I know, weird and creepy. That was the voice telling me that maybe he was just stringing me along. He was the pretty ball of yarn and I was the cat with the luxurious fur, elegant tail, beautiful golden eyes, and modesty. I was terrified that one day I'd catch that string and it'd turn out to be nothing but an empty can of tuna, and I hated tuna.
Was I being paranoid? Maybe a little, but we never went out together. He could dump me and I wouldn't have anybody to talk to about it except Mr. Perkins, and I'm pretty sure he would have told me to get over it and get him some fresh water. My anxiety wasn't helped when the day after our talk I ran into Alicia along the cubicle hallways. She had a big smile on her face and wanted to talk; she never wanted to talk to me. "You've been leaving pretty early lately."
I frowned at her. "How would you know? You're always gone when I leave," I pointed out.
She brushed aside my question with a wave of her well-manicured hand. She was supposed to be a typist. "Oh, a little bird told me." My hands clenched at my side; if I got a hold of Brad Bird I'd kill him for squealing on me. "Someone waiting for you at home?"
"Yeah, Mr. Perkins," I replied.
She blinked. "Mr. Who?"
"My resident flea carrier, but why would you care?" I countered.
"Oh, I just thought maybe there was someone else in your life." She leaned toward me and dropped her voice. "You know, a special someone we both might know."
I gulped hard enough to bounce my flabby chin. "I-I don't know what you're talking about. We don't even hang out in the-"
I froze when Alicia plopped a hand on my shoulder. Her sickly sweet fake smile almost made me gag. "I know what you're trying to hide, Collins, and if you know what's good for you you'll step away from him, or else."
I tilted my head and twisted my mouth into a disbelieving frown. "Are you serious?" I brushed off her hand and Alicia jerked back in surprise. "What is this, some sort of dramatic romance novel? What exactly are you going to do, wrap my cubicle in tinfoil and hide my keyboard?"
Alicia leaned back her head and laughed. "What a cute personality you have, Collins." If she kept calling me that I'd have to take drastic measures, like changing my last name. Her voice dropped back to creepy tone again. "When I got done with you you wouldn't have a cubicle, or even a job." I paled; she smirked and patted me on the back as she walked away. "Have a nice day," she called out to me down the hall.
That night I waited for Steven to come to my apartment, and the moment he walked in I jumped him. "Alicia-knows-we're-dating-and-she-told-she'd-get-me-fired-unless-I-leave-you-alone." I gasped for breath and he looked at me like I'd gone insane.
Steven gently grabbed my shoulders and guided me over to the couch. "Maybe you'd better tell me that again, slower this time."
I took a deep breath and calmed myself. "Alicia cornered me in the office today and said she knew about us, and that if I didn't dump you she'd make me lose my job."
His face lost its color. "Did she have any proof or say anything specific?"
"Well, not exactly, but I wouldn't underestimate her. She's more stubborn than a mule and twice as ugly under all that makeup."
Steven burst out in laughter and patted me on the back. "You know I can't take you seriously when you crack those jokes," he reminded me.
I stood and put my hands on my hips. "This is serious, Mr. Dunner ." That got his attention; I never called him by his last name except when talking business. "Both our jobs are at stake here, and I don't know about you but I can't lose mine. I don't have some cushy nest egg or other job while you'll probably be greeted with open arms anywhere you go."
He frowned. "Wait a minute, that's not fair-"
"No, it's not, but that's how I feel." I knew I should have gotten my anger in check but I knew Alicia, and I knew she meant serious business, and he wasn't believing me. That made me mad as hell. "You think this is a
Was I being paranoid? Maybe a little, but we never went out together. He could dump me and I wouldn't have anybody to talk to about it except Mr. Perkins, and I'm pretty sure he would have told me to get over it and get him some fresh water. My anxiety wasn't helped when the day after our talk I ran into Alicia along the cubicle hallways. She had a big smile on her face and wanted to talk; she never wanted to talk to me. "You've been leaving pretty early lately."
I frowned at her. "How would you know? You're always gone when I leave," I pointed out.
She brushed aside my question with a wave of her well-manicured hand. She was supposed to be a typist. "Oh, a little bird told me." My hands clenched at my side; if I got a hold of Brad Bird I'd kill him for squealing on me. "Someone waiting for you at home?"
"Yeah, Mr. Perkins," I replied.
She blinked. "Mr. Who?"
"My resident flea carrier, but why would you care?" I countered.
"Oh, I just thought maybe there was someone else in your life." She leaned toward me and dropped her voice. "You know, a special someone we both might know."
I gulped hard enough to bounce my flabby chin. "I-I don't know what you're talking about. We don't even hang out in the-"
I froze when Alicia plopped a hand on my shoulder. Her sickly sweet fake smile almost made me gag. "I know what you're trying to hide, Collins, and if you know what's good for you you'll step away from him, or else."
I tilted my head and twisted my mouth into a disbelieving frown. "Are you serious?" I brushed off her hand and Alicia jerked back in surprise. "What is this, some sort of dramatic romance novel? What exactly are you going to do, wrap my cubicle in tinfoil and hide my keyboard?"
Alicia leaned back her head and laughed. "What a cute personality you have, Collins." If she kept calling me that I'd have to take drastic measures, like changing my last name. Her voice dropped back to creepy tone again. "When I got done with you you wouldn't have a cubicle, or even a job." I paled; she smirked and patted me on the back as she walked away. "Have a nice day," she called out to me down the hall.
That night I waited for Steven to come to my apartment, and the moment he walked in I jumped him. "Alicia-knows-we're-dating-and-she-told-she'd-get-me-fired-unless-I-leave-you-alone." I gasped for breath and he looked at me like I'd gone insane.
Steven gently grabbed my shoulders and guided me over to the couch. "Maybe you'd better tell me that again, slower this time."
I took a deep breath and calmed myself. "Alicia cornered me in the office today and said she knew about us, and that if I didn't dump you she'd make me lose my job."
His face lost its color. "Did she have any proof or say anything specific?"
"Well, not exactly, but I wouldn't underestimate her. She's more stubborn than a mule and twice as ugly under all that makeup."
Steven burst out in laughter and patted me on the back. "You know I can't take you seriously when you crack those jokes," he reminded me.
I stood and put my hands on my hips. "This is serious, Mr. Dunner ." That got his attention; I never called him by his last name except when talking business. "Both our jobs are at stake here, and I don't know about you but I can't lose mine. I don't have some cushy nest egg or other job while you'll probably be greeted with open arms anywhere you go."
He frowned. "Wait a minute, that's not fair-"
"No, it's not, but that's how I feel." I knew I should have gotten my anger in check but I knew Alicia, and I knew she meant serious business, and he wasn't believing me. That made me mad as hell. "You think this is a
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