Can't run, can't hide

"Ms. Lockley?"

Cheryl's voice.

Some minutes ago... or was it only minutes? It felt like just a few minutes. Long minutes though. Time had ceased to exist for Vanessa. It couldn't have been an hour, though. Or could it?

Vanessa had dropped a tissue on the floor, while trying get herself back together. She had been drowning herself in bottled water, awkwardly poured from a shaking hand. Scrubbing her face, letting sopping tissues pile in her trash.

When she went to retrieve it... it happened. The dark, cozy little space beneath her desk - it called to her. She crawled in, just a bit. She crawled in further, and turned her body. She hid.

It wasn't a real solution, or real safety. She knew that. But for a moment it didn't seem to matter. It felt safe. Brand's eye wasn't watching her down there, there were no men... no bad memories, flashbacks like the rest of her office. Like a child with her head under the blanket, it didn't matter how flimsy or useless the cover was. It comforted her, and she stayed. Her office phone rang. And her cell phone. She didn't answer. She was hidden. She didn't have to touch anyone, didn't have to get hurt.

Just a little longer, she kept telling herself. Just hide a little more. Stay safe, in her safe place. It felt good. She earned it. She would face the world in just another minute, finish what she needed to. She would get back to the people calling her. It wasn't anything that couldn't wait just one more minute. It was a nice little escape.

Until reality had followed Cheryl into her office. Her voice shattered the spell.

And with it... all that false safety disappeared. It was replaced. Her cozy, dark little spot was a trap.

Vanessa heard Cheryl's soft steps behind her. She - she really was trapped! Oh, shit! And she hadn't responded right away to Cheryl. That made it worse, eliminated all viable excuses for being out of sight, quiet, with her ruined scrubbed-off face. Stupid, fucking stupid! What had she been thinking?!? And just like that Vanessa Lockley, elite businesswoman, was officially terrified of her own secretary finding her in her own office.

"Miss... Ms. Lockley...?"

It was too late for Vanessa to announce herself, to play like she had just dropped something under her desk, or whatever lame story she would have come up with. Far too late.

The only choice she could think of was so stupid... to wait it out. Maybe Cheryl had gone to the bathroom. Or coffee, at one point. Yes, quite a bit of time had passed, Vanessa was pretty sure now. She almost definitely stepped away for coffee. Well, she could have. It wouldn't be unusual. Maybe a little chat with the girls. Vanessa could have slipped out unnoticed. A coincidence, that she wouldn't be seen. Unlike her not to say something. But it was certainly possible. Vanessa was gone. Gone from her office. She had already been absolutely quiet, not moving or rustling her clothing, but now... Vanessa didn't even breathe. Not one teeny little noise. Not one little shake. Nothing. Absolute silence.

"Vanessa?"

Go away, Cheryl. Take your skinny ass and just go away. Your boss isn't here. There's no reason to stay. Why wasn't she gone already? Vanessa hadn't answered... that should be enough... have some decency, stop snooping. Vanessa either wasn't there or clearly didn't want to be disturbed, a good secretary should just go away. Please, please, please Cheryl. Please, God, just let her go away.

"Huh..."

Was that a good sign? It came from the other side of Vanessa's desk. Way too close. Vanessa could practically see the other woman in her head, peering over her desk, while her ruined black boss hid underneath, separated by scant inches and a piece of nice polished wood. Vanessa's legs were curled to her chest, her eyes wide and panicked. Vanessa stared straight out at her office chair in dread.

Cheryl - Vanessa could hear her... coming around the desk!

"Jesus, what have you been getting up to in here, girl? This thing is nasty." A rattle at the side of her desk, and the swishing sound of thin plastic. Cheryl was emptying the garbage can, and the reek that it contained.

Vanessa's nostrils flared at her secretary's quiet, judgemental self-talk, but she didn't let out a peep. Not one little peep. It seemed like she had actually fooled Cheryl into thinking she was out of the office. Good. Just leave now.

Cheryl didn't leave. She came closer, around the desk. Vanessa's office chair moved. What the hell...?

Vanessa looked over her knees, and saw it. The little tissue, soaked in water and residue from her face. The same one that had led her down to her little trap. Cheryl... was she looking at it? Was she going to pick... pick it up. She couldn't. No... no no no no no...

"Uggh, Timothy too? Come on, Vanessa. Gross."

Cheryl's slender white hand came down in slow motion, gingerly pinching the tissue between two glossy, manicured nails.

...No no no no...

It was happening, right in front of Vanessa's eyes. Cheryl turned her head. The shock written on her face wrenched Vanessa's guts. Their eyes met.

Cheryl screamed, and jumped back, covering her mouth. The trash bag in her hand hit the floor with a wet thud.

"Jesus, Vanessa! M-Ms. Lockley, you scared me!" Cheryl's face was out of sight for a moment, but it entered again, voyeuristically peeking in on her mortified boss. "Are you o..." Cheryl swallowed. "I-I'm sorry," The emotions playing across her face were shifting. Disgust, concern, a drop of **** professionalism that quickly vanished, curiosity, maybe even amusement... it was hard to tell. Vanessa felt one thing only, and it gnawed her insides in such a way that it physically hurt her.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Lockley. I'll... um..."

Professionalism finally won out, and Cheryl stood.

"Mr. Barrington called for you, a couple times." Her voice came from out of sight.

She picked up the wet bag full of Vanessa's vile shame and the colored executive saw her secretary's flawless white legs pivot and walk away. Cheryl exited without another word.

Vanessa let out a single, mewling sob of pure embarrassed anguish, before crawling out of her hole on all fours.