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The statement struck her in a much different way given what she knew about Brandi’s sister. Were she loose with her morals, she might have used the information to blackmail her way through the mentorship.
A hollow bang made her jump. The filing cabinet.
“I have three appointments scheduled this morning, the first of which is at 7:30. Walk-ins are from 10:30 to noon.”
Three folders were tucked under his arm. He’d be meeting with established patients. Kenna scrawled the schedule in her notebook, if for no other reason than to humor herself. He hadn’t given her a single thing of substance to do all week.
Dr. Merino thumbed through the folders, penning notes on a pocket-sized pad as he flipped through their contents. His sleeve receded through the motion and revealed a gunmetal bracelet on his right wrist.
He must have felt like garbage, judging from his bloodshot eyes and his mismatched socks, but it didn’t diminish his intense focus. His obsidian hair hung around his face, invoking a curtain-like effect. Kenna watched in reverence as he labored over the documents, each stroke of the pen disturbing his bracelet. She relaxed at the sight of his pensive face, the sound of rustling paper and fluidity of his wrist. Too relaxed, it seemed, for confrontation welled on her tongue.
“Interesting number you picked last night.”
The paper quieted. The pen stilled. His eyes landed on her, cold and sharp.
The number had slipped out.
A micro accident that could’ve cost him everything.
Dayton had pored over Kenna’s file in the days leading up to trivia. He was unrelenting in his review of the single page—so little to know about the bewitching girl—scanning the lines until his vision turned bleary and the information was ingrained in his memory.
Kenna Aisling O’Callaghan, born April 16, 1998.
Lives at 2102 Apt. E, Penrose Lane
Attended Jamesville-DeWitt High School
Most recent semester’s GPA: 4.0
Emergency contact: Declan O’Callaghan
Relationship: father
Chills prickled his skin as her expectant stare locked onto him, a piercing look as sharp as a weapon. Extinguishing her distrust was vital. It was for the best if she thought he was bending to her investigative nature.
“How did you know?” she asked in a whisper.
“The truth?”
Kenna’s eyes widened before returning to their disconcertingly large though natural resting state. Her appearance resembled that of a cartoon character. Extreme features clashing with the more fragile ones.
“I looked at your file. Clean as a whistle. I wanted to see if I’d be dealing with a miscreant all semester.” He ironed on a smile and omitted the part about photocopying her information.
Why scare his darling lamb away?
Kenna said nothing in response to his admission.
Her heart beat with the steady uncertainty of an ignited grenade, oblivious to which pulsation would lead to its unavoidable explosion. Beads of sweat percolated on her lower back.
He had looked at her file.
Dr. Merino had collected more data about her than, if given the choice, she would’ve cared to share. She wasn’t worried about him showing up at her apartment in the middle of the night but she didn’t like that he knew where she lived.
His unnatural smile lingered as he extended a folder in her direction. “Would you file this?”
Rising without protest, Kenna attempted to grab the folder from the edge of the desk but Dr. Merino tugged on the opposite end, mirroring their transference of the pen at the bar.
“Question my intentions again and you’ll find yourself without a mentor. Understand?”
