Page 14 of See Me

“The fact that you don’t see that it doesn’t matter what I do for a living, you can’t talk to people like that. One day you’re going to say that to the wrong person and it’s going to be your downfall.”

“Sorry, honey. That’s how it goes. Men run the world. Get used to it.” He takes a bite of his pasta.

Please have boogers in it.

I tuck the tray under my arm and squeeze until the plastic lip bites into my arm. “And what a bang-up job you’ve done so far.”

“You think you could do better?” He laughs wide mouthed with food particles coating his teeth. Bile rises in the back of my throat. “We’d be at war every month when your period starts.” He throws his head back and cackles.

“Funny how every war we’ve ever had was started by a man, though. And they say women can’t handle emotions.”

He points at me with his fork. “Most of them over a woman, no doubt.”

“Only because men’s fragile egos can’t handle the fact that some women just aren’t that into you. You’d rather swing your dick around and playwhose cock is biggerthan admit a woman is repulsed by you. And so willing to take down innocent people with you in an effort to prove your worth. Sad really.”

“The only way a woman can get to the top is by bouncing from bed to bed.”

“What a funny way of saying men withhold promotions, threaten demotions, and refuse to reward talented individuals unless she’s willing to stick their cock down her throat.”

The guy on his right is making an‘O’with his mouth and the other two actually laugh out loud.

Dr. Dickface turns beet red and his chest rises and falls with his inflating anger.

Walk away, Ella.

I walk to the service window and set my tray down and walk to the bathroom. I lean over the sink and take a few deep breaths. Is that what servers go through every day?Jeebus.And Tomi knew this would happen. Part of me feels bad if this is what she has to deal with on a daily basis. This is a temporary thing for me. The other part of me wants to drag her into the alley by her bottle blonde head and claw her eyes out.

I hear raised voices and tiptoe out of the bathroom. I chance a peek around the corner and Dr. Dickface is screaming at Enzo with his finger digging into his chest. Enzojust stands there with his arms crossed over his chest with a look of boredom on his face. I have no doubt he’s boiling inside but keeping the appearance of aloofness is picking away at this guy's already questionable sanity and I know he’s just waiting for him to lose it completely.

The other doctors are standing a few feet behind him and I don’t know if it’s to hold him back or back him up.

Angry eyes swing my way. “You bitch.” He stalks in my direction and Enzo goes to reach for his arm, but Tomi catches him around the wrist. I take a few steps back but he’s on me faster than I thought his bloated ass could move and slams a hand around my throat. His face is so close to mine, the smell of hot garlic fills my nose. He squeezes my throat on the sides until blackness creeps in my periphery. “You think you’re so fucking clever, don’t you? A four-thousand-dollar bill?”

A shadow falls over us and suddenly I can breathe and start coughing. Luca has the guy by the back of the shirt and throws him up against the brick wall of the hallway. He puts his hand around his throat and lifts until the guy’s heels come off the floor. Enzo’s pulling him off a second later and the guy slumps to the floor, sputtering and spitting.

Enzo pushes Luca down the hall, speaking in hushed whispers while the doctors collect their friend off the floor. I rub my throat and look down the hall in time to see Luca punch the brick wall and spin to kick the back door open.

I try to swallow and my throat burns.

Cheese and rice.

Now I can’t even enjoy my salad.

I take a few minutes of reprieve in the locker room to calm myself down. My hands are shaking so badly I don’t think I can carry a tray. I take a seat on the bench and hang my head, trying to slow my racing heart.

“Hey. You okay?”

I look up to see Enzo standing a few feet away, forehead scrunched in either anger or concern. By the look in his eyes, I’m guessing more anger.

“Yeah. I just needed a minute.”

Tomi creeps in and peers around Enzo. When he sees her, his hands fist at his sides. The image of her grabbing him around the wrist flashes across my mind. She purposely prevented Enzo from getting to the guy before he could get to me, resulting in me ending up in a choke hold.

Enzo speaks without turning toward her. “You need to go.”

“Enzo, I didn’t think—”

“Go. Now.”

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