Young Writers Society

“So you stole tea from someone else, you scoundrel?”

"Oh please. No one drinks that tea."

Calida huffed. “It doesn’t make it yours!”

"No one ever missed it, much like you."

“Oh, okay, thanks,” said Marcus to Wilson. Whenever Yenna came to pick him up, he’d ask if she wanted to stay for a while for free food.

But so much for breaking up the fight. It had taken off with no reservations, it seemed, from either party. Marcus felt like his insides were twisting around as he listened to their bristling voices. Being caught up in someone else’s arguments always did the trick.

So instead, he turned back to Wilson and said, “So, uh, what do you do at Viper Inc? That’s a pretty interesting name for a company.”

Wilson smiled wide at the question - one might say mischievously - and put one hand on her hip while she swished her nog in the other hand.

"Well, I'm glad you asked," she said. "I'd like to hear what your best guess is first before I tell you."

“Oh man,” said Marcus, “that’s like infinite possibilities there.” He hummed as he tried to block out the arguing and he wracked his brain for what line of work could best fit a name like Viper. It really could be anything, from an accounting firm to an office for a relatively small business. Maybe the founder just really liked snakes.

With the company being named after a fierce and dangerous animal, part of Marcus wanted to guess that it was a defense contractor, but Wilson did seem awfully young to be a manager in a company that could do work for the military.

He really didn’t want to get this wrong, even though he figured he probably would be getting the answer wrong.

“Could you give me a hint?” he asked, making his best hopeful expression.

Wilson smirked.

“It has nothing to do with snakes,” she said.

Calida hummed. “And yet, Michelle attributed this year’s five percent increase in sales entirely to me.”

Siqi growled. Okay that was true. Calida definitely did single handedly prop their department up sometimes with how much they worked but Siqi couldn't exactly go around saying that. There was a reputation on the line. "That's just out of pity."

Magnolia listened to Siqi and Calida’s argument with a disinterested expression. Ugh. Corporate posturing. And at a Christmas party? Magnolia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She just wanted to get the evening over with and go home. Couldn’t do that if she caused an inter-company incident by saying something sarcastic.
She turned her attention back towards Wilson and Marcus’ discussion. “Nothing to do with snakes?” Magnolia said. “Hm..”

“Oh, very helpful,” said Marcus, grinning. “All right, I guess I’ll just go for it then, since I have no idea . . . Fashion design company.”