Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

"Wait, what?" Hans was a bit slow to catch on.

"Who sent it? When? Did you mention this to me?"

"I just happened to swing by the school today, and heard you mention in the afternoon that the flash drive was for Roseanne, so I just took it upon myself to deliver it to her." "Oh, I see... Why didn't you give me a heads up? Had me searching high and low..."

Corley Sullivan inwardly rolled his eyes, thinking it was better to ask forgiveness than permission. Better to act first and explain later.

However, he simply said, "It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, completely slipped my mind to tell you."

"As long as she got it, it's all good."

"Yeah."

Ending the call, Corley cheerfully whistled as he gripped the steering wheel, content with how things turned out.

...

In his study, Owen was trying to make sense of a set of experimental data.

But his focus was nowhere to be found.

His thoughts kept drifting back to the scene he witnessed from his balcony two hours earlier-

Corley and her, walking side by side into the alley.

He could see Corley leaning in to say something, and after listening, Roseanne first frowned, then rolled her eyes in exasperation before running off.

Corley just stood there, watching her leave, with a look of helpless indulgence, as if watching a mischievous child.

Under the streetlight, their shadows stretched long and partly overlapped, resembling an intimate couple.

Corley was the one she had plans

returning to the computer screen,

he

was he

end, all he could do

a.m., the study light was still

a sigh, his

it, he'd

down, but tossing and turning,

fell asleep, it was anything but restful-his dreams

scenes were blurry, as if veiled

slender figure approached

flushed, he loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt, his throat involuntarily

it was on fire, a deep thirst radiating from

and filled with an

drawn to the figure, gently taking

hand, then caressing

and neck.

a refreshing spring, quenching his thirst,

he finally pressed his lips

That sound seemed magical,

away, fueling

drawing out desires et

within him...

the woman turned her face, he finally saw her

Anne...

woke to find his pajamas damp, overwhelmed by frustration, shame,