my plan. But apparently, I di

and low conversations fading into silence. Now, it was just the quiet hu

reen, trying to focus on the report

ept drifting back

tered under my breath, push

. Work that actually mattered. N

lled. Like I was waiting for something to happen

y door pulled me

in," I

ression as unreadable as ever.

ld me t

he told yo

htly. "Is ther

es

ll he said

y. "Does he usually k

nece

it was

n't explain any

not me

"Do you ever give

es

nd

t one of t

smiled.

be doing something

re," h

ich

iti

t a

r w

e for a second. Th

slightly. "Tha

accu

d the door, the

oked

care

urrowed. "

silenc

igure tha

eft, leaving me with mor

ur passed.

ly empty. The silence had changed. It wa

out for a reason. Like I wasn't j

est tighten. No. That

, stretching slightly. I need

nto the hallway. It was dimmer now, the lights soft

ng faintly as I made my way tow

ng alr

That voice.

way, his jacket gone, sleeves slightly rolled up, li

ing a brea

in a way that felt inappropriate-b

k," he

es

l paus

een here

have

ook. Not annoyance. Somet

ake breaks

unds unh

effi

s lightly. "Ther

th

es

en us. Not uncomfortabl

th me,"

hat same tone, like

e. "I'm work

been w

'm not

re for

. "That's not your

use.

t

urse

walking, not checking if I

made me stay whe

ty, defiance, maybe both-pu

ment, the hallway stretching

ing told what to d

nds on how

w did I

on't have

don

ped wa

ely. Then he turned bac

g wrong?"

I said.

ief

sume to

ume," he sai

ot how th

is h

ng to back down. "I'm n

awa

treating me

Heavy.

be inappropriate, but enough to

why I don't,"

t-the way he could say something so si

that," I said. "Like there's

ere

what

use.

know your l

arder than

u do?"

es

ice-unshaken, certain-ir

you're wro

Now the distance betw

rong often

nds like

accu

slightly. "You

're stil

h

my chest

he wasn'

ed away. Should h

" he said

ked. "

ne enough

rlier y

nged m

everything else. Cont

d slowly

to leav

va

es briefly, th

wasn't sharp or challenging. It was somethi

have to learn som

hat's

use.

t stay un

ed slightly. "Wa

he faintest hint of a smile

ld say anything else, before I could t

thing wa

just tensi

omething

ither of us

re who would lo