This one has been sitting dormant a long while. Honestly, I was never going to publish it, as it steps into a bit of idiocy, but what the hell. It's just a one-off.
***
"Hey, Luna. Did you finish payroll for Gamma Tool & Craft?" Dan Harding asked the new girl. By new, I mean Luna's been working at Dan's accounting firm for all of six months. Rachel and I have been working under Dan for over six years, and we're the only others in the company.
Luna came off her chair and reached across the desk, leaning far over. Her ample cleavage was well on display in her low-cut blouse, but Dan didn't seem to notice. "Yes, Mr. Harding. The report is right here," she said. She pulled out a manila folder from a pile and passed it to her boss, slowly sliding back into her chair, puffing out her chest unnecessarily, trying to get a response from him. Dan turned around and zipped back to his office.
"Thanks," he called out, slamming the door behind him.
Luna sighed, defeating. She looked to me and asked, "Is he blind?"
"Who? Dan?" I asked.
Luna nodded, and I was about to answer, but Rachel interjected, "Honey, if you're trying to get Dan's attention, you might as well give up. All that man thinks about is work. Nothing else enters his brain."
Luna slapped at her desk and frowned. "I just wish he would notice me." She mumbled something else under her breath, but I couldn't make it out. If I had to guess, Luna was accustomed to getting special attention from men, and probably used that to her advantage. I liked the fact that Dan kept things professional, but I admit, if I knew flirting would work with him, I'd do it, too. Dan's a catch.
Rachel and I went to Ernie's Bistro for lunch, while Luna, as usual, stayed at her desk to eat. We knew she did it in hopes of being alone with Dan, but he usually eats by himself, in his private office. On rare occasions, he'll take a few minutes to visit Luna at the end of his lunch hour, but Dan isn't very sociable.
"I swear, Brooke. She's getting worse," said Rachel, biting into her sandwich.
"Who?"
"Luna. Constantly trying to flirt with Dan. Shows off her body all the time. As much as she thinks she can get away with, anyway." I laughed, because it's true. My desk is closer to Luna's than Rachel's, so I get a good view of her. A few days ago, she wore a skirt so short, I got flashed on three occasions. Thankfully, she was wearing panties. "You know what I'm saying, right?" asked Rachel.
I nodded, smiling. "Luna's young. She's probably used to manipulating guys with her looks, but she's lost with how passive Dan is. To be fair, if you remember, you and I were kind of perplexed about it, too. You know, when we first started here."
Rachel and I were hired the same year, both of us in our mid-20s at the time. Every job we had, up to that point in our lives, had men flirting with us. I worked at a restaurant before this, and Rachel worked at a bar, and briefly at an office supply store. Managers hit on us, customers hit on us, delivery drivers hit on us, everyone did. Pretty much any guy who sees an attractive, young, single woman would take their shot. Some are more annoying about it than others. Rachel and I are glad Dan is nothing like that, but on the other hand, he's as dry and coarse as sandpaper. There's never a "You look nice today" or "I like the new haircut." He doesn't notice, or compliment us, on anything.
Suddenly, a maniacal grin came over Rachel, a sparkle in her eye. "Oh my God, Brooke. I have the best idea!"
"What's that?" I asked, skeptical.
"It will drive Luna nuts, guaranteed. Do you trust me? Do you want to have a little, harmless fun?"
"Maybe," I said. "So long as we don't create a toxic workplace. I may not love Luna, but she does her job, and I don't care that Dan ignores her."
"Oh, this will only be a bit of fun, is all. Besides, it'll be interesting to see if Dan even notices."
"Notices what?"
"You and me. Us. For the next few weeks, you and I are going to dress just like Luna does."
I laughed. "What? Why?"
Rachel leaned in, giggling. "Because Luna's so jealous of you, for one, but either way, she will not want anyone, you or me, one-upping her."
"Where do you get the idea Luna is jealous of me?"
"Trust me, Brooke" Rachel said, "She's envious that you and Dan get along so well."
"Of course I get along with Dan. We've worked together forever, but it's entirely platonic."
"Luna thinks you two have chemistry or something, and I'm telling you, she's jealous. So, are you with me on this?"
I kind of shook my head in disbelief and agreed, "Okay, I guess. I don't know if it will really work like you think--"
"Oh, it'll work. And trust me, Brooke. Luna's going to dress even sluttier. Once she sees you and me strutting around, matching her, she's going to have to take it further. Here's what I say: We follow her lead every time."
"Like, copy everything she wears?"
"More or less. She's not going to like either of us flashing our cleavage at Dan. Guaranteed, she'll take things up a notch. I say we see how far she's willing to go."
"You're crazy," I said. "Dan's never going to let us--"
"You think Dan will notice anything?" Rachel snorted. "Hah!"
I stopped and thought about it. "Actually, it would be kind of funny to find out. All three of us playing it up? I wonder if Dan will say anything at all, or even notice! We've never once gotten a reaction from him, Rachel. He didn't even react when you told that blowjob story at your divorce party last year."