Path to Secrecy

Inevitable

Copyright © 2014 by Shazzaam_

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Tuesday 28th October, 1:17pm

"You're blanking out again."

Waking up this morning had been dreadful, since I had decided to squeeze into the same bed as Andrea and Axl. A couple hours of sleep was what I'd grasped, but due to the repetitive fear of some unfortunate event occurring, I lacked some more. Though the curiosity that had aired from Andrea the moment she noticed me stalling at her question about my presence, she somehow overlooked my clinginess and moved to get ready for work.

I was still under huge disbelief that my outburst last night hadn't awoken her and Axl.

There was a great advantage there, seen as how I prayed to avoid the news to spread at all costs. Before leaving the house, I placed strict instructions to both Claretta and George, to not open the door under any circumstances unless the house was on fire.

Obviously receiving bewildered expressions from all the adults, including George whose stoic expression transformed into signs of uncertainty about my sanity, I persuaded them not to worry and that I was just being cautious. Clearly Andrea was aware of the sudden change yet unaware of the situation which had recently occurred, but luckily didn't refuse to obey.

"Sorry, I'm just..." I sighed and rubbed my hands down my face. The four of them had decided to use my office as a lounging area and I chuckled when Ezio had pouted, realising there weren't any spare seats for him to sit on.

While Vadim occupied one client chair and Embeth sprawled on the other, I sat in my own leaving Ezio to stand near the door with his arms folded and petulant expression on his face. Though I could still see the eagerness to yank the chair out from Embeth's bottom.

With my sudden power to overrule Vadim, he had managed to quietly accept the break offered and eventually joined the rest of the group in my office. While he tried to communicate and annoy the living soul out of me, I patiently flickered through filled files, somehow making Vadim feel guilty, saying the argument about workload and the rightful break we were all valid to had a miraculous affect on him. I smelt lies. Embeth secretly high-fived me whereas Ezio was still in awe at how far emotional blackmail could stretch and only then had I reminded him my childhood friendship with the satanic manager.

"I'm boring you, aren't I?" Embeth spoke, biting her bottom lips in worry. She had her legs hanging of Vadim's lap, her heels perked against the armrest in comfort. I frantically shook my head and opened my mouth to assure her, but was so rudely interrupted from Ezio's unattractive snort.

"You figured that out now?" He raised his eyebrows pointedly and chuckled at her blank expression, which was slowly changing into a funny shade of red.

"You." She stilled her head in Ezio's direction, pointing her index finger while resembling a petulant child. Vadim soothingly patted her thigh with an amused expression and even placed a hand on the back of her neck, attempting to calm her.

Ezio slightly frowned but cautiously un-crossed his feet as if he were preparing for a surprise marathon while the rest of us waited for her to continue. "Have three seconds before I squash your balls."

The two of us erupted into fits of laughter and Ezio took off in lightning speed with Embeth hot on his heels.

"They fight like cats and dogs." Vadim spoke, suppressing shivers down his spine.

From what I could remember, Vadim had suffered from zoophobia. A phobia against animals. Every time a topic about animals would arise, the poor guy had always become restless and anticipated for some miracle to surface. Still astonished at his dubious reaction of the time I passed him the puppy dog eyes when he was spitting fire over the phone.