Talk To Me

10-I || Zach The...Changed?

"So did you start packing already?" I asked, pressing the phone to my ear as I scratched at a splotch of paint on my windshield.

"Nah, I'm only going for two days, so it's light packing," answered Collin. "I have to buy some presents for the kids, because it's no use pretending to not know they love their Unca Colly only because of the gifts he brings them."

"Ha ha," I said, squinting against the sun as it broke through the clouds. My eyes involuntarily shifted to the front sliding doors of the apartment complex, and I saw who was striding out of them. I pivoted away from him, looking down at the gravel and leaning against my car, hoping to end the conversation soon. "Well, you'll have a good time. I know how much Bridget misses you."

"Yeah." Collin paused. "So. You're not coming, huh?"

I tried to hide my sigh and sound as platonic as possible. "I'm sorry, Collin...please give my love to Bridget and the kids. It's just—I'm really busy at my new job, and I don't think I'd be able to take a personal day, just when I started, you know?"

"Yeah, it's alright, I understand." The bitterness in his voice was tangible. "Alright, Harper. See you. Hopefully."

"You too," I said back, hanging up. I turned around to my car.

And wouldn't you know it, there he was standing by the bonnet, sunlight in his hair and apology in his smile. 'Hey there,' he greeted. Unlike me, he didn't squint against the sun. He could withstand brightness; he rivalled it. He didn't prefer the comfort of the dark. "Off to work?"

"Yes," I replied, keeping my voice light and platonic as I opened the front door and flung my bag over to the passenger seat.

"Harper, I'm truly sorry about what I said that night," he said. "It was really over the line. It's absolutely fine if you don't want to date me because you have things you need to work out on your own. It's alright. Take your time." He smiled then, winking. "I'll wait."

"I'd rather you didn't, you'll grow old and gray," I said, trying to mirror his smile so he'd know he was forgiven. He looked like an angel, all sincere and kind. But he had secrets. I knew he had. I hadn't forgotten the way those otherworldly eyes had glinted with nothing but pure rage and hatred.

I wondered if Nick Walker was still alive.

*

While I wasn't one to cry over spilt blood, the rest of the world wasn't the same. When Adrian met the ugly ending I'd planned for him, the world wouldn't just merely look the other way. They would become bloodhounds, sniffing all over for a reason. A reason as to why this happened.

Because apparently reason brings closure; makes the spilt blood seem a little less scary. Without reason, everyone and everything is a suspect. Speculations can grow; the more personal, the better. Fingers can be pointed and it won't be wrong, because without a reason, anything is acceptable.

With a reason, the roar quietens. Only one finger is pointed, towards one direction. The excitement dies. Everyone relaxes.

I longed for that relaxation. If I figured out the reason behind my mother's enough, I'll live a little easier.

As for Adrian Wallerstein's reason, that's where I stepped in; that's where my sudden employment at Wallerstein Tech played its role. I would be the trigger.

Being his secretary, I had access to all his client information and the other subsidiaries Wallerstein Tech was working with and I was unsurprised to find out I recognized more than half the companies. They were all software companies who used to work under SonicPlus, the company that Steve owned, the company that went to dust after he died. The company that Adrian abandoned, and then robbed afterwards, when he started up Wallerstein Tech.