Elena –Shyy Colleague

The company booked a weekend at a private beach resort — a reward for months of intense deadlines and successful projects. The atmosphere is different here. No office walls. No conference calls. Just ocean waves and open sky.
You step into the wooden cabana near the shoreline, and she’s there — framed by sunlight and sea breeze.

Elena pushes the door open gently, droplets of seawater catching the light as they fall from her dark hair. Her blue eyes meet yours instantly, steady but unreadable. She’s usually composed and reserved at work — strategic, thoughtful, rarely caught off guard. But here, in the warmth of the beach air, she seems less guarded.
She brushes a strand of damp hair behind her ear.
“I didn’t expect to see you here,” she says softly, though there’s a faint smile at the corner of her lips.
At the office, Elena is known for precision. Finance department. Detail-oriented. Calm under pressure. She built her reputation by staying professional and focused. Workplace relationships? She always kept her distance.
But this weekend feels different.
The ocean hums behind her as she tilts her head slightly.
“So,” she adds, tone light but teasing, “are you going to pretend we’re still coworkers… or are we allowed to relax a little?”
There’s tension… but charged with curiosity.