Hidden Depths

"To The Pact"

Getting back to Sloane's house, neither of us said anything for a little while. Until we finally looked at each other with the biggest shit eating grins we could muster. We both let out excited screams. "WE DID IT!"

"We actually did it!! We went to my dream house and interviewed the lady!"

I beamed at her, and she beamed back.

All of a sudden I got a call from my boss.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Yes, hello, Ariana. We just got a call from a Woman by the name of Harriet Crest. She says you and some friend came to her property fishing for some information about her house? I was just calling to say that is very unprofessional, and very unacceptable. In this line of work, it is absolutely okay to interview people, but with questions regarding the assignments that you are given. I know the second assignment I told you about, but that was a bit premature don't you think? She said you guys were very nice and respectful, and that if I needed to know any more to let me know, but it was a bit soon."

Silence. "Hello? Ariana?"

"Yes, hi. Um.. I'm very sorry. I didn't really think to ask you first. I just... I was so intrigued and.. I'm sorry. It's no excuse and I know that."

He sighed. "Don't let it happen again." With that, the dial tone ended.

He hung up on me.

Putting the phone back down, I tucked it in my palm and carried on like nothing had happened.

"Ummm Ariana?" I heard. I pretended I didn't hear it.

"Ariana." Sloane said firmly.

Looking up and meeting her eyes, they were full of compassion.

"What was that?" She put her hand on my shoulder to comfort me.

I smiled weakly at her, "it was my boss. Apparently I went overboard and it was unprofessional and inappropriate for me to go to that lady's house and investigate through questioning."

I made sure to put air quotes around unprofessional and inappropriate.

She went silent, focusing intently on her finger nails. "I'm sorry.."

I put my hand up before she could say any more. "No. You don't get to say you're sorry. Firstly, because you didn't do anything wrong. Secondly, because you helped me accomplish something I was too scared to do, and without your help it probably wouldn't have even happened at all. No, I'm the one apologizing. But not because I feel bad for anything. I'm apologizing because you and I are going to be working together for a while."

She smiled at me, but then it faltered, "wait, how? If he told you.."

"Yeah, I know what he told me. But that lady was so nice, I'm sure if I just explained the situation with her and clear it up this won't happen again."

"Ariana.."

"Sloane, please don't try to talk me out of this. Please. I have to find out more. I have to get to the hidden depths of this place. Because this isn't just a feeling that I get when I see something beautiful. Yes, I have that too, but I feel this.. uneasy feeling. A feeling like I want to throw up and walk away. But for some reason it's like it's... calling out to me. Look, I know this sounds insane, but I also know there are things in and about that house that we don't know about. And I know that unless I keep searching, I'm not going to be able to sleep."