The Eternal Intern (Contemporary Romantic Comedy) (3 page)

She leaned forward to my ear and said in an angel like voice “Hi, you’re Patrick right, the new guy at the magazine?” She took her head back again
, looking into my eyes with a big friendly smile.

“Ahem, yes
,” I replied.

“Can I buy you a drink?” I blurted out immediately.

No wait!
You don't offer that to a girl. That was rule number one in every flirt guide book. Never ever invite her to a drink or she will take advantage of you. 

“Sure, but let me buy you one instead!” she countered to my surprise.

What a cool girl. I would have never expected that. 

“I know that you don't get paid as an intern. What do you want?
,” she asked.

“Nothing, thanks. I just ordered a Martini. But watch it they like to talk you into buying some snacks as well”.

“What do you mean?,” she asked surprised.

“The bar keeper tried to sell me a lemon twist or olives with my Martini. I guess they are some kind of lemon or olive flavored peanuts!” I said very seriously and slightly annoyed
, thinking that the bar keeper was trying to pull the money out of my pocket.

Suddenly Loretta broke into laughter. She could hardly stop. During the first two seconds I thought I must have broken the ice. But after five seconds I started to feel uncomfortable about her laughter. She actually started crying she laughed so hard.

“You thought that he was trying to sell you lemon or olive flavored peanuts with your Martini?” she asked me like she didn't want to believe what she just heard.

“Sure, what else could
he have meant with lemon twist or olives?” I answered blushing.

“You’re funny!” she smiled at me wiping a tear off her cheek.

She thinks I am funny
. I didn’t know why but I felt flattered. “The Martini always comes with a lemon twist or olives in it” she explained to me bursting into laughter again.

“I know, I was just trying to make a joke
,” I replied trying to fix my stupidity but unable to hide my embarrassment.

“Don't worry, I thin
k that is cute. You didn't want to impress me like all the other guys. That's unique.” She smiled.

At that moment, I felt five feet taller. Not even my mom ever said to me that I am unique. Confidence rushed through my body. I was playing the game. The bar keeper put a Martini glass beside me on the bar with three olives in it. I smiled at him. Loretta ordered a Cosmopolitan.

“How do you like the internship so far?” she asked, leaning into me - always when I felt her breath on my ear I got the shivers -  She was so damn sexy.

“It’s good up to now. But I still have to get used to it. I just started four weeks ago
,” I explained taking a sip from my glass. “Don't worry, you'll be fine” she said calmly.

She gave me a big smile
, “Want to dance?” she asked me to my surprise, extending her hand out towards mine.

I didn't expect this. The last time I danced was more than
six years ago at my cousin’s wedding. I was so nervous about it that I practiced nearly an hour in my hotel room different dance moves, and I still miserably failed on the dance floor. If I wanted to get closer to Loretta I had to dance with her and she knew how to dance. The pressure cooker was on.

I took her hand and said very confident
ly “Sure!”

We walked to the middle of the dance floor squeezing through the crowd of sweating bodies. The beats were pumping. I looked around, spotted a guy with a good dancing style and tried to copy his moves. I just hoped Loretta wouldn't notice. She started to move her hips in the same way as I watched her earlier on. She moved like she was in ecstasy. The music was her drug. I kept my hands low and was trying to move my hips. I was thinking of the recent Ricky Martin video I watched. But I didn't really move like him at all. As we were dancing side by side our eyes met frequently. I wanted to dance closer to her but didn't have the confidence. Suddenly her hips moved towards me. She pushed her head slightly forward and rested her forehead on mine as she was still moving her hips to the rhythm. I felt her sweat drip down my nose. In a rapid move she brushed her backside against my
pelvis. Now that was dancing as well, believe me. She moved her hips intensively left and right. I had to concentrate and focus or something very shameful would have happened down there. I could see my friends smiling over to me making nasty hand gestures.
I hoped Loretta doesn't see this
. We kept dancing in this position for at least the next three songs. Then she turned around bent forward and shouted “I AM DYING OF THIRST. LET'S HIT THE BAR!”

I nodded and followed her back to the bar like a dog that is being taken for a walk. As we were standing at the bar waiting to give our order she was still moving to the beat. She
was having the time of her life. I ordered us some water and 2 shots of Tequila. That was rule number two in my flirt guide book: If you drink with a woman, get shots. They make them drunk really fast and make you look like a man with taste. Loretta loved the idea. We were pounding one after another. My throat was raw from the alcohol. I tried to hide it. Loretta seemed very practiced in having shots. After about four shots each we were looking at each other. No one spoke a word. The beats were filling the room with noise. Loretta had a bleary look in her eyes. She was drunk. Absolutely drunk. I know this will not sound very respectful but I took advantage of the situation. I leaned forward, getting closer and closer to her full red lips. I was about an inch away as she suddenly pulled her head back glared at me and shouted “WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM?”

“NOTHING, I ONLY WANTED TO LEAN FORWARD TO SAY SOMETHING INTO YOUR EAR!” I said in shook trying to save myself.

She didn't believe me. She turned away and walked back into the crowd. I stayed a little longer at the bar thinking that I blew it. Eventually one of my friends approached me and said they were

heading home. A few hours later I was lying in my bed staring at the ceiling thinking how awkward it’s going to be at work tomorrow.

Chapter 3

A new
day

I
could hardly sleep that night, twisting and turning in bed thinking about how I messed everything up.
Loretta will never talk to me again. Why did I try to kiss her? The flirt book stated clearly that she has to initiate the kiss or at least give her the feeling she did
. I felt stupid.

As I entered work later the following day
, I got scared. I hoped Loretta wasn't in. I entered the office and saw Marc sitting behind his desk making some phone calls as usual. There didn't seem to be anyone else in the office. My desk was in a side room right beside Loretta's, where she was selling advertisements to be placed in the magazine. I opened the glass door and could hear her voice. My heart stopped beating, I took a deep breath, and stepped inside. She looked at me quickly and carried on talking to the customer on the phone. I walked to my desk, put my backpack on the floor and sat down. I felt so uncomfortable. I wanted to quit the internship right away and never come back. She eventually hung up and said hello to me as she was typing something into her computer.

She didn't even look at me as she said it. I assembled all my bravery and said “Loretta because of what happened last night, I
-”

“
Don't worry. We both were drunk and got a little crazy. Today is a new day!” she interrupted me smiling.

I felt so much better. The sad thing about it was that I wasn't drunk last night.

I survived the day somehow. I didn't talk to Loretta that much. We both were very busy and didn't really have time to talk to each other even if we wanted too. As I packed up my belongings to call it a day, Loretta asked me if I wanted to grab something to eat.

“I haven't eaten all day. Marc is on my back trying to push me to do more sales. Do you mind joining me?”

Do I mind?
She must be insane. I would even pay to spend time with her. I do hope I will never have to pay for the company of a woman.

“Sure. Let's do sushi
,” I replied quickly closing my bag.

I had to gain momentum again and tried to follow the steps in my flirt book. Take control and don't let the woman decide. Decide for her. Well, that's the theory in the book.

“Sushi? I love Sushi. Good taste,” her eyes opened excited.

I smiled in discomfort because I didn't know any Sushi places in the area.

We wandered around the city for a while and luckily enough we passed one.

“This is my favorite place. I always come here
,” I lied to her.

The place actually seemed very nice from the inside. We were seated at the bar right next to a big fish tank.

“Do you like pets?,” I asked her starting to make conversation.

“I used to have a dog. One day when I have a family I'll get another one
,” she replied taking a glimpse at the menu.

“God, I could eat a bear. What are you having Pat?” she said as her index finger
glided along the menu.

“Oh, I'll have some of this and some of that over there
,” I was pointing on some weird names on the menu.

I have never had sushi before. All I knew was that it's raw fish and rice.

“Great!” she replied.

“Four Nagiri, two sashimi and three tempura, please” she told the cook behind the bar.

After putting down the order for the two of us Loretta turned her body in my direction. I felt nervous and started to play with the chopsticks.

“Patrick, you're a good dancer
,” she smiled at me.

Me?
“Well, I do have my talents,” I said in a rather cocky manner.

“How long have you been with City Lights?” I asked her trying to take control of the conversation.

“Ah, too long. I'm actually trying to find something else but I don't know what. Do you know what you want to become?” she passed the ball back to me.

I had to think a minute about my answer. If I tell her I want to be a TV host I was afraid she would laugh at me and think I'm a dreamer. But that is what I really want to do. On the other hand, if I lie to her it could backfire one day.

“Me? Well, uhh, ahem, honestly?” I asked her awkwardly.

“Yeah, tell me. Don't make it so exciting
,” she said gesticulating with her hands.

“I would like to work on TV”.

“Wow, what exactly?”.

“TV stuff. You know, working with people, traveling to different places....”.

”But what exactly? What you’re telling me could be anything,” she interrupted me.

She had a point. I took a deep breath and said “TV host”.

Wow! I said it. It felt good. I expected her to laugh or say that I am a dreamer. But she looked at me and said “Why don't you go to a radio station?”

“Yeah, great idea!” I answered in surprise because I never thought of that option.

I felt weird that night. Somehow I have never expected to sit here with her. I imagined it often enough, but actually experiencing it was truly beautiful.

Our food arrived. I grabbed my chopsticks not really knowing how to use them. I place them between thumb and index finger and tried to pick up some sushi.

“You never did this before, did you?” she grinned.

“Is it so obvious?” I responded smiling at her.

She put her hand on mine and guided the chopstick to the sashimi.

“It's not that hard. Look. Grab it without pressure and everything will happen by itself
,” she explained patiently.

She guided my hand holding the chopstick toward her mouth. She smiled at me and took the sashimi into her mouth. As she
chewed, she started giggling.

“Ladies first
,” she said cheekily.

I was caught off guard by her comment. 

“Patrick relax. You seem kinda nervous,” she added patting my shoulder.

Believe me, I was. Here was this beautiful creature teaching me how to eat with chopsticks and even being playful about it.

“No, I'm just tired,” I replied dryly.

As the evening
progressed, I started to warm up and actually became witty.  She ordered us several rounds of sake. I never had it before but I started to like this Japanese rice wine. As the alcohol was flowing I got braver.

“Do you miss your ex?” I asked with the hopes to not hear what I expected to hear.

“That asshole? No way. I'm happy he's gone. Five years of my life that I wasted,” she replied instantly.

Her voice was vibrating in anger as she talked about him. It seemed like she still had a lot of emotional ties to him.

“What about you, got a girlfriend?” she rebounded.

“Nope. I actually don't have time right now
,” I said tossing the empty glass between my hands.

In reality I would have loved to have a girl at my side. Once I even thought of staging an attack on a girl by a friend of mine so I could save her. I was that desperate
to meet a girl.

“I'm surprised you're single?
” she said in disbelief.

“Why is that?” I asked
, curiously questioning my own ears.

“You
’re handsome, smart, and most of all you’re understanding,” she added.

I felt a rush of confidence going through me. I never saw myself as handsome, smart
, or understanding. The only woman that ever said I am handsome was my mom. And I only think she said that to reconfirm to herself, that she and my dad couldn't be that bad looking.

It was getting late. I had to be at school early the next day. But I didn't want to leave
just yet. I was afraid that I would never get so close to her again. After paying we walked along the empty streets for a while.

“Where do you live?
” I asked.

“A few train stops from here. But don't worry about me. I'm a big girl
,” she responded.

I actually didn't think of taking her home. I only asked to make conversation. But the fact that she picked up the topic gave me a green light.

“No, please I insist. But I hope I don't get raped on the way

back
,” I said sarcastically.

She laughed.

“Patrick, do you believe that we are alone?” she asked as she was looking up to the stars.

“I do hope so, I have enough competition down here already
,” I replied.

She laughed again. I was playing the game. I was impressed by myself.

“Are you at work tomorrow?” she asked.

“Yes, I have to finish an article about this new album release
,” I explained. “You?” I asked.

“Yes. As every day. I should have maybe enrolled in school, but I am only twenty. I can still do that. Now I want to work
,” she continued.

We got to her apartment building.

“This is a quiet area, sure I won't get raped on my way home?” I asked again.

“Stop it, you’re not that handsome
,” she slapped my chest with the palm of her hand.

“Thanks for the lovely evening
,” she added standing in front of the building’s entrance.

“It was fun. Let's do it again sometime
,” I said, unsure whether I should give her a hug or perhaps even a kiss.

She took the initiative and kissed me on my lips. Rapidly she tilted her head back and smiled at me. I looked like a deer in the headlights.

“Good night,” she smiled, disappearing behind the door.    

I
kept working for the magazine for a few more months but eventually I felt like something new. It was nice to have all these benefits like concerts and free entries into night clubs. But I wanted a job. Not an internship anymore. And I wanted something that would bring me closer to my dream. I wanted to become a TV host, so I had to go where I could get closer to my dream. The radio.

A
s Christmas came closer my mom decorated the entire house with little Santa Clause figures and candles. There were tons of chocolate and cookies on nearly every table, and a Christmas tree in the middle of the living room right in front of the TV. I hated that. The room was big enough to put it somewhere else. But that never happened, even up to this day.

My Dad used to chop down the Christmas tree himself
, when my brother and I were still kids. Now my brother and I are older and don’t get that excited about standing in the freezing cold in some forest, surveying all kinds of trees in the search for the perfect Christmas tree. Now my dad just goes to the next supermarket to buy one. He should have always done it like that.

One evening shortly before Christmas Eve
, I was surfing the internet and I came along an ad for a radio internship. “Come and work for Radio Sun in South Africa!!!”
Africa? That must be hot
, I thought to myself. Even a fridge was hotter than the cold winter nights at that time in my city. I was fascinated by the idea of going there. I saw myself riding on elephants, drinking Mojitos in the desert and wearing flip flops all day long. I enjoyed that fantasy. I didn’t tell anyone about my idea to apply for it. I figured, if I don’t get the job I won’t feel embarrassed. I typed a nice cover letter and attached my resume and sent it to exotic and mysterious Africa. Gosh, I still get excited thinking about it.

I never really expected an answer but surprisingly I got one. I got an email stating that they needed a voice sample from me.
Oh my God, this is it.
Send them a voice sample and I am off to Africa
is what I thought. I got out my tape recorder, told my mother not to come into my room, and I recorded myself reading out newspaper articles. Well, I surely wouldn’t do it like this today but at that time it seemed appropriate to me. I sent off the tape and waited. And waited and waited even more. I gave up on the idea of going to Africa. At least it was a nice dream.

I still kept working for City Lights but I kept applying to all kinds of radio stations in the meantime. Things between Loretta and I became serious.
I couldn't believe I was saying it, but we were dating. I never had a girlfriend before, so it was hard for me to grasp this feeling. It was intense. We saw each other every day. Either at work or after work. She knew about my application to Africa.

"Are you sure I should go if they get back to me?
” I asked her.

"Patrick, you would be stupid if you didn’t
."

Her faith gave me strength.