The collision
1151 Words
“Are you alright sir?”
She said slowly, her eyebrows furrowing as her eyes bounced from me to Neo and back.
“Get maintenance to inspect this elevator and fix it.”
His voice was commanding. Not loud but it carried enough weight to make the HR lady scurry off like she’d just been scolded.
The finality of his tone made my toes tingle. I didn’t know if it was fear or adrenaline.
Without another word, he walked out. Leaving me standing alone in the hallway.
Clearing my throat, I followed behind him.
At the door of his office, I stopped.
I took a breath, then another. My heart was still pounding inside my chest as I knocked softly on the door.
I didn’t wait for a response before I let myself in.
“You sent for me.”
I said, standing attentively directly in front of his desk, awaiting his response.
“Yes,” he said flatly.
“These are the projects that have to be completed before next month.”
He slid a large file to me. It was filled with so many papers, it could have doubled as a doorstop.
I blinked at it.
“All of this?”
“Is that a problem”. He said, raising a brow at me.
“No,” I said quickly.
“Of course not,” I added.
As I flipped open the file and scanned the first few pages, I felt my soul leave my body.
What happened to simple beginner and ice-breaker tasks?
All this paperwork was enough to send a workaholic spiraling.
“You’ll report to me directly for this task. Got it?”
“Yes sir. ”
He nodded once, dismissing me.
I left the office with the file pressed to my chest like it might absorb my anxiety. The rest of the office was slowly emptying out as the hours went by, but I stayed behind, working at my desk.
I had to make a good impression, right?
Showing dedication and drowning myself in paperwork was sure to do the trick.
I worked through half the file, highlighting some important points, rereading lines and I even started googling some of the acronyms.
Grabbing my phone to google more acronyms, my stomach growled angrily, which I ignored. I had a goal to meet.
When I finally stood up to stretch, the time was about 7:30pm.
My eyes were stinging from all the reading that I’d been doing, and my head felt too heavy for my body.
Mid-stretch, my eyes drifted towards Neo’s office door.
His office looked a bit dark. Maybe he’d left for the night. I thought to myself as I pulled my seat out, finishing off my little break.
I bit my bottom lip as I redirected myself in the direction of Neo’s office.
‘It wouldn’t hurt to check in on something, maybe get clarity on work-related affairs.’
That’s what I told myself as I climbed a flight of stairs leading to his office and opened the door without knocking.
He wasn’t there.
The room was dimly lit, the air smelled of a woody cologne that I had grown to hate because of its wearer.
My feet moved before my brain could protest.
I knew I wasn’t supposed to snoop, but I did anyway.
A framed picture sat on his desk, angled in a way that it was facing away from visitors.
I reached for it slowly, and my heart froze.
It was Sarah.
My Sarah.
My best friend.
Her arm was around Neo’s neck and his around her waist as they posed for the camera.
They both looked so… happy.
No. No.
No. No. No. No. No
There was a ring on her finger, a glint of silver and stones. Her smile so bright it lit up the whole picture.
My mouth went dry.
Behind me, the sound of the door clicking made my whole body stiffen.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing?”
Neo’s voice cut through the silent room, bouncing off the walls, leaving an echo.
I turned around slowly, the frame still in my hand.
He stood by the door, his jaw tight and his expression unreadable.
“I-.” My voice cracked.
“This is Sarah.”
I said, my hands trembling as I stretched the frame forward.
“I know.”
He replied coolly, his tone too flat for my liking.
“She’s your fiancée?”
He didn’t answer and that was an answer in itself.
My fingers curled tighter around the picture frame.
“You- you're engaged to my best friend?”
My voice trembled, my eyes widening a fraction.
“You didn’t think to mention that you were engaged before you almost kissed me in a damn elevator?!”
Neo’s face darkened as I raised my voice, but he said nothing.
“Oh my God,” I whispered, running a hand through my hair as I backed up slowly.
“Was this all a game for you? A sick, twisted ego boost?”
He took a step forward.
“Mia-“
“Don’t!” I snapped, slamming the frame down on the table.
I glanced once more at Sarah’s smile and my chest caved in.
How did I miss this?
I mean, I knew Sarah was engaged. She had spent the past few months busy with wedding planning.
But how didn’t I know that she was engaged to him?
“I need to go.” My voice was quiet now.
I turned around and sped out of his office towards my desk, not giving him a chance to follow.
I grabbed my purse and keys and bolted out of the establishment without looking back once.
The night air slapped me as I rushed to my car. I fumbled with my keys for a minute too long before I finally unlocked it.
Throwing myself in the car seat, tears spilled freely now, blinding me.
How could I have been so stupid?
I didn’t only betray myself, I betrayed my best friend.
The girl who was always there for me.
The girl who trusted and loved me.
The girl whose engagement I just accidentally set ablaze.
As I sped down the road, my phone buzzed beside me. The screen lit up.
Sarah’s name was displayed on the screen brightly, making my heart thump faster.
Looking over at my phone, I hesitated, then I grabbed it without thinking.
A horn blared loudly, and I whipped my head upright.
Almost immediately, I was blinded by the headlights of a fast-approaching truck.
I slammed the breaks, the sounds of screeching tires filling my ears, but it was too late, the truck was already there.
The impact hit, and the car spun violently.
My body jerked, flung like a rag doll.
The windows shattered, flinging glass shards all around.
The world turned upside down and everything went black.
- Writer
