*Giovani*
As soon as Olivia was out of sight, the soft and kind man in me disappeared. I gripped her notebook in one hand and the baggie with the damn note in the other, trying not to touch the notebook too much as I headed straight down the hall for my office.
My boots pounded on the floorboards with unnecessary force. My whole body was tensed for a fight as blood pumped in my ears. I could feel my heart thumping loudly in my chest, fast and wild.
I slipped into my office, knocking my shoulder against the wood as I stepped inside. The door shut behind me, and I rounded my desk, my whole body trembling as I dropped the notebook onto my desk.
Her name was written across the front in Sharpie, with little doodles of hearts and swirls accompanying it. It was innocent and sweet, and I inhaled through my nose, shutting my eyes to calm the emotions burning wildly inside of me.
