Harriet shrugged off her coat and hung it on the rack before collapsing into her swivel chair. She crossed her legs and folded her arms across her chest, shutting her eyes. The last operation had taken nearly ten hours, and this was the first chance she had to sit down and rest.
A soft knock interrupted her brief respite. "Come in," she said, rubbing her temples as she leaned against her desk. She heard the door open and close behind her.
When Harriet opened her eyes, Zoey stood there. She sighed inwardly, exhaustion evident in her voice. "What is it now?"
Zoey lifted a paper bag and placed it on Harriet's desk. "Here," she said, her voice softer than usual. "A small thank you for the other day... you know," she added, avoiding Harriet's gaze.
Harriet scoffed, eyeing the bag. "What's this? A bribe so I won't tell your boss how drunk you were?" she teased, leaning forward with a raised brow, intrigued.
Zoey clicked her tongue. "Go ahead, tell your mom. It won't matter. I'm leaving anyway," she replied, her tone unusually serious.
Harriet raised an eyebrow, taken aback. "Leaving? As in leaving the company?"
Zoey leaned forward, placing her hand on Harriet's desk and looking down at her. "Why? Are you suddenly intrigued?"
Harriet smirked, keeping her cool. "Why would I be interested in your business?"
"Exactly," Zoey said with a mischievous smile. Harriet's gaze lingered on her face, noticing for the first time the singular dimple on Zoey's right cheek. Zoey caught her staring and smirked. "So now you're checking me out?" she teased.
Harriet quickly cleared her throat, feeling the heat rise to her face. "I was just checking how ugly you look."
"Oh, youâ!" Zoey raised her hand, pretending to smack Harriet. But Harriet just laughed, shrugging off the playful threat. Zoey lowered her hand with a smirk, though her expression softened a moment later. "It feels weird."
"What does?" Harriet asked, her curiosity piqued.
Zoey hesitated, then met her gaze. "When you laugh like that... there's something in your eyes. It's... different, like they light up."
Harriet swallowed, suddenly uncomfortable with the vulnerability of the moment. She cleared her throat and quickly slipped back into her usual serious demeanor.
"Right," Zoey said, sensing the shift. She nodded and took a step back. "I should get going. Thanks again, by the way."
Before Harriet could respond, Zoey jogged out of the office, leaving Harriet staring after her, a strange, unfamiliar feeling settling in her chest.
Harriet was about to take a walk before heading home, her sling bag slung over her shoulder, when she raised an eyebrow at the sight of Zoey walking in the rain. What is she doing? Harriet wondered, curiosity stirring.
Pulling out her umbrella, she opened it and followed Zoey, who seemed lost in thought, oblivious to the downpour. Harriet sighed and quickened her pace to catch up.
Zoey suddenly paused, noticing the rain had stopped falling around her. Confused, she looked to her side and gasped, clutching her chest as she saw Harriet standing beside her, holding an umbrella.
"What the hell! You scared me!" Zoey exclaimed, wrapping her arms around herself.
Harriet stared at her. "What are you doing?"
"Walking in the rain, obviously," Zoey replied with a touch of sarcasm.
Harriet glanced at her briefly before shrugging off her coat and offering it. "Cover yourself," she muttered, avoiding eye contact.
Zoey, confused, looked down and her eyes widened in realization. "Oh, shit!" she cursed, quickly snatching the coat to cover herself, her face turning a deep shade of red from embarrassment.
Great, Zoey, how much more humiliation do you plan to let Harriet witness? she thought to herself, mortified.
Harriet continued walking alongside Zoey, silently trying to shield her under the umbrella, even though her own left side was already drenched by the rain. Zoey glanced at her and frowned.
"Why bother using an umbrella if you're already getting soaked on one side?" Zoey asked, noticing Harriet's wet shoulder and arm.
"Should I just close it, then?" Harriet replied, her tone teasing but with a trace of challenge.
Zoey stopped and turned to face her. "It's up to you. We're both getting drenched anyway."
With a quiet nod, Harriet closed the umbrella, letting the rain fully drench her now. Water began running down her face and clothes, but she didn't seem to mind. Zoey smiled and turned her face toward the sky, spreading her arms wide as if to embrace the downpour.
"Sometimes," Zoey said softly, her voice almost lost in the sound of the rain, "all you need is a little rain to clear your mind." She spun in place like a carefree child, her smile lighting up the gloom around them.
Harriet watched her, a small, reluctant smile tugging at the corners of her lips, the rain soaking them both but somehow making the moment feel lighter.
Zoey, happily lost in her thoughts, didn't notice the uneven pavement beneath her feet. She stumbled, her balance slipping. "Easy there," Harriet's arm shot out, catching Zoey by the waist just in time to prevent her from falling.
Zoey looked up, her breath catching in her throat as she realized how close Harriet was. Their faces were just inches apart, and for a moment, everything else seemed to disappear. They stood frozen, their eyes locked, as if time had paused around them.
Harriet blinked, quickly pulling her hand back and helping Zoey stand properly. "Watch where you're going," she muttered, clearing her throat, her voice a bit rougher than usual.
Zoey bit her lip, trying to avoid Harriet's gaze as her heart raced. "Yeah, thanks for that," she said, attempting to play it cool, though she could feel the heat rising in her cheeks.
Oh God, Zoey! How much more clumsy can you get? she scolded herself inwardly, smacking her forehead lightly as she slowed her pace. Harriet silently followed behind, watching Zoey's every move.
Suddenly, Zoey stopped and turned to face Harriet. Harriet blinked, startled, as Zoey took a step closer, closing the distance between them.
"Whaâwhat are you doing?" Harriet leaned back slightly, instinctively trying to put space between them, her eyes wide with surprise.
"You're not secretly laughing at my clumsiness, are you?" Zoey squinted suspiciously, tiptoeing to meet Harriet's height.
Harriet blinked, then chuckled. "What? What kind of ridiculous idea is that?"
"I'm just making sure," Zoey said, lowering herself from her tiptoes and turning away with a playful smirk. "Because if I catch you laughing at me for being clumsy, I'll kick your ass."
Harriet scoffed, shaking her head as she shrugged. "What's gotten into you today?"