Chapter 1
1092 Words
The phone on Aria’s desk wouldn’t stop ringing. She hurriedly grabbed it, breath stuttering as she drew it closer to her ear.
“My office. Now.”
The line cut before she could say anything.
She froze in an instant. She knew that voice, deep, commanding, impossible to mistake. The voice belonged to her boss. Stern. Ruthless. Cold. A man whose only concern was numbers on a page.
Fear gripped her, followed by curiosity. What did I do this time? Her throat suddenly went dry.
She looked around her; everyone was busy at their desks, pretending not to notice her distress. The silence made her heart race twice as fast.
She ambled towards her boss’s office; each step felt closer to something that could have serious consequences. Anxiety kicks in as she thinks to herself what to do or say to navigate out of the situation she didn’t even fully understand. Usually, being summoned like that by the boss meant one of two things: either a pay freeze or it’s time to say goodbye to the company. She exhaled sharply on entering the office, with her boss’s eyes piercing, locked on her as though he could see through her.
Aria froze under the weight of his stare. Without a word, he pulled out his phone from the pocket of his sleek suit, tapped the screen once, and faced it in the direction of her eyes.
A video began to play.
Her breath stuttered.
“Sir… I… I–” The words tangled on her tongue, her lips moving but nothing coming out. Every excuse, every defense she’d rehearsed retreated the second she saw what was on that screen.
Finally, he spoke, tossing the phone on the sofa with a cold demeanor. He didn’t raise his voice. Didn’t have to. “Do you know what this makes you look like?”
“It’s not what it looks like, please, let me explain–” as tears began to fall from her eyes.
He smirked. “Explain? To me? No, Miss Carter… Do you know how many people have seen this video?”
She shook her head, her lips trembled open, only silence escaping. The humiliation consumed her more than fear ever could.
He cut her off with a sharp laugh. "Get out before I make a call that ruins more than just this job.”
Her knees weakened, the room spinning around her.
“Sir, if you’d just let me–” she blinked back in tears.
He waved his hand, dismissing her like dust, “Close the door on your way out”.
Aria felt the walls closing in as those final words stung her like a bee. Her feet felt like stone as she stood up, turning towards the door. She felt the eyes awaiting her before she even stepped out. Colleagues, mid-typing, necks slowly turning towards her, whispers rising. Shame embraced her as she stepped towards her cubicle and picked up a box. With trembling hands, she stuffed in a photo frame and a notebook. As she was about to pick the last item, it fell; pens rattling against the cupboard.
The silence was unbearable. Every glance cut deeper.
Behind her, the office door swung open. The weight of his voice cut clean through the silence, sharp and commanding.
“Everyone, back to work.”
The room responded with noise, keystrokes, and forced coughs. But it was too late. The damage had been done.
Aria hugged the box while walking out, her eyes gazing on the floor as heat ran through her cheeks and tears stung her eyes. To her, it felt less like leaving a job and more like stripping away all the stability she had left.
As she stepped out of the building into the city with the box glued to her chest, every sound reminded her that everyone else's worlds hadn’t collapsed like hers. Life on the street was the same– vibrant, people rushing, taxis, cars honking, strangers laughing, while she stood broken on the sidewalk.
Her phone buzzed in her bag. A notification from the bank: rent is due in a week. Meanwhile, her father used to say stability was everything. Funny how he left her with nothing but debts.
She swallowed hard with a deep breath and opened her bank. The numbers flashing on her face made her stomach upset. Not even enough to cover food, let alone rent.
“Perfect,” she said under her breath with twitching eyes.
She started walking, not really knowing where. The box felt heavier, or maybe it was just the weight of shame weighing on her. With every step, it was as if someone was watching her, pointing out failure.
By the time she reached her apartment, she couldn’t hold it in anymore. She dropped the box, pen, and papers, scattering them on the carpet, her parents looking up at her through the broken glass frame. She wanted to scream, but nothing came out.
She couldn’t stay here. The walls were pressing in. Her gaze was fixed on her purse by the door. She didn’t think. She just grabbed it and left.
Mia’s place wasn’t far– ten minutes if she walked fast.
By the time she was on her best friend’s door, she hesitated, almost afraid to knock. What if Mia wasn’t home? What if she were and saw her like this?
Everything blurred around her; her eyes were swollen, and her throat was dry from holding back tears. Before she could talk herself out of it, the door flew wide open.
“Aria?” Mia gasped, her eyes widening. She stood in jean shorts and an oversized shirt. “What the hell happened?”
Aria broke. The words spilling between sobs– fired, humiliated, and broke.
Mia didn’t ask for details, didn’t care at the moment. She just pulled Aria in and wrapped her in a tight, comforting hug.
When Aria finally pulled herself away, Mia studied her for a while. With a calm and gentle smile, “You know what you need?”
Aria shook her head weakly. She cleaned her eyes with the back of her sleeve. “Sleep, a new life, maybe a miracle."
Mia gave her that side eye, teasing her with her puckered lips. “Come on, girl– a distraction. Like a night out, drinks, dancing, noise, something to get this s**t out of your system”.
“Huh?”
Aria tried to argue, but Mia was faster. “Get dressed, we’re going to a club.”
- Writer
