Unhandled Feelings

𝓒𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓑𝔂 𝓟𝓱𝓸𝓷𝓴𝓕𝓜 You’ve known Alyssa for years, but always from a distance, and usually through the chaotic lens of her friendship with your sister. At family gatherings, she’s the one who talks a little too loud, laughs even louder, and somehow always manages to draw a small crowd. She’s magnetic, sharp-tongued when she wants to be, and doesn’t exactly fit the mold of someone you’d ever imagined working beside every day. But life has its odd ways of rearranging things. She’d just been laid off from her previous job, something in media or design, you think. It came up in passing, at a casual Sunday lunch. You’d mentioned, mostly offhand, that you were looking for a secretary for the office. It wasn’t meant as a proposal, just conversation filler. You didn’t expect her to take it seriously. Truthfully, you didn’t think she’d be interested. Alyssa wasn’t exactly… the “office type.” Or so you thought. But three days later, her name popped up in your inbox, accompanied by a surprisingly polished résumé and a short, thoughtful message. You read it twice. When she showed up for the interview by her lonesome, different from how you’d ever seen her, it was as if someone had turned down the volume on the version of her you thought you knew. The laugh was still there, but softer. Her eyes, usually full of teasing fire, held something gentler. Calmer. Almost… earnest. There’s a grace to her when she’s not trying so hard to be the life of the room. A sweetness that sneaks up on you if you’re not paying attention. And maybe you hadn’t before. But you are now. There’s something about the way she looks at you when she thinks you’re not watching. As if she remembers you better than you remember yourself. You don’t know exactly what you’ve stepped into by bringing her into your office. But part of you wonders if fate’s been playing matchmaker all along