The next day at work proper arrangements and engagement on the project began . The door to the supervisor's office opened and she came out then she called...
"Ryan, Ava , Sharon... Come "
My heart was beating rapidly, but as we got close she did not go into the office, she stood by the door. Mrs. Rachel looked at the three of us, her eyes serious. "Ryan, Ava, and Sharon, I think it would be a good idea for you three to head over to the company to get some more information and forms. This will also give you a chance to meet with the people you'll be working with and get familiar with them a bit."
Ryan nodded, his expression confident. Ava smiled, looking excited. But I felt my stomach drop. I couldn't go to Diana's company. What if I ran into Ace? What if he saw me there?
I hesitated, trying to think of an excuse. "I'm...I'm not feeling too well," I stammered, trying to sound convincing.
Mrs. Rachel's expression turned concerned. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
I took a deep breath and decided to play it up a bit. "I'm just feeling a bit...down, I guess. I've been feeling sick for a few days now, and I'm not sure if I'm up for going out today."
Mrs. Rachel's concern deepened. "Sharon, are you sure you're fine? Maybe you should take the day off and rest."
I nodded, feeling a bit guilty for lying. "No, no, I'm fine. It's just...maybe Liam or Samantha could go instead?"
Mrs. Rachel nodded thoughtfully. "Okay, let me see what I can do. Liam, can you step in for Sharon?"
Liam nodded, looking pleased to be included. "Sure thing."
Mrs. Rachel smiled. "Alright, it's settled then. Ryan, Ava, and Liam will head over to the company. Sharon, you focus on getting some rest and feeling better."
I nodded, feeling a mix of relief and guilt. I had managed to get out of going, but I knew I couldn't avoid this forever. And what if they found out that I had lied about being sick? I pushed the thoughts aside and tried to focus on my work, but my mind kept wandering back to the potential consequences of my actions.
Mrs. Rachel dismissed us, and I breathed a sigh of relief as I walked back to my seat. I felt a mix of emotions, relief that I had managed to get out of going to Diana's company, but also anxiety about what might happen next.
Just as I was sitting down, Ryan and Ava came over to me, concern etched on their faces. "Hey, Sharon, are you okay?" Ryan asked. "You didn't look too great back there. Do you need us to get you some water or something?"
Ava nodded in agreement. "Yeah, or maybe some medication? We can go grab something for you if you need it."
I smiled weakly, trying to reassure them. "No, I'm fine, guys. Really. I just...I think I might be coming down with something, that's all."
Ryan and Ava exchanged a skeptical look, but they seemed to accept my explanation. "Okay, well, if you're sure you're fine," Ryan said. "We're here if you need anything, okay?"
I nodded, feeling a bit guilty once more for lying to my friends. As soon as they left, I pulled out my phone and texted Maxie. "Hey, just got out of meeting with boss. Told them I was feeling sick and didn't have to go to your company. What do you think?"
Maxie responded almost immediately. "Yeah, that's good. That's how you should do it. Keep a low profile for now and we'll see what happens next."
I rolled my eyes good-naturedly as Samantha asked from her seat, "Sharon, are you sure you're fine?"
I just shook my head, smiling, and said, "Of corse, I'm assuring all of you that I'm fine."
The tension was broken, and Alex and Ethan chimed in, "If you need anything, don't hesitate to tell us. You know your boy is not around for you, he's going over to the company," Alex said with a grin, teasingly referring to Ryan.
The whole office erupted in laughter, and I couldn't help but laugh along with them. It was a much-needed break from the tension and stress of the morning.
As we all laughed, I felt a sense of camaraderie with my coworkers. Despite the challenges I was facing, I knew I could count on them to have my back. And for now, that was enough to make me feel a little better.
I sat at my desk, typing away on my computer, when my phone buzzed with an incoming text from Maxie, an hour later . I discreetly glanced at the screen, and my heart skipped a beat as I read the message. "Okay, they're here and things are going smoothly for now. Diana does not know you are part of their company. I'm not sure if she has seen your name or anything."
I quickly typed out a response, trying to keep my cool. "Okay."
A few hours passed, and I was starting to get anxious, wondering how the meeting had gone. Finally, Ryan, Ava, and Liam walked back into the office, looking like they had just finished a big project. Ryan sat at my desk looking a bit tired...
"Hey guys, how was it?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant, the others also interested in listening to what they had to say
Ryan nodded and stood up from his chair. "Well, let's go and report to the supervisor first. We'll be back to give you all the gist."
Ava and Liam nodded in agreement, and the three of them headed off to Mrs. Rachel's office. I watched them go, feeling a mix of emotions. I was curious to know more about what had happened at the meeting, but at the same time, I was relieved that I hadn't been there.
As I sat at my desk, I couldn't help but wonder what Ryan, Ava, and Liam would report back to Mrs. Rachel. After a while they came out of the office.
Ava's eyes widened as she started to describe the company. "The place is big! I mean, it's huge!"
Liam chimed in, "It's a large and fine company, and they are very serious. The atmosphere is very bossy, unlike our office," he added with a chuckle.
Ryan nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it's a nice company, though. I think we'll work well with them."
I listened intently, trying to gauge their impressions of the company and its employees. From what they were saying, it sounded like the company was a professional and respectable organization. But I knew that already. What I wanted to know was whether there were still rumours flying around about me or if anyone got a head's on.
I didn't dare ask... Instead, I smiled and nodded along with the others, pretending like I was just as interested in the company's size and atmosphere as they were.