...But Your Enemies Closer

Chapter Three: Don't Hold Back

Author's Note: NSFW Warning

"You really want me to tell you that you're better than me don't you? Don't you!" Rebecca spat.

Emily uttered a humorless chuckle. "Well it's not like you would be telling me anything new! I know I'm better than you!"

"Of course! How could I think for a second that you would expect anything less from a lowly peasant like myself? You're so wonderful and great Emily! I'm so fucking lucky to be in your presence; in fact I should be downright grateful!"

"Don't you dare pull that patronizing shit with me Knox! It's not like you didn't strut around like you were God's gift all throughout high school!"

They had been arguing for what felt like hours now. The pressure being built up between the two massive egos finally exploded in a devastating cataclysm. With the heat being thrown between Rebecca and Emily, it was a wonder that the whole damn building hadn't yet caught fire and burned down.

Every day it was getting harder for Rebecca not to lash out on the short blonde. True, she had told her friends that she felt as though she deserved the treatment to some degree. Also true, that she had taken the punishment with a smile and a nod most days. However, Emily was becoming downright insufferable lately. It was almost as if she was getting desperate about something.

It all started that morning. Emily had been her typically overbearing self and Rebecca was doing her utmost just to deal with her boss's attitude. As the day dragged on however, the smile Rebecca wore had become tighter and less authentic with every moment as she attempted to do her job without acting on her desire to strangle Emily. It was tough to say the very least.

All this was made so much worse when Emily had Rebecca stay late to assist with the project that Emily was trying her damndest to finish up before the weekend. Probably without the benefit of actual overtime pay I'm betting, Rebecca had thought sourly when the blonde had all but demanded the extra time from her. The cramped space plus the added stress was truly a volatile combination and it made the tension between the two painfully apparent.

"Get me the Hanson folder Becca," Emily said with a point to the long table on the far right side of the room that held a number of documents, sketches and folders strewn across it.

Emily's head was down and her eyes were focused on whatever the hell she was working on. Rebecca honestly had no idea what it was; she was just supposed to be the errand girl until Emily told her to go home. Being out of the loop made it that much more frustrating somehow.

There was a pause on Rebecca's end as she waited for some sort of courtesy from Emily – a please perhaps. She was irritated when her boss looked up, scowled with expectancy in her eyes, and simply said, "Now."

Rebecca grumbled under her breath as she went to fetch the folder and tossed it on the desk at Emily. With the same attitude she had been receiving from Emily, Rebecca walked back to her previous seat without so much as a 'you're welcome.' Emily wanted to be a bitch and two could play at that game. Rebecca had taken about enough shit lately.

This action of belligerence set Emily off. The little blonde looked up slowly from her project and narrowed her eyes at Rebecca. The brunette quirked an eyebrow at her and challenged the blonde with a stare. Try me, I fucking dare you, that stare said.

Emily never looked away from the challenge to Rebecca's disappointment. She simply flipped the folder open and began thumbing through pages, while holding Rebecca's gaze the whole time. After a few moments of this standoff, Rebecca actually began to feel uncomfortable under the scrutiny of Emily's dark green eyes. Perhaps she was in over her head here.