Everything Is Blue

Chapter 15

Bud Flud Announces Big Project covered the following day's front-page headline in big bold letters. Taunting her.

Great. Even the media was giving Bud all the credit and once again, Kimbra was overlooked. Maybe it was her fault for refusing to make that speech.

Serves me right for being such a fool. You're not cut out for this.

If she had, then she wouldn't have been humiliated in the first place. Now she would never be able to look anyone in the face ever again. How embarrassing.

Kimbra trashed the newspaper as she walked down the hall to her office. Her heels clicked against the white tile floor, signaling her presence. Most of the EcoTech staff avoided her today, fully aware that she would be in a terrible mood. They wanted to avoid getting yelled at. Or fired.

What a disappointment you turned out to be, Kimbra.

Leslie caught her right before she turned the handle of her office door. "Someone came by to see you today." Her face strained, trying not to smile.

Kimbra pulled her hand away from the door, and gave the feline a puzzled look. "Who?"

"Someone who doesn't mind getting on your nerves."

Better not be who I think it is.

"Well, that narrows it down to all the men I know..."

Leslie cracked a smile. "You weren't here, so he said he'd come back later."

"Again, who?" Kimbra asked, sounding more displeased than surprised.

"Bud."

She didn't know how to react to that. She didn't want to talk to him. Not after seeing how he took all the credit and was being praised by the media. Not after he made fun of her.

You hold a grudge too hard.

She dismissed that thought as irrational.

"Why did he come by?"

"To see you."

"I don't want to see him."

"Is this because of what happened the other day?"

"Yes."

"You're so petty."

"He embarrassed me in front of everyone!" She resented how much she cared. How much she wanted people to respect her and her work.

It was pathetic.

Leslie followed Kimbra into the office, watching as the canine muttered under her breath.

Kimbra rubbed the sides of her head, already feeling a tension headache building. She wanted the day to be over already.

A male voice called out from outside the door. "Kimbra!"

Her shoulders dropped, and she dragged a hand down her face. "God what now?"

"It's Neil." Leslie opened the door for the lion, who shuffled into the room, out of breath.

Kimbra raised her eyebrows at their co-worker, who held a large bouquet of sunflowers. "What's with the flowers?"

"Somebody just delivered them," Neil set the vase down onto the desk. "They're for you."

Attached to the vase was a pink envelope. It had her name scrawled on the front in Bud's handwriting.

Is this some sort of apology?

It didn't matter, she told herself firmly. She was still mad at him. She thought about how embarrassed she was the other day, and decided it was completely valid to hold a grudge.