Chapter 12

The next days went by in a flash. Days filled with thinking, yelling at my own reflection in the mirror, hiding away with bottles of tequila, venting out my frustrations all the unhealthy ways and hoping Eric would come back to me.

"I'm so torn right now. Which should I wear?"

Ed was arriving today and it only meant one thing. Well, maybe two, but the main thing was that I had a day. Just one day till I would have to meet with Erica and make good on my promise on breaking up with Eric. The other, of course, was Jenna would be finally reunited with the love of her life.

Looking up from my bag, Jenna was holding a jumpsuit on one hand and an off-the-shoulder gown on the other. Without a second glance at the pieces, I resumed what I was doing. "Just wear the gown."

"Jeez. What a cheerful way to say it."

I made sure to glare at her when I looked up. "Are you going to work today?"

Jenna slowly turned to me with knitted brows. "I excused myself with Wilson. I've already told you."

"Oh," I blinked before managing a smile, "must've slipped my mind, huh?"

"Roxy."

Halting in front of the vanity mirror, I stared at my reflection and then Jenna's when she stopped behind me.

Her hand rested on my shoulder. "Are you alright? You've been off lately."

I shrugged her hands off. "Peachy."

With brows furrowed, Jenna watched me go about organizing my bag and things and I only turned to her when I was done.

"I'll see you later, Jenna."

I hailed a cab downtown and arrived at work a half an hour later. After two, long, stressed-filled hours, my back hit the wall in the kitchen. I needed to take a breather and regroup. Two more hours. Just two more hours and I'd be free. The only good thing about the perverted bastard, Wilson, was he liked his business over staffed with short shifts.

"A couple entered minutes ago. Wilson doesn't pay you to lazy around. Get back to work."

Closing my eyes, I wished. I really wished she'd disappear from the face of the earth. On opening my eyes, I realized how unlucky I was at getting my prayers answered.

I was on probation and causing scenes was pretty much one of the things I was even on probation for. With that in mind, I grabbed my notepad and walked out of the kitchen. It was inevitable, Alison trying to get under my skin just so I could react and lose my job.

Walking to the door on the right, I caught sight of Alison motioning out with a tray of dishes. With the couple's order jotted down, I was on my way back to the kitchen with a tray of empty china. I stepped aside, making way from her to pass. There were two doors to the kitchen. I looked over to be sure there wasn't any obstruction to the other door and just like magic, my feet left the ground, my back hit the ground and loud sounds of china shattering filled the air.

Immediately I recovered my sight and senses, I felt a pull. Alison got off me and for the first time, I assessed the damage around me. My brain finally processed what had happened when I noticed the cut on my hand with blood dripping from it and the big smirk on Alison's face.

"What the hell, Alison?" My eyes went to the cut on my hand again as I dusted shards and broken glass from my dress.

The irritating sound of her chuckling caused me to look up and stare at her. "What not the hell, Roxy?"

Closing my eyes, I took a breath before opening them back. "Stop pushing me, Alison. I've had enough."

"That would be stupid. Especially when I want to see how long it'll take for you to break. You're on probation, remember?"

With clenched fists, I turned away to leave. "Fuck you."

"That all you got? You're even more simpleminded than I thought."

My eyes snapped back to her and I forced my words out with gritted teeth. "I'm warning you now, Alison. Shut u-."

"Or what? You're gonna hit me? You're gonna beat me," she stepped closer, "or you're gonna challenge me?" the softness and venom in her voice put my head in a frenzy.

Huffing, my hands went to my hair in hopes of keeping them from pressing her neck till she couldn't speak anymore.

"That boyfriend of yours-."

That got my attention, fast. Watching her closely, my mind raced. What was going through her head?

"I wonder what he's gonna think. He should be concerned about your sexual activity here are work, no? Well, blowing customers for an extra tip doesn't sound right."

Goosebumps stinged my skin at the gasps from the customers. I refrained from looking at the people around. Rubbing my palms against my arms, I took another breath. I will not let her get on my nerves. I will not lose my job over something as stupid as this.

"This thing you do, this bitchy attitude, putting people down, making people uncomfortable, what do you hope to achieve from it?"

Her smile was as broad as her stupidity. "Triumph over mediocres like you."

Shaking my head, I turned away again, hoping it'd be the last time I did. "I'm done having this conversation."

"Wanna know something? You and your boyfriend are made for each other."

I turned around immediately. "And just what are you going on about now?"

"Who could you possibly think has been catering to all his needs and demands?" Who's been giving him everything he could possibly need in areas which you," she gave me a once-over, "are certainly lacking in."

Commiting murder in the United States is punishable by law, Roxy. Calm the fuck down.

Rage blinded me for a second and I could literally feel the anger coursing through my veins. Whatever she was doing, it was working. "One more word about him and I swear, Alison, I will fucking kill you."

Her eyes twinkled. "You mean Eric. that's his name. Your delicious," she moaned her next word, "boyfriend. I do have to confess. I had a good time screaming his name till dawn. You sure hit the jackpot with him. Such a stallion in bed and-."

"Eric. isn't. into. sluts." I tried to walk away before things got out of hand.

"So how is he into you then?"

"Excuse me?"

The high pitched sound of her laugh discharged even more anger into my blood streams. She spoke like I was a child just learning my way around English. "You're a slut."

I snapped.

I exploded.

I lost it.

The only thing I saw was red.

"I'm gonna kill you, Alison."

For the first time since the whole encounter, she shut up.

"Run."

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed and took a step backwards.

Without so much as a second thought, I lunged forward and Alison hit the floor with a dull thud. A hiss escaped from her lips and having one last moment of sanity, I uttered a few last words to her. "You should've ran."

"Let me go! You're delirious!" Alison cried out when she understood I wasn't playing around. Her yelling only made me double my scratching, slapping and banging.

"What the?- Stop! Someone call security!"

Even with Wilson screaming at the top of his lungs, I only let go of Alison when the security guards came and pulled us apart, forcefully of course.

"Let me at her! Let me fucking at her!"

The sinister smile on my lips wasn't helping issues. Alison continued screaming for them to let her, well, 'at me'. With the security guard's arm around her, all she could do was shout and struggle. I, on the other hand, stood and observed quietly as Wilson went on and on and on like a broken record.

"Get both of them in my office. now!" Wilson yelled and soon enough we were pulled out of the scrutiny of our improvised audience.

It felt good to relieve some frustration. All of the tension, passive aggression and hate. Too bad it had to be on barbie's face. She did ask for it.

"Care to explain what just happened out there?" Wilson's clenched fist made contact with his desk. "And I need the truth." For some reason, he was glaring at me.

Fuck him.

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Hey y'all. Hope you doing good.

-C