about when the Navy came to Columbia, did you arrange the service praise days for them?”
“We helped,” Zena said. “Besides, you already have this for your resume. It’s time to give it up to someone else.”
“Being blunt, are we?” I said. “Wow. I’m not even sure if I want to be president knowing shits like you are walking around.”
“Then don’t,” Ricarda said. “We’re much better off without you.”
“Give me a concrete reason,” I said. “Three concrete reasons.”
“You’re never here,” Zena said. She took out her phone, waving at the other girls to crowd around her. They all came in for me like vultures. “Your attendance rate is awful. Plus, in combination with your absences, we’ve noticed that you devote more time to your internship with Placarm Rhodes did you do with us. Yes, you developed the bash, yes, you were here for the Red Cross, but you weren’t the one who incorperated us as a nonprofit or handled our taxes. You don’t do any administrative work. When we call you, you don’t answer.” Which was true, because usually they had some whine to drip on me. “Finally, if we ever suggest an event, we have to organize it on your behalf. We aren’t your personal staff here—you’re supposed to help as president. And you’re not. You’re just not.”
I packed my purse up, stood, and slammed the chair against the wall, rolling it across the ground with a push.
“Whatever,” I said, pointing at the two of them. They had freshly done acrylic nails, a cheap look. I could’ve dragged them, but I wasn’t interested anymore fighting.
“You’re welcome to stay,” Zena said to Angela.
Luckily, Angela stormed out of the room along my side, her heels right behind me.
“I’m not even,” I said. “If those bitches want to do the club themselves, then they can.”
Though it was a major blow to my self-esteem. How could those girls think I loved my job more than I did helping other people? I made Manhattan’s Concern my passion. Maybe I wasn’t showing it clearly enough?
“Is what they say true about me?” I said, my feet no longer heavy on the pavement. I had calmed down the farther away we walked from campus. “I don’t think what they’re saying is right.”
“Well,” Angela said, meekly, “I’m not exactly sure if I would agree with them, but, you can be a little… AWOL.”
“You know how busy it is with me and work,” I said. “I’m always on top of what’s happening though.”
I didn’t know where we were headed anymore. I sat down on a bench, casting off my purse, kicking a rock.
“Don’t take it too hard—”
I glared at Angela. “You’re not agreeing with them, are you?”
“It’s not about us versus them,” she said, “it’s about just… Moving on. Let’s just move on.”
“Am I really that bad?” I said.
“No,” Angela said, holding me. She nestled her face against my neck, cuddling tight. “Look, girl, you’re just in a… Negative situation right now. But it’ll pass.”
“I can chalk that off my resume,” I said. Making a fist, I pounded my legs. “Which I shouldn’t have to, considering I made huge contributions to the entire organization. And now to give it up?”
“How about a walk?” Angela said, pulling me up. I grabbed for my purse, snatching it by the strap. Slinging it over my shoulder, I nearly hit a man in the face with the upswing. The man scowled at me.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, continuing along with Angela.
***
At Central Park, we decided to stop and stay put. There were plenty of flowers growing at the time—spring turning into summer—and plenty of birds popped loose from the trees.
“I’ll get over it,” I said. “Eventually, in time.”
Angela stroked my back, easing her fingers down my spine. We must’ve looked like lesbians, because there were children pointing at us,
“We helped,” Zena said. “Besides, you already have this for your resume. It’s time to give it up to someone else.”
“Being blunt, are we?” I said. “Wow. I’m not even sure if I want to be president knowing shits like you are walking around.”
“Then don’t,” Ricarda said. “We’re much better off without you.”
“Give me a concrete reason,” I said. “Three concrete reasons.”
“You’re never here,” Zena said. She took out her phone, waving at the other girls to crowd around her. They all came in for me like vultures. “Your attendance rate is awful. Plus, in combination with your absences, we’ve noticed that you devote more time to your internship with Placarm Rhodes did you do with us. Yes, you developed the bash, yes, you were here for the Red Cross, but you weren’t the one who incorperated us as a nonprofit or handled our taxes. You don’t do any administrative work. When we call you, you don’t answer.” Which was true, because usually they had some whine to drip on me. “Finally, if we ever suggest an event, we have to organize it on your behalf. We aren’t your personal staff here—you’re supposed to help as president. And you’re not. You’re just not.”
I packed my purse up, stood, and slammed the chair against the wall, rolling it across the ground with a push.
“Whatever,” I said, pointing at the two of them. They had freshly done acrylic nails, a cheap look. I could’ve dragged them, but I wasn’t interested anymore fighting.
“You’re welcome to stay,” Zena said to Angela.
Luckily, Angela stormed out of the room along my side, her heels right behind me.
“I’m not even,” I said. “If those bitches want to do the club themselves, then they can.”
Though it was a major blow to my self-esteem. How could those girls think I loved my job more than I did helping other people? I made Manhattan’s Concern my passion. Maybe I wasn’t showing it clearly enough?
“Is what they say true about me?” I said, my feet no longer heavy on the pavement. I had calmed down the farther away we walked from campus. “I don’t think what they’re saying is right.”
“Well,” Angela said, meekly, “I’m not exactly sure if I would agree with them, but, you can be a little… AWOL.”
“You know how busy it is with me and work,” I said. “I’m always on top of what’s happening though.”
I didn’t know where we were headed anymore. I sat down on a bench, casting off my purse, kicking a rock.
“Don’t take it too hard—”
I glared at Angela. “You’re not agreeing with them, are you?”
“It’s not about us versus them,” she said, “it’s about just… Moving on. Let’s just move on.”
“Am I really that bad?” I said.
“No,” Angela said, holding me. She nestled her face against my neck, cuddling tight. “Look, girl, you’re just in a… Negative situation right now. But it’ll pass.”
“I can chalk that off my resume,” I said. Making a fist, I pounded my legs. “Which I shouldn’t have to, considering I made huge contributions to the entire organization. And now to give it up?”
“How about a walk?” Angela said, pulling me up. I grabbed for my purse, snatching it by the strap. Slinging it over my shoulder, I nearly hit a man in the face with the upswing. The man scowled at me.
“Sorry,” I mumbled, continuing along with Angela.
***
At Central Park, we decided to stop and stay put. There were plenty of flowers growing at the time—spring turning into summer—and plenty of birds popped loose from the trees.
“I’ll get over it,” I said. “Eventually, in time.”
Angela stroked my back, easing her fingers down my spine. We must’ve looked like lesbians, because there were children pointing at us,
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