Our work loves to do big expensive shows of grandeur. They will fully rent out a hotel, they will bus everyone from the different sites in. They plan out a whole day of team building. Following that comes a lavish meal. They then put on entertainment by night. They are all expenses paid and are an excuse to get drunk on the company dime.
So, when this year's trip rolled around, of course, I was happy to go. The only downside is sharing a room with someone. So far, I have never had any complaints about who I have had to room with.
This year, they have forgone the boring team building. It means a half day of work before getting the bus.
I get into work and before I can even get logged into our systems, Mark comes up to me. "We've made it to Friday, and we are going to get drunk in less than 5 hours." He said, clearly ready for the night away.
"You know I'm not much of an alcoholic," Truth being told, I can drink most people under the table. Yet, I choose not to.
Mark gives me a knowing look. He's seen what I can drink. He knows, especially on the company's dime, I won't stop at one or two. "you'll probably end up drinking more than you think," he says,
He walked over to talk to Paul before sitting down to get on with some work.
Our team chat soon starts to ping, as the team starts to make plans. They discuss who they think they will get paid with. Some of them making switch agreements depending on who they are paired with. When they are going to get dressed, and what their first drink is going to be.
I posted a few messages, then sent in the required boss message, as it was a work event. They aren't to be doing anything that could reflect badly on the company. After that, I muted the chat and left them to it.
It isn't long until it's time for us to log off and go and get onto the bus; I sighed as I climbed on to the bus and walked down to find a couple of empty seats; I slid myself in and leaned back in my chosen seat. The suppleness of the seat surprised me; it was much softer than the typical squeaky pleather busses. Its buttery softness relaxed me, and my worries from the week started to fade away. While I am happy to go on these trips, I find it hard to relax in crowded spaces.
The bus trip itself for these events, with nearby co-workers cracking open beers or scrolling through their phone. The odd advertisement blaring to the embarrassment of the scroll-ee is probably going to be the most enjoyable part of this whole evening.
Nicole made her way onto the bus, and I must admit, my heart skipped a beat. She was a good friend of mine. While we worked in different departments, me and her shared a good friendship, and spoke regularly outside of work.
She was a lot more outgoing than I was. Nicole smiled as she saw me on the bus and took the seat next to mine. I couldn't help but notice the way her body moved as she settled into her seat. The smell of wild berries seems to linger in the air from her perfume.
"Looking forward to this?" she asked with a knowing smile, giving me a playful nudge.
"Yeah," I replied, not sounding enthusiastic, waving my hand dismissively, "You know me. I just love big crowds and lots of social interaction." My voice is thick with sarcasm.
Me and Nicole started to talk, and the conversation flowed easily between us, as it always does. I found myself relaxing and laughing at her jokes and hanging on to her every word.
Nicole leaned in closer to me, her body warm against mine. "I can't wait to see what kind of roommates we get this year," she whispered, her breath tickling my ear. I couldn't help but feel a tingle run through my body at her proximity.
"I hope they're not too wild," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady despite the desire that was building inside me.
Nicole laughed, "Oh, come on. Where's your sense of adventure?" she teased,
I couldn't help but smile at her words. Nicole had always been playful and adventurous, a quality that I admired about her. "I have a sense of adventure." I replied with more enthusiasm that I was feeling at that moment. "I just don't want to end up with a roommate who trashes the hotel room or decides to have a wild party or something."
Nicole's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Well, then," she started to say as she leaned in closer to me. "I guess we'll just have to make sure we're the wildest ones in the room then," she finished, her lips now brushing against my ear.
My heart raced as I felt her warm breath on my skin. The desire that had been building inside me since she first sat down next to me was now almost unbearable. I turned towards her, our faces inches apart, and gazed into her eyes. They were a deep shade of green, and I felt myself getting lost in them.
As I moved in to kiss her, a jarring voice speaks from just behind us, cutting through the music playing, "Ey, guys, you plannin' on Makin' out 'r something.?"
Alex, a colleague who was already at least a couple of drinks over the line, slurred.
Embarrassed by the sudden attention, Nicole pulled away from me slightly and turned to face Alex. "Shut up, Alex! Mind your own business," she snapped.
Despite the interruption, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment as Nicole moved away from me. It was clear that she didn't want to be seen as too forward in front of anyone else on the bus.
The rest of the journey was filled with more drinking and banter between colleagues. I felt that I had probably missed any chance of anything happening between me and Nicole, or that maybe she wasn't wanting anything to happen anyway.
When we get to the hotel, we all get off the bus. Some of us are already worse for wear, and the night hasn't even started properly yet.