I shall be honest here. I was completely zoned out in the office yesterday. Marilyn totally ignored me and I kept seeing her going ga-ga over Derek. Jeez, she's mad at me because of that imbecile jerk! I tried talking to her, messaging her, smsing her but she just doesn't budge.

Meanwhile, I'm also CONSTANTLY distracted by Ed after our unsuccessful elevator sex attempt. It doesn't help that he keeps pretending to pop out of his office and check on his employees while passing me notes like, "Hey, I love your dimples". Okay, most of the messages don't make any sense but I'm secretly thrilled by them.

In other words, it's not as if I'm very happy so I'm slightly pissed that I'm forced to go on this work outing.

Here I am, sitting right in front of my dressing table, wondering what I'm supposed to bring. Last year, it was an outing to a carnival. Sure, it sounds kiddie and all but I bet it's way better than this...exercising trip. Seriously? I can't hike up a trial AT ALL. Should I just wear high heels to spite Ed?

"Chloe! Open up!"

Ok, Ed's here. Act normal. You can do it.

I open the door and Ed stands there wearing a dark-green T-shirt and jeans.

"All ready to go?" he holds up his backpack proudly.

"No."

"Are you wearing those kitty heels to the hike?" he says, slightly astonished.

"So what if I am?"

"Are you trying to act indecent here by wearing only a T-shirt and no shorts?"

"So what if I am?"

"Are you trying to seduce me so that I can ravish you now and we don't have to go for this outing?" his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

I sigh and shrug. "I just don't know what to wear or bring for the trip."

Ed walks over to my pink backpack. "Firstly, you need to change the bag. This is a ridiculous colour."

"Pink is NOT ridiculous." What do guys understand about colour combinations anyway?

"I suggest a colour that camouflages you," he says expertly. "Probably green or black like mine."

"And why do we need to camouflage?" I shout. "Are we in the army? Are we going to war? NO! We're just going for this fucking work trip."

"Ok, chill. You get to keep your pink bag, ok?" He looks so freaked out. I subside slightly.

I put on a pair of track pants and a pink T-shirt with "I'm Available" written on it just to annoy Ed. His face darkens as he registers the message.

"Are you trying to make me tear that T-shirt off you?" he growls.

"You assume too much."

I dump two packets of sunscreen, a cap and my mobile in. My backpack looks horrendously empty compared to Ed's. I took a peep at his just now. He stashed an emergency kit boss with bandages and stuff! Hello? Talk about being overly paranoid.

"Ok, I'm done, shall we go?" I say stiffly.

"Sure thing."

I hope I can make it through the day.

*******

When we arrive at the office, everyone's assembled in the parking lot. A lot of them look super excited. I guess it's their own business but I can't help shooting accusing looks at them.

"People! Let's assemble!" Derek snaps. Good ol' boy. "We will split into a few groups. Of course, I'm one of the team leaders, alongside with our eminent boss, Mr Hardy and a few others...." he continues but no one listens to him because everyone's just peeking at the sheet of paper listing the groups.

I spy my name and take a quick peep at my group's leader. It's ED! Yes!

"Ok, all people from Team 1, my way!" I hear Ed shouting.

I shuffle to his side and grin at him. He smiles back. I bet he had deliberately inserted me into his group. I look around. Oh no. Marilyn's here.

She looks exceptionally gloomy for one. I spy Zoe zooming towards me.

"Hey, pal! You're under Mr Hottie too?" she says excitedly.

"Yup."

Zoe's clothing is really...conspicuous. She's wearing an orange cap with butterflies on it with a pink dress. Who wears pink dresses to hiking trials? Thankfully, she didn't wear heels though her choice was still unbelievably...weird- rainbow-coloured sneakers.

Ed leads us to a small coach. Marilyn heads for one of the one-seaters and I sit with Zoe. Of course, I can't.....openly sit with Ed. He's sitting with Beatrice. Do you remember Beatrice? The perky, bosomy woman who slept with Raymond? Yes, that's her.

Today, she's wearing a low-cut tank top and jeans. It looks normal, I guess but I just can't help noticing she keeps leaning in towards Ed and placing her hand on his shoulders. I notice both of them laugh and my mind goes slightly fuzzy. What's so good about her? Why does she make you laugh?

Zoe's yapping about some topic about frogs but I just can't listen to her.

"Sorry, Zoe, I've a headache," I say apologetically.

"Oh, it's ok," she says cheerfully. "I'll just listen to some music." She plugs in her green earphones and finally keeps silent for few moments while my eyes are literally staring daggers at the pair sitting diagonal to me.

"Erm, hey Chloe, do you have a book or something I can borrow? To read, I mean? I forgot to bring something to amuse, erm, myself."

I hear a nervous voice from beside me and turn my head in annoyance, wondering who the hell is annoying me now but then I realise oh, it's just Fred. He's a junior designer like me. In fact, we started working at the company at the same time and I'm quite aware that he has a thing for me for a long time. I don't want to lead him on, that's why I usually avoid him. But now, looking at Ed flirting openly with Beatrice, I want to retaliate.

"Oh, I didn't bring anything either. Do you want to talk or something? I don't have anything to do." I smile sweetly. 

"Oh, that's..er...that's great," Fred says nervously, pushing up his glasses. "I was just..uh..wondering, have you read...erm...Great Expectations by Charles Dickens?"

I stare at him. Great what? Charles what? I only know Shakespeare, to be honest.

"No I haven't," I say regretfully. "Do you mind enlightening me what's it about?" Well, it's true-ish. I have always wanted to see what's the big hu-hah about Pride and Prejudice and stuff but just lack the time to do so.

"Oh, it's about...." he rattles on and I lean abit closer to his face across the aisle. I don't actually register whatever he's saying but I'm vaguely aware that Ed has turned his head and is staring at us. It's a pretty small coach so whatever we're saying just carries over to everywhere.

I turn my head slightly to catch his eye. Ed looks positively furious. Beatrice's still rattling on, not aware that we're locked in this staredown. Serves him right. I turn my attention back to Fred.

"So, erm, do you think it's interesting?" he says.

"I think it's positively lovely." I smile and this time, my facial expression isn't forced. Fred's quite weird and all but he's a really nice guy. I could do with a friend like that.

"So..erm..do..do..do you want to have coffee someday?" Fred stammers, his face going red.

"Sure thing, just call me." I reply and scribble down my number for him. As I lean back against the seat, I feel slightly satisfied that I've at least made someone happy. Of course, someone wants to kill me right now and he's sitting diagoal to my seat.

I close my eyes and ignore him.

*****

"Here's the plan. We're going to split into pairs. There're multiple trails around here so there's more than 1 way to get up. Once we reach the peak, we have a picnic? Anyone have any questions?" Ed says authoritatively.

"Ay, ay, captain!" Zoe shouts and I laugh.

"Pair up, people!"

I spot both Zoe and Fred heading towards me. Yikes. Who should I choose? Before I can react, someone pulls my shoulder and whispers, "You're mine."

I find Ed standing next to me, looking all solemn and serious.

"Hey," I say casually. I notice Zoe and Fred pairing up together instead. They actually look pretty cute together.

At this point, Beatrice comes tottling up to us.

"Eddie! Do you want to pair up?" She cast an evil eye at me. I pretend to look away.

"Sorry, I'm taken." He shrugged.

Beatrice sighs, glares at me and moves to her next target. I stuck out my tongue at her.

"You're incredibly childish, you know," Ed says sternly. All the pairs have started to split up and Ed leads me to a pretty isolated trail.

"I'm not."

"Teasing me like that with Fred. It's bad of you."

"He's a nice person. I want him as a friend."

"You're sending out the wrong messages to him. Agreeing to his coffee date?" Ed says angrily. "I need everyone to know you're mine, my property." He places a hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, chill, chauvinistic guy." I say and slap his hand away. "Women are not property. It was you who started flirting with Beatrice the Bitch."

"I wasn't."

"I can read the signs. She's interested in you."

"Can you please get over your fucking insecurity? I'm yours, ok? I don't love anyone else," he says. "Maybe except my pet turtle."

"You've a pet turtle?" I say, surprised.

"Yes. Meanwhile, have you noticed how much we have walked?" Ed asks.

I stop and look behind. I notice I no longer see the point where we started anymore. That's a comfort.

"Can we stop and rest?" I whine.

"No."

Ed stalks ahead and I sigh.

I can't believe I'm doing this.

***

Two hours later, we're still walking and I don't believe Ed knows what he's doing.

"Ok, let's see, maybe we should go here...." Ed says, holding up a compass.

"Why can't we just go straight? We'll arrive somewhere eventually."

"It doesn't work that way," he growls and peers at his device, as if somehow it will magically tell him, "Go north!"

I take out my drink container and exhaust the last drop of water. Gosh, it's not as if I'm in a desert. Why am I so thirsty? I'm telling you. They should give us additional pay. It's such a noble sacrifice. I'm practically getting stung by mosquitoes and my face is all hot and sweaty.

"Use your handphone? Access the Internet? Google "An Idiot's Guy To Finding His Way In A Forest"? How about that?" I shout.

"My handphone's flat," he says. "I know my way, ok? I just...got lost somewhere."

"Sure."

"There's a hilly terrain towards there. We'll have to be super careful, ok?" he says.

He puts his hand behind me and we carefully walk near a steep area.

"Why are you holding onto me like a baby?"

"I'm just worried for you, for fuck's sake. Stop whining!"

"Take your hands off me. I can do this myself," I growl.

"Fine, be that way." 

I feel the pressure lift my back and I stalk ahead, fully intending to show him that I don't need his macho help at all.

I turn my head slightly and look back at him. "See, Mr-Smarty-Pants? It isn't so-AH!"

I slip on a rock and tumble down a small, but steep ledge before crashing into a rock. The pain is astonishing and my head literally explodes mentally...

"Chloe!"

I hear Ed slipping his way down.

I don't register anything else before I blank out.