Amir. A simple name that should have rolled off Erin's tongue like any other. Yet, it now held a peculiar significance.
Confined to her cramped workspace, a room dominated by a temperamental swivel chair and a filing cabinet island, Amir could only gauge the activity outside by the sounds that filtered through the thin door. At least once every two hours, his name would rise from the cacophony.
The memory of a sudden power outage still brought a smile to Erin's lips. Everyone had erupted in a chorus of "Amir!" met by his characteristically disgruntled response.
"I've thrown three pens today, just hold on a minute!"
"Well just make it four! I dare you!"
"Cable chomper strikes again? Lay off the computer wires for a change!"
It had been a week since Amir's intervention on her behalf. What startled Erin most was the realization that his actions, while admirable, were simply those of a decent human being. But after enduring weeks of relentless teasing, she'd come to view such decency as a rare commodity.
Since then, Amir had reverted to treating her like a stranger. Not even a courtesy smile graced their encounters. Erin couldn't help but wonder why. Maybe he was married?
A married Amir wouldn't be entirely unexpected. He exuded an aura of maturity that contrasted sharply with the office's usual frivolity.
Driven by curiosity, Erin sought out Amir's online profile. On LinkedIn, she found a design portfolio adorned with his date of birth – thirty-five, a Gemini. Intriguing.
But how to determine his marital status? Who could she ask? This cynical office would devour any morsel of gossip, and the rumor mill would churn out a whirlwind romance before Erin even knew it.
Did she even like Amir?
The thought brought a playful smile to her lips. Erin wasn't one for emotional entanglements. If she was attracted, she pursued. Her success rate was enviable. The bigger question: was it appropriate to pursue Amir?
"Amir! My spreadsheet's frozen!" A familiar voice echoed through the hall.
"What's up this time, Bambang?" came the predictable reply.
Bingo. This was her chance to investigate.
Erin straightened her hair, smoothed her skirt, and with newfound confidence, marched towards the door.
"Amir, help me!" she called out, her voice sweeter than usual.
She lingered near her PC, straining to hear his response. A low murmur followed by a crescendo of whispers from outside.
"Did you hear that? It's Erin!" Said someone,
"Really?" It sounds like Amir don't believe that.
Erin stood tall, anticipation thrumming through her veins. A dark shape materialized under the door.
"You call me?" A gruff voice inquired.
"Yes, Amir! My computer screen suddenly went blue. Look."
"Try restarting it."
"Already did!" Erin lied, mentally kicking herself for not trying first. A part of her knew the cables were probably to blame.
His answer spurred him into action. The first thing Erin noticed when he entered the room was his long, dexterous fingers. She quickly refocused on the task at hand. A subtle scan revealed the absence of a wedding band. Excellent!
"Looks like the cable got chewed by a mouse again," Amir mumbled, meticulously checking the connections.
"How can you tell? Do you wear a ring, by the way? I found a ring in the bathroom stall," she blurted out impulsively.
Amir's movements faltered. "What ring?"
"A wedding ring. Men's style. Don't you wear one?"
"If you find something like that, report it to HR," he said curtly.
"No, I mean... aren't you married?"
"No," he replied, returning to the cables.
Relief washed over Erin. No wedding ring. This meant... there was a chance!
A nagging doubt lingered. Could Amir be the type to remove his ring, or worse, never wear one at all? Regardless, the absence of a ring on his finger was a positive sign. She could always confront him if the situation arose.
"There you go. Just give the cable a twist here next time it happens."
"Which one?" Erin leaned in closer, brushing her shoulder against his arm as if inspecting the cable.
"Here, this connection," he patiently explained, oblivious to her ploy.
"Oh, this one. Got it." A triumphant smirk played on her lips.
Only then did Amir glance up, the realization dawning on him that he'd been backed into a corner. "Easy there," he murmured, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Yeah, sorry, sorry. Thank you." Erin shuffled back, cheeks warming under his gaze.
Instead of the expected response, Amir simply exited the room without another look.
A momentary flicker of disappointment crossed Erin's face, quickly replaced by a determined glint.
Single. Available. Those were the keyword!.
The rest, as they say, was up to her.
With a satisfied smile, Erin shut the door, the click echoing in the empty hallway.
*
All her life, Erin has been known as a member of the warm family.
With a close-knit, loving family, a more-than-adequate lifestyle, and the head of the family's success on the rise, people only see the good. Erin is indeed grateful for her mentally healthy upbringing, thanks to this positive environment.
However, before meeting her stepfather Rudolf, Erin and her mother were almost inseparable. Rudolf, who balances a half-Asian, half-Western lifestyle, never pressured Erin to leave the house and pursue her career immediately. Her mother, Christy, also didn't force her to find a partner and get married quickly.
Without this pressure, Erin lost control until Rudolf decided to move to Indonesia, hoping Erin would become more responsible by working at her aunt's company. Despite this, Erin's life remained carefree.
Late one Saturday night, or rather early Sunday morning, an Audi A8 pulled up to a house in an elite housing complex in South Jakarta. The driver ran out, opened the passenger door, and Erin collapsed onto the asphalt.
The old man was confused. His small frame made it difficult to carry Erin's tall body. He immediately took out his cell phone and called the security guard to help wake Erin's younger brother, Nathan. Nathan was supposed to accompany Erin to the club but decided to stay with his girlfriend since their parents were on a staycation in Bogor city.
Nathan, still rubbing his eyes, saw his sister lying on the ground. "You can put her inside," he said to the driver.
"Sorry, I don't have the courage to do that," the driver replied.
Nathan squatted down, patting Erin's cheek. "Erin! Erin! Wake up! You promised you wouldn't get too drunk. Hey!"
With a shake of her shoulder, Erin opened her eyes. She struggled to push her thick hair out of her face. When she saw Nathan, she smiled broadly. "Hehe. Just a little, Nate."
"Ugh, Papa says you're supposed to be looking after me, not the other way around! Come on, get up!" Despite some objections, Nathan lifted Erin. He still held her arm as her balance was unsteady in ten-inch heels.
They entered the spacious Rudolf family yard, which could accommodate six cars, and then a giant living room with yellow lights hanging high from the third floor. The scent of wood and jasmine, Christy's favorite, filled the room.
Nathan placed Erin on the white sofa.
She immediately opened her eyes, running her fingers through her hair, pretending to be conscious.
"Who were you with? Alone?"
Erin adjusted her sitting position, raising both feet onto the glass table. "I was alone, bro. Your sister is single, which is annoying, you know."
"Gosh, you've only been single for three months. Why are you so impatient?"
Erin held up three fingers. "Three months, Nate. THREE MONTHS IS A LONG TIME! IT'S LONG FUCKING TIME FOR ME!"
"Watch your mouth!" Nathan lightly patted Erin's lips, causing her to pout.
"You know my love language, Nate, I'm a physical touch. I can't be without affection," Erin whined excessively.
"Hey, you changed your mind! Previously you said it was words of affirmation, then receiving gifts, now you've changed it again?"
"Dude, honey, my little brother … " Erin poked Nathan's forehead. "I'm the goddess of love. All love languages are in me. But the problem is... I don't have a partner, the god of love have no one to love! That's sounds funny!"
"Noisy!" Nathan gently covered Erin's mouth with a pillow. She grabbed it and hugged it, glaring at him.
"Come on, just try dating apps again. You used to use them..."
"Bored, Nate. Tired. They only want one thing!"
"You're the same, you only want one thing too!"
"Oh really?" Erin rolled her eyes, thinking hard. Then smile, 'yeah. You're right. But I still have a crush on someone." Erin bit her lip, her eyes glancing upwards as if imagining something. Nathan shivered as he saw her cheeks turn red.
"Do you really have a crush? Or is it just a need?" Nathan quipped.
"I think I have a crush. Ehemm..." Erin cleared her throat, preparing to say the name. "Amir Winarto. Amir Winarto. AAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Nathan winced as Erin screamed into the pillow.
"Who's that?" he asked after Erin finished screaming breathlessly.
"An IT guy at my office. Super hot, masculine, such a tease!"
"Wait, someone from your office? You have a crush on someone from your office?" Nathan almost couldn't believe it. As far as he knew, Erin's boyfriends were always people from the same nightclub.
Erin nodded. "I think my chest is going to explode just by saying his name."
"Wait, you went to the club alone, it doesn't seem like he has a crush on you. Right?" Nathan clearly hadn't forgotten Erin's disastrous ex. He was also confused about why Erin was always in contact with criminal me, "make your move sister! You can't keep falling for these weird guys."
Erin wasn't lying. Her courage faltered whenever she was around Amir.
On Monday morning, employees gathered, standing behind desks for a prayer and company discussion. Since Erin had her own room, she joined in front of the employee desks, next to Mrs. Berta and her assistant, Xavier.
From there, Erin saw Amir's desk across the IT section. She looked anywhere but at him, his presence sparking a familiar fluster.
"Are there any obstacles you'd like to share?" Mrs. Berta asked.
Erin pretended to scan the room, occasionally glancing at Amir. He stood tall, his messy hair and unshaven face giving him a rugged appeal. She swallowed hard as someone raised a hand.
It was Kia, the HR manager, her persistent request for additional webinar guards hanging in the air. Mrs. Berta, however, remained noncommittal.
"Discuss that again with Erin," Mrs. Berta replied, raising Erin's eyebrows. "Make even stronger considerations before finalizing."
Kia could only nod.
"Next... Anything else?"
Amir raised his hand. Erin met his gaze, a thrill shooting through her. This was an opportunity!
"The IT team is stretched thin, ma'am. Could we share tasks with production? We don't have much to do during class time."
His voice sent a shiver down her spine.
Erin tilted her head, a blush creeping up her cheeks.
"Discuss it with Erin. Submit the results later."
Erin's daydreams vanished. A silent thank you went to Mrs. Berta.
All day, Erin couldn't focus. Meetings with Kia meant empty studios, a chance to be alone with Amir. Goosebumps erupted at the thought.
At three, Erin sulked at her computer when a knock startled her.
"Erin, meeting time."
There he was, waiting at the door. A small smile played on her lips as she grabbed a notepad and pen. "Let's go." Her voice came out a touch hoarse.
Amir led the way, Erin following tensely behind. They reached the largest studio at the end of the hallway, studio six.
Cold air hit her as Amir opened the door. But Erin froze, one step into the room.
Eight male staff members sat around a large table, equipment piled in the back, all grinning at her.
Damn. So much for a private meeting.
Erin plastered a wry smile on her face, her gaze meeting Amir's emotionless one.
***
