I walked into the office a little tired but ready to get through the day. Fridays were supposed to be fun. But not when you work under Mr. Thompson.
The moment I sat down, the man waddled over with a pile of files in his hand and dropped them on my desk like it was nothing. He smelled like leftover bacon and cheap cologne.
"Finish this before the end of the day. Oh and Happy Friday, Ms. Smith," he said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Acting like he hasn't ruined not just my morning but my entire day.
I forced a dry laugh. "Happy Friday, my ass," I muttered under my breath.
"What was that?" he asked, raising a brow.
"I said I'm happy to do your work, sir," I replied with a forced smile and a sharper tone than I intended.
He squinted at me for a second but didn't say anything. Just turned and left, humming some annoying tune.
I sighed and stared at the pile. Great start to my morning.
By lunch, I hadn't moved from my seat. I didn't even realize how hungry I was until my stomach growled loud enough to embarrass me.
That's when Teresa walked in.
She had her soft smile on, holding a small brown bag in one hand. Her dark brown hair was tucked behind her ears, and her outfit was neat like always.
"Hey," she said gently. "Figured you were stuck here since you didn't make it to the cafeteria, so I brought you something."
She handed me the bag. I peeked inside—turkey sandwich and two big chocolate chip cookies.
"Teresa Rose Gilbert, I love you," I groaned. "You saved me."
She giggled. "It's nothing. You always skip lunch when Mr. Thompson's being extra."
Right then, Abbie strolled in like she owned the place, two cups of coffee in hand.
"Baby," she said, sliding one across my desk, "drink this before you drop dead. You look like yesterday's leftovers."
I took it with both hands like it was gold. "Bless you."
"I added extra sugar. You need it."
We all laughed a little, and for once, I felt like I could breathe.
Abbie jumped right into the gist. "So, baby, guess what you missed at lunch? There was gossip about the CEO's ride. Black, sleek, and expensive as hell. I swear it made half the girls in the office lose their minds."
Teresa nodded. "And his clothes? Someone said he was wearing a limited-edition watch that costs more than a fully furnished house."
I rolled my eyes. "Good for him. Meanwhile, I'm over here counting coins despite working like a horse."
"Same," Abbie laughed. "But I don't mind looking. He's hot, if you ask me. I hope we see him more often."
"Maybe you will," I said. "People at my level barely get to see daylight."
That made us all laugh again.
Then Teresa looked at me. "So… you're still coming to the reunion tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah," I said. "Julie will kill me if I don't show up. Plus she already called me last night to remind me."
Abbie smirked. "Oooh. Anyone you hope to see?"
I raised a brow. "Hope? More like avoid."
Abbie grinned. "What about your high school crush?"
I shook my head. "You mean Jason? He was no crush. He was a certified pain in the ass."
"Still cute, though," Teresa said with a wink.
"More like devilish," I shrugged. "Julie asked if he was coming. I told her, how would I know if Mr. Perfect will show or not."
They laughed.
I smiled, but deep down, the thought of seeing Jason again made something twist in my stomach.
I brushed it off and focused on my sandwich.
I worked through the rest of the afternoon with more energy. Maybe it was the sugar, or maybe it was just the thought of being out of this office soon.
Surprisingly, I finished all my tasks early—before five.
When Mr. Thompson passed by and saw my desk empty, his eyes widened like he'd seen a ghost. I almost laughed.
I didn't wait around. Immediately it was five o'clock, I grabbed my bag and walked out of the building like I owned it.
Tonight was the reunion. I had no idea what to expect.
---
I got home just before six. The café was crowded, which was a small relief. I pushed open the door to Mama C's Café and stepped inside.
"Evening, baby," Mom said from behind the counter.
"Hey, Mom," I mumbled, forcing a tired smile.
"Cassie, welcome back!" Jane called with her usual cheerfulness.
"Hi, Jane," I replied, then headed straight upstairs.
I tossed my bag on the floor and kicked off my flats the moment I stepped into my room. My feet were aching, and my shoulders felt like I'd been carrying the weight of the whole office. Which, honestly, I kind of had.
I dragged myself into the shower, standing under the water longer than usual. I let the steam soak into my skin, hoping it would wash away the day—Mr. Thompson's annoying voice, the gossip at lunch, the mountain of reports. Everything.
When I got out, I wrapped myself in a towel and stood in front of my wardrobe, just staring. My closet was filled with the same old clothes—jeans, boring shirts, tank tops, oversized sweaters, the one office suit I rotated twice a week. Definitely nothing reunion-worthy.
I sighed. It's not like I had money to spend on fancy clothes and jewelleries. Besides, reunions weren't just reunions. They were lowkey competitions—who made it, who got rich, who looked the best. Everyone pretending their lives were perfect.
I pulled out a few hangers, flipped through the rack, and paused when I saw something I didn't recognize. A black off-shoulder mini dress, tucked neatly at the back. I frowned and picked it up. It looked… expensive. Elegant.
I ran my hand over the fabric.
Mom.
I'd never seen it before, which meant she must've bought it and hidden it here, like she always did when she didn't want me to complain about her spending money on me. It was definitely her style—simple, classy, quiet.
I bit my lip. Should I even wear this? It felt… too much. Too fancy for someone like me.
But I didn't really have a choice, did I?
I slipped into the dress slowly and stared at myself in the mirror. It actually fit. Snug in the right places, off my shoulders just enough to feel a little grown up. Not that I felt grown up. I didn't even feel like I belonged at a reunion right now.
Still wrapped in hesitation, I blow-dried my curls and straightened them, smoothing everything down until it was manageable. I styled it into a low, sleek bun with a side part—clean, neat, and nothing too loud.
I sat down to do my makeup, quietly wishing I had Abbie or Teresa here to help me out. I kept it simple. Concealer to hide the stress under my eyes, some mascara, blush, and a tinted lip gloss. That was it.
Then I reached into my drawer and pulled out the silver necklace and earrings Abbie and Teresa gave me for my birthday last year. They'd probably expect me to wear them tonight. I put them on gently, like they were made of glass.
As a final touch, I grabbed my favorite perfume—the chocolate-scented one. It wasn't designer, but it made me feel warm. Safe. I sprayed a little on my wrist, then behind my ears.
I looked back at my reflection and let out a breath.
I didn't look bad. But I didn't exactly feel like I belonged in this outfit either. Maybe if I kept my head down, nobody would notice.
"Well… here goes nothing," I muttered to myself.
Tonight was going to be a lot.