Forbidden Stranger

and step into a room

other boy sitting with his arms crossed, nos

ls me ev

coming so quickly

. "I have somewhere

ts her head. "Tha

that provokes them and then pun

le

on floats into the air like it's casual. Lik

ghtens. "

the administ

antly. Childcare.

al?"

xchang

e other student's parents are

rt. Humorless. "O

ibrates in

nore

te another inch stolen from me.

y ends, my che

utside and ch

1 a

omach

tarts in nine

e minutes away

es from unknown numbers. One email notification

ck into

ooks at my f

late,"

ne. "No," I repl

lot, heart pound

still

t know what

are that my futur

intentional. I weave where I can without being reckless,

its quiet no

I say with

his phone. "W

pended. Say I'l

t's

es

ses. "She's g

ll su

iting to be passed. Glass, steel, and people who don

d pull into the first spot I see. I k

tell him. "Lo

at

The.

n

ag and badg

ors and low voices. Everyone

e of tho

y desk bloc

" the m

eath still une

n unreadable. "Orienta

kno

rd the elevators

t than

finger on the button again, heart pounding in my throa

step inside. Suits. C

rs slid

ne s

umbers clim

walls and quiet expectation. A sign reads APEX – ORIENTATION R

llow

is alre

ds turn as I

hat part

s tall, composed, silver-threaded hair, eye

"You must be

makes it sound like he's

dy despite everything. "I

ldly, "or do you exp

om goe

is gaze.

e shift. So

oo long. Then he smiles-no

says. "We'll cir

ed. I choose an empty chair near the aisle, drop my

I hear it differently. Every w

petitive.

buzzes

n

ic

n't

yone another re

sses my row

ay that feels deliberate. Black hair, cu

ps bes

he asks quietly, l

" I r

was worth i

s tone makes my

as,"

action longer, then no

t of the room and take a s

when it

from the ph

. The co

estioned whether I

omach