As she stepped outside the room, she realized that he was in his ‘I’m not going to leave you alone’ trance. His eyes blurted out ‘give me the answer I’m looking for, or else you’re stuck with your choice.’ Though this behavior annoys her, she admires this particular quality of his when the time is right. Whenever it concerns her, she retaliates. On the job, his persistence in questioning is outstanding. However, when he turned those tactics on her, she redraws her highly praised comments.

“You sure you’re okay?”

Rolling her eyes, she turned her back to him. Every day she heard the same question. When it came from Brad, Clive or anyone else, she answered with ease. It’s only when it came from Scott’s lips she cowers and battles in answering. This is because he never accepts her usual exhale of “I’m fine.”

Like there aren’t enough things she has to deal with, there is also the case that out of everyone she knows, it is him she has difficulty lying to. Having her back still to him, she let out a soft sigh, and then closed her office door. She dreaded facing him at that moment. She replied her usual, “I’m fine Scott. I am just getting ready to go home.”

“That doesn’t sound like someone who is fine to me.”

“I’m just tired,” she simply said, while in her mind she wished he would just go away. She placed her purse on her left shoulder and began to walk past Scott, making sure not to look at him. A hand came upon her arm at the moment their sides meet. Unable to ignore the action, she stopped. “Scott, please……” she pleaded.

“Look at me,” Scott said plainly.

In reply, “let me go,” she said, while trying to break free from him. “Right now is not the time for games.”

“Who said I was playing games?”

“Let me go then.”

“I’m not going to do that.”

“Why the hell not, Scott?” she asked in frustration.

“Would you stop? I just want to be sure you’re okay. Is that so bad?”

“I am. I am fine.”

“Jessica….”

“What is it Scott?” she questioned immensely. At this moment she faced him for the first time that day. Then as if simultaneously, she regretted her decision, because his eyes spoke his intentions loudly: concern, empathy, and compassion. These she was not ready to face, most of all from him.