"Trade"

Music: Team Mate - Kaiser Chiefs

It's just another tedious Thursday at work, except this Thursday I have a little secret that no one at work knows about. I do feel a little bit ridiculous as it’s almost like I’m acting like a schoolgirl with an overwhelming crush.

Craig and I are sending each other loads of text messages, and my phone is pinging with a new message every few minutes. He is really sweet, and is asking me loads of questions about how my day’s going, what sort of films and music I like and just general chit chat. It’s ace and I’m loving all the attention, especially as work is pretty dull at the moment. I love how I feel when my heart leaps every time I receive another message from him. I’ve not felt this way for such a long time.

It's just annoying that all my work mates have noticed...


“So what are all these messages you keep receiving?” my colleague Mick asks after my phone beeps for the fifteenth time in an hour. “Are you running some sort of sordid chat line or something? ‘Text 07790 FLIRT to receive smutty messages from horny girls in your area,’” he says laughing.

“No,” I reply whilst trying to hide my blushing cheeks.

“So who is it then?” Mick persists. “Did you meet some hot young stud last weekend? You did, didn’t you!” he announces loudly.

“Well, er, I met someone, yes,” I reply quietly.

“Ooh! Spill!” Mick demands as he wheels his chair over to my desk.

“Well, it’s just a guy I met. He seems nice,” I reply. “He’s a painter and decorator.”

“How old?” Mick quizzes.

“Twenty five,” I reply.

“Ah so he is a hot young stud!” Mick says with relish.

I feel my cheeks burning red whilst Mick demands that I furnish him with all the details.

“So are you going to see him again,” he asks, idly flicking paperclips across my desk.

“Er, maybe.” I reply. “Well, I think so...”

My voice trails off as I see my team leader’s ears have pricked up and he is spinning round in his chair to face me.

“What’s this?” my team leader asks across the office. “Have you been knocking about with a tradesman?”

“Yes. Yes she has,” Mick replies in a voice so loud that the entire office can hear.

Oh please leave me alone the pair of you.

I sink lower into my seat in an effort to deflect the attention, but it completely fails and I end up having to repeat all the salacious details of my sambuca-fuelled rendezvous to my team leader. He absolutely thrives on gossip, especially when it involves sexy young men. Well, he is the only gay man in the office.

“Well then, you’ll have to let me know how it all goes with your new man,” my team leader states once I’ve finished recounting my story. “I think from now on I’m going to refer to him as ‘Trade’,” he says with a pompous tone.

He is such a snob.

I don’t care what they think. Craig is nice.