C81 Brother You Are Sweating

We returned to work but my mind wasn’t fully focused anymore. Even when I thought about Samantha, it didn’t hurt the same way it used to.

It felt distant… like a fading memory rather than a fresh wound. Well, I’ll know for sure the next time I see her.

In the afternoon, I decided I would not give Alicia another chance to appear at my desk.

I worked faster than usual. Typed faster. Focused harder. Finished everything earlier than expected. Then I quickly packed my things and headed for the door before she could show up.

The moment I stepped outside, I saw her.

Alicia was just leaving her department. She looked at me with surprise. “You were quick today,” she said. Small beads of sweat had formed on my forehead.

Before I could explain, her eyes narrowed slightly. Then she smiled. “You didn’t want me to come fetch you, did you?” She laughed softly. I ignored her and continued walking.

When we reached the outside area, Chris was not there yet, so we waited.

A few minutes later, he arrived. The moment he saw me, his eyes widened. “Mike… did you run here?” he asked. “How are you here before me? And why are you sweating?”

Alicia giggled. “I asked him the same thing,” she said. “He didn’t answer me. Maybe he will answer you.”

I felt my face heat up. I couldn’t tell them the truth. That I was avoiding the attention. So I quickly improvised. “No… I was just thinking about something,” I said.

Both of them immediately became curious. “What were you thinking about?” they asked at the same time.