Chasing Shadows Read Online Free Page B

who are going up. They
seem young and obnoxious to me, can't be older that fifteen. I have
my ear buds in, Aerosmith blaring. The teenagers glance at me every
few seconds. They're obviously speaking in whispers, but it’s for
their own benefit. I can't hear and don't care what they're saying.
The elevator stops on the third floor. The four kids get out, going
no doubt to try and shoplift the latest gangster rap CD by whoever.
As they leave, my eyes are drawn to the back of their waist lines
which must be what they intended. Two of the girls are wearing neon
bright thongs that stick up over their low-rise, painted on jeans.
Is that still a thing? Their exposed flesh looks red, must be cold.
It’s October for Christ's sake. I raise an eyebrow.
    When they are gone I slip my little round key
out of my pocket and into the slot marked B. With a ding that even
I can hear, the elevator heads for the basement. It stops on the
ground floor first. Here Ashley is waiting along with our old,
hippie co-worker Heath. Every work place has an old hippie. Our old
hippie has psoriasis. Heath's face is in the process of molting. I
concentrate on not staring at the old dude and not avoiding looking
at him either. You have to strike just the right balance of
attention to seem like the sight of flaking skin doesn't fascinate
you. I'm so caught up in my political correctness that I almost
miss the angry, injured look on Ashley's face. I haven't mentioned
the breakfast we went to the other day, yesterday I guess, and I
may never. It was brutal for both of us.
    We arrive at the basement and I remove my ear
buds. It’s still too early to clock in. I dump my bag on the floor
by the employee coat rack and head to the break room for coffee. I
ignore Ashley because I lack the social skills to do otherwise.
After yesterday, what should I say? What can I? I mean she
literally said, very loud, in public... never mind. She made her
position clear. My boots squeak on the tile letting everyone know
two things. One: It’s raining outside. Two: I am here! Screech,
screech.
    Shelving Fairy is already here. She smiles up
at me. She's sitting across the gray, plastic table from Doug.
Doug's eyebrows are catching the fluorescent light and giving his
mannish face a crazy glow.
    "Hey." Doug says, pulling out the chair next to
him for me to sit in. This surprises me as I've never really spoken
to Doug before.
    "Join us." Shelving Fairy chirps.
    "K." I am suspicious immediately. Both of these
people are wearing looks of expectation that can only bode ill for
me. I nod to Doug and say to Shelving Fairy something non committal
like "What's up?"
    Doug adjusts his phone on his studded belt
before answering in a hushed voice, as if I had asked him instead
of Shelving Fairy. "Fin told me."
    Oh hell, I think. Then I get distracted. Wait,
he said Fin. "Fin." I repeat after him trying not to make it sound
like a question.
    Shelving Fairy blushes. "Doug calls me Fin. I
think it’s cool."
    Huh. "So, should I start calling you Fin?" I
ask. I'm about to get a name for Shelving Fairy!! This is awesome.
Now I'll be able to use it to cuss her out appropriately for
confiding a secret of mine to man she doesn't even know!
Ashley would never have done that. At least I don't think she would
have. I guess. I don't know since I never told her.
    Shelving Fairy shrugs. "You don't have to. You
can still call me Cassie."
    Eureka! I smile. "So why Fin?" I ask
Doug.
    "That's from my last name, dumb ass! Finoglio."
Shelving Fairy, I mean Cassie, rolls her eyes. I tell myself to try
and remember Finoglio as I take a sip of my coffee and cringe,
fucking holidays. The cafe gets its coffee flavors from corporate.
Staff coffee is whatever's not selling. This one is trying to be
pumpkin pie, or apple sauce, or some other damn thing that doesn't
belong in coffee.
    "I think I'll call you Fin, maybe."
    Doug is beaming at Cassie, Fin, Shelving Fairy,
in a way that makes me embarrassed for both of them.