"Have you got your blueprints ready?" Glenda asked. Sandra gave a quick nod and a two-finger salute off her forehead, grinning. Glenda turned to find Amy waving at them.
"Hey, Amy," Sandra said.
"Hey, Sandra. This is for you." Amy pulled a small box from behind her back, holding it out. Sandra blinked, taking it. "Thanks for helping me yesterday. Please, take it."
Sandra smiled, opening it. "Aw, that's sweet!" Two brownies sat inside.
"What kind of help?" Glenda asked.
"Sandra drove me home yesterday when I couldn't find a taxi," Amy said.
Glenda gave Sandra a slow once-over. "Her? Are you sure you saw this woman last night?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
"No, no — you must be mistaken. Think harder." Glenda made a show of refusing to believe Sandra could be anyone's good buddy, while Sandra grabbed her by the neck, groaning. "Excuse me? You think I'm some kind of monster? Why wouldn't I help another human being, huh?"
Amy burst out laughing as the two of them spiraled into an argument over who was more "human."
"What? You've never helped *me*."
"Didn't I let you sleep at my place? Isn't that helping?"
That comment dropped the studio into a strange silence. Everyone seemed to sense something off about it. Sandra's team stared at her like she'd turned to stone — until she noticed.
"Oh, come on — it's not like we're some couple moving in together. We've got work stuff to sort out too."
Glenda cleared the air in an instant, and everyone went back to work. Everyone except Amy. She studied Sandra's expression, trying to piece together what exactly was going on between her and Glenda.
"You — come with me. Need to talk." Sandra dragged Glenda off, completely forgetting Amy existed. Amy frowned, watching them go.
"Am I being ignored right now?" she muttered, trailing quietly behind. She slipped behind the wall, catching a conversation she had no context for.
"This is seriously unusual. You're getting careless." Glenda's tone wasn't accusing — just stating fact.
"I know, but what am I supposed to do? The things you put me through cause me trouble too," Sandra said defensively, trying to keep her voice even.
"Me? Have you forgotten what *you* did to *me*? I lost control completely."
"I didn't force you into anything. I had your consent. You signed the papers."
"It wasn't exactly a normal kind of approval — you basically pushed me into something I never thought I'd do." Glenda's voice spiked, then dropped fast when Sandra's eyes went wide.
"Don't make it sound dirty. We agreed on it together. Don't put it all on me now." Sandra started to shout, then caught herself, dropping to a whisper.
"I'm not blaming you, Sandra. I'm just telling you how it felt." Glenda cleared her throat.
"Fine — then don't come to my house again." Sandra shoved her away, pouting, turning her back.
Glenda immediately pulled her into a hug. "Oh my god, I'm sorry, Madame Sandra. Please don't say that."
"Are you actually sorry?"
"Yes. Forgive me, just this once."
"...Fine. But never again."
That was more than enough for Amy. Her eyes went wide, hand flying to her mouth, breath catching. Heart hammering, she could barely process what she'd just heard. She had no idea if this was personal or work-related.
*Consent? Mutual? Force? What have these two been doing in that house?*
Without thinking twice, she bolted.
"...Yeah, I won't say it again. But it's still not fair that I'm the one stuck doing your whole balcony thing while you call it 'mutual.'"
"Would you rather sleep at my place, or back in your ghost-condo?"
"Ugh, fine — I'll do it myself and still call it mutual. Happy now?"
"So much~!"
"Psycho."
They walked back into the studio, laughing, glancing at each other now and then. From the corner, Amy watched, still trying to make sense of what she'd overheard.
While Sandra worked through shot selections for the magazine, Glenda walked the makeup team through tomorrow's look for the ad — but the two of them kept catching each other's eye across the room.
Amy pressed her hands to her head, muttering under her breath. "What is even going on here?"
"Sorry — did you say something?" Greg, the photographer, asked.
"Oh — nothing, Greg," Amy said, snapping back.
"I need a break—" she started, then stopped. Glenda was handing Sandra a cold coffee, dabbing her own forehead with a handkerchief. Sandra smiled and said something back.
"Amy, can you switch poses?" Greg called, eyes on his camera. No response. "Amy — are you listening? Switch poses, please." She stood frozen, staring at Glenda, his patience thinning fast.
Eventually Greg snapped, his voice cutting across the studio. "Amy! I need this session done by tomorrow — can you please focus?!" Startled, she fell back into position. Glenda caught the shift in her expression.
"What's going on with her?" Sandra asked.
"I'll check on her after the shoot," Glenda said. Sandra nodded and headed back to the stage — but before she could find out anything more, Amy had already slipped out, and Greg was packing up his gear.
"Wait — what just happened?" Sandra murmured, glancing toward Glenda. It looked like Amy had said something sharp to her on the way out. She turned to Greg, catching only —
"Goodnight, Designer Sandra."
"Wait — Greg?"
"Goodnight!"
"...What?" She scoffed, dragging her fingers through her hair in frustration.
▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎
Sandra lit a cigarette, wandering down the street, when a familiar voice cut through the air. "Argh — where is it?"
She backtracked and found a woman in a green knit sweater and wide white jeans, crouched over the grass, searching for something.
She walked over, leaning in. "What's got you all worked up?" she asked quietly.
Kidlathea jumped, spinning around. "I'm gonna kick your— oh! Sandra! You scared the life out of me!" She lunged for a hug, but Sandra caught her with a raised palm.
"Wait — I've got a cigarette going. Smoke's not good for you."
Kidlathea laughed it off. "It's fine — my boyfriend smokes a ton too."
An odd stillness settled over Sandra's face. She felt uneasy under Kidlathea's gaze but managed a reluctant smile, dropping the cigarette and crushing it under her sneaker.
"...I see," Sandra said, a little stiff. As usual, Kidlathea didn't pick up on it. "Anyway — what are you looking for?"
"I... lost my engagement ring, Sandra." Her head dropped, thumbs fidgeting.
"That's awful. Let me help you look, okay?" Sandra said, patting her head. Kidlathea blushed.
"What does it look like?"
"It's a diamond ring — floral design, with two small diamonds on either side." Sandra nodded, scanning the grass — then froze. "...Floral design, on a gold band?"
Kidlathea's face lit up. "Yes! Have you seen it?"
Sandra jolted slightly, shaking her head. Her stomach twisted, old memories clawing their way up. "Have you seen it, Sandra?"
"No, I haven't," she said flatly, eyes elsewhere. Kidlathea watched her, eyes narrowing. "Sandra... is something wrong?"
"No. Let's just keep looking before it gets too hot."
"...Okay."
They searched everywhere — through the grass, around corners, behind walls, along the baking pavement, even in the mud. A notification pulled Sandra's attention to her phone.
Glenda: Where are you?
Sandra: Out.
Glenda: Where?
Sandra: Out of the building.
Glenda: I fucking knew that! I asked where you're STANDING right now.
Sandra: It's called 'ground'
Glenda: (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻
Sandra: ┐(˘_˘)┌
Glenda: Hey, did you forget we have a meeting today?
Sandra: Meeting? Now?
Who's the idiot scheduling a meeting at this hour?
Glenda: It's me. (눈‸눈)
Sandra: (￣ヘ￣;)
Sandra: Are you insane?! How could you do this to me?
Glenda: Company, by 8. No excuses.
Got it? ಠ益ಠ
Sandra: Uh, yeah. (ー_ー💢)
She groaned, glancing up at the darkening sky. Kidlathea startled at the sound. "You... okay?"
"Do I look okay to you?"
"...No."
"Then?"
"...Never mind. Let's keep looking — it's getting dark."
They went back to it — same spots, same corners — but Sandra drifted off toward the far edge of the grass on her own. Something caught the light. She crouched, and there it was.
She stared at it, a quiet scoff slipping out. Kidlathea perked up. "Did you find it?"
Sandra glanced at the ring, then slid it quietly into her pocket. "Nope — thought this shell was it for a second." She said it without missing a beat.
*I'm sorry, Kidlathea.*
"Aw, that shell's cute, but I want my ring!"
"It's getting too dark to keep searching. Let's try again tomorrow, okay?" Sandra said. "Your boyfriend's not the type to get mad over something like this, right? He'll understand."
Kidlathea's expression dimmed, color draining from her face, thumbs twisting anxiously. Sandra noticed but didn't push.
"Kidlathea?" Sandra called. She looked up, reluctant. "What is it, Sandra?"
"I'm heading out — I've got a meeting."
"Now?"
"Yeah."
"...Okay."
Sandra walked off, certain Kidlathea wouldn't stop searching anytime soon — not with Jovan waiting at home. Behind that polished exterior was a man who valued money and possessions above almost everything, and who turned cruel the moment something of his went missing.
She pulled the ring out, turning it over in the light. No mistake. It was the same ring he'd proposed with — the same one she'd thrown back in his face the day she walked out of his life.
*"You absolute bonehead — you gave her your ex's ring."* A quiet wave of anguish settled into her bones.
Her hand rose, ready to hurl it to the ground — but the thought of Kidlathea stopped her cold. She lowered her hand slowly, staring at the pavement.
"I'll give this back to you the day you finally see Jovan for who he really is, Kidlathea," she muttered, fist tightening around the ring.
---
Sandra scanned her ID at the company gate. The building stood pitch-black and empty, like it had vanished overnight. She was sure she'd seen a light on one of the upper floors — but which one, she couldn't say.
Her thumb scrolled up to Glenda's last message.
Glenda: Forget it. Meeting's off for tonight. Just head home.
Reading it, her spine went cold, blood freezing for a second. If no one was in the building — where had that light come from? Her stomach dropped. She rushed back outside, eyes snapping to the window where she'd seen it — and the moment she looked up, her throat went dry.
The building loomed above her, swallowed in darkness. She stared at it, swallowing hard.
"Ms. Sandra, what are you doing here?" The guard's voice came from behind, startling her. She froze for a beat before answering. "I— I thought I saw lights on one of the upper floors. Maybe someone's still up there."
He glanced up at the building. "That's not possible. I checked every room and turned off the lights myself after Ms. Glenda left."
She looked again. Same silence. No lights. Maybe she'd imagined it. She gave the guard a tight smile and walked off with a quick nod.
Glenda: Have you reached home?
Sandra: Nah. Just started.
Glenda: It's cold out. Get home before you catch something.
Sandra: I'm not a kid anymore, Glenda.
Glenda: Since when?
Sandra: Since you left.
Glenda: Psycho.
Sandra: (≧▽≦)
Glenda: (눈‸눈)