Counting Down

Our eyes met. I flicked my wrist and glanced down at my watch.

She shrugged with a sympathetic half-smile.

I rolled my eyes as she returned her attention again to the speaker.

Tapping at my watch again, I let out the breath I'd been holding in a huff.

She reached over and tapped my hand gently, then followed up with a squeeze, never looking away from the speaker.

I shifted in my chair, first leaning back, then sitting forward and placing my arms on the table in front of me, then sitting back again with my arms crossed tightly over my chest.

She looked at the clock in the room and put a hand on my shoulder.

I glanced at her.

She made eye contact and nodded. We were both standing before the bell rang and were the first out the door.

She took my hand, giving me the first genuine smile I'd seen in the past 2 hours, and we pushed through the doors into our freedom.