Corporate Christmas Party

Siqi's eyes widened. What would they be doing at a party?

"You."

Calida marched up to her. "I thought parties tended to discourage attendance from such..." They wrinkled their nose. "... awful attendees."

Wilson raised her brows as she looked back and forth between Siqi and the newcomer.

“Oh? I sense a rivalry, perhaps? Things just got a whole lot more interesting.”

“And here I thought this party would be boring,” Magnolia said. She hadn’t been anticipating this level of animosity at a holiday party, but was she invested? Yes. It was in-house entertainment. Dinner and a show. Like the bachelor or total drama island, without the grand prize.
At least this time Magnolia could confidently say that she hadn’t been trying to be nosy.

Siqi boiled at the audacity of that. Like she was the one who was very clearly not supposed to be at a party like this. She grimaced.

"Urgh...like I would have set foot in here if I knew I would have to deal with a menace like you."

It felt like Marcus’s insides were shrinking in on themselves as the two looked ready to square up. He warily glanced at each one in turn, taking in their expressions as they hurled insults at each other. He felt the urge to do something, to break up the fight.

“Hey, um,” he blurted loudly, “does anyone know who was in charge of organizing this party?”

Magnolia frowned and shook her head. “I don’t remember it being in the email I got?” She wasn’t sure if it had been in the email. Sometimes corporate forgot to include everything in the alt-text of the pictures they embedded. “Could’ve overlooked it, though.”

“Oh,” said Marcus. “Well, I was hoping to ask if it’s okay for me to invite my—my friend to come to the party. She gives me rides to and from here.” He could feel his ears growing hot as he continued to talk. “But, I mean, I understand if it’s not okay since she doesn’t work here or anything. I just, uh . . .” He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck and smiling awkwardly.

"Hey," Wilson interjected, inserting herself in their side-conversation while Siqi and Calida had their little stand-off. "Marcus, right? You can totally bring your friend, man. If anyone asks who she is just say she's my most recent hire. Just slid in."

She made a sliding motion with her hand and grinned.

"Manager of Viper Inc. at your service."

Calida scoffed. “Feel free to waltz right on out of here. Trust me, the party will only thank you.”

"Nuh uh. You're the one who so very clearly doesn't belong in a part. Why don't you waltz on out of here, perhaps into a large dump truck."

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to steal your ride.” Calida huffed. “Unless you would prefer a stretcher. See how you like it when someone drugs you.”

"Oh pleeease... you call that a drugging. What. Little baby can't handle a bit of tea and you needed a whole stretcher."

“And maniac switches out someone’s drink in a deliberate attempt to knock them out?” Calida scoffed. “And I highly doubt it was just tea. You probably put melatonin or sleeping pills in there.”

Siqi huffed. "As if that's needed to knock you out. You think you're worth the money. I just used the tea from the kitchen." Siqi laughed as arrogantly as she could manage.