The Contract

Peach Salinger.

“Walk, Peach. They don’t know what you just did. They can’t see through you.” I mutter to myself as I walk down the hallways.

I have checked the countless mirrors in the hallways several times to make sure I don’t have “I just got fucked by the company’s president in a restroom stall” tatooed on my forehead. I’m just irrationally certain that the second I step into the office, people will look at me and know.

My blood runs cold. Fuck.

How could I have let that happen? Why didn’t I resist? Why didn’t I say no? If people find out about this, it’ll cost me my job, my degree, my graduation, my life. Shit!

I brace myself for the worst and scroll into the office. If any member of this office could read me like a book, it has to be Adrian. But it can’t be avoided, so I steel myself and walk  past his desk. I take my seat. At first glance, all is normal. As normal as it ever is, anyway.

Marienne’s desk is opposite mine and she doesn’t seem to notice me walking in. Adrian is busy with some papers in front of him and Cole isn’t on his seat. The other team members seem to be minding their business too and…

“What took you so long?” Adrian startles me.

I glance up at him. His brows is furrowed at me in an I-know-your-deepest-darkest-secret way.

I flinch. “I had to throw up. The milk really messed with my system.”

It’s the first time I’m telling a lie without practicing. But then, it’s not really a lie because I indeed threw up.

“Aww, pookie. That’s why your face is so flushed.” Marienne says out of nowhere. She’s peeping at me from her chair.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. I need to get back to work.” I lie again.

   I try to concentrate on my work but it’s hard when the hot image in the restroom stall keeps popping up in my mind. By evening, I’m sure I’ve done nothing productive, besides the moaning sounds I produced in the restroom.

It’s almost 7pm, the general closing hour, when I get a text from Cole.

[Cole: you owe me a drink. Wanna grab something this evening?]

I raise my head up to scan the room. He’s no where in sight and his desk is empty. He’s probably left, some of the mentors already left too. The mentors are so good at what they do that they finish their works early and get to leave when they’re done. But we interns on the other hand, battle with the littlest things.

I sigh and glance at Marienne. It’s finally time to fulfill my promise to her. I text Cole back.

[Me: Of course. Same place?]

He replies with a thumbs up emoji. I lean towards Marienne’s desk and tell her about it.

“You can meet up with him and tell him I’m caught up with work so I had you come instead. Then y’all can hit it off from there.”

Marienne frowns. “I still have five thousand words to type for this power point. I have to turn it in tonight before leaving.”

“I’ll can help you.”

She flashes me a smile. “Really?”

“Yeah. I just want you to be happy.”

Marienne immediately grabs her bag and stuffs, blows me a kiss and merrily waltzs out of the office. She’s so excited that she forget to ask for the address so I text it to her.

I sigh. I’ve got five thousand words to complete before leaving tonight.

Three thousand words in, I’m already starting to regret it. I’m practically the only one left in the office and only the lamp on my desk is still on. It’s almost 10pm too.

I stretch in my seat, moving my sore butt. Then I get back to typing. I hear footsteps approaching but I just conclude it’s the security guy doing his routine checks in whatever is happening in the building.

Not until the lock on the door clicks and a tall figure stops by my desk. I can’t bring myself to raise my head because I recognize those shoes and that suit so well. The suit I clung to desperately earlier today while he ramped into me.

No, kidding.

“You’re not gonna look at me?” his voice is barely above a whisper and I almost shudder. “Don’t be shy.”

This man is insane.

I take the lost ounce of dignity in me and raise my head to meet his gaze. His eyes have gone dark and he’s holding a document in his hand. He drops it on my table.

“Read through it and sign when you’re ready.” he says and doesn’t give me a chance to respond before turning to leave.

My resolve weakens and I can barely find the strength to protest or call after him. I grab the document and flip through it. The words blur together and the only words that comes into focus is “Bed Friends.”

My heart leaps. Could it be what I’m thinking?

Oh, no!