Dear Joe,

Please call me Jeff. I'm 27 and I'm lost.....It's been a long time since I've felt how it was to be romantically involved. After five years here I am with my head spinning again.

I reported to my new work five days after Nicole. While I was being oriented by my new boss, he slyly whispered to me with a chuckle that I will be working with Nicole, a young and innocent 18 year-old. I did not give any meaning to that. Nicole initially had difficulty adjusting because it was her first time to be away from her family. She wanted to leave the job but I convinced her to do otherwise. We eventually became close and frequently had lunch together. I looked forward to going to work because I knew I would see her.

I thought it was only me she was exclusively going out with until I found out that she frequented somebody else's office after working hours. I became so jealous of anybody who came close to her, and she knew it. One time, Nicole told me that she loved me and I told her that I felt the same way. She added that she wanted to tell me something but if she did, she would have to kill me. I started guessing - "Are you pregnant?", and she said “No!” I didn’t know what was going on in her mind and for some reason, I just let that incident pass.

Not long after that, she took a part-time job as a waitress in a fancy restaurant. I was furious when I saw her flirting with a guy who was also working in the same building where I was. There was another incident involving a fourth guy with whom Nicole had been romantically involved. My madness came to a point where I got myself drunk enough to figure in a car accident which kept me for two days in the hospital. After that, I felt so stupid for having let a woman take over my head. Still, I loved her but this time, I hardly spoke to her.

Nicole was never officially my girlfriend but I believed we both loved each other. She probably felt the same way for the rest of the guys she was simultaneously dating with. When we finally spoke to each other, I cried when she admitted that she wanted to be my girlfriend but didn't have the guts to do so because I might think that she was still sleeping with my officemate. Joe, she had an affair with my officemate who was sitting right in front of me and I didn’t know it. By the way, she slept with the other guys too.

Just recently, Nicole moved to another workstation to be the secretary of a higher-ranking boss. As usual, the rumors began to spread. All I could ask myself was what could possibly be wrong with her? I just laughed the other day when she told me, "You're not nice to me anymore". I told her I intend to keep it that way but what she actually doesn't know is that I always think of her!!! I stare at her at every chance I get. The smell of her perfume makes me want her bad. What shall I do? How could you hate somebody who looks so innocent and so angelic? Still, behind all these, I feel so sorry for her. I don't understand this obsession, but somehow I feel that she's deeply hurting and crying.

Joe, take care and GOD bless!

Sincerely yours,
Jeff