I turn back to my locker to keep the tears from falling. I’ll cry later in my room. Alone. But not here.
“Hey Tori, you ready to go?” Carter asks.
I nod as I close my locker and place my backpack over my shoulder. He doesn’t offer to carry my backpack like he did yesterday. Instead, he holds onto her like he’s been waiting his whole life for her.
“I’m Lily,” the blonde says.
“Victoria, Logan’s sister,” I say.
She smiles. “That’s so cool that you’re gay. I’ve never met a gay woman before. Have you found a girl to go to prom with you?”
My eyes flutter at her words. “What?”
Carter takes over for her. “No, Victoria hasn’t found a girl to take her to prom. Maybe next year.”
He pulls her in and kisses her again right in front of me while my heart is breaking. Carter has done some messed up shit, but this might be the worst. I’ve suffered plenty of physical pain because of him. But never heartbreak like this.
And it’s not over. I’m never going to find a boyfriend, let alone a date, the rest of my high school career. Carter made sure of that with his stupid rumor that he started. Even though it isn’t true, the whole school will believe him over me.
I’ve felt plenty of pain in my life. But my brittle heart has never been so hurt by a man that I thought behind all the bullshit he actually cared about me. I was wrong. A man like Carter could never truly care about me, because he doesn’t have a heart.
1
Vi
ctoria
Ten Years Later
“You’re fired,” my boss, Will, says.
My mouth falls open a little. He’s got to be kidding. He can’t fire me. I’m his best employee. The company wouldn’t survive without me.
“This is a joke, right?”
Will gets up from his large oak desk and walks around to my side. He sits on the edge of his desk as he looks at me with sad eyes.
He’s not joking. That much is clear.
“I wish I were joking.”
He crosses his arms over his chest as he looks even more distressed. I don’t care how he feels right now. He’s the one who made the decision to fire me.
“Are you sure? I mean…I thought I was doing a good job here.”
I thought I was doing the best job here. I’ve worked at the company less than a year, but I am already heading three different PR projects. When I take over a project, I live and breathe for my clients, making sure that no obstacle goes unnoticed. I’m completely prepared for every negative aspect of every situation and know exactly how to spin it in a positive light.
“You were, Victoria. It’s really not about your job performance.”
“Then, why am I getting fired?” My whole body shakes as I speak much too loudly for this office.
I glance behind me at the glass doors that look into Will’s office. The office was built for transparency so that we could all feel close, like a family. I used to enjoy how open the office felt, how light and airy it was. But, now that I’m getting fired and the entire office is staring at me, I wish it looked more like a dungeon I could hide in.
Will rubs the back of his neck. “Because the company is struggling. Decisions that were made long before you came here have left the company failing. We have to lay someone off, it’s the only way we can afford to keep running.”
I nod. I understand the need for layoffs. “That still doesn’t explain, why me? I bring in more income than most of your employees, combined.”
Will smiles a little at me. “You do. You’re terrific. But being as good as you are also comes with a price. You negotiated the highest salary. And you were our last hire. Those two things mean you are the first one out.”