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Episode 76
Episode 76: The Window and the Waves
The fluorescent lights in the shared washroom flickered with a rhythmic, dying hum that set Ted’s teeth on edge. He stood over the long double-sink, the smell of industrial soap and damp concrete hanging heavy in the air. He’d just finished his shift—**one hundred and fifty people** through the dining room, each with their own set of demands—and his muscles felt like frayed wire.
He splashed cold water onto his face, letting the chill shock his skin. When he looked up into the spotted mirror, he wasn't alone.
Gage was there, leaning against the doorframe of the washroom with a casual, maddening grace. The guy looked like he’d just stepped off a magazine cover, not like he lived in a dorm where the showers grew mold and the walls were paper-thin.
"Small world," Ted said, his voice flat, carrying that blunt, heavy Washington grit. He didn't turn around. He just watched Gage’s reflection. "Though usually, we like to keep it a bit more quiet this late. Some of us actually work for a living."
Gage didn't miss a beat. He stepped further into the room, his heavy boots thudding with a confidence that felt like a territorial claim. He walked right up to the second sink, claiming the space beside Ted.
"I hear that," Gage said, turning on the tap. The water hissed against the porcelain. "I'm looking forward to getting started. Shelly told me you’re one of the best servers they’ve got. Said you really know how to handle the 'important' guests."
Ted’s knuckles turned white as he gripped his hygiene bag. Hearing Shelly’s name in that easy, breezy tone made a hot spark of anger flare in his chest. "She talk about me a lot, did she?"
"Enough to make me want to meet the legend," Gage replied, splashing water on his face. He looked at Ted through the mirror, a single droplet clinging to his chin. "Anyway, I’m headed to bed. See you in the morning, Roomie."
Gage turned and headed toward the far end of the hall—Room 6. Ted watched him go, a dark silhouette shrinking down the long, narrow corridor. He felt the weight of the building pressing in on him. This wasn't just about a new coworker; it felt like a siege.
Ted retreated to Room 1, the door clicking shut behind him with a finality that offered no real peace. He slumped onto his bunk and picked up his controller, the dim glow of the screen the only light in the room. He lost himself in the digital chaos for an hour, the frantic movements of the game finally numbing the "Tire Gage" of it all.
When the tension in his neck finally eased into a dull ache, he set the controller aside and clicked off the light. The room plunged into a thick, heavy darkness.
He had just started to drift when the door pushed open. Marco stumbled in, the scent of salt air and hard exertion clinging to him. He was glistening with sweat, his breath coming in ragged hitches from his late-night run.
Ted shifted in his bunk, a dry, tired chuckle escaping him. "Marco, do us both a favor and go take a shower. I really don't want to smell you all night."
Marco let out a low, breathless laugh. "Fair enough, man. Fair enough." He grabbed his towel and his supplies, the bathroom door creaking as he headed back out. Ted closed his eyes, the silence of the room finally swallowing him whole as he fell into a deep, exhausted sleep.
Across the hall and up the stairs, the girls' dorm was filled with the soft hiss of steam. Shelly had just returned from her movie, her hands bare as she gathered her makeup remover, her nightclothes, and her expensive bar soap. She made her way to the row of six narrow showers, her fingers gripping her washcloth.
The stalls offered a meager bit of privacy behind thin curtains. Shelly stepped in, the hot water drumming against her shoulders, washing away the grit of the day. In the stall next to her, she heard the familiar splash of Maria.
"Hey, Shelly," Maria called out, her voice echoing off the damp tiles. "Word around the center is that you had a proper lunch date with Gage."
Shelly smiled despite herself, her hair pinned up as she lathered the soap. "Is that what they're saying? For a place that claims gossip is wrong, it sure happens a lot."
"So, is it true?" Maria pressed.
"Yeah, it’s true. It was good. He’s a new coworker, you know? I wanted to make him feel welcome."
Maria poked her head out from behind her curtain, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Alright, Shelly... so just *how* welcome did you make him feel?"
Shelly smirked, leaning her head out of the spray. "What? I was just being a good host."
"Yeah, right," Maria snorted. "A 'good host' to a man who looks as good as he does? Pull the other one, Shelly."
They finished up, wrapping plush towels around their bodies and smaller ones around their hair. Back in the safety of their dorm room, the mood shifted as they applied moisturizer and pulled on their nightclothes.
"So, seriously," Maria said, sitting on her bed. "Did anything happen after the meal?"
"No," Shelly insisted. "We watched a movie in the staff lounge. We were almost done when Ted interrupted. He called him 'Tire Gage.' You have to admit, Maria... that was actually pretty funny."
Maria didn't smile. She leaned forward, her voice turning uncharacteristically grave. "Shelly, do you actually have a thing for Gage? Because Ted is a nice guy, and he’s gone through a lot. You weren't here for the drama I haven't told you about yet."
Shelly froze. "What drama?"
"Ted was in the hospital, Shelly. He was pushed off those cliffs. And it wasn't an accident. You remember Cindy? And you remember my old roommate, Chloe?"
Shelly’s heart skipped. "Chloe? I knew she was friends with Cindy, but..."
"They were psychopaths," Maria whispered, her eyes dark. "Cindy was obsessed. She tried to get Ted to sleep with her—even stripped off her clothes on the beach once—and he rejected her. She sent him a fake message, making him think he was meeting Allyson at his favorite spot on the cliffs. When he got there, it was Cindy. He was distracted, looking out at the ocean, and they pushed him."
Shelly clutched her pillow, her stomach churning.
"But that's not even the worst of it," Maria continued. "The night Ted left to go back to work, he got a call from Cindy. A taunt. He drove back to the beach house, crept up to the window, and looked inside. He saw them, Shelly. He saw Allyson and Andrew Miller passionately making love right there on the living room couch. He watched his whole life shatter through a pane of glass."
Shelly’s breath caught in her throat. She looked down at her lap, her voice trembling. "That’s awful. I know he’s been through a lot... but he broke up with me on a phone call. He pursued Cindy, then tried to come back to me. I don't know if I want to get back together. He hurt me."
She lowered her voice, her face flushing as she gestured toward her lap. "And Maria... I’m still a virgin. No one has been down there. I don't believe in that yet. If he’s used to women like Allyson, I don't like it. Did they... did they go all the way? Were they actively making love or just doing other stuff?"
Maria sighed, her expression weary. "I don't know, darling. I saw them kissing, playing in the surf in their suits... but whether they had sex? That’s something you’ll have to ask Ted. And you’ll have to decide if you believe him."
Shelly lay back against her pillow, the dark room feeling cold despite the summer air. The image of Ted standing in the dark, watching the window, wouldn't leave her. As the moonlight crept across the floor, she realized that the "Shifting Sands" were deeper and more dangerous than she ever imagined.
