LOVE'S ODYSSEY— A story using The Ink Well Prompt #67– "Adventure"
Telephones ringing here and there, like an orchestra. Susan was on a call with Mr Fay, a correspondent, and Ryaj was waiting on her with his right hands in his pocket and scratching his bald head once in a while to show his frustration with the long call, papers were being passed, a lot of editors were glued to their computer screens, a lot of suits and sweaters could be seen hanging on at the back of chairs that we're constantly being adjusted. Coffee was sitted almost on all the tables, it was a Cold morning. There was a lot of headlines to be caught and all hands were on deck.
Seth took his eyes off the article he was writing and there was Dottie walking out of Edith's office with a gait so gracely. Her blonde hair made into her trademark ponytails announced her beautiful earrings, she was putting on a red dress, it was simple, but nonetheless a sight to behold.
She takes her sit raises her head and catches Seth staring and he looks away. Seth fidgeted a bit and smiles, he remembers just how much he trembled some years back when he first thought of telling her how he felt about her, they were teenagers, and his stuttering was ridiculously funny. He couldn't go through with it.
Dottie has been Seth's crush for as far back as he can remember. He first met her in Spanish Class and then noticed her walking home all alone some days later. She caught his eyes and He decided to stop following the bus when he realized Dottie stayed a few blocks from his home. And weeks of walking adjacent sidewalks like the strangers they were, they soon became friends and they walked home together every day since then till they graduated.
And as if fate had been trying to give them a sign, they've attended the same school ever since and now both work at the New York times. Although friends for so long, they've remained just that.
Seth thought of his "relationship" with Dottie as an Odyssey. He was an idealist who believed the Journey of love was an Odyssey on stormy seas, and believed in savoring the "courses" of an unfolding love story — acquaintance, friendship, courtship, engagement, and marriage. And although this love has eluded Seth for so long, like an harlequin's trick, yet it is with him as they say, "the vehicle of a man of faith has no reverse gear". 10yrs past and his feelings for her are overwhelming as at the first time he met her.
But in what seems as a perfect love story, there has "always" been Chris. He only came into the picture when they were at College, but Seth blamed Chris for the unending Voyage he has been on with Dottie. Seth believes Chris let Dottie notice his love for her. He thought Chris was overwhelmingly always around Dottie and being "too nice". And Although Seth was just being Jealous, he wasn't entirely wrong. Chris didn't waste time in chasing after Dottie in his second year at Pinehill High but it was in the third year he "crossed the finish line".
However Dottie has always thought of Seth as a lovely person, he does the simple things and does them honestly. She too liked him. And at first she thought he was too self-engulfed, but later found out it was only as a result of him being an only child. She would have accepted to date him if he asked but he never did. She tried to do her part to encourage him to ask her out but he just chose to ignore them, she thought. She however stopped trying at some point.
The problem with Seth however was that when it came to making known his feelings for Dottie he always decided to play it safe. "What will be will be" he'll always say to himself. In all those years, Dottie could notice the attraction but then Seth's actions always gave her second thoughts.
It was 8pm, Chris walked into the newsroom to pickup Dottie. He was dressed in a blue plain long sleeves shirt and a black trousers, he waved at Seth, who ignored the friendly gesture. Chris back in the days would've have been offended but he had come to understand that Seth was just being Jealous. Seth had never liked Chris but he did well to hide it from Dottie.
Chris walked up to Dottie's desk and kissed her on her left cheek to pull her out of the article she was engrossed in.The couple walked past Seth and Dottie greeted him goodbye and Seth grinned at them.
Seth put in the keys to the ignition but stopped to think. And as though a drunk man who had become sober, he resented how he has treated Chris. Yes, he believes he and Dottie are meant for each other, and though he's stuck in the friend zone now but Chris is not the enemy, no, he has been his own enemy. Chris is but fate's way of Pushing him to fight for his love, a Wake up call. He decides he's going to fight to win Dottie's heart and although their friendship could be at stake, it's however an adventure he is ready to go on.
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