I WAS putting ice cubes into the ceramic bowl when my iPhone rang. Only two people had the nasty habit of calling me after nine in the evening. One of them... that would be Jake, is at the moment, slumped against the cushions on my couch. The other one… well, that would be my boss.

I fished the iPhone out of my pocket. It was, indeed Cheska, my boss of six years.

On most nights, Cheska calls me for last minute instructions before client meetings. Sometimes she calls just to chat about mundane things. And yes, there were also those wee hours in the morning that she can barely hold her excitement and calls to tell me about some random hot guy that she met while on a night-out.

I took the call. “’Zup, Boss?”

“’You ready for tomorrow?”

We have a Zoom meeting with a potential client tomorrow. A local but big clothing brand known for signing Asian stars as image models. “Yep, I got it all covered,” I said. After our Zoom meeting with the team earlier, I made a list of the potential issues that might come up. I prepared answers to all the possible questions that the client might ask.

“Good,” she said. "Why are you still up, by the way? Your face may look puffy tomorrow. Go to bed.”

I laughed. She was only three years my senior but she sometimes nags like a mom “I can’t. Jake’s here.” I kept my voice low.

“Oh my, God!” she shrieked. “You mean Jake is there with you right now? In your place? Just the two of you? At his hour?”

I rolled my eyes not only because of the sudden barrage of questions, but also because of the teasing tone in her voice. “It’s not what you think.”

“Why, what exactly do you think I’m thinking?” She laughed.

I groaned. I leaned against the countertop. From where I was standing I can see Jake on the couch. His eyes were glued to the TV screen. We agreed to watch a Chris Hemsworth action movie. He was half-sitting-half lying on the couch.

I took a deep breath. “That Jake…and I…” I let my voice trail off. “There’s really nothing going on between us.”

Cheska snorted. “And how long, may I ask, are you going to deny that you’re attracted to him?”

I fought the urge to sigh. Since the very first time that Cheska met Jake five years ago, she had not stopped teasing me about Jake. Never for one second did she ever believe that Jake and I are just friends. In her book, platonic relationships between a man and a woman do not exist. That a man and a woman can never truly be just friends. That at some point, one would definitely fall for the other.

I just laughed it off. I had a boyfriend back then - a despicable asshole who eventually two-timed me and would not deserve a single sentence had a book about my life be written and published. And back then, Jake had Kylie, too. Without batting an eyelash I told Cheska that Jake and I can never be more than friends.

When I started falling for Jake four years ago, I would be a fool to tell her about it. One of the things I hate the most is hearing the phrase ‘i-told-you-so.’

Cheska laughed. “Seriously, Mia,” she said. “You must really be crazy not to be drooling over that hot, sexy friend of yours.”

I sighed. For a brief moment, I contemplated on telling Cheska about my carnal thoughts and endless daydreaming about Jake. But I know I could never do that. Cheska will never give me the light of day. Knowing her, I know she will push me until I give in. That would only complicate things. A push was the last thing that I needed. “No.”

“Why!” She was whining. Like she was saying that I am the most stupid girl in the whole world.

“He’s my friend. We’re friends,” I whispered. But even to my ears, that sounded so lame. Maybe because I knew darn well that I am so into Jake.

Cheska laughed. “That’s the reason why there is such a thing as ‘friends with benefits, sweetheart,” she said.

I was dumbfounded at the remark. I could feel myself blushing. That was on point. I opened my mouth to say something, closing it again after a few seconds as I could not really think of anything to say.

How many times have I ever wished that Jake and I would cross that imaginary line that separated friendship and carnal desires?

I could feel my heart beating wildly at the thought. I looked at the living room. Jake was taking a swig at his beer.

“Having a friend is like having an ice cream,” she said before I could say anything. “But you know what’s better?”

I did not reply. She seemed to be in no need of a reply, anyway. There was nothing I can say that could stop her from saying what it is that is on her mind. I knew how much she loved having monologues.

“Chocolate sprinkles on ice cream,” she said. “Being ‘friends with benefits’ is like having chocolate sprinkles on your ice cream.” She laughed. Obviously amused with herself.

I sighed. “And you got that quote from where?”

“Oh, just a tweet I saw on my newsfeeds earlier,” she said. “Come to think of it, that sounds really nice. And convincing. Are you not convinced, yet?”

“No,” I said curtly. “Not tonight. Not ever.”

She laughed again. “You prude,” she said. “Try it. You got ice cream in there?”

“Were having beer,” I said hoping that would shut her up.

“Oh, even better,” she said. “Having a friend is like a having a mug of beer. But you know what’s better? Ice cold beer. Having a ‘friend with benefits’ is like having a mug of ice cold beer. Yum!”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re hopeless,” I said. “We don’t have ice cold beer either. That’s why I’m getting ice cubes from the freezer.”

“Oh, that’s fine. Ice cubes would be great. You can use the ice cubes for other purposes, too. I’m sure hot, sexy Jake would know what to do with ice cubes.”

My mouth gaped at what she had said. There was one scene in the movie Fifty Shades where Christian Grey used ice cubes to seduce Ana. Cheska was obviously referring to that purpose.

Had she not been my boss, I probably would have hanged-up on her.

She laughed. Louder this time. “Go, sweetheart,” she said. “Taste that ice cold beer and tell me all about it tomorrow. Go, girl, I’m rooting for you!”

Before I could say anything, the line went dead.

Shaking my head, I went back to what I was doing before the phone call. I poured water on the emptied ice-cube tray and placed it back in the freezer.

As I walk back to the living room, my hands can feel the coldness of the ice through the ceramic bowl. It was a pleasant feeling.

Jake turned to look at me when I was just about a few feet away. Our gazes met.

And by God, all I could think about was chocolate sprinkles on ice cream, ice cold beer and yes, ice cubes.

I am hopeless.

***to be continued***