ROGUE

The Fool's Game

Emily's POV

The hum of the break room fridge is a familiar backdrop to our laughter. I peel back the lid of my yogurt, feeling the plastic give way with a satisfying snap. Across from me, Lily is animatedly reenacting a customer's tantrum over the wrong shade of white paint, her hands flying in every direction to punctuate her story.

Lily and I have known each other since high school. She's the one who dragged me into working at this hell-hole of a store in the first place, and I couldn't be more grateful. Our friendship had stood the test of time, and even now, as we navigated the ups and downs of adulthood, we remained each other's anchors.

"Was it eggshell or cream?" Victoria interrupts with a smirk, her eyes gleaming with amusement. "Because apparently, that's life or death for some people."

I chuckle, nodding in agreement. "I mean, can you imagine living with slightly off-white walls? The horror," I say, playing along. It's easy like this, surrounded by their warmth and quick wit.

"Personally, I'd just go for a bold color and call it a day," Hailey chimes in, pushing up her glasses. She's got a point; there's something about Hailey's quiet observations that cuts through the noise.

Hailey might not talk much at first but once she get comfortable with you, she becomes a wellspring of surprising insights and witty remarks. It's refreshing to have her voice amidst the banter, grounding us in her unique perspective. We all value Hailey's input, and it's moments like these that remind me how lucky I am to work with such amazing people.

"Speaking of bold, Emily, that new display you set up by the registers is getting a lot of attention," Lily says, bouncing her eyebrows at me.

"Bitch, shut the fuck up." I say, spoon halfway to my mouth, suddenly self-conscious. I'd spent hours on that display this morning because of supervisor's orders. But, go me! I guess.

"I sold three toolsets before noon," she assures me, her smile wide and genuine.

"Ooh~, someone's putting in the extra work today," Hailey adds, reaching over to give my shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"I will literally kill all of you in your sleep if you guys don't shut the hell up." I'm relieved, feeling a bloom of pride in my chest. It's moments like this—simple, shared victories—that make the job worth it. But as we chat, I can't shake the niggling thought of Dex and his sudden appearance in the breakroom. My fingers tighten around the yogurt cup, the lightness of the moment tinged with an edge of discomfort.

"Hey, Earth to Emily!" Lily's voice pulls me back, her hand waving in front of my face.

"Sorry, zoned out for a sec," I reply, forcing a smile, hoping they can't see the wariness creeping into my expression.

"You good?" Hailey asks, concern etched in her eyes.

"Shhh." I say, hoping Dex doesn't hear us. He pours a cup of coffee and leans against the counter, pretending to not have seen us. You're not slick, buddy. I see right through you.

I swallow hard, trying not to let his presence bother me. But Dex's obsession with me has reached a new level, and I can't shake the feeling that he's always lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. I try my best to ignore him, focusing back on the conversation with my friends.

And I know what you're thinking. How did you get into this situation, Emily? It all started about like, what, three years ago? Mark and I got really close during my last semester in university and somehow his brother, Dex, fell into the mix of our friendship.

Personally, I didn't think anything of it at the time, but now I can't help but replay those little moments in my mind, the subtle shifts in Dex's behavior that should have been a warning sign. Like when he would interrupt our conversations, always finding a way to steer the attention back towards himself. Or when he would conveniently show up at the same events we were attending, claiming it was just a coincidence.