Purple Romance

After leaving the washroom, Paula went to the restaurant to check the setting as the place was always rearranged every week to a different setting. She searched for her phone and realised she had left it in the cloakroom when she went to get her uniform so she went there to get her phone. When got to the door, she heard a group of waitresses chatting at a distance as she stood at the door. they seemed to be talking about her, so she paused in her steps and listened to them.

''What does she have apart from that pretty face?'' one of them sneered.

'I bet she must have slept her way into the job. If not, how could someone like her get this job'' another said.

''I still remember her. She came here with the CEO once, that was last month. I had just closed from duty and was going to the front desk to clock out when she was brought in by the CEO. He requested for a room and sent her inside. The next day they had breakfast here. she even went to the trip with them'' one added.

''A lot of people wrote applications for this position and she without doing anything got it. if she didn't sleep with the CEO, then how did someone as young as her get the job? I heard from the front desk that she is just 22 years. I have worked here for the past 3 years and I am even older than her. I also studied nutrition. I applied and was hoping that I would get this job only for her to come through the back door'' Amara said.

She had studied Nutrition in college and had come out with decent grades but because she couldn't pass her final assessment, her grades were cut down by the college. If she needed her certificate of licence, she had to go back and do the final assessment which she felt reluctant to do but she felt that because she had worked in the kitchen for a long time, she deserved a shot. She had even prepared her own cookbook to give out to the kitchen staff in the case that she was hired only for Paula to come in her way.

She felt it was unfair because compared to Paula, she was someone who had a lot of experience and could do better, but Paula was just someone with a pretty face and nothing more than a wallflower meant for decoration.

''This job should have been yours, Amara'' one of them said. This person that spoke was always a lackey following Amara. Through Amara, she had secured the job of a waitress in the hotel, so she was very loyal to Amara.

Paula's grip on the door tightened and she felt a roller coaster of emotions surging within her. she wanted to go inside and put them in their face but then she remembered what Godiva told her. he should know when and where to put people in their places. She stopped herself. If she entered and confronted them, she would be on the losing side because they were more than her. She was also a new and didn't know any of them. Was she going to be attacking them each time they said something about her? Won't that be tiring for her? It was better to prove to them that she wasn't a wallflower. She was good at what she did.

As she thought about this, she felt another hand touch hers and she looked up and saw Magdalene smiling down at her. Paula was about to open her mouth when Magdalen placed her finger on her lips hushing her up before she looked at the door and opened it. Paula stepped aside and hide behind the door.

When Magdalene entered, the cloakroom turned silent. She looked at them and walked to her locker. As she opened it, she started murmuring, ''some people really have lots of time in their hands. Instead of honing their skills, they blame others for their incompetence. If the world was such an easy place, there wouldn't be the need to constantly upgrade one's skills instead of bullying others''

The three waitresses that were with Amara flushed and turned to go and saw Paula at the door. they couldn't look at her and rushed out leaving Amara alone.

''Was that meant for me?'' Amara asked Magdalene.

''To whom it may concern. You know how the government put such titles on most national issues?'' Magdalene said sarcastically.

''What?''

''If you have grievances about your work, you can just put it in writing and send it to the HR instead of acting like a spoilt brat, stuck-up kiddo''

''Hey?''

''What?'' Magdalene asked back.

''Nothing. arguing with someone like you only drains me out. This place isn't for people like you, I'm surprised you are still around''

''What is wrong with her?'' Paula asked making the two to look at her. She stepped into the cloakroom, ''what is wrong with people like her? What right do you have to judge her sexual orientation?'' Paula didn't know why but she was angry seeing how biased Amara was towards Magdalene because she was a lesbian. She didn't mind being talked about, but she couldn't stand it when someone said something about her friend.

Friend. That word was suddenly strange to Paula. It was the first time she acknowledged someone else as a friend other than Lisa, but it was okay, because she knew Magdalene was someone with a beautiful heart.

''Oh, you got the newbie to support you? Why? Are you also one of her kind? Or are you bisexual?''

''Hey, Amara, watch your tongue'' Magdalene said and pulled her collar up. it was clear she was angry because of Amara's words.

''Why? Are you angry because I found your secret and told the others or because I just found out you are interested in her?''

''What?'' Magdalene glared at her.

''Are you going to beat me? Well, go ahead and hit me then. If you want to go home and be jobless. Well, a gangster will always be a gangster no matter where he is placed'' Amara threatened Magdalene. She knew her weakness so well.

Magdalene clenched her fist and tightened her grip on Amara, ''say that once more and you won't even know how you died''

''What is going on here?'' Godiva walked into the cloakroom and Magdalene immediately let go off Amara.

''Manager Godiva, she was the one who was about to use her fist first?'' Amara dusted her coat as if there was dust on her. she looked smugly at Magdalene.

''Amara, leave this place'' Godiva said and Amara smirked and looked at Magdalene. When she turned towards Paula, she knocked her shoulder as she walked out and Paula looked at her.

''Sister Godiva… I…'' Magdalene stuttered and clasped her hands like a kid in front of an adult.

'You… I can't just leave you for a second, right?'' Godiva sighed and massaged her head.

''Sorry''

''Why are you sorry?'' Godiva folded her arms and looked at her. She was the one who brought Magdalene into the hotel and made her, her assistant because she once saved her life.

''I shouldn't have lost my temper at her, but, she was saying bad things about Paula. She just came today and that woman is already spreading rumours about her. I couldn't stand and watch her get bullied''

''Really? So, are you spider man watching over the whole city? You see someone suffering an injustice and then you ran head on without thinking about yourself first?''

''No, I can never be spider man. he is like a deity in the fictional world, I dare not take his position''

''You know how to talk back?''

''Sorry''

Paula chuckled and they turned and looked at her. She pursed her lips immediately and flushed. She knew they had forgotten she was there but their bickering was just cute to her.

''Why are you still here?'' Godiva asked her.

''Huh?'' Paula's lips parted slightly.

''Go on, do you want me to see you off?'' Godiva asked.

''No, I will get going now'' Paula said and scurried off. After she closed the door the two women chuckled.

'Sister Godiva, isn't she just cute?'' Magdalen said and Godiva looked at her and she pursed her lips, ''sorry''

''Hey, you come here'' Godiva beckoned on her.

''Huh?''

''I said come here'' she said annoyingly and Magdalene went closer. Godiva whispered into her ears, ''if she calls you a gangster, then treat her like one. Don't tell me your years of being in the thug, you don't even know how to hit someone while making sure they don't get physical wounds that would lead to you? If you can't even teach her a lesson for always looking down on you, then I would be very disappointed in you, kiddo''

Godiva stepped back looking elegant. She didn't even look like the one who had suggested such an idea to Magdalene. They looked at each other before she left the cloakroom, leaving Magdalene.

Magdalene smirked and folded her arms. Why didn't she think of that before? there were so many ways to teach that bitch Amara a lesson.