Overwhelmed
Laurel's POV
I let my body follow mechanically behind the group as we get out the car and walk into the restaurant, Al Guava, for lunch. My body may be here in this restaurant but my mind is back at the firm, in my office.
"Laurel."
"Huh?" I answer, snapping out of my daze.
"What do you want to eat?" Stacey asks me.
"Um..." I inhale, looking down at the menu. "I'll just take the shrimp fajitas and a glass of strawberry lemonade."
"Got it." the waiter says, jotting my order down on his notepad.
I nod and turn back to look out the restaurant's window next to our booth.
"Laurel?"
"Yeah?" I swing around to look at whoever called me.
"Are you okay?" Tyler asks me.
"Yeah," I force a smile. "Why do you ask?"
"You just seem a little zoned out." Ava says.
"I'm just tired." I reply.
Which isn't a lie. That drink from Starbucks started wearing off about 20 minutes ago. But the main reason for my aloofness is all consuming as it is and I don't even know all the gory details.
Earlier, I panickingly slammed my laptop closed and shoved it into my desk after actually processing it was really Amir's name on the complaint form. I didn't even see the reason the report was filed or read April's statement. It would feel too intrusive. I'd much rather hear it from her, thought in the pit of my stomach I can feel the intensity and the severity of the words she's yet to utter to me.
"Your drink ma'am." the waiter says to me.
"Thank you." I say, taking the glass from his hand.
I grab a straw from the middle of the table and drop it into my drink, taking a long sip. Trying to push April and Amir to the back of my mind, I dive into the group's conversatio. The group is talking about going out this Saturday and are telling all the crazy stories they'd accumulated as friends. Normally, I'd be all too eager to jump into this conversation but my mind won't let my mood change.
I try and force down my fajitas but only end up being able to eat one of the three and I have to stay behind to get a To-Go box while the rest of the group waits outside the restaurant. Walking out the doors with my food I see Ava and Tyler waiting for me because we all rode in my car. I smile at them as I unlock the doors.
"Is something bothering you?" Ava asks as we pull out of Al Guava's parking lot.
"No." I shrug, keeping my eyes on the road.
"Come on girl." Tyler says, gently shaking my shoulder from the back seat.
"It's nothing!" I assure them.
Nobody answers, so I glance quickly to my right at Ava then back at Tyler before focusing my attention back on the road. Both of them are wearing the "I-Know-You're-Lying" expression.
"I can't say anything right now." I sigh.
"So there is something going on with you." Ava clarifies.
"Yes and no. Not so much me, but somebody else." I tell them.
"Whatever it is, take your time dealing with it. Just don't go AWOL on us like April did." Tyler huffs, sitting back in the seat.
