L + S

Chapter 5

        "Scrambled egg whites, a piece of whole wheat toast, and two slices of turkey bacon." 

        The waiter placed the plate in front of Sarah who had sat silently staring at me for the better part of ten minutes. It would have been creepy if there hadn't also been judgement in the look.

        "And for you, the All-Star Breakfast Plate."

        I smiled politely as the waiter placed the plate in front of me. I had been dreading this moment. 

        "Is there anything else I can get for you two this afternoon?"

        "Can I get-"

        "No, that'll be all, thank you."

        I smiled again at the waiter who eyed us both uncomfortably.

        "Well okay, let me know if you need anything."

        I stared down at my plate as the waiter rushed to another table in the nearly empty restaurant. It looked like the most food I'd ever seen on a plate at that moment, even though it wasn't much different than what you'd get at any other place. Fried eggs, a couple links of sausage, a couple pieces of bacon, and an English muffin. I knew it only felt like a lot because of Sarah's plate, and I knew I had messed up as soon as Sarah ordered after me.

        "What are you waiting for?" Sarah inquired as she delicately cut a piece off of her turkey bacon. "You only have twenty-one minutes to eat before we have to leave back for the office."

        "Why am I here, Sarah." I said it less as a question and more as a demand.

        "Because regardless of what Jeff told you, I'm supposed to mentor you, and while I said I wanted a challenge, you're much worse than I thought."

        My mouth felt dry as I took a small bite of my eggs.

        "I'm just your free assistant, aren't I? Why does it matter?"

        Sarah neatly set her utensils down on either side of her plate and took a sip of her hot tea.

        "It doesn't. But nothing matters in this world. So I'm going to do as I please and it pleases me to see what you are capable of. And if any of this bothers you, you're free to resign from your position."

        "Or how about I tell HR about what you did to me in your office?"

        She smirked. Never a good sign.

        "I don't know what you're talking about, but I do know…" She trailed off as she pulled her phone from her coat pocket. "That I have this to show them if you ever try."

        The audio was off, but there was no mistaking the video that was on her screen. All that it showed was a pair of shoes several bathroom stalls down from where the video was taken, but I knew immediately whose shoes they were.

        "What do you want from me?" I demanded as quietly as I could. "I'm not going to be your slave just because you have a video of me. Get me fired for all I care!"

        Several stares made their way to our table as I raised my voice slightly. 

        "If that's what I wanted, LIZ, I would have already done that." 

        She emphasized my name as she said it, making it the first time she'd said my name since this whole debacle began. Her tone infuriated me, but at the same time, I felt calmed by the fact she had actually addressed me by my name.

        "And that right there is what you need to learn. Look at yourself, I say your name for the first time in days and all of your anger dissipated like it never existed."

        I furrowed my brow as I tried to comprehend what she was saying. This had all been some kind of weird lesson? I would definitely need to do some introspection later on my taste in women, because this one was clearly a sociopath.

        "From the way you dress, the way you talk, the way you eat, everything about you shows that you don't care about your life. You show little to no interest in anything at work other than what tasks you're directly given and apparently me."

        My face burned red at the last comment. I wasn't sure if it was because I was mortifyingly embarrassed or back to wanting to rage at her again.

        Sarah checked her phone.

        "We have sixteen minutes left of this lunch. In that time I want you to tell me everything you can think of about yourself."

        "Why should I tell you anything?"

        Her gaze told me I shouldn't have asked the question.

        "I don't know, I'm just an average person. I work, I go home, watch tv, go to bed. Maybe go out once in a while? I don't understand what you're looking for."

        Sarah shook her head in clear disappointment.

        "That's all you have to say about yourself?"

        "Yes. Why, should I have had a better answer?"

        I couldn't believe I was talking to Sarah this way. THE Sarah. I had never seen anyone talk to her as disrespectfully as I was now, but I couldn't control myself. I was sick of this, sick of her manipulation, sick of her condescending gazes and tone, sick of thinking I was ever attracted to anyone remotely like her.

        "You should have. For example, if you had asked me that question I would have said:

        "I'm twenty-seven years old, I was born and raised in New York City, I have a boyfriend I have been dating for several months, and the most important aspect of my life is control."

        "That's… Incredibly specific."

        "Maybe, but it still gave more information than your quip did about you."

        "This is stupid. I'm leaving."

        Sarah scoffed as I moved to stand up and grab my coat from the chair next to me, but made no move to stop me. I wasn't sure what I had expected to happen, and I knew I was making somewhat of a spectacle of myself, but at this point I was committed. As I turned to leave, I felt something brush against my hand and grab onto my finger.

        "I'm sorry."

        The words were whispered, and I turned to Sarah not knowing what to expect. Off all the reactions I had anticipated, this was one of the last on the list.