Lilac Scented Dreams

Phones ringing and keyboards clacking, Small whisper like chatter happening in the background.

“Chrissy we have a new guy starting today, he should be here in about an hour. He is an intern so he will shadow everyone for a little bit to get everything covered. I want you to give him a tour and introduce him to everyone.” Said Dan with his hand on my shoulder and a creepy smile.

I push his hand off of me. “Ok, Dan.” He walked away aware that he was unwelcomed in my bubble at this moment. I was not in the best mood today. I didn’t get much sleep last night. After meeting my new neighbor I started thinking about my life and I just tossed and turned all night. I turn around to start on the files for today. Starting to read over them I hear everyone's keyboards just clicking away and small chatter happening all around the office. Unable to concentrate As the sounds keep getting more and more intense by the second.

“Chrissy!” a terrifyingly close scream rings in my ear. Looking around there is no one near me but the office is quieter now. Not silent but calmer. I didn’t recognize the voice, it hardly sounded like a voice. Like a whisper so close it was a scream. Maybe my brain was yelling at me and trying to get my attention. Well, it worked. Only now that I am focused do I notice that it has been an hour. Checking my phone time to see if the computer was off. No, it’s the same time. Was I just staring at my desk and spacing off for an hour? How does that even happen to someone? Looking up from my desk, I see the same guy from last night. My new neighbor. The same shaggy hair and sharp jawline. The same adorable dimple. Is he stalking me? No, he must be the new intern, what a small town.

“Hello, my name is Chrissy and I am going to be showing you around.” Extending my hand out to him, pretending I don’t recognize him.

“My name is Noah” His soft and warm voice sounds out. Reaching out for my hand and then pulling away almost as they meet. “Aren’t you my neighbor? I still owe you some eggs.” He half-smiled at me and his dimple popped out.

“Um yeah I think so, I thought you looked a little familiar.” I lied. Starting to feel my face get hot, I turned around a little too aggressively and began showing him around.

Opening up my lunch box and noticing that the food that is supposed to be cold is warm and the food that's supposed to be fresh is hard and old-looking. Yesterday's lunch. Damn. I didn’t have time to eat yesterday and forgot to pack my lunch today. I could eat it. My sandwich is hard and sad-looking. My apple browning and yogurt warm and stank. It’s ok I tell myself, I’m not in the mood to eat today. Looking over I see all my coworkers eating, except Noah. Sitting there twiddling his thumbs looking bored as hell. Feeling my courage slowly build up like a fire getting hungrier and hungrier. Hoping it doesn’t get burnt out, I slowly close my lunchbox and stand up. I shuffle over to him and hope he doesn’t notice me until I'm up to him in case I pussy out and run.

“Erm hey, no lunch today?” very timid and quiet words leave my mouth, almost like a whisper.

Looking up in surprise with a very weak smile. “Oh um no I didn’t have time to grab anything. I’ll be fine. I will eat when I get home.” Smiling up at me with his dimple outshining the rest of his face.

“ Actually I forgot to bring one too if you want to go grab something with me real fast?” Instantly regretting that I had asked him that. What if he says no and gets uncomfortable with me. “I’ll even pay since you just started and haven’t gotten paid yet.” Fuck, what am I doing, he looks nervous.

“ I would, I really would but I’m not hungry, so please don’t waste your money on me.” Sad, like a puppy begging for attention. His eyes were close to tearing up, too sad just for lunch. Chrissy, unaware of just how sad and upset he is, just smiles.

“It’s ok I understand, I will see you when I get back then.” I knew it, why do I even bother anymore. Besides, I should be careful flirting and getting close to a coworker. Walking back to my desk to grab my wallet and car keys, deciding what to go eat. Getting in my 2008 chevy impala, as my stomach growls and screams at me. “I know I’m working on it,” I yell at myself. With that my stomach replies with a smaller growl as if to tell me to hurry. I start my car to leave, as I'm backing out of my spot everything goes black.

I awake in a pile of dirt and leaves in the middle of the woods. The same woods from my dream, the same dead tree that I had kept passing. Standing up and brushing off some of the dirt from my clothes, I look around and see nothing but dead trees and dirt. The tree from my dreams is huge, possibly the biggest in the woods. I hear birds chirping and a very animalistic screech comes from about a mile away to my left. Where the sound came from, a flock of birds flew out of the woods. “I need to get out of here” Where do I go? I don’t want to go near the screech but I have no idea where I am or how I got here. I take one step forward away from the screech and I’m back at my desk.

“Alright everybody, good work for today, see you tomorrow.”