Our Stop - Laura Jane Williams Page 0,26

to try, since even simple eye contact had made him feel more prepared for coming face to face with Nadia. He stood in line for his burrito behind two women in suits, presumably from one of the offices near his own. It was about a half square mile of offices, including, somewhere, Nadia’s.

Daniel scrutinized the board. A burrito was a burrito, so there weren’t many options to have to choose from. He’d have to pick between meat or veggie mince, or perhaps ask for an extra side of sour cream.

The queue pushed forward. There was one bloke in front of the women, and it would quickly be their turn. He had to say something soon, else he’d lose his chance, and then what? He’d rejoin the back of the queue so he could work up his courage with somebody else? No. That was weird. The book said this was all supposed to be super natural, super chill. Whatever, man. It’s all good.

He ended up leaning towards the women in front of him and saying, ‘So what do you think, ladies? Avocado or extra avocado?’

They didn’t hear him, and carried on talking. The taller woman said to her shorter companion, ‘You see, that’s why you have to get them heeled before you wear them. It’s like high-heel insurance.’

‘That’s so smart,’ the other woman said. ‘I shouldn’t cut corners.’

Daniel coughed a little, involuntarily.

‘What do you think?’ he tried again, making his voice a little louder this time. ‘Avocado,’ he said, even louder, ‘or extra avocado?’

One of the women turned around and looked from Daniel to the extra space beside him. It looked like he was talking to himself.

‘Oh,’ said Daniel realizing. ‘No, I …’

The woman turned back around. Daniel stared at the back of her head.

‘DO YOU THINK I SHOULD GET EXTRA AVOCADO?’ he bellowed, at which both women turned around.

The women looked at each other, the penny dropping that he was talking to them.

‘Or … just a … normal amount?’ Daniel squeaked, his palms suddenly sweaty and his face colouring purple.

Slowly, her eyes darting confusedly from side to side, the taller woman said, ‘Well, do you really like avocado?’

Daniel nodded. ‘Yes.’

‘Get extra then,’ she said, to which Daniel issued a sort of pffffffft noise between his lips.

‘Extra avocado? Wow. I could never date you, then,’ he said, before he even really knew what he was saying.

‘Excuse me?’ the taller woman said. Daniel’s mouth flapped open and closed like in Finding Nemo. ‘Date me? I’m three feet taller than you and about six times as hot. A date isn’t really on the cards, is it?’

Daniel just stood there, wishing desperately that he could simply turn on his heel and run, forever, until he reached Greenland.

‘What an arsehole,’ the shorter woman said, shaking her head and steering the elbow of her friend so they both turned back around, before stepping forward to give their order.

Daniel cast his gaze around him, humiliated, figuring out if anyone had witnessed what had happened. He didn’t mean to say that – to be unhinged that way. He panicked! It was his first time trying out the advice! It had all nose-dived! A teenager sat by the window eating his food looked away quickly as Daniel turned his head. His shoulders were shaking slightly, like he was laughing at him. Daniel lowered his eyes so that he didn’t have to look at the women as they left. The shorter woman barged into his shoulder as they passed. Daniel let her.

‘What can I get you?’ the man behind the counter said.

‘Meat burrito,’ Daniel replied, quietly. ‘Extra avocado. Thanks.’

‘Hey, is this yours?’ Percy said, as Daniel walked back through into the office. He was holding up a copy of Get Your Guys!

Daniel stuttered slightly. ‘Mine? No. No way. Absolutely not.’

Percy looked confused. ‘It’s just it was in with your things in the meeting room,’ he said. ‘Meredith found it.’

‘Meredith found it,’ Daniel repeated.

Percy smirked.

‘No idea who it belongs to,’ Daniel said, striding past Percy’s desk and towards his own. ‘None at all.’

‘Sure,’ Percy said. ‘Well, I’ll leave it in my out-tray in case you change your mind,’ he added.

Daniel scrunched up his face. ‘I won’t,’ he said, accidentally giving the game away. ‘It’s shit.’

He silently lamented that he hadn’t just stuck to what he knew worked: writing notes in the newspaper. He was much slicker in writing than in faux-flirting. He sat down at his desk, pulled up the submission box for Missed Connections, and began to type.

10

Nadia

Over the weekend