I looked up from my desk, cards splayed out all over the surface, and raised an eyebrow at the pretty girl standing in the doorway of my office.
“What’s that?” I snickered. She shifted her backpack on her shoulder and stepped in. I made a mental note that I hadn’t invited her in but opted not to fuck with details. She swung the olive-colored canvas bag around and lifted the flap pulling out a giant plastic container of bright red candies. I laughed.
She grinned, and her red lips revealed fangs as she set the cinnamon candy on my desk. I reached for them, pried the red lid off, and plucked an individually wrapped piece out.
“Thanks.” I popped one in my mouth and tossed the wrapper in the little trash can I had under my desk.
She crossed her arms and pushed a rogue strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah, thanks for being cool about the other night.”
I pressed my lips together tightly and nodded. I didn’t like the idea of not telling Arsenio, but the more and more I thought about it, I realized that it was none of my business.
She tapped the large container with her knuckle and then turned quickly, returning to her own office. Weekdays were slow. Some were so slow that only two people were needed out front. That left Scout and me to hang out in the back, usually in our separate rooms.
Her being covered in blood in only her bra and panties seemed to break the ice some. I started leaving my door open, and while I wasn’t inviting her in, I had taken to shouting to her about random shit during the day.
“You like horror movies?” I called, flipping through my cards absentmindedly.
“Duh.” She called back. Something about the way she said it caused my lips to curve upwards. I hurriedly sent her a text with a link to a watch party. I heard the ping and waited.
“Seriously?” She shouted. I leaned back in my chair and propped my boots up on my desk.
“Why not? You don’t have to leave the comfort of your chair!”
My phone rang then, and I laughed when I saw her name on my screen. I clicked the green button and pressed it to my ear.
“Hello,” I said cooly.
“We’re going to watch a movie together, but in separate rooms? You’re so lazy.” She told me.
“What? I like my office. You’d enjoy yours more if you decorated it.” I began to rock slightly in my chair as I spoke.
“Why would I do that?”
“Because you practically live here? Do you get days off?” I asked, honestly. Before I came, she was the only manager, and I really wasn’t a manager. I didn’t do permanence anywhere.
“Sometimes. I need the money.”
“For what?” I chuckled.
“Art school,” she said. I stopped smiling.
“You know your boyfriend would pay for something like that if you asked?” I wasn’t being a smart-ass. I was being honest. My voice had gotten noticeably softer as I said it.
“Fuck off. I don’t need anyone to pay for my shit. Are we starting this movie or not?”
Without another word about it, we hung up, and both pushed play on our laptops at the same time. Guilt festered in my stomach for a solid ten minutes while we watched the movie. I heard her shut her office door, which made me get up and do the same.
Suddenly the fun idea wasn’t so fun. Was she even watching anymore? I was about to shut the laptop and pull out the bottle of cinnamon whiskey I had brought in a few days ago. Night drunk didn’t sound too bad.
I dropped my feet off the desk and bent down to pull out the bottom desk drawer when my phone pinged. I sat up and glanced at it. She sent me a message. My stomach lifted as I reached for the phone.
Scout: phone call with headphones? It’s boring to watch alone.
She wasn’t mad at me.I let out a breath and kicked the drawer shut. I reached for the headphones case on my desk and quickly connected them to my phone.
Although she had texted me with the offer, I was still nervous to call her. I felt like a kid again. I hadn’t felt like this in…decades.
I stopped breathing as I waited for her to pick up. I was almost sure she was letting it ring just to be a dick.
