Chapter Twenty-Eight

Harper

 

I was never one of those "thank God it's Friday" people. Mostly because I spent my weekends catching up on work that had piled up during the week. But more than that, I liked my job, so it didn't really make me excited that I was getting a break from it.

Except today.

Fuck today. Thank God it was fucking Friday because otherwise I might actually die.

The conference room was overheated, that was the first problem. The air had that strange, nostril-tingling overheated electrical smell and the air was heavy with static electricity. I looked over at Cecily and noticed that three errant hairs had escaped from her perfectly arranged bob, standing upright to dance crazily above her head. I made a mental note not to let her touch me until she shocked someone else. Then I smiled as I remembered how Everett used to scuff his feet across the carpet and force me to touch his finger. One time we did it in the dark and both jumped when we saw the blue spark flash. It hurt, but I'd been convinced I gained super powers at that moment, and went outside to try to jump off the roof, ready to fly. Cal had convinced me to at least aim my flight towards the snowdrift that had gathered on the leeward side of the house, so I'd flung myself over that way and ended up landing directly on top of Grayson as he was trying to sled down the hill.

I shook my head and sat up straighter, realizing that the room had gone suddenly silent. Feeling like a kid caught not paying attention in class, I straightened up and smiled, catching Cecily's glare out of the corner of my eye.

"Yes, I think that would work just fine for us," Cecily said smoothly. I nodded along with her, wondering what I had just agreed to.

Everyone around me started talking again, and I blinked rapidly, trying to focus. Did they want me to talk too? Was I supposed to be contributing right now? Why did I not know what was happening...at all?

Maybe it was the strangeness of the situation. That's what I told myself anyway, sitting here in the middle of the TV executive board room, listening to them hammer out the details of how to bring my work to life on the screen. Yeah, that was surreal. Maybe that was why their voices kept fading in and out, why everything suddenly started spiraling around and around. I felt so damn dizzy.

There was a sharp crack against my ankles. I looked up to see Cecily, smiling brightly and nodding, prompting me. "Could you repeat that?" I said.

The gray bearded executive leaned forward and repeated his question, but once again I had no idea what he said. In fact, it didn't even sound like English. The dizziness increased and I pressed my palms against the table. "Excuse me," I said, standing up swiftly. If I didn't make it to the bathroom right now, I was going to vomit across this glass top table.

I rushed out into the hallway and took a wild guess as to which way the restroom was. I ran almost blindly, praying to whatever God of fashion there was that I wouldn't twist my ankle on my stiletto heel and send myself sprawling across the floor.

Although lying down actually sounded like a pretty good option right now.

I pushed my way into the bathroom. It was spotless, all white subway tile and gleaming chrome. I felt like I had landed in some alien mothership, and with how everything was swirling around in an unreal haze, I may as well have.

Quick as it came, the dizzy spell passed. I leaned forward and rested my head against the cool tile, taking deep breaths.

The door slammed open and I twisted slightly to see Cecily standing there, her smile a menacing grimace. 

"Here you are," she said evenly, dangerously. "I was wondering when you planned to stop blowing it in there."

I pushed back from the wall. "I'm sorry, I didn't feel well there for a moment."

"You're supposed to be working on convincing them of your wholesome brand," Cecily said, reaching for some paper towels and running them under the tap. She pressed the damp cloths into my hand. "Pull yourself together," she ordered me.  "You're acting like a fucking weirdo. Are you on drugs?"

I straightened up. "Of course I'm not on drugs," I laughed.

"Then snap out of it," she hissed.

I nodded, dutifully dabbing the paper towel under my eyes, careful not to mess my makeup any further. Then I slid it down to press against my mouth and all at once, a thought came unbidden.

The memory of New Year's night and being on my knees with two cocks in my hand.

The laughter bubbled up in my chest and suddenly burst out of my mouth. Cecily watched, horrified, as I dissolved into helpless laughter, slumping against the tile again. I pressed the heel of my hand against my forehead. "I have to go," I said. "I'm sorry, but I have to go right now." I knew her face was contorted into a mask of shocked rage, but I barely even registered it as I pushed my way out the door.