Opposites Attract

Chapter 10~Cynical Doubts

~Nick's POV~

"Hello? Carrots?" I press my ear against her door, starting to feel a little aggravated. "Anybody home...?" I ask, raising my voice a little louder.

I knock for the last time, then slap my hands down against my legs, sighing in defeat. She must have already left for work without me.

Betrayal was the first thing that came to mind... She better forget my offer of bringing her coffee tomorrow morning, or any other morning. Just to let her know I can hold a grudge.

I'd be lying if I said that it didn't hurt, even a little, but I instantly brush it off. I remind myself that I'm not the kind of fox to feel sorry for himself anymore; those days are behind me. Besides, a private walk on my own could be a refreshing change and I knew she was desperate to try and redeem herself at work, anyways.

~.~.~

I make it there quicker than I thought, and am suddenly aware that I'm completely left behind. The whole building area already looked deserted as I walked through the opening, since everyone had fled to do their duties and start their day of work.

I enter through the double doors and firstly see the doughnut-loving cop sat at the front desk, obsessively glued to his phone. Four Jumbo-sized empty boxes of 'lucky chomps' cereal with an accompanied jug of milk and a bowl are to his right. Crowding his only work space. Wow I must be late, he's already gone and eaten through more than his usual three helpings already. Actually, maybe that's not so surprising...

"Morning, big guy." I greet.

"Nick?" He asks as soon as he spots me. "Well I definitely wasn't expecting you to be showing your face here at this time of the morning! I mean don't get me wrong, I know that coming 'fashionably late' is a thing nowadays and all but in my opinion, it's not very practical-"

I interrupt his blabbering with a raised paw. "Just overslept," I say. "It's not gonna bite me in the butt later on, is it?" I ask.

"Well... if you're talking about Cheif Bogo, I make no promises. You know the Chief, he isn't resilient on late arrivers." He grimaces. "Sick-note excusers; maybe. Late arrivers; no..."

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before." I mumble, putting my hands in my pockets and rolling my eyes, acting bored.

"He's already handed out the assignments for today, Mister. If I were you, I'd go straight to his office right now and explain yourself." The cheetah says, pointing to the upper balcony of the building.

I scoff. "I'm sure I can crack his hard shell somehow." I give my best, smug smile. "He likes me." I say, lifting my shoulders.

I was about to head my way over there but Ben reaches his paw out to block me. I stop.

"By the way, where's Judy?" He asks.

"...where's Judy?" I repeat his question stupidly.

"Yeah, she hasn't come in either. I figured you two would've come in together, as usual..." Slight concern suddenly grows on his face, spreading onto mine, too.

"She's not...here?" I mutter to myself. I rattle my brain for answers but think of none. Where else could she be, other than her most favourite place to be in; work?

He says good luck as I start to officially leave, both knowing that Bogo isn't known for laying it on easy on anybody. But why should I care? I never have. Right now, I have bigger fish to fry.

Instead of going to his office first, as told, I decide to do my own private search of that bunny. I'm sure Benjamin just overlooked her, being as small as she is. Seeing as she wasn't in her first home, she must be here at her second. I take a gander around the break room, knocked on the female lavatory door and at the end there was no sign of her. Huh, she really is gone.