Page 12 of Not Safe for Work
Not a picture, not some abstract pattern, but a quote.
‘Half a truth is often a great lie.’—Benjamin Franklin.
My breath dried up in my throat. For a second, I just stood there, the words burning into my brain. It could’ve been nothing.A random quote, a coincidence, something he’d stumbled upon and liked enough to set as his wallpaper.
But my gut said otherwise. It felt too pointed, too uncanny. Like a message meant for someone.Me.
Now, standing in the office washroom, I inhaled sharply through my nose. My hands trembled as I turned on the tap, letting the cold water run over my fingers before splashing some onto my face.
Maybe I was reading too much into this. It was possible that Neil simply loved motivational quotes. And the rest of it? They’d just been random comments that had only acquired meaning because of their unfortunate timing. That had to be it. Because what was the alternative? That he’d figured out my secret and was gathering evidence against me? Waiting for me to fess up? Or was he just …toyingwith me?
No. Stop.I shook my head, trying to clear the thoughts swirling around like a storm. My brain was being overly creative again. No one in their right mind would do that. If he knew, he would’ve confronted me. Or gone to HR. Not put me through this ridiculous psychological warfare like a bloody sociopath.
I sucked in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, steadying myself. The day was almost over. All I had to do was keep my cool and let this be a problem for tomorrow. I straightened my back, gave my reflection one reassuring glance and made my way back to my desk.
Neil was packing up his belongings. His tall frame was bent over the desk as he neatly placed his laptop into its bag, his forearms flexing with each movement.
I forced myself to speak up. ‘Going home?’
He straightened up as he turned to address me. ‘Yeah, I’m done with my shift. Do you need anything else from me?’
I shook my head and stood there awkwardly, watching him pick up his bag and swing it over his shoulder. ‘Catch youtomorrow? I have a feeling it’ll be … aneventfulday,’ he said and winked at me, before turning on his heel.
My jaw dropped open as I watched him walk away, his words still hanging in the air. An eventful day? Why? And what the hell was up with that wink? Wait … had that been athreat?
Heat rushed to my cheeks, anger flaring in my chest.Fuck this, I thought. I was done playing this infuriating guessing game.
Without another thought, I grabbed my stuff and stormed out, desperate to catch him before he slipped away.
five
License to Spill
Theelevator doors closed before I could catch up with Neil, so I ran down the three flights of stairs, showcasing an athleticism I didn’t know I possessed. But when I reached the ground floor, he was nowhere in sight. The security guard only shrugged when I described who I was looking for, entirely unmoved by my sense of urgency. And then it hit me.
I found him in the reserved section of the basement parking lot, leaning against a silver Mercedes-Benz GLE. His laptop bag was carelessly placed over the hood of the car and he was scrolling on his phone, as though he had all the time in the world. A fresh surge of fumes rose up within me as I marched towards him.
What business did he have looking so at ease after waging a full-blown war on my peace of mind?‘You,’ I said, a little out of breath, ‘Where do you think you’re going?’
He looked up from his phone, his forehead creasing in confusion when he found me standing in front of him, hands on my hips. ‘Uh … home?’ he said, straightening up a little. ‘Or maybe to the gym. Haven’t decided yet.’
His imperturbability threatened to short-circuit my brain. ‘No,’ I said, crossing my arms, trying to regain my composure.
‘No what?’
‘You’re not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell is going on,’ I said, taking another step forward.
‘I’m not sure what you’re talking about,’ he said in a tone that implied he knewexactlywhat I was talking about.
We stayed that way in a tense little standoff until he finally spoke. ‘You know,’ he said, the corners of his mouth curving up ever so slightly. ‘You’ve got a lot of attitude for someone standing on very shaky ground.’
His words hit me like a gut punch.There it is,I thought.He knows. It’s over.
I nodded, the anger that had fuelled me moments ago fizzling out into helplessness. Defeat. Resignation. ‘When are you going to do it?’ I asked, looking away.
He didn’t say anything for a bit, no doubt enjoying the dejection that had taken over my features. ‘I’m not planning to rat you out, Kavya, if that’s what you’re asking,’ he said.
Silence stretched between us. I could feel his unrelenting gaze on me, waiting for me to meet his eye. A tightness gripped my chest as my brain struggled to catch up with his words.
