Nice To Meet You

The Lady Is A Friend

Jae

Thank f**k it’s finally Friday.

I can’t believe it’s been two months since I moved to Singapore. Everything still feels very strange and new but at least I don’t feel as lost as I did in my first week.

I’m lucky Johnny’s here. I can only imagine how he felt the first time he got here all on his own. Not knowing anyone, being different from everyone. At least that’s how I feel every day. I wonder if it’s ever going away or if this is how I’ll feel from now on for as long as I live here.

Confession time: I’m a little sad that I haven’t managed to make more friends but even though I look like I have no issues talking to people I don’t know, I’m a pretty shy guy. I moved to Asia to get to know the other half of me, but so far, the only people I get to talk to are the ones like me: expats trying to make a life in this beautiful garden city.

Singapore is amazing. Everything seems to be all shiny and new. And it’s nothing if not efficient. In a lot of ways, it’s the epitome of how to plan a city.

But the people here also keep to themselves. They’re friendly when they have to deal with you but they stay away from you most of the time. Is it only because I’m new here? Will they be more open once they get used to me being around?

It’s getting a little embarrassing how Johnny steps up as my friend all the time. He thinks he’s so smooth about it but I see right through his act. I appreciate all the effort he’s made so far however, I don’t want him to think that the only time I meet new people is when he introduce me to them. Believe it or not, despite my shyness, I do know how to make friends. It’s just that it’s not as effortless for me as it is for others.

Good thing there’s Sunny. Ok, it’s not like we’re friends exactly but I do get to talk to her every day. Even if it’s mostly in passing when I see her in the break room.

Unfortunately for me today, she doesn’t seem to be in. I’ve made my way to the break room several times already but she’s never there. Surely, she won’t survive the work day without getting a cup of coffee at least once.

Right?

So she must be working from home today. That’s the only logical thing I can think of.

“Oh, hi, Jeffrey! Didn’t expect to see you here!” a loud annoying high pitched voice pierced through the room’s peace and quiet.

“Oh, hey, Emma,” I say. I congratulate myself for managing to maintain a calm expression and an even calmer tone. Emma is another transplant from the East Coast office, but unlike Johnny, seeing her here doesn’t make me feel lucky.

“How is it possible that it’s been more than a month since you moved to this office and yet, aside from the first day when HR introduced you to everyone, I’m only just seeing you now?” Emma asks in her way too sweet voice.

I shrug. “Maybe you’ve been avoiding me?” I question.

That’s a lie.

I’ve been avoiding her.

Johnny has informed me that she’s here too and I really have no plans of interacting with her more than I have to. It’s not that we have bad blood between us. No, that’s not it at all. But Emma had a reputation for being a spoiled brat during the time she was working in the US and, as far as I know, she still hasn’t changed.

“Oh, come on, Jeffrey! Why would I avoid you? I’ve been looking forward to catching up with you actually,” she all but drawls.

I take a step back.

Oh, s**t.

Catching up with me?

But why?

Emma laughs as she takes a step forward and hits me playfully on the arm. “You are such a funny guy, Jeffrey! Stop looking like I’m about to devour you! Sheesh, you don’t even care—”

“Jae! There you are! I’ve been looking for you everywhere!”

My brain has been busy working on a feasible plan to quickly get away from Emma that I didn’t even notice anyone entering the break room. But now that I have, I can just fall to my knees and cry.

Walking towards us, her eyes bright and mischievous and with a big smile plastered on her face is Regina Lee aka Sunny. And just like her name, she’s become a bright spot in my otherwise boring days.

She’s strutting towards me and I swear I must still be a kid in high school and all of this is a dream because god, she really is beautiful with her golden honey skin and her full lips and… and… I have to stop myself from looking at the rest of her because I don’t know how my body will react.

She gets to my side and I take a whiff of her fragrance and it’s sweet and sassy but oddly familiar. Just like her. She looks up at me and pouts. “Are you ready?” she asks.

Did I space out so much that I missed an integral part of the conversation? I was afraid of this. I always knew that one day, I would stare at her so much I would make a fool out of myself.

Shit, what did I miss?

“You said you were gonna put your mug in the sink then you’ll come by my desk so we can get lunch together. It’s been a few minutes and I got tired of waiting. You took an awful long time putting your mug away,” she adds.

I open my mouth but nothing comes out. I’m just staring down at her face—part of me is incapable of stopping myself—but an even bigger part of me is just at a loss for words.