarm. I reached out my arm and frantically fumbled for the alarm clock to silence it. Lying back in the bed I sighed irritably.

“Eric.”

I closed my eyes and tried desperately to conjure up the image of Eric again but it was no use, that dream was over.

“Please let today be the day that he notices me, please” I whispered.

I shuffled in to the bathroom to clean my teeth and put on my make up. I pulled a hairbrush through my hair, as I stood in front of the wardrobe looking at all my clothes and trying to decide what to wear.

“Something nice. What I wear could be the thing that makes him notice me. Really hope he notices me.” I said to my cat, George, who bumped his back side against me as he passed by, curling his tail around my leg, maintaining contact with me until he was too far away to be in reach. He gave a little miaow as he wandered out of the room. At least someone loves me, I mused as I turned my attention back to my wardrobe and selected a dress that was ever so slightly more fitted than usual with a slightly more plunging neckline than I’d ever worn to work before.

I was wearing new shoes, with a heel. I hadn’t realised that walking would be so much more difficult. Still, something about the shoes made my legs look sort of sexy. But I missed the bus and had to wait ages for the next one. Stupid Eric! He’d better notice me after all this! I smiled to myself as I closed my eyes, letting the motion of the bus lull me into a daydream that revolved around Eric. He was handsome, but not too handsome. His eyes crinkled in the corners like he was laughing all the time and he looked so casual he wore his suits like they were sweat pants. He was my kind of guy. Yet somehow, every time I saw him, I tensed up, I couldn’t speak, my mind went blank. I was normally, laid back, relaxed, and having a good laugh. I was convinced we were kindred spirits. But I was so madly in love with him that I got all giddy whenever he was around.

I finally arrived at work and slipped past the managers office unnoticed.

“I saw you, sneaking in late, what happened?” My friend, Joanna, teased me. Leaning casually against the door frame of my office, she smiled at me, “you look very nice. Are you going to actually speak to him today?” She grinned wickedly.

I frowned, feeling my face flush as she spoke. She knew about my crush on Eric, as she called it. Crush? Believe me, it was more than a crush. I was in love with him. There was no one else I could imagine ever wanting to be with.

Joanna stood up straight wide eyed and looked down the corridor.

“Hi Eric.” She said. I felt my eyes widen in an adrenalin-fuelled panic. I saw him walk past my door.

“Hi Jo, Sandra.” He called as he disappeared out of sight. My mouth dropped open.

“He knows my name.” I whispered. Joanna laughed.

“Seriously. You’re the HR manager, of course he knows your name!”

I scowled at her. Three years ago he’d joined the company and for three years I’d been loving him from afar.

“Come on, let’s go get a coffee.” She moved away from the door and waited for me to join her. We took the lift to the 2nd floor and stepped in to the canteen. Joanna nudged me and nodded towards the vending machines. Eric was putting money into the snack machine. He shoved his hands into his pocket, rummaging for more coins.

“Now’s your chance.” she said, holding a handful of coins towards me. I stared at her, “go on.” she hissed, pushing the money into my hands and shoving me in the direction of the man of my dreams.

I stumbled over to him and stopped, plastering a big smile across my face, I leaned against the neighbouring vending machine and looked at him.

“You need some change?” I asked.

He looked at me in surprise, glancing down at my open palm of silver and then past my hand to my outfit. His mouth slowly turned into a smile as he reached for a coin and fed it into the machine.

“Thanks, Sandra.” He said.

“You’re welcome.” I smiled. I didn’t know what to say next so I stood there like a waiter holding a tray of drinks.

“Are you getting anything?” He asked. I shook myself and grinned, feeding coins into the machine. Eric walked away. I heard him speak briefly to Joanna as he left the canteen.

I groaned, waiting for Joanna to ridicule me for my inability to seize the day.

“Well that was a disaster. What a wasted opportunity. I’m going to die alone. It’s him or no one.” I sighed miserably. She grinned at me.

“Not at all. He just asked me if you were seeing anyone.”

Please Love Me Too