Found Obsession

Chapter 22: Party of Benefactors.

April 30th, 2004

Rose stood on the roof of the office, the cool breeze brushing against her skin, a stark contrast to the whirlwind of thoughts swirling in her mind. In just two days, the party she had organized to attract benefactors for Raven would take place, and the weight of anticipation mixed with anxiety settled heavily on her shoulders.

As she leaned against the railing, her gaze drifted over the cityscape, lost in memories of her earlier conversation with Raven.

Flashback

With a soft knock, Rose opened the door to Raven's apartment. He answered, a sleepy smile spreading across his face when he recognized her.

"Raven," she greeted, her smile brightening at the sight of him. "I've got the invitations."

"Thank you so much, Rose! It means a lot," he said, running a hand through his messy hair.

She handed him the stack of invitations, after a moment, she hesitated, feeling a pang of uncertainty. "I was wondering... do you have a companion for the party?"

Raven's expression shifted slightly, and she could see the regret in his eyes. "Sorry, Rose, I do Rebecca-."

Pretty nurse, Rose thought.

"Oh well," she said, forcing a lightness into her tone. "No worries, Raven. Just thought I'd ask."

End of flashback

Back in the present, Rose sighed, her mind turned to Riley. Inviting him to the party seemed like a mistake given how he had treated her lately. The sharpness in his voice during the profiling sessions still echoed in her mind, making her second-guess her decisions.

Flashback

The fluorescent lights flickered above, casting a harsh glare over the conference table cluttered with files and reports. Rose sat hunched over her laptop, her fingers racing across the keyboard as she tried to keep pace with Riley's demands. The rest of the profiling division surrounded her, but their chatter felt distant, a faint buzz in the background as Riley's voice cut through the noise.

"Rose, this profile lacks depth! You need to dig deeper," Riley snapped, his eyes narrowing as he scrutinized her work. The disappointment in his tone stung, making her stomach twist.

"I'm trying, Riley," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. The truth was, she felt exhausted, not just from the long hours but from the weight of his expectations.

"Trying isn't good enough! We're not here to babysit. You need to step up," he retorted, crossing his arms as he paced back and forth, his presence looming over her like a storm cloud.

Mira shot Rose a sympathetic glance, but she was too embarrassed to return it. Instead, she focused on her screen, wishing the words would magically assemble themselves into a perfect profile. As Riley continued to dissect her work, she could feel the frustration boiling beneath her surface.

"Everyone else seems to be on the same page," Riley continued, glancing at Will and Paula.

"I don't expect perfection, but I do expect effort. If you can't keep up, maybe you shouldn't be on this team."

Rose clenched her fists under the table, fighting back tears. The others had made mistakes too, but they weren't facing Riley's wrath. Why did he have to be so hard on her? "I get it," she finally said, her voice trembling slightly. "I'll do better."

"Better isn't enough; it has to be great," he replied sharply, leaving her to grapple with her frustration as the meeting moved on, the tension hanging in the air like an unspoken challenge.