Chapter 103: Nick’s Secret
Everyone had their gaze on him, wondering what he’d say.
"I enjoy reading stories to children," he said.
The table went very still.
Julie stared at him with wide eyes, "Oookayy" she said taken aback.
’I don’t know why I feel pity for the kids he reads for’ Julie thought smiling wryly.
"I can’t imagine you with kids, to be honest. Well except your siblings" Selena said surprised.
Even Thinker looked surprised, quietly adjusting his glasses as he processed what Nicholas had just said.
Light smiled quietly. "I didn’t see that coming."
"Most things worth knowing are like that," Nicholas said.
The third question sat in Julie’s hand unread for a moment while she refreshed everyone’s glasses. The bottle was lighter than it had been an hour ago. Nobody had quite tracked how much they’d collectively consumed.
"Okay," Julie said, unfolding the paper. "What do you actually want? Not the job answer. Not the impressive answer. The real one."
Selena made a small sound. Not quite a laugh.
"Julie, where did you buy this box?" Thinker asked.
"Online. Hero Mystery Questions. It said it was for team building."
"It’s aggressive," Light said.
"I think it’s fun," Selena said, though her words had acquired a very slight softness around the edges that hadn’t been there an hour ago.
"I’ll go first," Thinker said. "I just want to go home. Spend a week with my wife and daughter. No work. Nothing."
"That’s the best answer anyone’s given tonight," Selena said.
"Julie?" Nicholas prompted.
"Oh." Julie looked up. "I want—" She stopped. Started again."I wanted my parents to see my name on a big screen one day... and smile instead of worrying." She said it quickly.
"They were always worried. They thought this was stupid. The camera, the streaming, all of it. And I couldn’t—" She stopped again. Reached for her glass. "Anyway. Next person."
Nobody pushed her.
Everyone turned to Light, he smiled wryly as he took another glass of wine.
Their eyes then turned to Selena.
Selena rested her chin on one hand.
A faint blush had settled across her cheeks, and the wine had clearly loosened her up. She quietly stared at the table for a few seconds before speaking.
"I’ve wanted to change something for a long time... I just don’t know if I can."."
She picked up her glass.
"I think the supervisor is drunk, we should stop the game" Light said seeing Selena.
"Nah she’s fine!" Julie shrugged, "Right Supervisor Selena?"
"Yeah yeah! I’m perfectly fine"
"Phantom, it’s your turn" she said, before anyone could respond to her.
Nicholas looked at the table. "I want the people I’m responsible for to never have to worry about anything again. Not money. Not safety. Not anything."
Light nodded slowly.
The table went quiet again.
"Nah these questions are just sad questions" Julie shook her head looking at the mystery box in a disappointment.
Just then, Thinker’s phone buzzed on the table. He looked at it, said nothing for a moment, then stood.
"I have to go. Association coordinator." He looked at Julie. "The box was better than I expected." He looked at the rest of the table. "Don’t drink the rest of the bottle tonight. It’s stronger than it appears."
He left before anyone could respond.
Five minutes later, someone walked up to the table, another supervisor who leaned in and caught Light’s attention. "They want to go over the Race preparation tonight. Your second runner wants to discuss pacing strategy before tomorrow."
Light looked at the table apologetically. "I’ll make it up to you all." He stood, then paused. "The wine really is excellent." He took his glass with him as he left.
Which left three of them.
Julie looked at the half-empty bottle before glancing at Selena. Selena’s eyes looked a little hazy now, clearly feeling the effects of the wine.
’She’s really not the drinking type... How’d the wine get like this? It was alcoholic, but it was sweetened didn’t expect this... But it doesn’t matter I have the supervisors weakness now. Muhahaha’
She then looked at Nicholas.
He looked exactly the same as he had since the dinner started, ’Tsk’
"...Phantom."
"Hm."
"Can I ask you something?"
"No."
"I haven’t asked yet."
"You don’t need to."
Julie puffed her cheeks.
"Pleaaase."
Nicholas stared at her for a moment, "...What?"
Julie glanced toward Selena.
Selena was staring at her wine.
Julie lowered her voice.
"I need to sneak somewhere."
"No."
"You don’t even know where."
"I don’t need to."
Julie looked like she was about to cry.
"Please don’t tell Supervisor Selena."
Nicholas looked at her.
"...Why."
"...Because she’ll say no."
"...Reasonable."
Julie brightened, "So you’ll help?"
"No. Why would I?"
"Cause I’m your favourite streamer...Please?"
"No."
"Pleeeease?"
"No."
Julie grabbed his sleeve, "Just this once!"
"...No."
Her eyes lit up as she remembered she was talking to Phantom, "I’ll pay you you!"
"Okay, add it to the share from the streams this month."
Julie quickly grabbed her camera before anyone could change their mind. She pointed at Selena.
"Be nice to her."
Then she pointed at Nicholas, "And don’t think I don’t know you’re going to charge me extra later."
She left.
The room was quiet.
Selena looked at him. Her eyes were soft and slightly unfocused and she was wearing the expression she only wore when she’d forgotten to arrange her face.
"Everyone left," she observed.
"Yes," Nicholas said.
"That was a good game." She considered this. "Julie’s game was good."
"I won’t tell her you said that."
Selena smiled. It was slower than her usual smile. More unguarded. "You can tell her. I don’t mind."
She tried to stand.
It took two attempts.
Nicholas stood at the same moment, not reaching for her, just present in case. She finally got to her feet, wobbling a little before steadying herself.
"I can walk," she said.
"Alright" he said.
They walked out of the room and to the elevator he swiped her ID and it took them to another side of the building.
Selena was about to leave the elevator when she almost slumped to the ground, but Nicholas caught her before she did.
"My cigarette fell" Selena said.
"No it didn’t" Nicholas let out an exasperated sigh as he picked her from the ground, piggybacking her.
He could feel the warmth of her breath on his neck as he carried her.
"Are we going to the park" Selena muttered.
’Yeah I’m definitely not letting her drink anything again’ Nicholas thought.
He walked down the corridor toward her room. He took the Id and scanned it and the door pulled open. The room was dark and he found the light switch before she had to look for it.
She slowly sat on the edge of the bed, taking her time as if the bed had suddenly become much farther away.
Nicholas stood at the door.
"I’ll leave the light on in the bathroom," he said. "Drink the water on the nightstand."
He turned to go.
Her hand closed around his wrist.
Not hard. Just present.
He stopped.
"Cisco."
Her voice was low. Drowsy. The name sitting in it like something she’d been carrying a long time.
"Don’t leave me again."
Nicholas stood very still.
He looked down at her hand on his wrist. Then at her face.
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