Chapter 119

“I’ve kind of been the ringleader for us interns so far this year,” Eric continued talking to the new (old?) girl. “I’d be happy to run you through everything we’ve been doing personally. Maybe over lunch?”

That actually wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, you thought.

“I’m sorry, were you just hitting on me?” Joy asked. “Because this,” she pointed at Eric and circled her finger to take in his whole being. “Isn’t up to snuff to even fantasize about me. Got it?”

Eric, for what it was worth, rolled with the savage jab. “Hey, no problem. You’ve got certain expectations, that’s fine.”

Maybe that ‘Red Pill’ stuff was actually helping Eric be a little less desperate.

“Good,” Joy said. “Now move, this is my spot.”

“Really?” Sabrina asked.

“What?” Joy scoffed. “Have something to say?”

“Um, yeah, I do,” Sabrina said. “We’ve been working here for a month. Wouldn’t it be more efficient for you to find a way to slide into our workflow, rather than trying to throw your weight around?”

“What’s your name?” Joy asked.

“Sabrina.”

“Well, Sabrina. You might have been here for a month, but I’ve been an intern here for the last three summers. I’ve also finished my first year of Law School and if I’m right, you’re all still undergrads. So why don’t you zip those thin little lips of yours and listen when your boss is talking, or I’ll need to go let HR know that you aren’t working out.”

Sabrina’s face went hard. You’d never seen her do that before. For the last month in the office, and every time you saw her in classes back at school, Sabrina had a soft, expressive face. Even when she’d been her most upset last Monday in the copy room, she hadn’t gone hard.

It was kind of scary.

“Now,” Joy continued, turning back to Eric. “Are you going to move or what?”

It was a turning point. If Eric refused, you could all be on the same page. If she went and complained, you would all be able to show a united front. Gemma would obviously support you and Sabrina. All Eric had to do was not let this prissy woman play school yard bully, and she would get shut down.

“Sure,” Eric said. “A change of scenery is fine with me.”

Coward, you thought, then regretted it. Eric had helped you out on Friday, it wasn’t fair to label him like that.

Eric started shifting his work laptop over a couple of seats. Usually, or at least the old normal, was Gemma and Eric sitting at the two heads of the table, while you sat alone on the long side away from the door and kind of in the middle, while Sabrina and Andy split the other side. Now Eric was moving into ‘your zone,’ which forced you to shift over as well. It was closer to Gemma, which was fine, but him moving was making you capitulate to Joy’s demands as well.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Andy asked as he walked slowly back into the room. He’d been in the washroom a good twenty minutes, and you weren’t sure if he’d puked himself sober, or if he’d gone for a Hair of the Dog route and had a flask on him or something. He at least wasn’t looking sick any more. His eyes zeroed in on Joy, and you could practically see the gears turning in his head.