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I swiftly exited the office and firmly shut the door behind me before she could say another word.
That felt fitting, as I sensed she was about to shut the door on me, too
Some things were just inevitable.
Chapter 16
Madison
It was a Friday afternoon, signaling the start of the weekend. With some free time ahead of us, I entertained the thought of Randy and I hanging out like before. But I quickly dismissed the thought, knowing it was foolish.
There were four coworkers in the office, barely talking to one another. Now granted, there were times when Randy seemed to change his tune. Every now and then he would try to start a conversation as if things were normal. But then it went right back to him being squirmish, silent, and everything in between. I honestly didn't know what to make of it. I had stopped formulating different plot lines in my head. At that point, there was no way that I could even come up with the truth. Because at that point it felt like the truth would be so far-fetched that I couldn't even come close to what it actually was.
I was confused. We had been getting along, but suddenly it felt like we were sitting at two desks that were miles apart. Every time I attempted to figure out what was happening, he would go and get coffee or take a phone call, or simply ignore me. I was beginning to wonder if we had broken up. It felt like the upcoming weekend would determine the answer.
I was confused when he didn't ask me out. I thought maybe he was uncomfortable with breaking up since we worked together. When I asked him if we were still together, he said yes. This left me feeling confused and frustrated. I knew I wasn't imagining things, I wasn't going crazy. I knew that if anyone else was in my situation they would have felt the same way. The whole situation made no sense and left me feeling baffled.
On that Friday afternoon, my gaze kept on returning to the clock while I tried to focus on the handsome Randy seated across from me. His eyes would meet mine every now and then, yet he never managed to crack a smile. He didn't even bother asking me out or inquire about my plans for the night. His lack of interest in me was almost palpable, and I felt like I had become unappealing. It felt strange to go from being admired to being ignored, but that was how it felt.
I was tempted to ask him what he was doing for the weekend, but I decided against it. We had had a difficult week and he didn't deserve to get anything out of me. Screw that. And you know what? Screw the job, too.
"Since it's Friday and I got all my work done, I think I'm going to head home. I don't feel great," I blurted out.
He was so deep in thought that he was startled when the silence was broken.
At that moment, I suddenly thought he might say something to turn the situation around. However, he simply said, "All right Madison. Have a good weekend."
Those words felt like a punch in the gut. Usually, they're the best thing to hear at the end of the week. But instead of being excited for a weekend of fun, I was just filled with dread.Have a good weekend?Those three words felt like a heavy weight on my shoulders.
I couldn't bring myself to let him see any of what I was feeling. He didn't deserve to see any of it. So instead of saying something like, "you too," I silently turned my back on him and left the office.
As I walked across the work floor, the sound of keyboards clacking and conversations between coworkers filled the air. It felt like I had been released from prison. The office that I had once worked in was now a metaphorical hell hole that was a stark contrast to the moments I had spent with him in the past. Change can be difficult to accept, yet it can happen in the blink of an eye. I sighed as I realized this and began to resent the ever-changing world around me.
I pressed the down button on the elevator, and the door opened almost instantly. My life felt like it was headed in the same direction—downward. It was strange to think that Randy, the man who had changed my life in such a dramatic way, had become my poison.
Regardless of how hurt I was, all I could do was put a mask on…Metaphorically,that is.
Chapter 17
Randy
I knew I had done wrong by Madison and that's why I was scared of our relationship ending. I had been pushing her away with my secret and it had taken its toll. She had stopped texting me. I didn't want things to end between us, but I knew it was my fault and that I deserved everything she was doing.
I found myself at a bar with a friend of mine, James. We didn't work at the same company or anything; we had just been friends since college. No matter how much our lives changed or how much money we amassed, our friendship remained the same. We never once lost touch, so it was a comfort that I could be my authentic self around him and never feel the need to put on any sort of act.
"You really don't seem like yourself man. For as long as I've known you, you've never been this inside your head. That girl really got you trippin,’" James said to me before sipping his whiskey.
I had to tell someone; it wasn't like no one knew about what was on my mind. "Yeah well, I gotta tell you something, man.”
“You already know you can tell me anything,” he reassured me.
“Madison and I had sex in the office," I spat out.
"Hey, congrats,” he gave me a slap on the back, almost causing me to spill my drink.
"There’s a catch: there was a camera in the office and some footage got leaked.” As I said this, James’ eyes widened. “ She doesn't know about the footage, and, honestly, I don't know what to do. I can't bring it to myself to tell her."
He put down his glass and looked at me like I was a half-wit. "Randy, how long has this been going on?"
