backstage secrets

ii

the decision to resign from the café came like a breath of fresh air for nicola, though it wasn't without its difficulties. after weeks of struggling under the growing tension between her and margaret, the incident that pushed her over the edge was minor, yet significant. one busy afternoon, margaret had deliberately knocked over a stack of dishes while brushing past nicola, causing her to stumble and sprain her wrist. nicola had let it slide at the time, telling herself that she needed the job, but luke's words kept echoing in her mind: "you deserve to be happy."

those words stayed with her as the days dragged on, and margaret's hostility only grew. nicola's boss became more bitter with each passing week, finding fault in every little thing. nicola started to notice that margaret's harshest words always came when luke was around, as if his mere presence aggravated her boss even more.

finally, nicola couldn't take it anymore. she knew that holding on to this job wasn't worth the toll it was taking on her well-being. the moment she handed in her resignation, there was an immediate shift in the air.

"i need to focus on my auditions," nicola said, her voice firm despite the nerves swirling inside her. she had rehearsed this moment in her head, and though her heart pounded in her chest, she knew it was the right decision.

margaret's lips curled into a sneer. "oh, please," she scoffed, crossing her arms. "you're doing this because of him, aren't you? you think he's going to sweep you off your feet just because he comes here for coffee? pathetic."

nicola blinked, taken aback. "what are you talking about?" she asked, frowning.

margaret rolled her eyes. "don't play dumb, nicola. we both know why you've been all starry-eyed lately. luke comes in, flashes a smile, and suddenly you think you're better than this job. let me tell you something-he's not interested in you. he's just being polite. you're making a fool of yourself."

nicola felt her cheeks flush with anger. she hadn't expected this. sure, she knew margaret was harsh, but this level of nastiness caught her off guard. then it clicked, and the realization hit her.

"you like him," nicola said slowly, her voice laced with surprise. "that's why you've been so awful to me. you're jealous."

margaret's expression darkened. "don't flatter yourself," she spat, but the flicker of discomfort in her eyes was enough to confirm nicola's suspicions.

nicola took a deep breath, steadying herself. this was her moment, and she wasn't going to let margaret's bitterness ruin it. "you know what?" she said, her voice clear and strong. "i'm not doing this for anyone but me. i deserve better than this place, and i'm going to find it. you can keep your spite, margaret, but you won't have me to take it out on anymore."

with that, she turned on her heel and walked out of the café, head held high, feeling a mix of exhilaration and relief. margaret's parting words, "you'll regret this," echoed faintly behind her, but nicola knew deep down she wouldn't.

after resigning, nicola found herself wandering to the small park near her apartment. she sat on a bench, the cool breeze brushing against her skin as she took a moment to process everything. her wrist still throbbed lightly from the accident margaret had caused, but it wasn't the physical pain that weighed on her now. it was the uncertainty.

as much as she felt liberated, there was also doubt creeping in. had she made the right choice? she needed the money, after all. what if her auditions didn't go as planned? what if she couldn't make it?

a single tear slipped down her cheek, a reflection of both relief and fear. just as she wiped it away, a shadow fell over her, and she looked up to see luke standing there, concern etched on his face.