SCARLET MEETS MILA

12

Mila devotes most of her morning folding shirts, the endless boxes feeling no less empty than yesterday. She does well to avoid the bustle behind her, realising that the sniggering and bitching is only another part of the job.

When finishing another box, Mila places the shirts into a plastic bin, sighing a breath of satisfaction before noticing a box falling from the other end of the table. She rushes to grab it, but before she can get there, the heavy crash alerts the floor of her mistake.

Immediate laughter engulfs the room, and the three girls from yesterday stand with rolling eyes and hearty ovation. "Good job, newb!" They chortle. "What, you can't even stack boxes now?"

Mila shakes her head and drops to gather the garments. "It was an accident," she asserts. "It's not that funny."

"Sure," Jade, the ringleader, chuckles. "Must be super hard for you! You know, all of this responsibility?"

"Hilarious," Mila scoffs. "You're a comedian!"

"What did you say?" Jade laughs with a patronising smile. "I didn't understand your mumbling?"

Mila clamps her jaw. "Don't worry about it."

"What?" Jade pressures, forcing a few laughs from behind. "Louder, come on!"

"I said don't worry!" Mila snaps, "This doesn't fucking concern you!"

The girl pauses when the sound of heels approaches her from behind. "My office." Scarlet commands. "Now!"

Mila clamps her jaw while momentarily closing her eyes, the short pause filled with shame and instantaneous disappointment. She turns sharply, storming towards the glass doors with tears now swelling in her tired eyes.

Scarlet remains, her strict expression studying the room that now stands still within the silence of her presence. She paces forward, aware of the trio standing beside the window with lowered heads and a blatant admission of guilt.

Eyes follow as she gets closer, and nobody dares whisper when the woman reaches for Jade's chin, lifting it to meet her irritated expression. "I warned you", she states with power. "Get your stuff, call a cab."

"Miss Ramirez-

"Now!" Scarlet demands effortlessly, forcing the girls behind to panic as her bright eyes lift to meet their darkening cheeks. Jade throws her heels into a nearby box and storms towards the dressing rooms to collect her things.

Scarlet doesn't bother watching her leave; instead, she walks towards her office before returning with a brief note. "Bullying of any kind will not be tolerated in this company", she begins, capturing her team's attention. "Respect yourself and respect those around you. That is non-negotiable. Are we understood?"

The room nods in unison. "Yes, ma'am."

"Carry on", Scarlet signals directly, returning to her office only to find the girl in question sobbing into her palms. She walks past her to sit at her desk, the air tense and uncomfortably quiet. "Would you like something to drink?" She offers, already reaching for a bottle of water below the desk. "Here"

Mila glances up and accepts the gesture with a limited smile. "Thanks."

The woman nods and turns to her computer. "Help me out here, a new girl", she sighs. "I'm trying to give you a chance, but you're not making it easy on me."

Mila shakes her head with a sniffle, the dent in her pride visible. "I guess you're gonna fire me?"

Scarlet's eyes dart towards Mila's discouraged expression. "Seriously?" her tone is harsh. 

She shrugs. "You told me last time that I needed to grow some balls." The woman opposite takes a slow, deep breath in. "I tried to stand up for myself and failed", she laughs defeatedly. "They trampled me like roadkill. I can tell you're a woman of your word, so I thought this would be your reason to kick me out."

Scarlet lowers her head and stretches her fingers over some paperwork before looking up at Mila with a sharp huff. "I get it," She begins. "I get that this is hard, but life is harder; those girls out there, they are harder." Mila glances up and swallows. "If you want this, to be here, to be working in an industry that doesn't give a fuck about you? Stand up, stop crying and move!"

Mila's cheeks darken, her sad eyes meeting the bright green in Scarlet. "You don't want me here either?" She laughs awkwardly. "Harlow hired me for Fox. She told me to stay out of your way, and believe me; I'm trying", she continues, catching Scarlet's attention. "But I'm not here to get a foot in; I don't want to be the next modelling sensation!" She adds, "I'm here to put food on the table for my sister and me. Competing with girls like Jade, it's not something I want to do."

Scarlet pauses momentarily before standing from her desk to stare out of the large window behind. "You walked into a global fashion house with zero experience", she muses. "You stood here and demanded I give you a job, to which I refused, just to pay for you and your sister's lifestyle?"

Mila clears her throat discreetly. "Correct."

Scarlet shakes her head with a a puzzled laugh. "You've lost me", she admits. "It's like a high school graduate walking into NASA and asking for a managerial role?"

"I'm an artist", Mila stumbles with a defensive posture and sharpened tone. "The industry feels familiar. I don't know anything about what you do, but your work inspires me?" Scarlet stares out the large window, denying the girl her hidden intrigue. "Coffee shops and restaurants don't pay enough to keep a seven-year-old fed and clothed, let alone an apartment and hot water! It may seem like a random choice to you, but it was deliberate and made sense to me."

Scarlet turns slowly. "I pay for purpose and skill", she explains. "Professionalism and the ability to go a day without needing a cuddle from mommy is an absolute! I don't want to throw money at a stranger with nothing to offer."

Mila shakes her head with a tired laugh. "My mommy passed a long time ago; I think I'm good", she remarks with ease, causing Scarlet to arch her brow. "Task me with something purposeful. Maybe then, you can judge me for being useful!" She snarls with newfound confidence, "Folding shirts while mixing with your expensive mannequins doesn't seem fair if my only shot at staying here is to impress you."

Scarlet doesn't move her expression an inch. Instead, she heads towards a tall cupboard and reaches for a large folder. She walks towards her desk and shoves it in front of the girl before peeling open the cover.

"Signatures", Scarlet states, pointing over the girl's shoulder at the bottom of a detailed document. "Time, date and location. Every document needs to have all three, and each needs to have a signature." Mila remains silent. "Anything that is incomplete needs to be removed and taken to Maria downstairs. Questions?"

Mila shakes her head. "I don't think so."

"Good, over there", Scarlet demands, her tone sharp and pressing. "I don't trust you to mingle with the girls right now; I'm already down a model today because of you."

Mila grabs the heavy file and approaches a couch in the corner of Scarlet's office. "You made her leave?" She asks curiously, trying her best not to make evident her slight excitement at being given an actual task by the woman she can't help but stare at intently.

Scarlet sighs as if the girl should know already. "You'll be next if you don't do as I've asked."

"Right", Mila nods, settling herself in the corner. "Got it."