The Proposal That Was Just a Bet

4: 4

Right then Job's phone rang, and he stepped outside to take it.

Sylvia smiled at me. "Erica, do you know the nickname Job gave you?"

She didn't wait for me to answer. "Plain tap water."

"He says the two of you grew up going to the same school right down the street, and when he thinks about grad school together and then working together, it just feels like plain tap water. Boring beyond words."

I gripped the money in my hand, but my voice stayed even. "If he has more fun with you, then he's all yours."

When Job came back in, Sylvia dropped her head as though she'd been wronged.

Job strode over.

"Erica, were you bullying Sylvia again?"

Sylvia clung to his arm.

"Job, I'm fine..."

Job shoved me aside and led Sylvia toward the door.

"Erica, if you bully Sylvia one more time, don't blame me for what I do."

No questions, no doubt. He just found me guilty.

The clerk held out the sweet iced latte Job had ordered for me. I didn't take it. "I'll have a different flavor from now on."

After that I stayed home, not wanting to run into Job again.

Finally, my professor let us know we could come pick up our diplomas from the school.

But I'd barely stepped out of his office when Job came charging straight at me.

"Erica, how can you be so vicious?"

Before I could even react, he dragged me over in front of Sylvia.

"Just because I spent one day being Sylvia's boyfriend, you post the photos of her proposing to me on the campus network, smear her, so how is she ever supposed to find a boyfriend now?"

I stared at him, incredulous.

"I didn't post any photos, and I never smeared her."

Sylvia came up to me, eyes red.

"Erica, I know you and Job are the ones meant to be. I never once thought about taking him from you. I... I only wanted to stay by his side for one day."

She dropped to her knees in front of me.

"Erica, please, will you delete those photos?"

Job flew into a rage and clamped his hand around my throat.

"Delete the photos and apologize to Sylvia in public!"

I was shaking all over with anger.

"I'm not the one who posted the photos. I won't apologize."

Job snatched my diploma away.

"A jealous, unrepentant woman like you is trash to society, diploma or not."

"If you don't apologize, I'll rip it up."

He shoved his phone at me.

"Post a public apology on the campus network. Say you were jealous of Sylvia and doctored the photos to smear her."

The company I'd applied to cared about character as much as grades.

If I posted a statement like that, I could lose the job.

"Job, go ahead and check. I really didn't post Sylvia's photos."

Job held the diploma up in front of my face.

"Keep making excuses and don't blame me for taking this all the way."

I explained desperately. "I really didn't..."

Before I could finish, I heard the sound of the diploma being torn to pieces.

His shouting kept going.

"I always thought you were kind and sensible, but why do you have to go after Sylvia at every turn? I'd already planned it all out, grad school with you, a whole life together, and you turn out this heartless."

Just then Job's roommate came running over, grinning.

"Job, I posted those photos of you and Sylvia on the campus network. You two really ought to thank me."

Job's rage stopped dead.

Sylvia's crying froze in her throat.

Job grabbed my hand to explain. I walked away without looking back.

I didn't want to argue it out with him. I just didn't want anything more to do with him.

I didn't even want the hatred.

The next day I applied for the digital version of my diploma. When I got home, a delivery driver brought me a bouquet.

The card read: "Erica, I'm sorry about yesterday. Sylvia got a real fright, so I'm taking her somewhere to clear her head, and when we're back I'll go register at the school with you."

I threw the flowers in the trash and left to start my job in Los Angeles, three thousand miles away.

A month later, Job knocked on my family's door, arms loaded with gifts.

He looked at my dad, eyes full of hope.

"Sir, hurry and call Erica out. She and I are going to New York for grad school together."