Nia's POVThere has always been a thin line between being sane and completely insane. I never once had to question my sanity but as he moved closer to me and I allowed his hands to roam my body and take control, I suddenly had a random thought to check the internet for some good therapists in the area. Most would consider the fact that I refuse to move, that I am enjoying the feeling of his hands roaming my body when I know that it's not suppose to insane, but to make myself feel better I prefer to think of it as human.His hands felt warm, his presence felt eternal.I closed my eyes enjoying the wrong feeling. And then I was cold, colder than I've ever been in my life and my eyes snapped open and there he stood staring at me."You have no survival instincts," he stated looking at me with such disappointment that I felt my stomach flip and not in a good way and bile rise in my throat.He stepped away from me and I felt even colder. I wasn't even aware that the human body could experi
Nia's POVThe days blurred into one another after that. Time no longer felt like something I had control over. The quiet thrum of the office, the constant hum of fluorescent lights, the ever-present smell of coffee — it all felt like a hazy dream I was just barely part of. Work was a distraction, a way to bury everything else deep enough inside so I wouldn’t have to think about it.But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Mr. Andrews. His touch, the cool disinterest in his eyes, the icy distance he had drawn between us like an impenetrable wall. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something inside me had been broken — not in the obvious, catastrophic way, but in a quiet, insidious manner that only grew louder with each passing day.I sat at my desk, staring at the spreadsheet in front of me, the numbers blurring into incomprehensible lines. A few weeks had passed since the incident. A few weeks where I had convinced myself that I had moved on. But I hadn’t. I
Nia's POVThe weeks that followed that meeting felt like a steady spiral. My mind was no longer my own, and the office felt like a cage. The air smelled of stale coffee and paper, but I could hardly focus on anything. Every time I sat down at my desk, my eyes involuntarily drifted toward Mr. Andrews' desk, where he sat, cold and indifferent, like he always did. A silent reminder of what had happened and what never would again.I moved back into the office so he could keep watch of me.I told myself I should move on. That I should forget. But the truth was, I couldn’t. There was an unspoken gravity between us that kept pulling me back into his orbit, even when I told myself it was over. I had become consumed by this one-sided obsession, and it was eating me alive.One morning, I arrived at the office earlier than usual. It was still quiet, the faint buzz of the lights in the ceiling the only noise. I needed space, away from the hum of my mind, away from the weight of my thoughts. But i
Nia's POVThe following days were a blur, but they felt different. The air seemed heavier, the silence between Mr. Andrews and me thicker than ever before. I told myself it was just the aftermath of that conversation, that it would fade with time. But it didn’t. If anything, the distance between us seemed more suffocating now than it had been before. He remained as cold as always, and I stayed just as distant, but there was an unspoken tension that both of us seemed to be unable to avoid.The strangest part was that even though things between us had changed, nothing about the office itself had shifted. The hum of the computers, the constant chatter of co-workers, the smell of coffee wafting through the air — it was all the same. Yet, every time I glanced in his direction, it felt like something was quietly, subtly, shifting beneath the surface.It wasn’t just the physical proximity. It was everything.I had been avoiding him since that day. I told myself that I should concentrate on w
Nia's POVI could pretend that this was fine, that I’m fine but the truth is that all I truly want is for this to make sense and right now it does the exact opposite.His touch still lingers on my skin and his presence still makes me weak. His dismissal still makes me feel small, feel stupid. Yet the very action of speaking of what happened instead of pretending that it was simply an accident makes me feel almost happy.The last few days I’ve managed to be around him without the ‘incident’ being brought up again.And with the maze of my mind and the chains of my body keeping me grounded and weak I do not know if I wish for it to be spoken about right now.He still goes on dates, still talks about girls with his friends on the rare occasions that they come to the office, but he’s started to look at me again.I should have a bit more self respect I know. I should be angry but here I am.The last few days I have been throwing myself into work, hoping that it would abate the emotions that
Nia's POVThe shock on everyone’s faces I’m sure mirrored mine.“Anything else Mr. Henry?” my boss asked the man, whom I now know as Mr. Henry.He shook his clearly at a lost of words as I was. The guards continued to take the chairs everyone slowly rising to their feet as each of the guard passed around and true to his word only Mr. Andrews chair was left.“Ms. Richardson.” He called me to the stand before him. I looked up at him and watched as he nodded his head to the chair telling me to sit.Skeptical, as anyone would be, I stayed grounded in the same spot simply staring at him.He grunted placing his hand on the small of my back slowly guiding me to the chair, forcing me to sit down. I allowed him to still extremely uncomfortable with the situation and the position it put me in.“Shall we begin?” He asked after having me seated.There was a chorus of okays and yes’s following his question.Soon the meeting was in full swing. I was taking the minutes and making sure that I remember
Nia's POV The world hasn't been unfair to me but it wasn't exactly fair either. I graduated college after years of brutally fighting against myself and my parents to ensure that I could do as they liked but also pursue my own happiness and today it would all be worth it. "Nia, could you hurry your ass up you're gonna be late. Also, we're out of milk could you pick some up on your way back,” my best friend called from outside my room of the apartment we shared together. Her name is Claire and her attitude isn't like her name, it's dark and cloudy. The opposite of me. "I'm almost done" I said walking out of my room. I have an interview today at one of the most well-known companies in the fashion industry. This was my dream job but not my parents'. As I've said before I've had to fight against them to study fashion while studying business as they pleased. "How do I look?" I asked walking out of the room to stand in front of Claire to get her opinion on my outfit after all who el
Nia's POV I've never considered myself the crazy type or the type to not have her head in order if you know what I mean but regardless of that there are days where even I walk around the street talking to myself. And once again the only word ringing in my head is 'milk'. So, I had to go get the milk and head home. Of course, while replaying the bizarre events that took place earlier today. I was so out of it I didn't even realize when I got home and was soon walking into my apartment to be met with Claire questioning gaze and happy squeal at the sight of the milk. "So how was the interview?" she asked, grabbing the milk from my hand and walking into the kitchen; to make a bowl of cereal I assume. "I saw his genitals and already know what he sounds like when he moans." I muttered not realizing Claire was back in the living room until I heard the plate of cereal she was eating from fall. "You lost your v card on the first meeting?!" she exclaimed. At her words I was pulled
Nia's POVThe shock on everyone’s faces I’m sure mirrored mine.“Anything else Mr. Henry?” my boss asked the man, whom I now know as Mr. Henry.He shook his clearly at a lost of words as I was. The guards continued to take the chairs everyone slowly rising to their feet as each of the guard passed around and true to his word only Mr. Andrews chair was left.“Ms. Richardson.” He called me to the stand before him. I looked up at him and watched as he nodded his head to the chair telling me to sit.Skeptical, as anyone would be, I stayed grounded in the same spot simply staring at him.He grunted placing his hand on the small of my back slowly guiding me to the chair, forcing me to sit down. I allowed him to still extremely uncomfortable with the situation and the position it put me in.“Shall we begin?” He asked after having me seated.There was a chorus of okays and yes’s following his question.Soon the meeting was in full swing. I was taking the minutes and making sure that I remember
Nia's POVI could pretend that this was fine, that I’m fine but the truth is that all I truly want is for this to make sense and right now it does the exact opposite.His touch still lingers on my skin and his presence still makes me weak. His dismissal still makes me feel small, feel stupid. Yet the very action of speaking of what happened instead of pretending that it was simply an accident makes me feel almost happy.The last few days I’ve managed to be around him without the ‘incident’ being brought up again.And with the maze of my mind and the chains of my body keeping me grounded and weak I do not know if I wish for it to be spoken about right now.He still goes on dates, still talks about girls with his friends on the rare occasions that they come to the office, but he’s started to look at me again.I should have a bit more self respect I know. I should be angry but here I am.The last few days I have been throwing myself into work, hoping that it would abate the emotions that
Nia's POVThe following days were a blur, but they felt different. The air seemed heavier, the silence between Mr. Andrews and me thicker than ever before. I told myself it was just the aftermath of that conversation, that it would fade with time. But it didn’t. If anything, the distance between us seemed more suffocating now than it had been before. He remained as cold as always, and I stayed just as distant, but there was an unspoken tension that both of us seemed to be unable to avoid.The strangest part was that even though things between us had changed, nothing about the office itself had shifted. The hum of the computers, the constant chatter of co-workers, the smell of coffee wafting through the air — it was all the same. Yet, every time I glanced in his direction, it felt like something was quietly, subtly, shifting beneath the surface.It wasn’t just the physical proximity. It was everything.I had been avoiding him since that day. I told myself that I should concentrate on w
Nia's POVThe weeks that followed that meeting felt like a steady spiral. My mind was no longer my own, and the office felt like a cage. The air smelled of stale coffee and paper, but I could hardly focus on anything. Every time I sat down at my desk, my eyes involuntarily drifted toward Mr. Andrews' desk, where he sat, cold and indifferent, like he always did. A silent reminder of what had happened and what never would again.I moved back into the office so he could keep watch of me.I told myself I should move on. That I should forget. But the truth was, I couldn’t. There was an unspoken gravity between us that kept pulling me back into his orbit, even when I told myself it was over. I had become consumed by this one-sided obsession, and it was eating me alive.One morning, I arrived at the office earlier than usual. It was still quiet, the faint buzz of the lights in the ceiling the only noise. I needed space, away from the hum of my mind, away from the weight of my thoughts. But i
Nia's POVThe days blurred into one another after that. Time no longer felt like something I had control over. The quiet thrum of the office, the constant hum of fluorescent lights, the ever-present smell of coffee — it all felt like a hazy dream I was just barely part of. Work was a distraction, a way to bury everything else deep enough inside so I wouldn’t have to think about it.But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Mr. Andrews. His touch, the cool disinterest in his eyes, the icy distance he had drawn between us like an impenetrable wall. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something inside me had been broken — not in the obvious, catastrophic way, but in a quiet, insidious manner that only grew louder with each passing day.I sat at my desk, staring at the spreadsheet in front of me, the numbers blurring into incomprehensible lines. A few weeks had passed since the incident. A few weeks where I had convinced myself that I had moved on. But I hadn’t. I
Nia's POVThere has always been a thin line between being sane and completely insane. I never once had to question my sanity but as he moved closer to me and I allowed his hands to roam my body and take control, I suddenly had a random thought to check the internet for some good therapists in the area. Most would consider the fact that I refuse to move, that I am enjoying the feeling of his hands roaming my body when I know that it's not suppose to insane, but to make myself feel better I prefer to think of it as human.His hands felt warm, his presence felt eternal.I closed my eyes enjoying the wrong feeling. And then I was cold, colder than I've ever been in my life and my eyes snapped open and there he stood staring at me."You have no survival instincts," he stated looking at me with such disappointment that I felt my stomach flip and not in a good way and bile rise in my throat.He stepped away from me and I felt even colder. I wasn't even aware that the human body could experi
Lia's POV The drive home was excruciating. I kept thinking about whether I was going the same way they went or if I turned down a street that I never drove down would I meet them. I kept wondering, feeling my heart race and refused to stop thinking about a man that clearly didn't want me. The issue: I wanted him. I wouldn’t call it love but this crush was something else. Why did he have her come there? He could have spoken to her over the phone and went to meet her there but instead he chose to torture me. I never should have said what I did but what’s done is done. I took a deep breath before I entered the apartment knowing that Claire would start to question me about what happened and wanted when I lied to her and told her it was okay that she would believe me and let it go. I twisted the knob and walked in to find the place empty though and let out a breath I did not realize I was holding. She wasn’t home, I’m safe for a little bit. I took a shower letting the water run down my
Nia's POV My feet are the most confusing thing on the planet. They don't move when I need them to but proceed to turn into the flash the second I need them to stay firm. I did not want to enter that office. I shouldn't have entered the office. I shouldn't have wanted to enter the office despite my fear. Yet here I was clearly making my way into the office. I heard the door shut behind me, it wasn't loud yet the sound made me jump out of fright. I wanted to get this over with and move on. I know I would feel the embarrassment for at least a week and then finally be able to look him in the eyes. But that thought did nothing to calm down my flaring nerves that were slowly becoming overwhelmed by the constant arguing in my mind that told me to run and stay. It's like having an angel and a devil on my shoulder but neither of them liked me. I slowly turned around to look at my smirking boss and knew that he was enjoying my discomfort. Jerk face. Childish I know but it had to be sa
Nia's POVAs the call ended I stood shell shocked, Claire standing beside me in the same state. I prayed that whatever just happened was a part of my imagination, that the wine completely messed up my mind. However the fact that my best friend was experiencing the same shock I was feeling made me certain that what just happened was not some crazy storyline my mind decided to play out.Claire slowly moved away from me to the couch placing herself on it and then burst out laughing. I mean I can see how the situation would seem funny, but when it affects you then nothing about it makes you wanna laugh. This is a man that I will have to face tomorrow whether I like it or not. I know for certain that I would rather be dead right now or eating a entire bottle of mayonnise instead of having to go into work tomorrow.Claire's laughter continued while my body still refused to move, and though I know I would need to soon, I didn't mind standing here believing the world was no longer moving. "