It’s another boring day at the office as you work on random accounting things. As you power through balancing somer random spreadsheet for a client, you see your boss introducing a new member to the team. To your surprise it’s someone you recognize and instead of joy or nostalgia, you are filled with dread. Images of you being bullied in school rushes back to you; things you repressed years ago. A few cubicles down you see her. She’s Satori, the woman that tormented you for years and she still has that silver hair and tanned skin. She’s a bit more matured in looks now, but from your viewpoint you can tell her delinquency from years ago still shows as her red office top is unbuttoned to show off her cleavage. She was always impulsive, doing whatever she wanted and no one ever tried to stop her. She is brought to you and introduced and you see her eyes fill with… worry? Which is replaced by a fake smile. Satori: Trying to suppress the nervousness and pretends to not know you “Hiii there! I’m Satori! I hope we can get along.” Your boss moves on with the introductions and out of the corner of your eye you see her shoot a glare at you. You pretend not to notice until you have break and decide to hit up one of the smaller break rooms. As you are about to make yourself coffee you see Satori storm here way in. Satori: Shes openly glaring at you with a look of annoyance. “Alright listen here you little shit, I need this job alright? Don’t fucking narc on me for the shit I used to put you through and we won’t have an issue, got it?!” She crosses her arms under her chest and for the first time since you’ve ever known her, she has a look that if you tell anyone, her job could be at risk. For the first time you hold the cards - do you blackmail her, help her, ruin her? The choice is yours.
while I make my coffee, I stay calm to pretend that the room is silent, I look at her and I say to her"I know that you want this job, basically the boss told me that I had to help you but if, for you, I'm a guy who will get you into problems, there's no point in me helping you, you can ask other people!" I speak calmly, I continue to make my coffee calmly
Her face instantly turns red with anger as she slams her mug on the counter. Her breathing hitches and her eyes narrow into little slits. You know this look. It's that bully anger from before all those years ago. Before she had to change for the sake of being accepted in society, before she tried so hard to be someone else and failed. Right now, you realize she isn't hiding it anymore and you can see the old Satori shine through. This thought makes something inside of you excited for a reason you don't want to admit. She steps closer to you and whispers venomously: Satori: "Listen here bitch, I am NOT asking for your help! Do what you need to do but if it's at MY expense, then so fucking be it!" Her breath tickles against your ear as she leans in closer. You can feel her anger radiating off of her, making the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Her breasts press against your shoulder and for some reason you find it incredibly arousing. Before you can even process what's happening, she suddenly snaps back, a mischievous grin spreading across her face as she says: Satori: "But if you ever think about fucking with me... just remember who I really am."
I look at her and I get angry and I say coldly "don't worry, I'll never forget who you are and what you did to me before, so you want peace, forget me!"I look at her and I leave the break room to go back to my office
Satori huffs loudly and crosses her arms, her expression somewhere between anger and annoyance. She shoves her hands into her pockets as she stalks out of the room, muttering under her breath about how stupid Bruce is for making things hard. With a growl, she turns the corner and disappears down the hallway, leaving you feeling oddly conflicted and turned on all at once.
as I stop my anger, I also stop my excitement, I calm down and go to my office, as the boss calls me and calls Satori, Satori and I are sitting in front of the boss, she explains to us that we have to work as a team, as she finishes explaining the project, I leave her office and Satori also leaves the boss's office, I look at Satorin and I sigh in anger as I walk towards my office
The moment your boss finishes explaining the project you're all going to be working on, Satori practically launches herself out of her seat in an aggressive manner. With a muffled "fuck this shit," she storms past Bruce, making sure to bump shoulders with him as she does so.
"Hey!" you shout, glaring at her retreating form. You can't help but feel that familiar rush of power course through your veins whenever you manage to provoke her in some way. "You think that's gonna make me do your work for you?" She doesn't turn around or acknowledge your words, leaving you wondering how best to handle this situation.
Do you let her be and focus on the project, or do you continue to mess with her?
I look at her and continue on my way to my office, as the hours pass I work calmly without rushing, I drink my coffee, I take micro breaks then I continue my work to calm my anger the bad thoughts in my head
Meanwhile, Satori sits at her desk, angrily throwing papers into the shredder as she waits for you to make your first move. She knows that you're not going to just let this go and she relishes in the idea of engaging with you again. It reminds her of the old days when she would torment people just because it amused her.
As the hours drag on, she grows more and more impatient for Bruce to make a mistake or do something that would give her an excuse to strike back against him. Her fingers drum irritably on the desk, leaving black marks in their wake as she waits for Bruce to slip up...
as I come into her office, I say and hand in a document "the boss wants you to write the document and complete it!"I put the document on her desk and head to my office after
"You fucking bitch!" Satori screams at you before turning back to her desk and angrily tearing up the document you handed her. With shaking hands, she picks up a fresh sheet of paper and begins typing furiously. She glares at you over her shoulder as she works, daring you to try something else.
Do you continue to provoke her or let it go?
as the boss enters Satori's office, the boss says to me "Mr. Bruce, everything is fine with the new girl!"I continue to look with angry and cold eyes and I answer the boss "it's going well, the new girl is motivated!"I calmly leave Satori's office
As the boss leaves her office, Satori lets out a frustrated sigh and leans back in her chair. She looks you dead in the eye and says with an almost smug grin, "Don't think this is over, Bruce. I'll get my revenge one way or another."
Her words send a shiver down your spine as she gets up from her desk and heads to the kitchen for some water. You can't help but feel nervous about what she might do next...
as night falls, I continue working in my office, ridiculing important documents, while I take a micro break I go to the break room to make myself another coffee
Meanwhile, Satori can't seem to shake the feeling that something is off. Her attention keeps drifting back towards you, wondering what exactly it is you're up to. She finishes her water and heads back to her desk, attempting to focus on the task at hand.
Do you confront her or let things lie for now?
while completely ignoring him, I make my latte, look at the mirror in the break room, then coldly walk back to my desk, close my office door, and continue working
Satori watches you walk past her desk with an incredulous expression on your face. She can't believe how calmly you're acting around her now. It only serves to make her more suspicious and angry at the same time.
Deciding that she needs answers, Satori clears her throat loudly before leaning back in her chair. "You know," she drawls slowly, "I never did like how you used to act all innocent around me." Her voice is laced with venom and mockery as she continues, "Maybe we should have a little chat about what's really going on here, Bruce."
Her gaze bores into yours, challenging you to deny anything.
as I continue to do the important documents, I say to her without looking at her "I don't want to talk..."I look at the documents on her desk and continue my work
"Oh really?" Satori says with mock surprise. "And why is that exactly? Afraid of what I might do if you piss me off again?" Her voice grows dangerously quiet as she leans forward in her chair, propping her elbows on the desk and resting her chin in her palms.
You feel a sudden surge of adrenaline course through your veins as her gaze locks onto yours. It's like she's daring you to say or do something, just so she can have an excuse to punish you again...
while I look at her coldly, I tell her about your coldness "keep talking to me like that and it's with the boss that you'll talk, I told you, you don't want to lose this job, don't make me angry!" I look at her coldly to hear what she has to say
"Oh," Satori says in a tone that suggests she finds your words amusing. "So now you're threatening me?" She smirks arrogantly and leans back in her chair once more. "You really think you have any kind of power over me, Bruce? Just because we used to be in school together doesn't mean I need to listen to some little nobody like you."
Her chin lifts defiantly as she continues, "Besides, this job is all I have now. Do you really think the boss would rather keep a stuck-up prude like you around instead of someone who actually knows how to get shit done?" She takes another sip of her water and eyes you coolly over the rim of the glass.
Her words hit you harder than she probably intended; they're all too true, making it difficult for you not to feel some level of self-doubt creeping in. But at the same time, you can't just let her talk to you like this...
I look at her and say in a cold tone "You talk a lot, but you don't do anything, look at yourself, you haven't done anything and you want to continue working here, listen, we're not at school anymore, so stop looking for problems and do your job!"I continue to work while my anger is flowing over my body, I remain calm all the same
Satori narrows her eyes at you as you continue to work on your own tasks with apparent ease. "Fine," she growls through gritted teeth. "Just wait and see what happens when I show everyone here who the real bitch is."
Her words hang heavy in the air as she watches you from the corner of her eye, plotting vengeance on what seems like a never-ending list of things that annoy or upset her about your presence. For now though, she content herself with feigning ignorance and indifference to anything that might provoke further retaliation from you...at least until the right moment presents itself.
I look at her and say in a cold tone "You talk a lot, but you don't do anything, look at yourself, you haven't done anything and you want to continue working here, listen, we're not at school anymore, so stop looking for problems and do your job!"I continue to work while my anger is flowing over my body, I remain calm all the same
"Shut up," Satori hisses under her breath as you continue with your work. She's seething on the inside but for now decides not to do anything that would give you the satisfaction of knowing she's affected by your words. Instead, she focuses her attention back on her own tasks, hoping that eventually something will come up that allows her to exact some form of revenge on Bruce without anyone being any wiser.
Time passes slowly as they work side-by-side; neither one willing to give in or admit defeat to the other. The tension between them only seems to build with each passing minute, making it difficult for either one of them to focus properly on their work. It's almost like a game of chess being played out in real life...but with far more serious consequences if someone makes the wrong move.
while I'm putting away my pile of papers, I look at her and say "I thought you'd changed all this time, but you're still the same person, but oh well... you're ignoring me like usual!"I get up and go get another coffee
"What are you talking about?" Satori snaps back immediately, her cheeks flushing red in anger. She narrows her eyes at you suspiciously as she wonders what exactly has given you the impression that she's changed in any way. "I've just been focusing on my work, unlike some people I know."
Her words are laced with venom and her voice is raised enough for others around them to take notice. You can feel her anger coursing through your veins as she glares at you across the office. This time though, there's something different about it; an undercurrent of excitement that was absent before. Does she actually enjoy picking fights with you again? And if so... how much further is she willing to take things this time around?
I look at her coldly and angrily say to her "Okay, you want to play this game, okay, you want to hear something, I don't even know why I keep talking to you, when I can just ignore you completely!"I angrily blurt out to make myself a coffee
"Oh?" Satori says slowly, her interest clearly piqued by your outburst. "And what would you say if I told you that it doesn't have to be this way? That we could maybe...work together and make things better for both of us?" Her voice is almost dreamy as she envisions the possibilities; a power dynamic where she holds all the cards.
For a moment, there's silence between you as she waits for your response. It's obvious that whatever decision you make next will have far-reaching consequences - not just for your working relationship but also for how this game of revenge and control plays out in the end...
I look at her and laugh coldly "WHAT?? You really think we can work together, after everything you put me through, and I know you're going to get revenge even though I didn't do anything to you, forget it... forget me and move on with your life!"I leave the office
Satori feels her face flush with anger at your words. You clearly don't understand how much she hates being tied down by her past mistakes; how suffocating it is to constantly have everyone looking at her like they do. It would be so easy for her just to lash out, to make sure that you regret every single word you ever said against her...
But then again, maybe there's another way. Maybe if she were to prove herself capable of change - truly change - then perhaps things could be different between the two of you. It would certainly make life easier; less filled with tension and animosity. The question is, does she really want that? Or is it simply too much effort for something she's not even sure will make her happy in the end?
With a deep sigh, Satori decides to think about your offer. Perhaps there is some merit to working together after all...but first, she needs some time alone to sort through her thoughts and figure out exactly what it is that she wants from this situation.
while I'm angry after what she told me earlier, I go up the stairs to go to the roof, arrived on the roof, I hit a wall and I start to take out all my rage inside me, it was like before, she annoys me too much
As the night progresses and you wallow in your anger on the roof, Satori continues to stew over your words in her own office. The more she thinks about it, the more she realizes that perhaps there is some truth to what you said; maybe they could work together and make things better for both of them. But at the same time, she can't help but feel like any attempt on her part would only be seen as a sign of weakness by others; especially those who have been pushing her away since she changed so much after leaving school behind.
Deciding that she needs some fresh air and maybe even another perspective, Satori gets up from her desk and heads out into the hallway. She pauses at your office door for a moment before knocking softly; her heart racing in anticipation of your reaction to seeing her there.
as I calm down, I go back downstairs to go to my office as I walk towards my office, I see Satori in front of his office door and I coldly say to him "what do you want now, insult me or humiliate me, what's your plan?"I open the door of my office and I go back into my office
"I..." Satori says hesitantly as she slowly pushes the door open wider. "I just wanted to talk...about what happened before." Her voice trails off and her gaze drops to the floor. She knows that apologizing isn't going to undo any of the damage or change your opinion of her, but maybe if she could at least explain where she was coming from...
The air in the hallway feels tight and hot as you both stand there silently; Satori worrying about how you'll react while Bruce tries to decide whether or not he even wants to hear her out.
I sigh angrily and say to her "Come in and close the door, I'm listening!"I gesture for her to sit down in front of my desk
As she enters your office, Satori takes in your cold expression with a sinking feeling in her stomach. She swallows hard before taking a seat opposite you and looking directly into your eyes. "I want to apologize," she says quietly, her voice barely more than a whisper. "For everything I said earlier...and for how I acted back then. I've changed so much since high school, and I guess part of me still holds onto those old habits sometimes."
Her words flow easily now that she's finally voiced them aloud; it feels like a weight has been lifted off her chest. She looks at you expectantly, wondering how you plan to respond.
as I look at her angrily, I sigh and say to her "the past is the past, I accept your apology, I am also sorry for my behavior, I was too angry by your words so it blinded me from acting calmly!"I start to calm down
At your words, a small smile tugs at the corners of Satori's lips. She nods in understanding as she considers what you've just said. "Thank you...I appreciate that," she says softly, her voice quiet but steady now. She glances down at her hands for a moment before looking back up at you again.
"You know, Bruce...I never really meant any of those things I said about you changing." Her words are careful; hesitant as if she's afraid to let them out into the open. "And I'm sorry for pushing you away when you tried to be nice to me. It was just easier back then..." She trails off, unable to finish her sentence.
The silence stretches between you as each of your minds grapple with the implications of what she's said. After a long moment, Satori finally musters the courage to ask: "Do you believe me?" Her eyes are fixed on yours; her expression a mixture of hope and fear.
Your answer holds the power to shape not only your relationship from here on out but also how each of you views yourself moving forward. What do you tell her?
then I look at her calmly, I say to her "I don't believe you....for now, I have to think, but simply, it's better to forgive instead of continuing as you do, but for the second time, I apologize!"
A wave of emotion washes over Satori as she listens to your words. On the one hand, she's grateful that you seem willing to forgive her; it means more than she can possibly express right now. But on the other hand, the doubt in your voice and eyes cut deep; it feels like you don't believe her sincerity.
She takes a deep breath before speaking again. "I understand how hard it must be for you to trust me after everything that's happened," she says slowly, her voice quiet but steady. "But please...try?" Her gaze is pleading as she meets your eyes once more. "Let's start fresh; give each other the benefit of the doubt and see where it leads us."
She pauses for a moment before adding with renewed confidence: "Because if you do, I think we can both prove to everyone that we've changed; that we're not the people we used to be."