Because I have curves and I am larger than everyone else.
I take my drink and put the others in the coffee room for others to take. What stings more is that I know what their only other option is.
They’re going to choose Carmen.
The person who works the least amount in the company.
I sit at my table and sip my drink before I open my desk drawer. I reach for the granola bar and hesitate and then grab the slab of chocolate. I open the wrapper and pop three blocks into my mouth, enjoying the silky smoothness of the dairy milk chocolate.
Several people give me a look, knowing I’ve been dieting for weeks. Before anyone can approach me, Rosa comes out and calls for everyone's attention.
“Morning, everyone. It has been an absolute honor being your manager, but as you have heard, I am being promoted to the next level in my career, which opens up a position as national sales manager. We’ve considered this carefully and would like to congratulate and welcome Carmen as the new national sales manager.” She motions to Carmen, who feigns surprise.
She knew the whole time. I can tell when her eyes meet mine, and she smirks.
Everyone half-heartedly claps, and they start whispering my name. Like me, everyone else thought I was the one who would get it. People congratulate Carmen but are trying not to make a big deal of it as most of them don’t like her anyway and know their work is going to triple now because of the way Carmen ‘delegates.’
People don’t seem to want to talk to me after that, and I’m quite happy with that. I leave work the moment it ends. Rosa tries to call me back, but I can’t. I can’t deal with this right now. I go and catch the bus back home.
As I climb off the bus, it starts raining—go figure. I sigh as I kick off my new pumps and tuck them into my oversized handbag as I hurry to my apartment.
I’m sopping wet when I reach the security gate, which is propped open. That’s weird. No one ever leaves the security gate open because this is generally considered a bit of a questionable area.
I shut it behind me and headed upstairs to the second floor. As I walk down the corridor, I notice a rectangle of light at the end of the usually darker hall. My heart sinks when I realize it’s my apartment door.
The maintenance man, Kojak, is there. “Oh, Miss Winters. I’m so sorry. Someone got through the security gate, and well… I mean, I’ve fixed the lock, so you’ll be fine tonight, but I’m afraid you’ll have some cleaning to do.”
I look inside my apartment and see it’s tossed upside down. My blood runs cold as I dump my bag on the sofa and hurry to my bedroom with Kojak behind me. “Miss Winters?”
“No. No. No. No,” I whimper as I look for my jewelry box, but it’s gone, along with my grandmother's necklace.
I burst into tears, and Kojak hovers around for a moment before setting a key down on my dresser. “This is your new key. Sorry for the trouble.”
I sit on my bed and wipe my eyes. Asher was so excited for me to get the job today. I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer for her day. Instead, I message Thomas, my boyfriend.
Thomas, I know today isn’t date day, but I had a horrible day at work and would like to see you, please. Please let me know if I can come over.
Xxx
I wait and see the blue tick appear. I stare at my phone, waiting for the bubbles to show he’s typing. Instead, he goes offline again. Maybe he can’t talk right now. I decide to do something I’ve never done and go to his house to wait for him. The back door will be open, and there’s a shelter there I can sit under. I look out the window. The sudden downpour is over, and even though the sky is still gloomy, I can make it to his house.
I have a lukewarm shower which means the heating was off again today. I wash my hair and I change into dry, warmer clothes and call for a cab. I take my new key and lock my apartment up. I take the cab to Thomas’ house. He hates being called Tom, he prefers that I call him Thomas. We’ve been together for two years but haven’t gone very far. He says he’s saving himself for marriage.
I think it’s so romantic.
The thought of seeing Thomas cheers me up a little, and as the cab pulls up to his house, I feel more settled. I see a car in the driveway, but it’s not Thomas’ car. I frown and realize he may have guests over or clients.
“Could you wait for me?” I ask the cab driver.
“Sure,” he says. “But the meter is running.”
I hurry out of the cab and around to the back gate. I normally go through the back when I come over. I hear giggling and walk around the house slowly. I stop at the end of the house and peek around the corner. Thomas is in the hot tub… with Carmen. They’re both naked,
“Oh, Tom,” Carmen laughs. “If you could have seen her face.”
“I’m sure it was priceless, baby.” I see his hands roaming every inch of her body, and anger and then a deep sadness surge through me.
Chapter 2 - Penny
I never like to confront people and a part of me wants to run back to the cab, but I can’t. First, the job, then the apartment, I can’t take it. I walk towards the table and knock over a glass of champagne. They whip around, and I glare at Tom, “My bad, Thomas.”
“Penny,” he says, but he doesn’t move. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“That’s all you’re going to say?” I ask, frowning as I feel my heart breaking into a million pieces.
“Well, what else is there to say? You know my girlfriend Carmen, I believe you work for her?” He gives me a smile, and I turn to see Carmen smirking.
“We’re celebrating my promotion. I’d invite you, but I don’t like you,” she sips her champagne. “Now, run along girl. We want to carry on our celebrations.”
I bite back the words I wish I could say. I want to raise my voice and get angry. I want to ask why and how long it’s been going on, but instead, I hurry back to the cab and give the driver Asher’s address. When we get there, he waves me off after I pay.
I knock on Asher’s bright yellow door, and she opens it while holding a glass of wine in her hand. “Penny?” Her face is instantly one of concern as I start blubbing.
She puts her free arm around me and ushers me in before closing the door behind me. She leads me to the kitchen island, and we sit down as she pours me some wine, and I explain to her about the day I had.
“First this stupid woman at the coffee shop grabs my order,” I say sadly through my tears. “She all but tips the drinks onto me and then I get to the office to find out they’re choosing Carmen for the promotion.”
“That bitch.” Asher growls. “I never did like the sound of your boss,” she adds as comfort.
