dan

"i'm sorry," he mumbles, and i raise my eyebrows at him dismissively, crossing my arms across my chest as i stare at his stupid, stupid face.

"excuse me?" i'm aware of the fact that i almost growled at him, my teeth gritting and my eyes squinted, scrutinising him and his vague and obviously meaningless apology, and he just sighs, not beginning to drive, instead, slumping against the backrest of his seat and looking at me.

"i really am, for whatever i did," phil's tone is almost embarrassed. "i know it was my fault and i shouldn't have lead you on like that, but i am not up for relationships and i hate when people get attached to me because i have no idea how to get rid of them—" i was almost interested in his apology, but phil seemed to have forgotten that he was in fact apologising and not making it seem as if i was the problem here.

"get rid of them?" i blurt in surprise and phil shuts up again, looking at me with slightly flushed cheeks. "so, whatever that was, that meant nothing to you? the fucking flowers? and the date? and the lunches and all the jokes? what the fuck phil, why do you have to make so many efforts just to sleep with a person and give them the wrong idea in the process?" i am more shocked than hurt by this revelation, and he just looks at me with a morose expression, probably thinking that i'm pathetic for even yelling at him.

"look, i stopped before i did anything with you, so don't judge my choices," phil replies thickly, and i roll my eyes at him, tearing my eyes away from him and focusing back on the road which is unmoving beneath us.

"are you mad again now?" phil's hand reaches forward to touch my thigh and i swat it away before it can touch me. "whatever i did was for you, i do care about you dan, you're my employee and i don't wish to exploit you more than i already have," he states calmly and i just bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from screaming at him. i don't think i have ever hated anyone as much as i hate phil right now.

"you've done enough damage already, you should've thought about it while you were flirting with me the moment i entered your office," i answer meekly, taking a deep breath and shifting my gaze to the window at my side, trying to magically make the surroundings move so i can calm my mind with the blurry infrastructure.

"i know, i should have, but there's nothing that can be done now," the way his voice is soft and considerate makes me want to punch him, but i don't. i just sit silently, patiently waiting for him to drive.

"i don't want us to work together like this, maybe we should start over yeah? all clean, i won't do anything inappropriate, i promise, okay dan?" from my peripheral vision i can see him ducking his head, trying to make eye contact and i sigh in defeat looking over to him, finding a hopeful smile resting on his pink lips.

"okay?" he asks once more and i close my eyes, huffing a deep breath in frustration and nodding, causing him to grin and lean back to his previous position, his fingers swiftly turning the key to start the ignition, and before accelerating he looks over at me again.

"do you wanna go for lunch somewhere? my treat to make up for what i did," he asks, licking his lips and i purse my lips in hesitation.

"not today, i just want to go home,"

--

heard you say—