Hiding

The Library Officer and I are kissing in his office during our lunch break. I keep listening for colleagues returning from lunch. Thankfully, there are so many doors and gates to unlock in a prison that at least no one could ever take us by surprise. But I've never had a relationship with anyone I've worked with before and worry about our colleagues finding out. I suspect a couple of them are already suspicious: prison society is like a medieval village where everyone knows everyone else's business, and I think one of the officers may have seen me getting out of The Library Officer's car the other morning. I've not worked here for very long to have embarked upon a relationship with someone, and being civilian staff, I'm more noticeable. My big curly hair does not help me stay unrecognised.

"We're not doing anything wrong," he whispers, kissing my neck. "It's not like we're having sex." He raises an eyebrow, hopefully. "Oy!" I gently slap his face. When a key rattles in the door, we jump apart. He adjusts himself and I wipe his saliva from my mouth. I become super awkward around him and can't even look him in the eye or respond to him in a normal manner with our colleagues around. Trying to concentrate on my work, I'm conscious of his twinkly gaze following me as I walk around the library and my movements seem disjointed as I randomly pluck books off the shelf only to put them back a moment later. A smile tugs at the corners of my mouth. I sneak a glance at him, he winks at me and I duck behind a shelf.