Name: Khairiah
Age: 27
Occupation: molecular biology scientist at Hemlock Cove Institute for Technology.
Interests: Pete (R), Ben, Seb
Costume: Alice in wonderland (if i have to time to make)
Joining the charity raffle: Yes. Will be joining.
Outfit:
Office | Costume Party
Story: Complete
A Friendly Neighbor
“Mother I feel I have been dumped.”
“Honey, you weren’t dumped. Things change. That’s all.”
Khariah smiled as she heard the conversation echoing by the staircase. As she reached the final steps of the staircase, sure enough she saw her neighbour Martha with her six year old daughter whose arms were folded.
“I thought promises were meant to be kept,” the little girl pouted, her bottom lip jutting out in petulance. .
Martha simply sighed, massaging her temple in exasperation. “Your grandma needs me to come with her to the hospital. Sweety, we don’t have a choice. We can go next time.”
“You always say next time.”
“This time I mean it.”
“I was dumped yesterday and I will not be dumped today.”
“Sweety the word you are looking for is duped - and you weren’t duped”
“Mother you are duping me. I feel it in my claws.”
“Oh for the love of all that is - oh good day Khairiah.”
Khairiah smiled politely at Martha and the little girl as she approached her door which was right beside them. “Good day to you, Martha. And to your little tyrant.”
“I’m not a tyrant,” the accused tyrant whined, “I’m an ogre.”
“My bad,” Khairiah chuckled. “Last time you seemed determined I called you a tyrant.”
“That was ages ago. Today I wanna be an ogre and smash things.”
“That was yesterday, but okay. You won’t hear any complaints from me.” Khairiah stifled a laugh that threatened to bubble when she saw Martha’s expression mixed expression of utter exasperation, amusement and horror.
“What seems to be the issue with your sweet ogre today, Martha?” Khairiah turned to Martha who heaved another long sigh.
“I promised to take Anne to the ice skating rink tomorrow evening, but my mother in law fell out of bed this morning and is feeling a little under he weather. Since James is out of town for work, I’m the only one who can take her and I’m free to do just that tomorrow …”
“Grandma is always breaking things,” Anne added helpfully, “Yesterday she fell over my princess Fiano painting and broke it. But I’m not even mad because Grandma slipped me fifty bucks for it and told me not to tell Mom.”
Khariah grinned at Anne, helplessly charmed by the fiery Anne. “It’s a good thing you’re so good at keeping secrets. But why would you leave your painting on the floor?”
“It wasn’t on the floor,” Anne rolled her eyes in exasperation, an identical copy of her mother. “It was on the wall. We were playing spider trant. I was the bad guy and Grandma was getting away.”
“I see.”
“Do you see what I have to deal with?” Martha sighed dramatically for the hundredth time that day. Khariah chuckled, and as she turned the key to her door, she found herself turning back to the mom. “I don’t mind taking Anne to the ice skating rink….that is if you don't mind.”
Martha paused for a moment, but it was Anne that squealed in utter delight.
“You will? Yayy! I’m gonna go paint my skate green for tomorrow!” she exclaimed happily before darting inside her house.
“Are you sure Khairiah?” Martha asked her, “Anne, the precious ogre is lovely and all, but she is quite the handful.”
Khairiah was already regretting her decision the moment she remembered how much energy Anne had, but it was too late. The words were already out.
“It’s fine. Besides, I was meaning to check out the carnival anyway.”
“Well if it ever gets too much just give me a call. I won’t be able to rescue you but I can do a mean mom lecture through the phone,” she offered.
Khairiah smiled. “Thanks, I hope it won't come to that.”
Finding Theories at the Carnival
It had only been an hour, but Khairiah had already lost the kid.
Khairiah gazed miserably at the crowd of bustling people, little kids running around from stall to stall, the ice skating rink in the center. But Anne couldn’t have gone back to the skating rink because Khairiah had her skates.
So where on earth was she?
It had been a pretty tiring but nonetheless enjoyable outing; Annie went skating, they had ice cream right after and just as Khairiah was telling her to hold her hand tight so she didn’t get lost in the crowd, Annie was gone. And worst of all - Khairiah didn’t even realize she was holding hands with the wrong kid until an old lady came crying and snached the snotty kid away from Khairiah. Much to her shock, confusion and horor when she realized what had transpired.
So there she was, in the middle of the bustling crowd in the carnival - childless. Normally she would laugh at herself for getting into a strange position like this, but she was too close to tears. How could she have lost a child? What would Martha think?
“You alright there?”
Khairiah immediately looked up and found Pete standing there, handsomely dressed in a casual attire, a concerned look etched on his face.
She didn't think it was possible to feel so relieved at seeing an acquaintance.
“Pete!” she exclaimed and latched onto his arm. “I need your help.”
She explained to him her situation, and Pete immediately went with her around the carnival, searching for Annie and calling the lost and found booth and security. After a while of running up and down and calling everyone they could think of, Pete finally got a call from security saying they saw a little blonde girl dressed in a strange green dress by the ferris wheel.
They rushed there, and to Khairiah’s utter relief, Anne was there sitting nonchalantly on the ride eating a lollipop. She immediately called Martha to update her on the status of her child.
“I feel like I aged ten years,” Khairiah groaned against the bars surrounding the ferris wheel.
“Dealing with children can do that to you,” Pete acknowledged with a grin. “It’s a mystery why kids have so much energy hoarded up in such a small body.”
“It’s because of their oxygen intake,” Khairiah responded out of reflex. “When they're young their rate of oxygen absorption is quite high, which in turn also makes them breathe more easily…”
She paused when she saw Pete’s bemused expression and blushed. “I’m a molecular biology scientist at the Institute of Technology,” she said as a way of explanation.
“Aha, well from one researcher to another, I say I like your theory.”
“It isn’t theory, it’s fact,” Khairiah couldn’t help but retort.
“For now maybe,” he acknowledged. “But who knows whether someone else will come along tomorrow and say they’ve discovered a vortex welded deep within the children’s DNA that sucks in all sorts of negative energy and transfuses into maniacal energy, which is why of course sometimes children are called demon spawns .”
Khairah gave an incredulous look at him. “Now you’re just making stuff up. That isn’t science that’s…..fantasy. Fiction.”
Pete simply grinned. “Alright, how about another theory. Children are energetic because of the waves of positive influence and energy from their present environment. Happy home leads to happy little terrors.”
“Simple, plausible but still not concrete enough as a hypothesis to form a study,” she stated, sliding her glasses up her nose.
“Molecular biologists are so technical,” he shook his head with sympathy. “You tell me one better otherwise I rest my case that kids have a lot of energy because they’re demon spawns.”
“That’s the theory you’re sticking to?”
Pete shrugged. “I’m still waiting for your theory.”
“This is silly and completely unrealistic and unfactual.”
“I understand,” he nodded, patting Khairiah sympathetically on the shoulder. “You’re simply not confident enough in your ability as a molecular biological scientist to form a hypothesis that’s better than mine.”
Oh, he did not just say that. Khairiah rolled her eyes at him. “Fine. I’ll play. Children are energetic because they’re in a constant state of development. The most rapid growth is between the ages of three to seven, so it is then that their body is working harder on building structures that will shield them from their present vulnerabilities. Therefore, their bodies adapted to take in more energy. It is similar to how generally males are always considered warmer than their female counterparts; their bodies, heart rate is working at a much faster rate than that of a woman.”
Khairiah felt a little out of breath when she finished speaking. She never usually spoke this much outside of her comfort zone, but Pete just had to get her riled up.
Pete was smiling at her, his eyes warm, light and teasing. “I still like my theory better.”
“Oh, please!” she scoffed incredulously, but she couldn't help but smile along with him, her face bright red.
“But no rational scientist can afford to take up a hypothesis without testing it.”
Khairiah glanced up at him in confusion. Where was he going with that?
“So in lieu of your theory, I suggest we test your validity of sources. May I?” He gestured to her palm.
She narrowed her gaze at him suspiciously, but nonetheless, held out her hand. He took it, and the shock of the contact and heat emitting from his palm sent a strange tingling around her palm.
“Your hands are ice cold,” he noted, his large hands gently examining hers.
She blushed, embarrassed at the sudden feeling of intimacy. He was just holding her hand, not asking to marry her. So why was her heart beating so erratically?
“And your hands are quite...not ice cold.”
“An astute observation.”
His hands were actually quite warm, hot even she would say compared to hers. With his large hands clasped around her tiny ones, the heat that enveloped him spread to her. Or maybe it was the thundering of heart that caused her to feel much warmer.
“And so, you believe in my theory now?” she managed to choke out.
“Almost.”
“What’s a theory, aunt Kay kay?”
Startled, Khairiah immediately jumped back, slipping her hand out of Pete’s warm grasp. Standing to the right of her was Annie dressed in her green dress, another lollipop in her hand, gazing innocently at them both.
“Annie!” Khairiah exclaimed, rushing immediately towards her and giving her a hug. “I thought I lost you!”
“So it was this Annie that you lost?” Pete said, shaking his head. “And no wonder. It’s hard enough to keep this little tyke safe and sound in the day care center, I can't imagine with her out in the real world.”
“Pete! You’re here!” Annie gleamed excitedly, offering him a lollipop. And then somehow, one thing led to another, and Pete actually walked around the carnival with them for a little while until Khairiah decided she had had enough of people remarking of what a cute family they were and decided to take Annie home.
But just as she was thanking Pete again for the hundredth time while saying her farewell, that Pete held up his hand.
“If you really want to thank me then come with me to this Mardi Gras party.”
“Mardi Gras Party?” she echoed in confusion.
“It’s a costume party that's happening soon. I would love it if you could come. I know it’s not really your thing..”
“She will come,” Annie interjected with an innocent smile but a daredevil gaze. “Mama has the nicest dress for her.”
Pete grinned at her before petting Annie on the head affectionately. Khairiah smiled. “I guess the kid has spoken for me. I’ll come if I can.”
“See you then Khairiah. Maybe we can test out some other theories.”
Khariah shook her head in bemusement, but her cheeks were on fire. What on earth was happening? Did Pete just ask her out to a party?
“As long as there are no more vortex’s involved, I think I can handle another ludicrous theory of yours.”
Pete simply winked at her before turning to leave. “I make no promises.”
Strange Things At Work
At work, Khairiah found herself finally at peace. She knew what she was doing here, because this was her world. She felt revitalized. Confident. Happy.
“There is a problem with the reports.”
Khairiah glanced up at her boss, who was frowning as he went through the papers. They were all seated in a large round table for one of their usual monthly meetings.
“Who is in charge of the reports again?” Shapur asked.
Her heart thudded in her chest, a sinking feeling settling in her stomach.
Numbly she raised her hand. “It was me.”
Shapur raised his eyebrow at her. “Did you check them?”
“I did,” she admitted, swallowing nervously. .
“And you didn’t find anything strange about these figures?”
“I did but-”
“I expect better from you Khairiah,” he stated with a sigh. “These reports are very inconsistent. I don't like it when my reports are inconsistent. It means either it's been unprofessionally done or it’s been tampered with.”
Khairiah opened her mouth in shock at his blatant insinuation. She never knew Shapur to be so harsh and critical.
“I didn’t tamper with them,” she managed to whisper out. Realizing that no one could possibly hear her voice so low, she repeated it louder. “Shapur, I did not tamper with them.”
“I am not saying that you did,” Shapur shook his head. “I’m merely stating what I don’t like. Do better next time Khairiah. This type of inconsistency is simply unacceptable.”
This was exactly the reason why hours later, in the afternoon, Khairiah found herself going through the reports once again. She needed to find out the source of the issue.
It was only after hours of searching did she finally pick up on a strange pattern; the machines that were used to work on the AI technology have logged on more hours than they should have at the end of each month.
In fact, upon further scrutiny, Khairiah realized that the database accessed was the online information and gathering of personal browsing data.
What were they looking for Khairiah couldn't help but be curious. Someone had disrupted the system because of their extra logging time and she wanted to know who. Unfortunately, due to the limited personal at her office and tight security, there was a very slim chance she would even be able to access the security files to find out who it was.
Khairiah stared blankly at the mass of reports around her.
Who was doing this, and more importantly, why?
Valentine Table Hopping
It was valentine’s day. An amazing day for those with lovers, but for the single it was just a reminder of how lonely it was to lack a partner.
Khairiah glanced out the window of the local Eatery restaurant. Outside in the cold, couples were linked together, holding flowers or assortments of chocolates and other confectionery, love or lust evident in their body language.
In the restaurant it was somehow better and worse at the same time.
Couples were everywhere, but since it was a little early in the evening, there weren’t that many people milling about.
Khiariah sighed to herself as she turned to stare at her milkshake before her. She wanted to be loved too. It seemed wonderful. Despite what many people may have believed about her, mistaking her quietness and lack of enthusiasm for disinterest, she just didn’t know how to talk to a lot of people. Everyone just had so much to say, but when there were so many people it was hard to string a coherent sentence with more than three words out loud.
She was 27 years old. An adult. She should be over this by now.
Warm grey eyes came to mind and she immediately banished the thought. Only for it to flit around her mind again.
She had spent quite a few days staring at her ceiling, her mind mulling over every detail of her encounter with Pete. She wasn’t quite herself when it came to Pete. It must be his secret ability or something. He was easy to talk to, and in that carnival usually she would be tongue tied but with Pete she not only spoke more than three syllables in her sentences, but even argued.
“Oh my gosh, it’s Ben!” a girly voice gushed from behind her, breaking Khairiah from her reverie.
“He looks so good today. You don’t think he has a date, right?” another girl asked, her tone laced in concern.
“He might. Gosh. What I would do to be his date.”
“Girl you don’t have to tell me.” Giggling ensued and Khairiah could only lament on the fact that it would be nice if she had girlfriends to giggle and gossip with about cute boys. The closest friend she had was probably Theo, but even then sometimes it was hard to find time to meet up and do normal friend things.
Khairiah glanced at the direction the girls were looking pointedly at and saw another handsome Fitzgerald family member, lounging casually on his chair. He was on his phone, a tense expression on his face.
Ah Ben. The real pretty face of the Fitzgerald family. Also a hot commodity among the ladies, if the giggling behind her was anything to go by. His features, she observed, were quite similar to Pete, but not quite. Pete had the more softer face while Ben was more angular and sharp in contrast.
She remembered that night a year prior when she met drunk Pete for the first time. Everyone has secrets Khairiah..
She wondered what type of secret he hoarded and if their relationship would ever prosper to the point where he would share it.
She wondered why she was even thinking about this kind of thing. She could only blame it on the auspicious day that it was. Valentine could make anyone look for the slightest sign of possible romantic relationships. Not that she expected or even considered the possibility of a romantic potential in Pete. Even though he was quite handsome, charming, easy to talk to, good with children….I mean really. She wasn’t thinking anything romantic.
Really.
“Your food, ma’am.” A waiter announced, startling Khairiah who blushed furiously, embarrassed at where her thoughts were leading towards.
She nodded and moved aside her milkshake to make room for the waiter to put the food on the table in front of her. “Thank you.”
After stuffing a mouthful of pasta in her mouth, Khairiah glanced up to find Ben making his way in her direction.
Her heart thundered in her chest as she heard the girls in the table behind her still in quiet anticipation.
There was no way he would be coming to sit with her since they barely even knew each other….and yet it was quite clear that he meant to talk to her.
Ben slid in her booth, taking the seat opposite her and smiled apologetically.
“You don’t mind if I sit here for a bit, do you?”
Khairiah shook her head immediately, trying to chew faster so she could swallow.
He waited patiently, eyeing her curiously.
A few moments ticked by in silence, until Khairiah finally managed to swallow her food. She gulped her milkshake down and once her throat was clear she turned back to Ben, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.
“Uhm, how can I help you?” she managed to ask.
Ben smiled, leaning back on his chair in apparent ease. “Just came to see what’s up with you.”
“I see.”
She did not see. She was sure they weren't even really acquaintances to the point of table hopping.
“I’m sorry if I’m making you uncomfortable,” he said sincerely.
“You’re not making me…..uncomfortable,” she replied. But of course it wasn’t true.
“It’s just that I’m a little curious about you is all,” he shrugged.
“Why?”
He grinned at her, looking almost boyish with the cunning smile. “It’s because of Pete. Did you know he called me at the carnival? Said some kid was missing and if I saw her I needed to call back stat.”
The mention of Pete sent a jolt through Khairiah, so she cleared her throat.
“Uhm, yeah. We managed to find said kid so…..”
“Oh I know,” he said, his eyes glinting. “I just found it interesting when I saw the three of you walking around the carnival. You guys looked like one sweet family. Heck, the kid even had your blonde hair.”
All the blood that existed in my body rushed into her face, turning Khairiah beetroot red. “I’m sure that isn’t true.”
He chuckled. “I’m not saying it was bad at all. On the contrary, I’m quite envious that Pete managed to find such a pretty girlfriend.”
Oh! So that’s why he came over. Khairiah wished a hole would just open up and swallow her.
“It’s not….we’re not like that…” Khairiah managed to mumble out. “It was just a coincidence.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. He just happened to run into me when I lost the kid, so he was just...helping out.”
A few seconds ticked by in silence. Khairiah stared at her pasta feeling mortified of the entire conversation.
“I see,” Ben finally said. “Well this makes things a little awkward.” He chuckled and Khairiah found herself glancing up at him, a tiny smile on her face.
“I’m sorry, then, if I made you uncomfortable. I have a tendency to jump to conclusions about...things. Pete tells me all the time to think a little before I speak.”
“It’s okay,” Khairiah nodded at him, feeling sorry for his evident embarrassment. “I guess if I saw my little sister with a guy I’ve never seen before I might be a little curious about him too.”
“You have a little sister?”
“No, I don’t. Only child I’m afraid.”
Ben shook his head empathically. “I can’t imagine what that would be like.”
Khairiah simply smiled twirling the pasta around her fork. “I can’t imagine what it’s like to have siblings.”
“Oh it’s terrible I’m afraid,” he grinned. “All those fist fights and pranks. Some nights I had to sleep with one eye open.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” he grinned. But then it was as if he remembered something distasteful as he suddenly frowned, the enthusiastic energy around him turning gloomy.
“But these days, yeah. Family is just...well messy.”
She immediately recalled Pete, drunk and lost when he was ranting to her. My family isn’t as perfect as it looks on the outside. We have our own disgusting secret.
“I imagine most families are,” Khairiah commented and Ben shrugged, still frowning.
“I suppose.”
He glanced at Khairiah and stood up. “Well, I’m very sorry for interrupting your meal.”
“No-no. It’s fine,” Khairiah stated, smiling shyly. “I enjoyed your company.”
Ben smiled a little at that, though his shoulders were still tense.
“Well, it's always a pleasure to dine with a beautiful lady,” he held out his hand to shake and Khairiah immediately took it.
“Khairiah,” she introduced herself, even though she knew he probably already knew it.
“Ben,” he winked at her.
It was only when he finally left and Khairiaha managed to stuff herself again with pasta that she realized the table of girls behind her had gone deathly quiet. Almost as if they had died from the shock of seeing Ben talking to her.
She almost died in shock herself so she couldn't blame them much.
First Pete and now Ben. She was finding herself more acquainted with the Fitzgerald family than she ever thought possible.
Costume Party
“Mama, Mama! Kay kay looks so pretty,” Annie squealed in delight to her mother.
“Yes, dear I know,” came her mother’s dry response.
Khairiah blushed. It was very sweet of her neighbours to be so interested in her costume for the party. Khairiah would have gone as a lamp post so she could fade in the background, but Martha and Annie were having none of it.
She thanked them for lending the apron and headband before heading out to the costume party.
Once she reached, she felt nervous at the sight of the crowd. Too many people and all in different costumes. There were rabbits, rockstars…. A priest?
She paused by the door way, curious, but sure enough there was a priest standing near the drink area laughing with a friend. On closer inspection, she recognized the priest as Seb, the musician who had asked her out for coffee a while ago. He hadn’t really spoken to her after that and neither did she since she was caught up in the fiasco that happened at work.
She waited for a little bit, hiding in the corners of the room until he was alone and then approached him.
“Hi,” she greeted him bravely. Startled he turned around and when he saw her he grinned.
“I like your look Alice,” he smiled at her and she blushed. “Thanks. And you’re a ….priest? That’s uhm, interesting.”
He shrugged, looking a little embarrassed. “Honestly I didn’t really know what to wear. This was the only thing I came up with last minute.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
A few moments passed in silence while Khairiah tried to think about what to say. How did people socialize? What else could she talk about.
“How was your...day?”
There. That seemed normal. It made room for conversation and if he replied with nothing she could take the hint and move back to the corner of the room regretting coming at all.
“It’s been good so far,” he replied casually. “And you?”
“It’s good.” Drat. She was out of conversation topics.
“How's your work going for you?” he asked her and she gave him a relieved smile.
“It’s….alright.”
“Just alright?”
“Well…” she hesitated for a moment and then continued. “It’s been great. I love my job. But this week it’s been a little more problematic than usual…”
“How so?”
“Just some work issues. But no worries, nothing I can’t handle,” she said brightly, despite the fact that the words rung falsely in her ears. She hoped it was something she could handle. But she didn’t want to think about it right now.
He looked curious, but dropped the subject.
He asked a little bit more about her day and what she did for valentine’s day. A while later some more people came by the table, but she was out of courage so she took some chocolates and slinked away from the crowd around Seb.
She checked the time. It had only been half an hour and already she felt a little drained of energy. She imagined being at home right about now, in her blankets watching something...maybe the latest episode of her soap opera.
It was getting to the good part. The main female lead Emily was thrown off a cliff by her fiance Luke who was cheating on her with her best friend. And now a new rich lady came back to his town who was Emily, but disguised and out for vengeance. The latest episode was supposed to be when she was discovered by her best friend. And she missed it for this.
But at least the chocolates were good.
“Care to share some?”
She glanced up to find Pete smiling at her dressed dashingly in a Mad Hatter outfit.
“Pete,” she smiled back at him in greeting. He gestured to their outfit.
“You look absolutely lovely,” he commented, causing her to blush furiously. “Thanks. You look lovely too.”
“Alice and the Hatter. I can’t think of a better duo.”
Turning red, she straightened up and offered some chocolates. “This was all Annie’s idea. I was prepared to come as a lamp post.”
He chuckled as he took one from the box. “I’m afraid that might be my fault. We were reading Alice's adventures in wonderland to the kids the other day which is where I got the idea to come as this.”
He chatted to her easily about the various antics that Annie came up with in the day care center, and Khairiah found herself relaxing and laughing along to what Pete said.
They danced for a bit, and then moved outside to chat some more. Pete had a lot of stories about his time at the daycare.
“She really did that?” she asked incredulously.
“I’m telling you. We were all out of our minds when we saw the kids acting like they were deranged. But it was Annie’s crazy idea. She wanted to be a zombie so she made all her friends act like one.”
“At least there weren't any fake blood.”
Khairiah gaped when she saw Pete’s dramatic expression of despair.
“No way,” she exclaimed. “How would she even find that?”
“She used strawberry jam and ketchup. It was a disaster. The clean up was not fun.”
“Wow.” Khairiah knew Annie was a force to be reckoned with, but if there were more Annie’s running around she didn’t know if she could take it.
“I don’t know if I would have the energy for that kind of thing,” she found herself saying as she leaned against the balcony. They were outside now, taking the opportunity to talk where they weren't drowned by the loud music indoors.
He smiled as he followed her movement and leaned against the balcony. “Well, I would be lying if I didn’t say it can be draining at times. But I find them fascinating. It’s why I have my current thesis centered around them.”
She peered at him curiously. “Right, you’re working on your thesis. May I ask what it's about?”
“Something to do with children's development.”
“Ah, I see,” realization hit her. “Your ludicrous vortex theory makes more sense. Though I must say if you plan to use that I highly doubt you will be able to find any sources to support your theory.”
He laughed. “Who knows what I could find. The beauty of observation is expecting the unexpected.”
Her mind wandered to her work. The inconsistency in her reports. Yeah, definitely unexpected.
He turned to her. “Well, what about you? Don’t tell me you do experiments in your fancy lab hoping the results are always the same.”
“Well, sometimes predictability and mundane isn’t always so bad.”
“No it isn't,” he agreed, smiling softly. His grey eyes found hers, causing her stomach to flop nervously. “So how’s work been treating you? I’m sure it can’t be any more of a headache than mine.”
She sighed. “Usually I would welcome any form of headache because it means a challenge in my research. But recently….”
She hesitated, wondering if she should divulge more about the issues at work. Noah, founder of the company, was Pete’s older brother. It might be a little weird to complain about it to him.
As if he read her mind Pete held up his hands. “Hey, don’t worry about me. Noah is a great guy and all…”
“Your brother you mean.”
“I mean sure, but I can separate; brother at home. Terrible boss at work.”
“He isn’t terrible. I actually admire him a lot,” she told him with a smile.
“I see.”
“It’s just that...recently I got in trouble. I was in charge of some reports, but the findings were a bit weird.”
She told him about the inconsistency in the reports. The strange pattern that she found.
“I really hope it’s nothing to worry about,” she sighed after telling him everything. She felt better now that she said it out loud. The weight of guilt, curiosity and concern was now shared with Pete. If he thought she was overreacting, then she probably was.
“Hmm, it does seem all strange,” Pete acknowledged, his expression carefully impassive, but his eyes thoughtful. “But there’s hardly enough information to assume the worst. Who has access to the database?”
“Well, mostly the project leaders like Shapur and…” she hesitated before saying it. “And Noah.”
Something was bugging her as soon as she mentioned his name. She remembered it then. The day of her arrival at the meeting, there was some light activity going on in Noah’s office. But that wasn’t anything to be suspicious about….
“What do you think could be happening?”
Startled at the sudden seriousness of his tone, she glanced up to find him looking at her. Impassive and his jaw set.
“I don’t know,” she replied, feeling a bit dazed under the weight of his gaze. “I just...I mean you mentioned before that everyone has secrets. I hope this isn’t one of the messy ones that could cause a lot of trouble….”
“Well for now it doesn’t seem to be much to worry about,” Pete said lightly, his expression relaxing.
“I hope so.” she replied, not completely convinced.
Drama was reserved for her romantic serialized shows and movies. Not real life.
She hoped.
Status: Done
Last edited by MissKiki (03/03/2021 at 19:45)
I feel everyone who made it a winner, so there's not gonna be an announcement just yet.