“Are they all like this?” I asked, motioning towards her stack.
She nodded, “All but the first one.”
I outstretched my hand, indicating for her to give me the damned thing.
Bec rolled her eyes but complied, fishing a letter from the bottom of the stack.
I snatched it away and retook my seat opposite of her, before beginning to read.
You have one year to piece it all together before I take it all. Tear your name off the door, strip you of the power. Soon it will be like you were never even there. Soon, it won’t just be the truth that is buried.
I read over the note again… and again… and it sounded more and more batshit crazy with every read. “So whoever is sending these has completely lost their mind?”
Bec nodded. “Yep,” she remarked with a popped ‘p’.
“And why didn’t you think to tell me?” I asked.
She interlocked her fingers as she spoke, “The board is already hesitant to maintain my position after the probationary period. If I start bringing up claims of threats and adding to the drama, it will only get worse. Besides, there haven’t been anyrealthreats…”
“This seems pretty fucking real, Rebecca,” I interrupted.
She glared at me, saying, “Don’t full-name me,Rome.” Her voice dripping with contempt at my name. “You don’t understand. I can’t lose this job, and I can’t give the board any more reason to want me out. I will do anything to maintain my position. Hell, I’m pretending to be with you. That just proves I would doanything.”
“Wow,” I mumbled and stood, "Look, I know I'm not your most favorite person, but I didn't realize just how much you detested me."
“You’re the one putting up walls between us. You won’t talk about what has you so freaked out today,” she argued, her voice rising as she stood. “You don’t think I notice when you jump every time a car backfires? Or how you completely avoid talking about anything serious? You talkall the time–I swear you never shut up–but you expertly avoid anything real. I can tell something’s wrong.”
I scoffed, “And you want me to talk about it withyou? The person who has made sure that everyone she meets knows just how much shehatesme?”
I wasn’t sure why we were arguing. I don’t think either of us knew. Except that we were using each other as an outlet for all of the emotions that had bubbled up over the months we had worked together.
“If it affects your work? Your job? Youdoneed to talk to me about it. I’m your boss, Rome. I need to know if you’re too screwed up to do an effective job.” Her hands were tightened into fists at her side.
I took a step back at her words, “Too screwed up? That’s what you think I am?”
She sighed and rubbed her temples, “That came out wrong.”
“No,” I interrupted, “Don’t backtrack now. I get it. I promise I’m not too screwed up to do a good job.” My voice dripped with venom at the insinuation.
Bec threw her hands to the side in exasperation, “What are we fighting about? Why are we even fighting?”
I sighed and ran my hands through my hair, “I don’t know.”
She slumped back into her chair, “Look, let’s take a minute. We can discuss this later, when we’ve both cooled down.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I began and stuck my hands in my pockets. “I was treating you like a friend, but you made it clear I'm your subordinate, and you’re my boss. I'll treat you accordingly going forward.”
Bec looked at me with surprise, shock, and what resembled regret. “No, that’s not what I meant either.”
“It’s fine. You’ve been clear from the beginning about your feelings towards me.” I started towards the door, “I’ll pick up the letters at the end of the day and start looking into them. I’ll keep you posted… Boss.”
I left the office, my name being called softly behind me, but I didn’t stop to hear her out. In fact, I didn’t stop until I was in the stairway of the building, running down the hundreds of steps in front of me. I wanted to scream, to rage; but I wouldn’t.
I already regretted everything I had said to Bec, but it was all the truth. Maybe that’s what I didn’t want to face. She was starting to become a friend. Not like Malachi or Will. Those friendships were scarred from my own doing. Bec was my clean slate.
But all I was to her was another burden. The bodyguard that was forced upon her by her brother. The fake boyfriend to help her keep her job. I wasn’t anything special to her.
Yet she had become one of the most special parts of my life.
