Cafeteria Fight
1125 Words
As Kate and Helen headed toward the cafeteria, their stomachs growling in unison, Kate suddenly froze. Her gaze locked onto a figure standing by the staircase, speaking animatedly into her phone.
It was Lisa.
Her platinum hair was straight and sleek, framing her flawless face, and she wore a tailored outfit that oozed confidence and power. The sight of her made Kate’s blood boil.
“Aren’t she gorgeous?” Helen whispered in awe, her eyes fixed on Lisa. “She’s, like, the prettiest woman in the company.”
“I know, right?” Kate muttered, forcing herself to respond while her clenched fists betrayed her true feelings.
“You know,” Helen continued in a hushed, gossipy tone, “she was just promoted to Chairman of the Board. Can you believe it?”
Kate’s teeth ground together as a fresh wave of fury coursed through her. They were both stealing her empire, piece by piece, and reveling in it.
Just wait, Lisa, Kate thought darkly. You’ll regret betraying me.
Not wanting to attract Lisa’s attention just yet, Kate nudged Helen toward the cafeteria. “Let’s go. I’m starving.”
The cafeteria was buzzing with activity as employees gathered for their lunch break. Kate and Helen picked up trays of food and found a table near the back, away from the crowd. Helen chattered away about everything and nothing, her cheerful energy a sharp contrast to the storm brewing in Kate’s mind.
Her phone buzzed with a message. She glanced down to see it was from Perry:
> “Why can’t you just reply to my texts? I know you’ve got a job now, so don’t tell me it’s stress. Are you seeing someone else?”
Kate sighed and ignored the message. Perry had been relentless in texting her over the past few days, but she couldn’t bring herself to engage.
“Who is that?” Helen asked, noticing Kate’s sudden change in expression.
“No one,” Kate replied shortly, focusing on her plate of food.
Her phone buzzed again, this time with a message from Buzz:
> “Hey, can we meet up?”
Kate frowned, wondering why Buzz wanted to see her. Before she could dwell on it, an unwelcome presence interrupted her thoughts.
Susan.
She strode up to their table flanked by two other women, her expression smug and her voice dripping with malice.
“Hey, sl*t,” Susan sneered, loud enough to draw the attention of the nearby tables. “Getting comfortable already? Mrs. Gilmore just died, and you’re already aiming for her husband? How shameless can you get?”
Kate’s jaw tightened. She could feel the stares of the other employees, their curiosity and judgment weighing on her. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm.
“Look, Susan,” she said evenly. “I know you don’t like me. Guess what? The feeling’s mutual. So, why don’t you just leave me alone?”
“Oh?” Susan’s smirk widened. “And what if I don’t? What are you gonna do?”
Without waiting for an answer, Susan grabbed Kate’s drink and tipped it onto the table. The liquid spread rapidly, forcing Kate and Helen to jump up to avoid the spill.
“Susan, please stop—” Helen began, only to be cut off by a sharp slap to her cheek.
The sound echoed in the cafeteria, followed by gasps from the onlookers.
Kate’s restraint snapped. Without thinking, she returned the slap with full force. “Don’t you dare touch my friend!”
The cafeteria erupted into chaos as Susan lunged at Kate, her nails aimed at her hair. Kate dodged, grabbing Susan’s arm to push her away. The two women wrestled, their struggle attracting a growing crowd until several employees stepped in to pull them apart.
Minutes later, both women were seated in Elaine’s office, their faces flushed and their tempers still simmering.
Elaine’s voice was ice-cold as she addressed them. “I am beyond disappointed. This company prides itself on professionalism, and the two of you just turned the cafeteria into a circus.”
“She started it,” Susan muttered under her breath.
Elaine’s glare silenced her. “You are supposed to be mentoring new interns, Susan. Instead, you’ve decided to bully and provoke them. This is unacceptable.”
Her attention shifted to Kate, her eyes narrowing. “And you. This is your second day here. You should have reported Susan to me instead of retaliating like a child.”
Kate lowered her gaze, biting back a retort. She couldn’t afford to jeopardize her plans further.
“I’m letting you both off with a warning,” Elaine concluded sternly. “But if anything like this happens again, there will be serious consequences. Now, get out of my office.”
Susan shot Kate a venomous glare as they left the office. “You’ll pay for humiliating me,” she hissed before stalking off.
Helen was waiting outside, her face a mixture of concern and relief.
“Are you okay?” she asked, pulling Kate into a hug. “I’m so sorry you got into trouble because of me.”
Kate hesitated, surprised by Helen’s earnestness. “It’s fine,” she said finally.
Helen beamed. “From now on, we’re best friends forever!”
Kate gave her a faint smile. “Okay.”
Back at her desk, Kate wasn’t surprised to find Tom waiting for her.
“Really, Anna?” he said, his voice heavy with disappointment. “Late on your second day, and now you’ve been in a fight? I expected better from you.”
“I’m sorry, Tom,” Kate said, her face flushed with embarrassment.
Tom sighed, shaking his head. “Get to work. And make sure those paperwork files are finished by the end of the day.”
“Yes, Tom,” Kate mumbled, sitting down at her desk.
The mountain of documents waiting for her was daunting, but she set to work with determination. Hours passed in a blur as she reviewed each file meticulously, her concentration unbroken.
By the time she finished, the office was deserted. The only sounds were the distant hum of the janitors cleaning the floors.
Kate gathered her things and stepped outside. Rain poured down in torrents, drenching the empty streets. She tried to hail a cab, but none stopped.
After fifteen fruitless minutes, she resigned herself to walking home in the rain. But just as she was about to step off the curb, a sleek, luxurious car pulled up beside her.
She froze.
She recognized the car... it was hers... the one she had bought on her first wedding anniversary.
The car window rolled down, revealing the last face she wanted to see.
Peter.
- Writer
