Has anything ever completely consumed your time? If you aren’t single-minded, do you know anyone who is? Either way, I can’t speak for those reading this, but I’ll admit my work, whether my day job or writing, has consumed me a few times. That said, people wonder what you’re doing, especially if what you’re working on is a secret, or at least unknown. I speak from experience. When other team members are pulled aside for private conversations, my imagination inevitably fills in the blanks.
Granted, this is dangerous, not because it’s detached from reality, but because whatever you imagine is almost always wrong. The issue isn’t a lack of intelligence, but a lack of knowledge. Despite knowing better, I can’t stop letting my imagination run wild with these invented conversations. It’s a side effect of being an author, I suppose. Either way, the next chapter in Darren’s life was shaped by this dynamic.
Join me as Lia barges into Darren’s dorm. Will she discover why he’s been so secluded? Or will he turn her away, leaving her to wonder what’s consuming his time?
Darren lifted the vial, scrutinizing the liquid inside it as the door to his room swung open. Lia stepped inside, leaning against the doorframe as she cleared her throat. “Isolation in pursuit of creation isn’t some ideal.”
Darren chuckled as he set the vial down and strode to the doorway. He sighed, nudging her aside before shutting the door. Ignoring her glare, Darren rubbed his lips as his eyes flittered between her and the strange liquid. “That’s the next stage of my experiment.”
“That didn’t answer my question.”
“You didn’t ask one.” Darren tapped her nose as his fingers drummed a soft march against his thigh. “Curiosity has never motivated a visit from you. Why are you here?”
“We’ll get to that shortly,” Lia said, peering past Darren’s body and pointing at the scattered contents on the table. “Until we get there, I’d rather know what you’ve been doing during your voluntary isolation. Our double date with Randall and Mara aside, I haven’t seen you outside of class in weeks. We’re all curious about what you’ve been doing here.”
Darren touched the doorknob and groaned. “You removed the lock, didn’t you?”
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