Company Ink [PUBLISHED]

o n e

"I am keeping the damn succulent!" I gently place my sweet Stella on top of the banker's box which is full to the brim of my belongings.

Over the last three years, I have somehow managed to accumulate seven mugs, four pairs of workout leggings, three water bottles, and thirteen lip glosses. I should've cleaned my desk more frequently; I've been buying the same Buxom gloss every two months thinking I lost it. Well, maybe this is the bright side to all of this. I may not have a job anymore, but hey, at least my lips will be plump and shiny for years to come!

"But that belongs to the company, Cassie." My bitchy ex-co-worker reaches into my box and grabs my baby. I knew Ingrid always hated me. Every time we had our weekly Monday morning meeting she would scowl at me like she was sucking an extremely sour Warhead. The fact she's acting like a treacherous witch right now is not surprising. "You can't take the plant."

My mouth drops. She's only talking to me like this because New Vision Press decided to keep her on instead of me. Poor Ingrid thinks it's because she's a valuable employee but I'm sure it's because she makes half of my salary. NVP laid off thirty staff members today due to budget cuts and the atmosphere in the office has been tense, to say the least.  

"I have been watering her and loving her for years! What has the company done for Stella? Huh? Nothing!" I yank the Calico Hearts out of her weasely little fingers. "She's mine."

Ingrid rolls her eyes like a petulant child. "If you take it, I'll tell management."

My lip twitches at her vile disregard for the fact that I trained her! That I molded her! I even got her a freaking Fitbit for her birthday with custom straps! I lock my jaw to prevent myself from exploding. Yogi Zeena's mantra floats around my livid mind: You are at peace and peace is with you, you are at peace and peace is with you.

"Also, that stapler is not yours," she adds with a smug smile.

A long squeaky whimper escapes the back of my throat. No! She will not bait me. I am at peace for God's sake! Ingrid attempts to retrieve my bejeweled stapler and I swat her hand away. No! I've lost the peace. "Get your hands off of Stanley," I say through my teeth.

Ingrid scoffs and rubs her hand, feigning an injury. Oh no, I tapped her hand, someone call the police! "You know that it's really weird that you name all your stuff, right?"

I force a smile. "You know what's even weirder? Your face!" I flip my hair and storm out of the empty office. I can't believe I just sunk down to her level.

Making my way to the elevator, I focus my attention on the grey marble tiles in front of me and not on the fact that I just co-signed a one year lease at a new condo or the fact that I have zero savings or the fact that I might have just lost a reference. No, those things are not on my mind. They're not! I shimmy the box up my thigh to steady it and press the button to the lobby.