#dops

She knows it’s not true.

She knows it in the way she’s overfilled her mug with the last of the coffee, sloshing it all over her blouse as she walks back to her desk, just because Brooke was in line behind her and she knew Brooke needed her third cup.

She knows it from the the time she stole all of Brooke’s post-it notes and spelled out “fuck you” across every other one before placing them back on her desk. She watched as Brooke reached for a sticky note, having to go through at least four “fuck yous” to flag the department credit card statement.

She knows it because Booke’s car keys are currently in the freezer, inside an open back of tropical fruit mix, ruining both Brooke’s keys and her daily smoothie.

Vanessa could create an itemized list of disagreements, retaliations, and generalized displays of disgust the two had shown toward each other. It’d be easy too.

But it was nearly 11 p.m. and Vanessa couldn’t think of a good reason why Brooke was still here, besides her keys being in the tropical fruit mix.

So she pushed A’keria out of her mind and turned the knob. She was checking in out of curiosity is all, she reasoned.

“It’s, uh, late,” Vanessa says through the crack in the door.

“Don’t be weird. Come in.”

It throws her off, the invitation that is. So far off that she does it without question, entering the office and sinking into the brushed leather seat across from Brooke’s desk.

She repeats herself. “It’s late. Aren’t you planning on going home?”

“Not really,” Brooke says nonchalantly. “Someone’s got to make the numbers work here, so…” She trails off, reaching for her coffee mug and taking a swig.

“Sure, but it’s really late. And does it matter if it works now rather than later?” Vanessa crosses her legs, resting her folded hands on her knee.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Brooke shoots back, again, missing the nastiness that typically drips off every word. It’s frightening, really. “I’ve seen you move the events for the outreach fundraiser around at least 60 different times tonight. I wasn’t aware there were that many ways to order a fundraiser, and yet…”

Vanessa stiffens, her defenses rebuilding brick by brick, A’keria’s nagging voice fully banished. “If it’s going to happen and we’re going to raise enough money to keep the community center going, then it needs to run the right way the first time.”

Her nails dig into her knee. “I’m aware you have no interest in its success, the department’s success, my success, but it has to be right. It has to be—”

“Perfect.” Brooke cuts her off. “You’re trying to make it perfect.”

“Yes,” Vanessa bites back before turning in on herself. “Not sure why I’d bother, but yes.”

“Well,” She hikes up the sleeve of her blouse before reaching over to the coffee pot, topping off her mug. “It’s a noble pursuit.” Brooke glances around, palming her desk with urgency.

Vanessa spots the little metal tray topped with creamer cups and sugar packets. She hands it off to Brooke, accepting a nod as thanks. “Will you be sure to put that in my letter of reference after you off me?”

The silence hangs for a moment. Brooke glances down, then tries to fill it with stirring creamer and sugar into her coffee.

Vanessa decides it’s time to head out. Maybe she can still make the lightning round at Squid. Save the group from finishing dead last. Drown her stress surrounding the fundraiser in vodka and bad decisions. Maybe find someone to take away her stress for a night.

“Vanessa,” Brooke settles her mug back on the coaster. She holds up her finger, pausing to throw her head back and let out a deep yawn.

“You should move the silent auction to right after the community center redesign presentation.” She cuts off another yawn by taking a sip of her coffee. “And integrate supplies to make it happen into a silent auction. Books for the library, comfortable chairs, trees and shit. People love feeling tied to a place. You need to give them a sense of purpose.”

Damn. It was a good idea. She couldn’t say that of course. And she couldn’t totally take the idea without conceding to Brooke, or welcoming in the feeling that she really wasn’t worthy of her position, of leading the community. She’d have to think of something even better.

“And you need to go to sleep. Leave my project alone,” Vanessa shot back.

But when Brooke’s face fell and A’keria’s words came knocking again, forcing her to attend to the hollow pang in her heart, Vanessa added, “but I’ll think about it,” and finally headed for the door.

“Also, your keys are in the freezer.”