Caught

Chapter 11 - Corporate Espionage

Monday.

What is it about Mondays?

The fact that you have to suffer through five more days of school and work and misery? Or the reminder that we're so controlled by time that we choose to hate a good fifteen percent of our entire lives just because it falls on a certain day of the week?

No wait, I've got it. The thing about Mondays is that people hate Mondays. There is no why. Monday is just like any other goddamn day of the week, and if Mondays suddenly stopped existing, we'd all fucking hate Tuesdays instead. At the end of the day, people love being miserable. That's my big theory – everyone secretly loves Mondays because it gives them an excuse to be the same miserable sack that they always are, except now they have company. And misery loves company.

"You look miserable." Felix says, walking up beside me. "Monday blues?"

I turn to him with a look of disdain. "Ladies and gentlemen, the self-fulfilling prophet."

"Have you seen Sam yet?" He asks me, completely ignoring my snark.

"Unless I've been staring at her doppelganger for the past three minutes, I'd say so, yeah."

Felix follows my line of sight to a spot across the school hallway, where Sam and Zak stand together chatting amicably.

"Oh." He states. "And thus explains the misery."

"Whatever. I was just waiting for you to show up. Let's get this over with."

Grabbing Felix's arm, I drag him along with me towards the happy couple, plastering the fakest of smiles on my face.

"Hey strangers." I greet, placing myself in front of them. "Lovely Monday, isn't it? Say, Zak, do you think Felix and I could steal Sam here for one second? I'm sure you two have a ton to talk about but it's a little important."

Zak pulls his eyes away from Sam's just long enough to give me an expression of pure annoyance and disbelief. A few silent beats go by and the look continues, until finally he starts laughing to himself. The sound is so forced, so awkward, that passersby actually stop to glance in our direction.

"You're joking right? You have got to be fucking joking." Zak pauses, as though wanting me to confirm. When I open my mouth, he continues talking. "No, no, no. I actually don't give a shit. Know why? Because you haven't so much as acknowledged me for five fucking days. So guess what Ali? I don't care what you do." At this, he turns to Felix. "Little piece of advice for you buddy? She may be into you now, but just wait a week. This one can't make up her mind."

Zak begins backing away, his glare not moving from my face.

The way Felix stands there so silently, so unwilling to stand up to Zak – it makes me angry. It makes me angry that I'm the only one here willing to speak my mind.

"Grow up Zak!" I yell. "Felix isn't replacing you. I'm not a cheater. I'm not... I'm not you."

He shakes his head back and forth slowly. "You're so sure of everything, aren't you? Nothing... nothing is ever your fault." He gives me one last look of loathing. "I guess we'll see."

And just like that, he leaves. I watch as he disappears into the crowd of other classmates, and for a few moments I lose myself wondering if he'll come back. If that's the last real conversation we'll ever have.

"I need to go to class." Sam says, interrupting my thoughts.

She tries shoving her way between Felix and I, but I move my body to stop her from escaping. I can't let Zak distract me from what I cam here to do - not until I've asked my questions.