Chapter 35 CHAPTER 035
Amelia POV:
"Okay, spill. What is wrong? You have been acting weird for days now. You are always weird, but there's an extra layer to it now. I know it has to do with Linc. What's up?" Ashley corners me in the elevator on our ride up. We are alone, but she whispers, holding my eyes with her narrowed ones. It makes me laugh a little.
"And you are my best friend, so guess what that says about you?" I tease back even though I know what she is talking about, and it makes my heart jump just remembering.
"Oh, please." Ash snorts, not taking the bait.
"Well, thank God you waited for us to be alone before you started being all detective on me." I say, rolling my eyes. Tyler said he had some quick errand to run after lunch, so we left him to head back to work.
The three of us stick together because we are the only interns at the firm. A number that almost every single employee gawks at because it was new.
And untraditional. And all the other adjectives they throw around, throwing their noses up at us, mostly me, though. I know everyone knows I got in because Linc is my stepdad. Tyler and Ashley connect with others easily compared to me because they don't have that bias working against them before they even open their mouths.
I don't even bother anymore at this point. I have settled into my role. Which is weird, nepo baby.
Hanging out more with Tyler lately has made me realise I didn't even know him at all. I only liked him from afar briefly during our first year because he seemed so at ease with himself and was friendly, quickly becoming popular in our year.
But there is something weird about Tyler. He is a hunger that is blatant in the way he plays office politics. Even as a mere intern, he manages to get under the skin of full-time employees. He hasn't been here a month, and you can smell the ambition on him like a musk that clouds over his pretty physical features.
I told Ashley about my reservations about him, but she didn't see it. Or cared. She likes him. Everyone does. It is obvious how much she laughs at his barely funny jokes.
How she always invites him to lunch, much to my discomfort. Though I just smile through it and pretend to be interested in whatever new career focused goals he wants to discuss.
"Seriously, what is your deal with Tyler? He is cool. He is our class president. He is intelligent. And he is here with us on the summer holiday, interning at your stepdad's firm. Live it up, Amelia."
I sigh. There is no way I can get through to her. And I don't think I even want to. I might be wrong and just paranoid.
But I can't shake the feeling that Tyler rubs me off the wrong way. It started on his first day here during that conference meeting when he flat out lied to Linc that we were friends immediately he noticed a connection between us. I am sure Tyler knew the difference between friends and classmates. He just wanted to kiss up to Linc, using me. I found that weird.
The elevator stops, and we get out.
"Okay. Whatever you say." I shrug as I walk to my little office cubicle space, Ashley's is just beside mine.
"So...what happened between you two?" Ashley whispers again.
I look around the sparsely populated open office space. People take their time with lunch around here. But I don't want to discuss my business with Linc here. Enough material for gossip goes around already, I don't want to add to it.
"Not here. I will tell you later." I say.
"Oh no, you won't. I am dying to know. Let's go get coffee at the lounge. I am certain the space would be empty. Come on." Ashley drags me out of my chair and practically pulls me along. A few heads turned to watch us.
I really don't want to dredge up that horrific memory. I have prayed and wished it was a dream. Or, at best, he didn't hear. It was a really low whisper, after all. But the damn office was so quiet.
Or even better, I didn't say anything! It was a thought that slipped in and drifted out. Oh God, what would I give for all that to just be a dream? I can't possibly ever face Linc now. I have managed to survive three days since without running into him. But for how long will I keep this up? I can't hide from him forever.
"Okay, don't freak out on me." I say facing Ashley, who is practically limping from toe to toe with anticipation.
"What is with the damn suspense-"
"I told him I loved him -"
"Oh. My. God!"
Yeah. There goes the reaction I expected. I am so tempted to join her. But I have freaked out alone enough over the last few days.
Ashley covers her mouth with her hands, her eyes wide with shock. All the dramatics. I can't with her sometimes.
"Stop that." I plead.
"Wow! Amelia, that is a really deep hole you have dug yourself in there." She says, dropping the act, but her eyes are still widely glaring at me with a mix of empathy and glee.
"He probably didn't hear. I whispered it and fell asleep immediately after." I say biting down on my lip. I wish that was the case so badly. God. This is too much.
"Okay, wait, back up. I want to know what got you so exhausted that you were confessing and falling asleep immediately. What is this? Are you the damsel in distress of a seasonal drama?" Ashley shakes my shoulders. She is trying to lighten up the situation. That is how I know I have truly fucked up.
I have done my best undermining the situation. But hearing it out and seeing Ashley react to it is really bringing it all to focus.
Why would I say that to him? WHY?
It is true, of course. But why would I let it slip out of me at that moment? This was something to take to the grave! Oh God. I think I am going to start hyperventilating again.