Forever Young

Everyone has Secrets

I'm officially stressed out about the interview tonight. My house has scattered papers everywhere and clothes piling the floors; I'm starting to wonder how I managed to walk around. Finally after a couple hours of cleaning, my house looked acceptable. I hide the confidential folders in my pajama drawer.

I quickly dressed myself in a sundress, not bothering to put on shoes. I glance out the window; it's windy, and the seatbelt I hid earlier is in the yard.

"Stupid wind," I mutter as I sprint to my yard retrieving the seatbelt. I grab the belt and run inside. Where could I possibly hide this, I think. I've got it!

Running over to my wardrobe, I swing the drawer open, placing the seatbelt with the confidential files. The tension in my body is released and my moment of relaxation is immediately interrupted with the sound of the door bell.

Ding-dong, the doorbell rings.

Chewbacca is here, I giggle silently to myself.

I skip to the door; I'm surprised to see Dr. Evans to be dressed formally. Dr. Evans doesn't seem like the fancy type.

"Please come in," I welcome.

He steps into my home, observing his surroundings. His interest in my home is disturbing.

"Would you like me to bring you a chair?" I said, ignoring the awkward tension in the room due to Dr. Evans's wondering eyes.

"That would be splendid," he smirks.

The paranoid part of me doesn't want me to leave him unattended; I go with my instinct, which is to leave him behind.

I find myself in my bedroom. Confusion consumes my mind and I mentally face-palm myself.

The living room has furniture you idiot! Now you made yourself look like a fool!

"What are you doing?" I said to Dr. Evans, who is pretending to look at the wall decor. Good thing I came in time. He is snooping through my living room! He failed miserably at trying to hide it.

Then again, I think to myself. You did snoop through his office.

"Can't I be curious? I just wanted to look at your decor," Dr. Evans rebukes.

"You're such a hypocrite. 'Curiosity killed the cat, Miss Swift.' Remember that?"

"Watch your mouth, Miss Swift. I could easily drop this promotion. Take a seat."

Dr. Evans points at my couch and once I sit, he takes a seat as well.

"Okay Miss Swift, why did you pick this occupation?"

I swallow. If I tell him the truth, I could risk everything.

"Science always... has been something that I'm," I choke and pause momentarily to collect my thoughts. "I have potential in the scientific field," I partially lie. I am good at science; I just hate it.

"I see," he sighs. He writes into his notepad. "Do you have any work experience in the science field?"

"You already know the answer! Why are you asking me this?"

"Maybe you have other work experiences in the scientific field. Just answer and stop being stubborn."

"No, this is my only experience."

I rub my sweaty palms across my dress.

"Are any of your relatives alive?"

Dr. Evans raises his eyebrow and I turn away.

Yes, I want to scream, but I'm not supposed to know the answer.

"I don't know. I was too young to remember." I pause for a second, but then continue, "Pardon, but how is that relevant?"

I bite my lip, until it starts to bleed. I touch the burning wound.

"You should fix that problem."

He points to my lip.

"Sure thing," I groan, heading toward the bathroom.

Splashing my face with cool water, I inhale deeply. The cool sensation of cool water against my skin is the closest I have to relaxation. The knock on the bathroom door startles me.

"I have to go. Thanks for inviting me to your home," Dr. Evans said, about to leave, but I stop him.

"We didn't finish the interview."

"You have the job, Miss Swift. See you tomorrow."

He storms out the door without hesitation. He's frustrating.

I hid a big part of my past tonight. However, I think Dr. Evans is hiding something as well.

Everyone has secrets.

With that in mind, I remember one of my secrets; the files up stairs in my drawer. I run into my bedroom and find an opened up drawer. My ears start to ring and my eyes start to sting. Everything is gone. The only thing left behind is a slip of paper. I snatch the paper and start to read it's content. I read it aloud,"Miss Swift, you know too much. You're curiosity and snooping is going to cause a war. Watch out, Miss Swift, because you are in the midst of it all."