The Internship

Chapter Seven ~ Stutter Steps

"Someone saw the bruises." I mumbled the next morning as I pulled my shirt over my head.
"What?" Mark frowned his eyes burning into mine.
"Y-yeah, Someone saw the bruise on my wrist." I showed him the bruise he caused. His cheeks went red.
"What the hell!" He screamed at me, I flinched.
"Don't worry I covered it up, they don't expect a thing."
"Don't be so stupid" he glared.
"I'm sorry." I mumbled standing there with my shirt and undies on.
"It's alright. But if you do anything like that again-," he came real close to me.
"I'll kill you with my bare hands." He said seriously.
And with that he swiftly left the room leaving me with what felt like a stone in my throat.
I gulped and pulled my pants on. Everything will be fine, I reassured myself.
Everything will be fine.
.
I was quiet that morning. Alex didn't seem to notice that much. He was buried in work. He had given me a few tasks to go through in which I worked silently on.
He was mostly silent too. A few sighs and mutters to himself as he read through papers and papers. Stacks covered his desks. Stocks, income, finances. He chewed on the back of his pen with his eyebrows pulled together most of the morning. I sat there trying to focus but having Mark as a constant reminder in the back of my head.
"What's got you all quiet over there?" Alex asked.
"T-the stocks are just overwhelming, all the numbers." I lied trying to cover up everything and anything. Alex got up from his desk,
"You should've just asked." He said and walked over behind me. His hand rested on the back of my chair,
"Here let me show you something," his hand grazed over mine that was holding the mouse. I pulled away and he placed his palm on the computer mouse dragging away at the screen.
He leaned forward a little, squinting his eyes at the small font.
His chest was almost against my back and I stiffened.
"And that's it. Does it look a little simpler now?"
He was honestly very smart, although I didn't pay attention to what he had done.
"Yes thank you."
He went back to his desk and sat down.
"Mr. Harrison?" I mumbled and he glanced back up,
"Yeah?"
"Did-um, did you tell anyone about the bruise?"
His expression went hard.
"No, why would you care if people know? Didn't you just fall?" He said now quizzing my lie.
I ignored him and went back to the stocks.
I could tell he was annoyed but he dropped it.
The afternoon was worse for Alex. Employee after employee came into his office asking questions and revealing new problems for Alex. He was running out of steam when one of the last people was Jill.
"Mr. Harrison, I don't understand what you want me to do."
Alex raked a hand through his hair and rolled his eyes.
"Jesus Christ." He groaned like a teenager and followed her to her desk. He was gone for about 25 minutes and the second he came back his phone rang and the next employee walked in. Alex put his hand up to pause the employee from speaking and answered the phone. He rubbed his temples as his cheeks started to stain red.
"Y-yeah I'll see what I can d-," the person on the other end interrupted him with yelling and Alex jerked his head way from the phone with a wince.
"Yeah I heard you the first time." His tone was sharp and he turned off the phone.
"What?" He glared at the helpless employee.
Their conversation went on for about 15 minutes until they left to the employees desk.
Alex walked back in and closed the door. He sprawled out on his coach his feet well off.
His cheeks were still scarlet red and he covered his face with his arms.
He took a deep breath in. And let it out, he took a second forced breath in and hesitated before letting it out.
Alex sat up with confusion as he went through his breathing again and again and again.
Until he was hyperventilating.
I stood up with a frown.
"What are you doing?"
He ranked his hand through his hair and leaned back. His lips were parted and he looked like hell in just seconds as sweat dripped down his forehead.
"P-plea-please Le-leav-ve" he stuttered while wincing.
"Are you alright? What's happening to you?" My eyes were as wide as saucers. I felt so unhelpful, I was so confused.
His breathing was picking up even more than I thought it could.
"L-leave." He was so quiet. His words were barely a whisper. He covered his face with his hands as his chest rose and fell quickly.
"Okay, a-are you sure?" I didn't want to leave him, I wanted to know what the hell was happening.
Without lifting his hands off his face he nodded.
I sighed and quickly left his office.
What the hell just happened?
I wandered around the building till I spotted Anna. I smiled at her and waved, she glanced up, adjusted her glasses and continued on.
"Anna?" I frowned. She didn't look back. I sighed and continued on until I arrived at the main area. I took a seat on one of the couches and waited about thirty minutes.
I walked back up to Alex's office and stood outside of it with hesitation.
Maybe he wants a little longer.
I walked down to Jeremy's area to be greeted with a smile.
"Hey there stranger." I playfully rolled my eyes at his comment.
"Hey I've got kinda a weird question." I shrugged and sat beside him at his desk.
"Shoot."
"So I saw this guy down in the lobby a few minutes ago and he was hyperventilating and like being all weird. He seemed to be okay, just scared or something? I don't know how to explain it, maybe you had to be there." I glanced up at him.
"Could be panic attacks, my cousin has those. She always starts screaming like she going to die and then she can barely get the words out."
"He didn't scream though." I mumbled,
"Well maybe he's used to getting them. Or he has something completely different it's just a guess." Jeremy shrugged.
"Well okay, thanks for the info." I said while getting up. Jeremy smiled up at me,
"No problem."
I wondered back up to Alex's office and hesitated before knocking.
He opened the door and stared down at me.
His cheeks were still a bit red as were his eyes, his hair was disheveled, his tie was loose around his collar and he looked as though he'd pass out at any given second.
I chewed on my lip and glanced up at him again,
I stepped forwards towards his rigid body in which he didn't move. My hands placed themselves on his tie. Gently, I fixed the tie back into place and flattened his shirt around than back out with my fingers.
"There." I mumbled. I glanced up at Alex to see him staring down at me. My hand hesitated on his chest for a second as my eyes were caught on his. He cleared he throat and backed up,
"Um, thanks." He mumbled his cheeks turning red.
I glanced at the door that was left open when I entered. People had noticed what I had just done. Some would say that's a wife's job.
I closed the door and sat back down at my desk.
I sighed and stared at him.
"What?" He muttered though his didn't once look over.
"What Happened?"
"I fell." He shot back with rolled eyes. Using the same made up excuse as me.
"Whatever." I muttered.
I waited a few moments and building up the courage to ask,
"Was it a panic attack?"
He stood up and gathered a file before walking past me towards the door.
"It was wasn't it! You might as well just tell me or I'll just keep asking." Alex ignored me as he left his office.
However seconds later he stormed back in coming right toward my desk. His palms were planted on my desk as his eyes burned into mine.
"Who hurt you." He said lowly. 
"What?" I frowned, with that Alex rolled his eyes,
"Your bruise. Who did that?"
"No one." I said glaring back at him.
"Who hurt you!" He yelled making me flinch.
"N-nobody-it was an accident." I said nervously.
"What the hell do you mean it was an accident?"
"Who was it? Boyfriend? Guys at the bar? A man on the street?" I shook my head this was at least not a lie.
"Did you somehow do that to yourself?"
I shook my head again.
"Well what the hell!" He yelled again obviously upset with me.
"I'm sorry I'm not aloud to tell anyone- you weren't supposed to know." I covered my mouth my eyes going wide. His mouth parted a little.
"Should I call the cops?" He asked quietly,
"You can't."
"Why because you don't know him? The man that did this to you?" Alex was now basically praying that I'd say yes.
"Sure." I mumbled.
"Dammit!" Alex yelled.
"Who is it! Who is it I'll beat him to death Who the hell is it?"
"I can't tell you. He wouldn't be pleased." I mumbled feeling the stone in the throat again.
He sighed sitting down on the couch.
"I'm sorry." He mumbled.
I stood up and sat down beside him.
Brave move I know.
"Panic attacks?" I glanced up at him.
He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me towards him. I leaned against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.
"Why do you assume that?"
"Just a thought." I mumbled.
He placed his chin on top of my head and his thumb rubbed into my skin. It felt so normal, so comfortable.
Suddenly Jill burst into the office.
"Hah! I knew it!"
Alex stiffened and I quickly stood up.
"Jill." I rolled my eyes.
"You guys are doing it aren't you!"
"No." Alex and I both said at the same time.
"You can't even deny it this is crazy. This could get you fired Mr. Harrison. You too Amanda!"
"That's no way to talk to your boss." He said sternly.
"Please, your barely a boss. This business has done nothing but go downhill since you got here." Jill spat. Alex masked his emotions well, but I could tell that got to him a little.
"Well there's the door. You may leave if you would like." He stared at her.
"Are you even listening? This isn't about me! This is about you!" Jill wined. Alex was silent.
"Your just a coward." She glared at him.
"Jill!" I frowned at her.
"Mrs. Grant could you give us a minute." Alex said as he rubbed his temples.
Me? I nodded and walked out with a frown. When I opened the door to my surprise a line of employees were waiting outside.
After about 10 minutes Jill came out with a smirk and walked back down the hallway.
I frowned and walked back in and to my desk. Alex sat at his desk as the next person came in without any emotion on his face at all, it was paler though. After that he didn't even listen to any of the employees that came into his office with comments and questions. There was a long line and he just said to each one,
"I'll see what I could do." With a sigh.