Kevin stood at the end of the hallway watching the scene with a cocked eyebrow. He recognised the dramatic girl, she threw a drink on Lee once.
He also didn't fail to notice her little smirk as she walked away from the scene.
Kevin wouldn't interfere or ask anything from her, he was a watcher, watchers watch.
He watched as Tiana walked towards the office of the General manager, obviously without a prior notice.
Tiana's POV
I walked down the hall until I arrived at the General manager's office. The air was semi-heavy and I was feeling it. I took a very deep breath, released it and knocked on the door.
"Enter", was the response from the other side of the door.
I opened the door, walked in and straightened my back.
The man sitting on his comfortable-looking leather seat was writing furiously, but couldn't concentrate because of a certain someone's heavy breathing.
"Breathe more quietly" was all he said to Tiana, making her frown.
She composed herself because she was here for him and not the other way round.
The manager continued writing furiously, but some "hmm" "haaa" sounds kept distracting him making him clench his fist so hard it definitely turned white. Her attempt to control her breathing failed woefully.
In annoyance, he broke his pen and looked at her with a disapproving frown. "Lady, what do you want?" He asked wanting to get rid of her as quickly as possible.
She flipped her hair behind her with a confident but sassy smile.
"Mr. Manager, this company has always been the standard for working conditions both in environment and behavior. The company's reputation shouldn't be let down because of some poorly behaved employees, don't you agree?" She said with so much emotion in her eyes that any naive person would believe her instantly.
"And your point is?" He asked completely uninterested in her attempt to uplift the company's name in his eyes.
His reaction took her off guard, but she was determined to end Mr. Richard.
"Well sir, I returned to my office space on the third floor after lunch break to find a very disappointing scene", she said pulling out her phone to show the manager the video she recorded earlier.
She approached him and placed the phone before him, scrolling to locate the video. As her searching process was taking a bit too long, the manager got impatient.
"Since you're not ready, leave so I can continue my work", he said turning his focus away.
"Sir, I've found it. Here..." She showed him the video. He watched it with a hand under his chin.
"That's Mr. Richard and uh I don't know his name." She said without waiting for his reaction.
"Call them here now!" Was all he said. She smiled broadly, nodded and hurried to get them.
She enjoyed the elevator ride downstairs, impatient to see Mr. Richard getting fired.
On reaching the third floor, she saw that everything had died down even though everyone was still standing. She approached Mr Richard with a confident strut.
"The General Manager asked me to call you sir... and the man you were engaging with", she said with a half smile.
Mr Richard and the man looked confused, but nodded and went with her.
In the Manager's office....
The manager didn't mind Tiana's presence as he admonished the ones that fought.
"This organisation is supposed to be the blueprint for other organisations. We are the path, the standard....in everything. Care to explain why two departmental heads were throwing fists at eachother?" The manager said in a cool voice.
The two men stared silent, making the manager nod his head.
"Anyway, we are in the middle of an important business deal as you all know. Firing you two with the explanation of bad conduct would most likely be detrimental to the company's image", he said stopping and placing his hand under his chin.
"Here's what we'll do, you'll each be issued two strikes, three being the maximum which would lead to immediate termination of employment, and 2 no 3 hours after work each day to clean out the storage spaces on EVERY floor", he said staring at them.
"Yes sir" the both answered. There was no need to argue with the manager, as He was being lenient.
"You may leave now", he said resuming his typing.
Both offenders left but one annoying brat was still standing there.
"What?" He asked without looking at her.
"That's all you're going to give them? They almost dragged the name of this honourable company into the mud, and you gave them cleaning duty and two strikes?" She asked pouting.
"It's not your call to make. Get out, I have things to do", he said without as little as glancing at her.
She frowned, clenched her fists and stumped angrily out of his office.
"Who does he think he is sending me out of his office like that. Just because he's the manager doesn't mean he can treat me like a nuisance. Ugh!!" She spoke to herself.
She approached the elevator where she saw Mr Richard and the other man waiting for her. Suddenly, a lump formed in her throat.
She decided to ignore them with the amount of sweat on her palms increasing by the second. She clicked on the button and waited while they stood on either side of her.
"I bet you weren't expecting his judgement of the whole thing, Jack", Mr Richard said to the other man.
"Well of course. He's a true manager, who cares about the company and considers its workers", the other man replied.
"But you know, this could've been avoided if a certain someone didn't go ratting us out", Mr Richard glanced at her briefly.
Tiana stopped breathing. Did they know it was her? Fuck!!!
And as if her unsaid prayer was answered, the elevator opened.
She walked in quickly and they followed. Just as the door was about to close, she ran out, leaving the men behind.
Panting heavily with her hands on her chest, Tiana thanked the gods that lived above the clouds for saving her from the torture that would have been the elevator ride.
"I'll just wait for the elevator again. Baby Jesus muah" she blew kisses at the ceiling after shaking head.
The elevator ride was the least of her problems right now in comparison to what would happen when she goes back to her office.
"Will he bully me? Make my life miserable? Look for ways to cut my pay? No, he wouldn't. He couldn't. He's just a departmental head, nothing more... He can't hurt me.....i hope.... What the hell am I even scared of? He messed with me first and by now he should know that I bite back. He won't mess with me again..", she thought to herself, unknowingly making facial expressions for each passing thought.
*Ding*
The elevator opened and some people walked out. Tiana straightened her shoulders and walked in, confidently pressing the button. The door closed and she was on her way to her next adventure (the third floor).