Superficial (DE)

Thirty.

An eerie silence fell over the condo as the two men stared at Cerise. Her heart bounded aggressively in her chest as no one moved. Nervous, like the heavy gallops of a stallion; beating so hard she was sure they could see it thumping from outside her body—sure they could smell the fear radiating off her the way a shark could smell blood in the wild.

Cerise glanced at her open bedroom door just feet away, the first thing coming to mind was her phone. Without giving it a second thought, she darted for her room trying to slam the door behind her but one of the men tackled her onto the bed gripping her wrist tightly and trying to shake the phone loose from her hand.

They rolled off the bed in a struggle, the two-hundred pound man landing on top of her and knocking the wind out of her. Cerise let out a winded squeal as the man slammed her hand against the hardwood floor knocking her phone out of her clutches.

"Excuse me,"

Cerise jumped slightly, snapping out of her thoughts and looking up into the bathroom mirror as a woman squeezed past her and disappeared into a stall. Her eyes found her reflection in the mirror again, settling on her retracted expression before glancing back down at her bruised wrist. She stared, fixated on the discoloration as she ran it under the hot water as she washed her hands.

Cerise had been harboring paranoia like a monkey on her back. She'd become hyper-vigilant, more cautious than usual, scared that she was now being watched or followed anywhere she went. The seemingly safe little bubble Cerise had been living in her whole life had now been burst and it was taking a toll on her mentally. Cerise didn't feel safe going to anyone about what happened, not her bestfriend nor her parents. What was she supposed to tell them?— the leader of the Sorvino crime family payed her a friendly visit and pointed a gun at her head.

Cerise knew for certain someone would try to make her file a report with the police and if she knew anything, she knew that going to the police would just put her in even more danger. Cerise had somehow found herself at the center of a very dangerous web. It had been making Cerise think about her last conversation with Asante and how Asante kept trying to warn Cerise that she didn't know Brandon like she thought she did. But Cerise was too naïve— too naïve for the truth.

After finishing washing her hands, Cerise re-emerged from the law firm bathroom taking a look around before making a bee line for the conference room and reclaiming her seat in her respective spot. With all the recent publicity, Michael had been expanding the law firm and taking on new attorney's to work under him. And every Monday morning at ten they'd meet to debrief for the week.

Cerise zoned out for most of the meeting, sipping on a luke warm gingerbread flavored latte and hiding behind her laptop screen as if she were working but she was really in her head.

She had been doing her best to act normal in front of her colleagues and her father but her vibrant eyes now had circles under them and her natural glow hadn't seemed as bright lately. Despite being absolutely petrified of being alone, Cerise had been staying at her condo by herself. She'd been losing sleep staying up all night listening for the door, paranoid they'd come back for her but she'd rather be alone and scared than weary in the face of company. Contrary to Brandon's wishes, she felt it was best to be alone right now. Most importantly so she had time to think, clearly. Her door had since been completely repaired and painted over as if nothing ever happened but there was still an eerie chill to her sanctuary now.

Cerise's phone began to vibrate loudly on the table making the conference room go silent as everyone turned to look at her. She quickly silenced the phone without bothering to even see who was calling, her cheeks flushing with heat. "Sorry," She said softly as the meeting resumed.