Exploits by Poppet Page A

wet-suits as he noisily throttles past them, drawing attention to us. I sink down in my seat, embarrassed.
    With less than two minutes before reaching the destination he wiggles his eyebrows at me and gives me that instigating grin, "Aren't you forgetting something?"
    I look back at him, blankly.
    He looks meaningfully down at his crotch. I stare at it and debate with myself internally. This means the game's still on. I sigh and adjust my safety belt to lean over.
    I left him high and dry in that vehicle as I walked to the door to enter the building through the staff side entrance. He would be so pissed, and today, I just don't care.
    Mr Security Guard takes one look at me and bolts out of the door. Great! I guess the make-up doesn't successfully hide my puffy eyes.
    "Jesus, what happened?"
    Ha! Um ... you are sweet, but somehow I don't think you'd understand.
    "He didn't like me getting flowers. We had a fight."
    This guy is sharp, I'll give him that. Oh, and for the record ladies, don't tell another man you've had a fight, when what you've really had is an argument.
    "He phoned me didn't he?"
    Unwilling to confess to that, I simply look at him, pondering how to answer.
    "I stayed up all night worrying about you after that."
    Fuck. He knows.
    "I'm sorry. I was too scared to phone you and explain. He found the number in my bag and thought the worst."
    Ooookay , that didn't sound too good either. Shit this slope is slippery.
    "You look like shit."
    Thanks a lot.
    My mouth morphs into a generic smile, "I didn't get much sleep."
    He examines my arms and stares hard at me, "Are you okay?"
    Well now, where do I start? No . I'm not okay . But I know what you mean, so that makes the answer yes.
    "Of course I am."
    You can look at me as doubtfully as you want. My heart is torn to shreds over unfair accusations. I don't know where the hell he was for at least eight hours, and I'll never find out.
    I didn't sleep, I didn't eat, but hey , I'm fine . My body is unharmed so you can just STOP thinking that. He's a lot of things, but he's not that.
    We have an eye clash. He's challenging me with his expression. I'm defiantly staring back. Finally he moves out of my way and opens the door for me.
    I walk to my desk and pretty much behave the same way I did yesterday. As I am now well aware 'I look like shit', I don't particularly feel like having other people noticing that too.
    I'm engrossed in the adding of numbers and balancing of investments when I become aware of the blue uniform standing at my desk. Startled, I look up into Mr Security Guard's worried face.
    "Do you still have my number?"
    I shake my head. He smiles and hands me a new one.
    "Hide it properly."
    Okay, I'm going to cry. This is so touching. He hardly knows me and he wants to save me.
    I take the secret code to his phone from him, bury it under some paper, and scoot as fast as humanly possible with my head down for the ladies. He saw the tears. I hide inside a stall and cry as quietly as I can.
    (In hindsight I have to thank him. His sympathy, gave me strength he will never know.)
     
    * * * * *
     
    Night falls, and I wonder if I'm supposed to catch the bus and just don't know this yet. I've been having a silent stand-off of ocular clashes with 'my hero' all day and now he's got his arms crossed glaring at me. He wants me to 'fess up. I have nothing to 'fess up about. It's my life. It's my pain. I don't want to share it. I finally run out of paperwork and fold my hands on my desk and stare back.
    "Stefanie, I don't like him."
    Well now, that's your problem not mine . I remain silent.
    "No one should make you this unhappy."
    Thanks, I appreciate that. How do I change that though? My eyes stare into his and I feel tears threatening, again. Damn it!
    He can see it, and gets up off his chair and starts walking toward me, when Gary's blond head appears at the door. He immediately gets the wrong idea which is plain to see from his expression.
    Oh God. These two are about to