Seven
950 Words
Everyone was laughing apart from Mark. He couldn’t take his eyes off from Nora. Who the hell are you, he thought.
Anna touched Mark's arm and kept laughing and brought him back to reality. He looked at her and smiled.
“What are you thinking?” Anna asked him
Mark smiled at her.
“I'll bring some more wine” he said.
“Wait, I’ll come with you” Niko said.
As soon as they moved from the table, JJ grabbed Anna’s hand.
“Do you think that tonight is the night?” She asked full of excitement.
“I don't know” Anna said, with a tone of annoyance in her voice.
“What you mean you don't know? He will propose right? I mean you found the ring.”
“I did found the ring but is up to him. I don't know when and if he will propose.”
“Is everything OK?” JJ asked worried.
“Yes yes” Anna said. “Is just that lately he is kind of lost in his thoughts.”
“I understand, Niko is the same. I think that they are just stressed because they have this huge project.”
“Yes, you might be right.”
In the bar, Niko and Mark were waiting for their turn to order.
“OK, so where were you looking before?” Niko asked.
“She is here” Mark said.
“Who is here?”
“The woman that I told you about.”
“Of course she is here, she works for the company you know.”
“And she is so damn beautiful tonight” said Mark.
“Hmm, are you trying to tell me that you are thinking about making a move on her?”
“I don't know. All I know is that every time I am close to her, I feel this weird aura surrounding me. I feel warmth and safety. How stupid is this?” Mark said.
Niko smiled.
“Not so weird my friend. It seems as if you are starting to fall for her. What about Anna?”
Mark looked at Niko.
“What about her?”
“I mean what are you going to do with her? I thought that you guys were doing really good. How long are you together?”
“Almost a year and a half. I like her, I really do, but I can’t stop thinking about this other woman. But for now, I will keep these feelings for me. I don't even know her so there is no reason to break up with Anna.”
“I see”
“Not every relationship will end up to a marriage you know?! And coming to you, when will you propose to JJ?”
“Oh yes, and I wanted to ask you if you brought the ring.”
“Of course I did, is here in my pocket.”
“Have you bought the one I showed you?”
“Yes.”
“And Anna hasn't seen it?”
“As far as I know, no.”
“Ok great.”
“So tonight is the night?”
“Yes” Niko said. “After the party. So be prepared”
Mark smiled and touched his shoulder.
“I cannot believe that you will propose.”
“I love her” Niko said. “I don’t want to lose her.”
Mark smiled at him. They took the bottle of wine and went back to their table.
Nora was dancing with her colleagues and they were laughing a lot. Suddenly the DJ put on a romantic song and only few couples left dancing.
“Come on, let’s get back to our table” Jennifer said.
The three of them went on the table and found the rest of the colleagues sitting there talking and laughing.
Few tables away.
“JJ, would you like to dance?”
“Of course” she said.
Niko took JJ's hand and went to the dance floor.
Mark looked at Anna
“What about you ma’am? Will you do me the honor?”
Anna smiled and kissed him softly in his lips.
“I will take this as a yes” Mark said smiling.
They went to the dance floor and they started dancing close to JJ and Niko.
Nora was talking with Pauline and Jennifer when her colleague Stephan went into her place.
“Would you like to dance?” He asked.
Nora looked at him.
“Oh, yes of course” she said a few seconds later.
They went to the dance floor and started dancing. Once the song ended, they headed to their table. Nora felt a hand on her shoulder.
“Excuse me, would you like to dance with me?” Mark asked her.
Nora was surprised. Her heart was beating very loud. Oh my God she thought.
“Ahm, yes of course”. She said and she hoped that he did not notice the tremble on her voice. She could barely move.
Mark held her right hand and he put her left hand on his shoulder. He put his right hand around her waist and they started dancing.
Oh my God, Nora thought. I can’t feel my knees. Please, don’t let him notice how weak I feel now.
Mark was holding her and tried to understand her thoughts.
“We have seen each other few months ago but I haven't introduce myself, officially.” He said. “I am Mark.”
Nora looked at his eyes.
“Nora” she said.
“Nora” he whispered. “Such a beautiful name.”
Nora smiled.
He tighten up his hold and continued the conversation.
“I am happy that you got the job” he said.
“Me too” Nora answered.
“Do you like it here?”
“Yes. The colleagues are very helpful and nice. How long are you with this company?”
“Not that long, he said. Almost a year.”
“So you're also kind of new” said Nora smiling.
“Well, yes I think you can say that” he said.
“And do you like it here?”
“Is OK. I will stick around for a while.”
Nora laughed.
“You are beautiful” he whispered to her ear.
Nora got chills.
She could barely speak. She noticed that he was looking deeply in her eyes. Please remember she thought. Just remember...
A few tables away, Anna came back from the ladies room. She looked around the table and she realized that Mark was not there.
“Where is Mark?” She asked.
JJ and Niko looked at each other and stayed quite.
“On the dance floor” Niko said finally.
“With who is he dancing?” She asked and was searching for him on the dance floor.
JJ was looking at her worried.
She found him and saw him dancing with Nora. Her eyes got smaller.
“Who is she?”
“I have no idea” JJ said. “She must be new.”
“Hmmm...” said Anna frowned.
- Writer
