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The hum of the refrigerator was the only sound in the break room.
Amanda leaned against the counter, arms folded across her chest. Her tone was calm, but her eyes were sharp—holding Ava's gaze like a thread pulled tight.
"You just want to be with us again," Amanda said, voice low but clear.
Ava's lips curled into a slow smirk, but there was no real edge behind it—only something softer beneath the surface, something unsure. "And what if I do?"
Amanda didn't break eye contact. "If we ever did want someone else... it could definitely be you." Her voice dropped. "But not like this. You've gotta stop getting jealous. Stop acting like this is a game. We actually like you, Ava. But we need more than drama."
Ava's expression faltered for a moment. She opened her mouth to respond—then froze.
The door creaked open.
Ericka stepped inside like she owned the building. Because she did.
Her heels clicked once on the tile before she stilled, her gaze sweeping the room. First Amanda. Then Ava.
The atmosphere thickened instantly.
"I hope I'm not interrupting," she said coolly, though her voice was laced with knowledge. She'd heard enough.
Amanda stood a little straighter, brushing past Ava toward the sink. "We were just clearing the air."
Ericka's eyes locked on Ava's. "Ava, come with me."
Ava hesitated. That usual spark in her eyes flickered briefly, but she said nothing—just followed.
They walked down the hall in silence, footsteps echoing against the polished floors.
Inside Ericka's office, the door clicked shut behind them. Ericka moved with precision—setting a folder down, removing her blazer, and folding it across the back of her chair before turning to face Ava directly.
Ava stood in the center of the room, arms crossed, jaw tight.
"You've been pushing," Ericka said, her voice calm but laced with steel.
Ava started to speak. "I—"
"I'm not finished."
The silence that followed was sharp as glass.
Ericka stepped closer, slowly, each word measured. "Amanda's kind. She gives grace. I watch. I observe. And I remember everything."
She was inches away now.
"You're not going to earn a place in our world by teasing or testing us."
Ava blinked, but said nothing.
"If you really want us," Ericka continued, "no more games. No more jealousy. And no more moments like this morning in the hallway where you try to stir tension just to feel seen."
Ericka circled her slowly, deliberately, then came to a stop in front of her again. "You need to show us the real you. Not this dramatic version. Not this defensive shell. But the person you are when you're not performing. Day by day."
Ava's brow lifted slightly, her posture shifting. "You don't think this is me?"
"I think it's a version of you," Ericka replied. "But I think you've gotten used to hiding behind it."
She took a step back, giving Ava room to breathe. "We want honesty. We want ease. And if you can't bring that... this won't work."
Ava exhaled. She looked down, then up again. "So what do you want me to do?"
Ericka sat on the edge of her desk, her expression softening just slightly. "Be real. Be present. Let us get to know you—genuinely. Stop trying to prove something and just be something."
A beat of silence passed before Ericka added, more gently, "If this is going to be real—if you want a chance to be let back in—you need to be patient. And we need to trust you."
Ava nodded, her voice smaller than usual. "I understand."
"Good." Ericka crossed one leg over the other, eyes never leaving her. "Because this—us—it's not casual. And it's not something we're willing to risk on uncertainty."
Ava started to turn, then paused. "I won't push again," she said softly. "But I'm not going to fade into the background either."
Ericka gave a small, approving nod. "We don't want you to. But this time... let your truth speak louder than your ego."
Ava hesitated, then offered a small, genuine smile. "Okay."
The door clicked shut behind her.
Ericka finally pulled out her phone and sent Amanda a simple message:
Handled. And she heard me this time.