Eleven
692 Words
Mark and Niko took a cup of coffee and went to the living room.
"Oh my God, Mark said, you have this stupid smile in your face."
"I am not going to apologize for being happy my friend" Niko said and took a sip of coffee.
Mark smiled.
Niko looked at him and remembered last night.
"Will you tell me what happened last night at the party?" He asked.
Mark looked at him.
"Nothing happened."
"Anna saw you, you know. And in order to show that is just a dance, I asked Debbie to dance with me"
Mark frowned.
"That explains her mood today" he said looking at Anna's direction.
"That's all you have to say?" Niko asked
Mark looked at him confused.
"What you mean?" He asked.
Niko sighed.
"Don't play the fool to me. I know you better than anyone. It took you like what, four months before you asked Anna out and you already knew her for a year, and now, with her..."
"Nora, he interrupted Niko. Her name is Nora."
Niko took a deep breath.
"OK, he said. With Nora, it took you like only a few hours?"
"I don't understand your problem " Mark said annoyed. "It was just a dance. Nothing further"
"OK , I am just worrying about you. Anna is the one for you"
Mark's eyes gotten darker. He raised his voice a bit.
"Who is the one for me, is my decision and no one else's. Is this clear?" He said and his eyes were glowing.
Niko got scarred. He looked at him frightened.
"OK OK, he said with a soft voice. No need to fight over that. If you say is nothing I believe you. I just want you to be happy".
Mark calmed down.
"Again, my decision" he said with a cold voice.
" Nora is beautiful, Niko commented. I will give you that. Way more beautiful than Anna. Like a goddess."
Mark froze. He felt like electricity has hit him. He could barely move. He was staring at Niko, but couldn’t say a word. Goddess he kept thinking, like a goddess, a goddess....
The news of Niko's engagement spread in the office very fast. Everyone congratulated him and asked when the wedding will take place.
Patiently, he kept repeating that no date has been decided yet.
Mark was observing him. He looks happy he thought. A goddess a voice came in his mind. He shook his head trying to ignore it but it kept coming back. What the heck? he thought. What the hell is that?
Niko saw him lost in his thoughts. He reached out to him.
“Are you ok?” He asked.
Mark looked at him with sad eyes.
“No he said but I do not know why.”
Niko looked at him worried
“Would you like to take a break?”
“No, Mark said. But let’s go out after work for a beer.”
Niko smiled
“You got it” he said.
Nora was trying to finish an email when an excited Pauline came at her desk.
“Have you heard?” She asked impatiently.
Nora looked at her.
“Hear what?” She asked
“Niko Lance got engaged.”
“Niko who?” Nora asked confused
“Niko Lance” Pauline repeated. “Mark's best friend.”
On the name of Mark Nora took a deep breath.
“OK, she said. And to whom is he engaged to? I mean do we know her?”
“No, Pauline said. She is not working here but she is always around. In every company's party etc. She was also in the party on Friday.”
“I see, Nora said. Well congrats to those two.”
Pauline smiled.
“I bet that Mark will be his best man. And he looks so handsome on a taxido” she said with a soft voice and dreamy eyes.
Nora felt a bit jealous. Trying to hide that she got annoyed by her comment she just raised her shoulders.
“Who knows” she said.
Jennifer came closer to them.
“What do we have here?” She said.
“Pauline was just spreading the news” Nora said smiling
“Hey, am just social. “
“Oh yes, Jennifer said, another way to say that you like gossiping “
All three laughed.
“I am just wondering if Mark will ask Nora to accompany him to the wedding” Pauline said.
Nora looked at her surprised.
“ Hmm…” Jennifer said. “It is possible”.
Nora looked at both.
“Ladies, I think you are getting out of line. He won't do such think. Anna is his girlfriend, is obvious that he will go with her”.
“Will see” Pauline said with a singing voice whilst was getting back on her office. "Will see!".
- Writer
