Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Him
Atlas’s POV
Sometimes I find it so hard to be near her. The way the soft scent of lavender fills my nostrils when she walks past or the way her smile shines as bright as the sun. Everything about her is perfect to me.
I sometimes find myself watching her work through the windows beside my office door. It isn’t until I hear her phone ring, that I realize I’ve been watching her like a creep. She hasn’t caught me doing it yet, so that’s a plus.
Dinner at her house this past weekend was an eventful night. She makes a bomb mac n cheese, and her roommate really knows how to drink. He went through almost a whole bottle of wine just by himself.
We spent majority of the night playing Uno and a drinking version of Monopoly, which was an experience to say the least. I wasn’t too interested in playing the game because all I wanted to do was watch Sabrina smile and laugh.
I huff, looking around my silent office. I have two options, I can either continue doing my work or I can go and talk to Sabrina about work as an excuse to see her. I choose option two. I’m quick to my feet and rushing for the door. This woman has me drawn to her like a magnet.
When I fling the door open, Sabrina looks up at me with a confused expression, probably wondering why I’m rushing out of my office.
“Hi,” I say, trying to act natural and cool.
She tries to hide a smile, “Hi. What’s up?”
I lean against the door frame, “I just wanted to check in on how you’re doing out here.”
“I’ve been doing this job for about four weeks now,” She states, watching me carefully, “So, I think I’m doing just fine.”
So much sass for such a small girl.
“I know,” I try to play off my eagerness with a wave of my hand, “I just like checking in on my employees and how they’re doing.”
She smiles but turns away when her phone rings. I look away and pretend to do something on my phone until she’s finished. I can hear her setting up a meeting for me tomorrow afternoon, but I already know what that’s about.
“Is there anything else you need?” Sabrina asks when she hangs up the call.
“I, uh,” I stumble over my words, trying to think of something quickly so I can continue talking to her.
She looks at me like I’ve gone crazy. And I probably have.
I clear my throat, “I wanted to thank you again for having me over for dinner the other night. You and your roommate have a lovely home.”
Sabrina leans back in her chair, looking up at me, “Thank you. I hope you didn’t feel like you were inclined to come just because we’re work colleagues.”
I shake my head, “Of course not.”
Before Sabrina can speak again, I ask a question I have been dying to know since I saw her sitting in the park with him.
“Are you and Dylan dating?”
The look on Sabrina’s face makes me think I shouldn’t have asked, but curiosity got the best of me.
What I wasn’t expecting, though, was for Sabrina to burst out laughing in my face. I frown, trying to understand how what I said was in any way funny.
“You think we’re dating?” She asks between laughter.
I shrug my shoulders, “I’m just curious.”
She laughs, shaking her head, “No, we’re not.”
“Have you two known each other long?” The questions just keep falling out of my lips before I can stop them.
“We met in our first year of college” She replies, “We aren’t doing the same degree, but one day he saw me crying on the lawn and tried to make me laugh with corny jokes. We’ve been best friends ever since.”
My body begins to relax knowing she isn’t dating him. That doesn’t mean she isn’t dating anyone else, but if I keep probing and asking inappropriate questions at work then she might think I’m being unprofessional. That’s the last thing I want.
“Oh,” I answer, “That’s good to know.”
Sabrina raises her eyebrow at me, “Is that all? Because I have a lot of work to get through.”
I smile at her and how hard she works to make sure everything is perfect.
“Yep, that’s all.”
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The afternoon flies by in a flurry of meetings and phone calls. The sky is turning a mixture of pink and orange, creating a beautiful marble pattern in the clouds. Sometimes, after everyone has left the office for the day, I like to stand and watch the sky turn from cotton candy to pitch black.
Watching the sky change before my eyes and seeing the crowd of people rushing to the subway below me is rather comforting.
I’m doing just that, watching the world move around me, when a knock is heard at the door. I turn around to see Sabrina approaching me.
“I’m heading home now. Are you leaving too?” She questions, pulling a blue coat tightly around her shoulders.
I shake my head, turning back to the window, “Not yet.”
“Well, have a good night and I’ll see you in the morning,” She utters from behind me.
“Thank you for today, Sab. Get home safe,” I mumble.
When I turn around again, she is gone.
After several minutes, I hear my desk phone ring behind me, and I frown because who would be ringing me this late in the afternoon.
“Hello?” I speak into the receiver.
“Your invention is going to make lots of money, right?” It’s Sabrina. She was just here, so why is she calling me?
I move to stand in front of the window. I search the street, hoping I’ll see the person I’m looking for.
“Of course, it will,” I answer, my eyes continue to search, “Why? Are you worried about something?”
There she is, standing across the road staring up at me. She hasn’t answered my question, which makes me think she knows something I don’t.
“I’m just making sure. Your prototype must be amazing, Atlas. You can’t lose this company.” Her voice is soft.
I frown, “I won’t lose the company. This prototype is going to elevate it to the next level.”
Sabrina is quiet for a moment, and now I’m beginning to panic. We’ve been working so hard on making this invention come to life, so she knows how amazing it’s going to be. Has she overheard something that she shouldn’t have in the hallways of the office? The board members and investors said my idea was genius. So, why is she worried?
“I hope so. Because I love this job,” she mutters through the phone.
I can see her small silhouette across the road, and I just know her big doe eyes are looking right at me as the sun begins to fully set in the distance.
“I’m not going anywhere, Sab, and neither are you.”
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone