Most of the men are in shorts and polos and the girls are all in summer dresses and heels. I’m not sure how they’re walking in the grass with them on.
I don’t just stand out, I have a freaking spotlight on me. People keep turning to look at me wondering what the heck I’m doing. I’m not sure if I should run and hide or stick it out. I think the girls want me to run away in embarrassment, and truthfully that’s what I really want to do. I don’t understand what I’ve done to these women to make them dislike me so much. To go as far as making up a lie that this was a costume party to try to embarrass me. I should have known better. I’m always too naïve and trusting when it comes to people. I should have gone with my gut because they’ve been so rude to me from the beginning. Why would this be any different?
“Are you here to perform or something?” Mike from Accounting asks me as his eyes roam over my outfit.
“I’m Rosa. From the front desk,” I remind him. I see the man every morning when he comes in to work. I guess because I dress in clothes that cover myself he hasn’t taken the time to notice me. I want to roll my eyes at him, but I’m the one in the middle of a park in a unicorn costume. I don’t have room for judgment right now.
“Rosa.” He repeats my name as he pulls his beer away from his mouth to run his eyes over me again. The first time was enough to make my skin scrawl.
I think Rie was wrong about this outfit. It isn’t leaving much to the imagination, and Mike is making sure to take in every inch of me. This bodysuit was a bad idea, plus it’s hot. I thought the white would help keep the sun from beating down on me but it’s not.
“Didn’t recognize you with the color in your hair.” So he says, but his eyes never come to my face, let alone my hair. “They paying you to put on a show or something?” He doesn’t wait for a response from me as he keeps on talking. “I had no clue this was under those boxy suits you wear.” He licks his lips before taking another pull from his beer.
I glance over toward the girls I share an office with, who are glaring at me. What the hell? I should be the one making faces. They’re dressed up in cute rompers while I have a freaking tail! I don’t know which is worse, the giggles from moments ago or the look of death they’re giving me now. It must have something to do with Mike talking to me.
I try to take a step back from Mike because he’s slowly inching in closer. When his hand reaches up to touch my hair, I smack it out of instinct. I don’t want a random person touching me.
“I was just going to see what’s in it.” He acts like I’m the weird one.
“It’s just some spray-in dye with glitter,” I answer as I take another step back from the man and almost trip over my tail.
I should call it a day. I came to make friends but now Mike is the only person talking to me and he’s the last person I want to talk to. I know way more about him than I should since the girls like to talk and most of that talk is about him. He gets around the office and the ladies fight over him. I don’t get it.
They say he’s the whole package because he’s smart, good-looking, and his daddy owns the company. I don’t think he’s too bright if he can’t remember the woman who greets him every day. Or he’s just a pretentious asshole that wears shirts two sizes too small. His muscles look like they are trying to break free and I almost feel bad for them.
“Does that hurt?” I ask, nodding to his arm. I’m pretty sure his shirt is cutting off circulation to his bicep.
“Nope. Got it inked on me last year.” He mistakenly thinks I’m talking about his tattoo. “I’ll show you.” He gives me a wink as he pulls his shirt over his head.
I panic and look around for some kind of help. There are a few other guys standing close that I know are from his department. They are pretty much rolling their eyes at Mike as they go back to drinking their beers. As for the girls in my office, they all come running over.
“That’s so sweet of you to give her a shirt to cover up with, Mike.” Shelly uses her hand to make a sweeping motion at my unicorn costume.