I jerked awake alarmed, pushing hair out of my eyes. I was sprawled across my living room sectional, I looked up to see Tracy asleep in a chair across from, me mouth slightly ajar. I struggled to remember what had happened last night and frustrated I gave up, throwing a well-aimed decorative pillow at Tracy's face. She started confused then catching my pissed off face greeted me.
"Well good morning party animal!" She giggled heading to my bathroom.
"Tracy, how could you set me up again? I don't even remember getting home last night and I have to be at work in an hour!" My head pounded as I headed to turn on my coffee maker.
"Hey fun girl, don't blame that on me, I didn't tell you to get trashed and make out with a complete stranger," she said still giggling.
"I what?? I made out with Landon at the club? Oh my God," I said, embarrassed.
"No," Tracy replied, "you made out with him on the cab ride home, and in front of your building, and at your door." I looked mortified. "Bre its ok I was looking out for you the whole time, and Landon was a gentleman, he didn't even try to come in. Besides you both seemed to be enjoying yourselves quite a bit, who am I to stop you?" she ended with a shrug. Getting her toothbrush out of my cabinet. She stayed over so often she had a complete morning after kit here.
"You don't understand, I don't do this, I'm not that type of girl-"
"Actually, I do understand, best friend here," she said pointing to herself. "And I think it was good for you, when was the last time you let loose? When was the last time you even kissed a man, let alone had sex? If you're not careful you're going to be a middle-aged romance novel cliche, and you're better than that. If you're not careful those feelings you keep bottled up are going to explode under the pressure, i think we saw a glimpse of that last night. You hab to expewience wife!" She finished toothpaste suds spewing from her mouth.
Exasperated I threw up my hands and headed to my room to pick out my work clothes.
*****
Later that morning I was dead to the world at work. The fluorescent lights were killing me, I had a pounding headache and Solice had screeched my name four times before 11 am. I had just reached her doorway when once again when she screeched at me to bring her files. I don't know what happened but something in me just snapped. I grabbed her files and slammed them on her desk in front of her face.
"DAMNIT I'M RIGHT HERE, STOP FUCKING SCREAMING!" I glared at her breathing heavily for a fw seconds longer, before turned on my heels and heading back to my desk to grab my bag and escape to lunch. On my way towards the elevators I noticed many people smiling their approval, others had simply poked their heads out of their offices to see what the commotion was, one of them being Jacqueline London herself. She looked me right in eyes as I passed, it wasn't an angry look, more curious than anything, as if she were noticing me for the first time. I rushed from the office red faced.
During my lunch I sat there thinking of how I had put my name into Jacqueline's box the the evening before. My retreat entry had said 'I'm professional and passionate about interior design at Limon.' It sounded so stupid now, professional? I'd just screamed and cursed at my supervisor at the top of my lungs for the whole office to hear. I really didn't even want to go back in to work, but if I was fired there were a few things in my desk that I wanted. I grudgingly headed back upstairs.
When I returned to my desk, Solice was no where to be found, I had fully planned to apologize profusely as soon as I saw her, and when I she was coming from Jacqueline Londons office. She sneered a smirk at me as she approached, her weave bigger than ever.
Solice, I- she cut me off with her palm and flounced into her office. She was soon followed by Major Leone who winked at me on his way past my desk, adjusting his crotch. Disgusting.
Solice did not scream my name once that evening and though it was a nice change, it felt like the calm before the storm. I went home that evening feeling worse than I had that morning. Anxiety and the liquor still in my stomach caused me to promptly throw up once I reached my apartment. I should've stayed home last night.
