Chapter 3
Just as life was settling into its usual rhythm, Celia appeared.
She was the new intern at our company. On her very first day, she walked around the office handing out Starbucks to everyone at their desks.
“Hope you’ll all look out for me.”
When she reached my desk, she leaned over, and her chestnut curls swept across my keyboard. The strong scent of her perfume was so
overpowering that I sneezed.
She paused when she saw me and let out a dramatic “Oh?”
Her fingers, polished with deep burgundy nail polish, pointed at my pink laptop, pink thermos, and pink keyboard.
“Oh my god…” She took two steps back, covering her mouth, and suddenly burst out in a peal of laughter. “It’s the 21st century–do women still like pink?”
Every head in the office snapped up to look.
My ears burned so hot I thought they might catch fire.
I could feel my coworkers‘ stares like needles pricking my back.
Celia wasn’t finished. “Gracie, even your mouse is pink! And you actually wear Lolita dresses?”
My ears rang.
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I’d always loved all things pink and cute, ever since I was little.
And the Lolita dresses–almost my entire wardrobe was made up of pink, frilly Lolita dresses.
People always had something to say about it.
Back in elementary school, some boys accused me of trying too hard to be cute, and some girls thought I was being fake.
But most people were kind, telling me I looked adorable in those dresses.
Yet this was the first time I’d ever been openly mocked in front of everyone, and the shame was unbearable.
I felt as if I’d been stripped bare in public.
I stood there, frozen, my cheeks burning, my fingers twisting the hem of my skirt, wishing I could disappear on the spot.
“Oh, Gracie, I was just joking, you’re not mad, right?” Celia suddenly leaned in, her voice syrupy sweet. “Actually, pink Lolita suits you. Makes you look younger than you are.
“That’s enough.” Jaime’s cold voice cut through the tension.
I turned to see him standing there, brow furrowed, his gaze sharp as a blade aimed at Celia. “You’re new here, and this is how you act on your first day? This isn’t a comedy club. If you do this again, you’re out.”
But her eyes lit up. She tilted her head, sizing him up, and bit her lip with a coy smile. “Sorry, I just wanted to get closer to Gracie. I promise it won’t happen again.”
In the end, a female colleague from HR stepped in to smooth things over, assigning Celia to the desk diagonally across from Jaime.
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From then on, she showed up every day with flawless “no–makeup” makeup, strutting around in 8 cm high heels.
Sometimes, she’d “accidentally” spill coffee on Jaime’s reports, then pout and apologize.
Other times, she’d lean over just enough to show off her lacy bra, her voice syrupy sweet. “Jaime, can you check these numbers for me?”
And as for my pink Lolita dresses–I never dared wear them to work
again.
Two months later, I suddenly realized Jaime and Celia had gotten awfully
close.
That morning, he brought me breakfast as usual.
But instead of my favorite strawberry yogurt drink, he handed me a cold. carton of plain milk.
“I break out if I drink milk, remember?” I asked, holding up the box.
Jaime was busy adjusting Celia’s monitor and didn’t even look back. “Stop being picky. You’re 25. You shouldn’t be drinking those sugary kids‘ drinks anymore.”
Celia spun around, straw between her lips, twirling the milk carton in her fingers. “Sorry, Gracie, I wanted milk today. But honestly, who drinks. those sweet kiddie drinks as an adult?”
She suddenly leaned close to my ear, “You’re not trying to act younger than you are, are you?”
Smack!
I slammed the milk down on her keyboard, splattering white droplets all
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over her brand–new Gucci blouse. “Do you always have to comment on other people’s preferences?”
The office fell into instant, stunned silence.
Celia’s eyes welled up with tears. “I–I just thought milk was healthier, Gracie, don’t be mad. It’s my fault.”
“Gracie!” Jaime grabbed my wrist. “It’s not like you’re lactose intolerant/ Was that really necessary? And Celia’s not wrong–you’re an adult; can’t you act a little more mature?”
Looking at the impatience in his eyes, I suddenly didn’t feel like arguing
anymore.
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