Chapter 4: The morning After
299 Words
She woke up and the first thing she did was peek toward the door.
The door where everything happened last night.
Her face burned.
"Snap out of it, Cherry."
She was so embarrassed she ran back to her bed and hit it.
_How am I going to face him?_
Her stomach growled. Right. Food.
She dragged herself to the kitchen in comfy shorts and a big tee, slippers dragging. The trash was still there from yesterday. Perfect.
She packed it up, took a deep breath, and stepped out.
At the exact same time, his door opened.
Joel. Hair damp. Scrubs on. Eyes on her.
Both of them froze.
"Good mor—"
_SLAM._
She was back inside. Heart pounding.
"Gosh, look at what I’m wearing!"
From the other side: "Ahhhhhh—!"
Two minutes later she checked. Hallway clear.
"Thank God."
She marched to the elevator, glancing around every 2 seconds.
_Thud._
Her forehead hit a wall of chest.
She looked up.
Joel.
Ten seconds. No one breathed.
He reached to steady her. She crossed her arms. "Don’t touch me."
She slipped.
He laughed. "You’re cute."
"What did you say?"
"None of your business." _Ding._ Elevator doors closed.
"Ugh! I was going to enter too!"
She let out a breath and started skipping down the hall, playful, until—
From his car downstairs, he watched her.
"Oh my goodness, I’m late!"
Fast shower. Fast dressing. Hospital.
"Hi everyone!" Her hand was still waving when she saw him.
_Avoid him today. Avoid him today._
She looked away.
In his office, Joel frowned. _What’s wrong with her?_
A few hours of her pretending he didn’t exist was enough.
He saw her coming down the corridor and—
Grab.
He pulled her into his office and blocked the door.
"Can we talk?"
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