The Emancipation of a Fuckboy - Chapter 38: Chapter 38

Valentine
It's another day at work, and I honestly consider spending the whole day inside my office to finish my reports that I should've finished last week. At least that's what I wanted to do. Two hours after turning the computer on, my head began to drift away unconsciously. My hands were on the keyboard and mouse. My eyes were also glued on the monitor and yet still, I didn't know I was already pondering about the list of things that I'm about to do to make Dominic happy and in love. I just thought it would be poetic to poke him with a lot of giddy romantic gestures to easily make him fall for me. And the deeper he falls, the more painful the final blow will. I should know better. The only problem is that after being single for years I've come to lose the touch of these romantic gestures. Maybe I'll remember some but I don't know if it's still me.
Surprising Dominic shouldn't be that hard as far as I can tell from what's going on. I'll just have to think of something bigger, something grander than how he surprised me before. I know I'm currently on the fourth step towards destroying Dominic but I already feel like I'm in for a bountiful success. There's no denying the lingering fact that he absolutely wants me back and might probably fight his way just to gain my trust again. I feel rather powerful knowing that.
I had to shake my head and take a quick walk around my office just to activate myself back to work mode. As soon as I returned to my chair Ivana came in with my first coffee for the day.
"Oh, thank God! I needed a sip of that hot coffee." I uttered grabbing the cup of hot coffee out of her hand. The smell of freshly brewed coffee made me feel alive as usual.
"Is there something bothering you?" Ivana asked probably because of the cry of relief that I made when she entered my office with the cup of coffee in her hand.
"What? No, no. Nothing's bothering me." I replied instantly. A blatant lie.
"Okay," Ivana said and then turn around to go back to her desk as if she didn't notice what was up.
She was already at the door when I suddenly opened my mouth to speak.
"I was thinking what if we organize a big party for his upcoming birthday," I revealed prompting her to stop right after opening the door ajar.
"So that's what's bothering you?" Ivana quickly turned back around to face me and just as I thought she noticed it. "A party?"
"It's not really that bothering me but I was just thinking of some ways to surprise Dominic."
"What kind of party?"
"Well, Nick's birthday is in three days and I still have to surprise him so I guess that's a perfect excuse to organize a big party for him," I explained. "Don't you think the odds are in my favor?" I added.
"The odds? What are you? A tribute or something?" Ivana scowled at me as she inched her way back to the chair in front of my desk. "Anyway, what are your plans then? Come on, tell me. Spill it!" Ivana sounded very much enthusiastic.
"Uhm, well. I was thinking." What I wanted to tell her suddenly faded out of my head.
"You was thinking what?" She beamed and shook her head at me.
"Well,"
"Valentine? Are you even taking this revenge plot of yours seriously?" I was just about to speak but Ivana burst in as if she's the one in my position prompting me to hold my words.
"I know, I know. I'm deadly serious about this one and you know that." I huffed moving my swivel chair around to a more comfortable position.
"Planning a party takes some time, Valentine and that's just the first step. You still have to find a nice place for the party. You still have to go buy the stuff that you'll use for the party such as drinks and food and some I don't know, party poppers or something. You also need to send some invitations to limited people and whatnot. You don't just prepare a birthday party a day before. Especially this one." Ivana went on.
"That seems a ton of work." I huffed realizing that I'll probably be abandoning my work once again. "It would be much easier if I just hired someone to do all the planning but this is too personal for me that I have to do it."
"Okay! Let me help you then Mr. Grande." Ivana offered.
"Of course you will help me. I can't do all these stuff by my own."
"So what are we waiting for?" Ivana settled on the chair in front of my table seemingly ready to plan this evil surprise.
"Do you want to start now?" I asked thinking we'd plan after work.
"Why not?" Ivana spat. "You said his birthday is in three days right? Well, you're pretty damn late for that."
"Uhm, I still have some reports to do but okay. Let's do it!"
Ivana went out to make her own coffee and to grab some finger foods and right after she came back we immediately began planning. For the rest of the day, I've successfully neglected my job, my real job to make way for this surprise birthday party.
Ivana and I wasted almost half an hour arguing on where should we execute this birthday surprise. She suggested that we rent some fancy five-star restaurant which I disagreed knowing the obvious fact that we can just use any branch of my dad's instead. We eventually settled to have the party at Dominic's house. I strongly disagreed with this idea at first and I don't even know how it was brought up to the table but Ivana flushed the trump card and brought up the argument that I can take greater control if I do this with his family. And once again, she's damn right. I know it's not the grander and bigger surprise that I was thinking of earlier but it's quite effective and sweet and romantic and clever. Dominic will surely lower his guard to a soft point where I'll easily attach some strings and play with his heart.
We didn't have any problems with the food since I manage a branch of my father's restaurant. All we have to do is pay for the catering. Ivana had to run quickly to her desk to grab a notebook and a pen for her to list the details of this rather top-secret meeting. This is clearly not a part of her job but she's willing to go beyond and that's one thing that I like about her. She listed all of the food and other stuff that we needed for the party.
We had our lunch an hour late and when we came back to planning the whole thing we both finally met our biggest enemy.
How would we surprise Dominic?
The biggest question.
It's easy to think about gathering everyone inside the house and just wait for Dominic to come home from wherever he went and then voila, surprise! Happy birthday, man!
Ivana and I exchanged some looks and yet no one wants to spill their idea. The blame isn't on her though. I should be the one spilling my ideas and honestly, I've imagined several ways to do this however I can't even begin to remember them. It seems that something's blocking my train of thought. Or probably it's just me wanting this thing to go beyond perfection.
As far as I can tell, Ivana is thinking some ways inside that motherly head of hers but is probably waiting for me to tell what I think before jumping on me telling me to do this instead of that.
"I think we need to have a little break with this," I finally said breaking the silence that the brainstorming conjured.
"Ugh, thank goodness. I was waiting for you to say that." Ivana replied releasing a breath of relief before quickly walking out of my office.
I went to the restroom, released some liquid wastes out of my body, and subsequently headed towards the designated smoking area. Halfway through my cigarette, I finally recalled singing a song for Dominic in the cafeteria way back in high school and thought that might be a good act to repeat.
By the time I went back to my office, Ivana came rushing seemingly carrying some news.
"Guess what!" She chirped just like a little birdy.
"What is it?" I replied.
"Your boy is here,"
"Dominic?"
"Dominic motherfucking Warren! Who else would it be?"
"Is he with someone else?" I hesitated to ask for a brief moment.
"He's alone but I think he's waiting for someone."
My heart suddenly pumped a beat and I was somehow scared that he's meeting up with another guy. He just came back from Singapore and I've already seen him with a lot of guys. Thankfully I remembered Yhannie mentioned that they will be having a reunion and realized that I'm overreacting.
"Oh yeah, he's waiting for Yhannie." I spat.
"Yhannie? Are they friends again?"
"Apparently, yes!"
"Great! You can actually ask help from her."
"Yeah I've thought of that!"
We continued with the planning as I told Ivana how I was very much in love with Dominic back in high school that I swallowed my masculine pride and serenaded him in front of all the judging eyes. She agreed with the plan and told me she wasn't in the cafeteria that day but she saw a video of it and felt electrified. Ivana suggested some improvements to make the surprise even more romantic.
Why does every romantic surprise need to have the appearance of a rose? Anyway, we were just wrapping up the whole thing but I just can't help myself but want to go and take a peek at Dominic. Just a glimpse of him and maybe I'll feel something but I fought that urge. I fought the urge like a gazelle running away from a cheetah and just like every gazelle I was caught. I ended up hiding in a secret corner carefully spying on Dominic. He was smiling from ear to ear and from that point, I can already tell how genuine it is and how happy he was having his former best friend back.
When I got home after work I felt excited about Dominic's birthday. The surprise is finally set. Everything's planned and agreed upon. I'll just have to make a few phone calls, talk to some of my friends, use my credit card, and move mountains. In the next three days, Dominic will fall deeper down the abyss.