Hazel burst out of the office like the walls were closing in on her. Her hands were shaking so badly she almost dropped her phone. Her legs felt weak, her lips still tingled, and her heart hadn't stopped its frantic, uneven rhythm since she ran away from him.
She headed straight to the bathroom—pushing the door open as quietly as she could—and gripped the sink.
Cold water. She needed cold water.
She splashed her face, letting the chill sting her skin, grounding her back in reality. Her reflection stared back at her, eyes wide and panicked.
"What did you do, Hazel?" she whispered to herself.
"How did you let him get that close? How did you get so charmed by him? And why… why did you lean in first?"
She squeezed her eyes shut, replaying it all—the arrogant half-smirk on his mouth, the way his fingers pressed at her waist, how he'd stepped closer like he always knew she'd let him—
And how her mind had gone blank, her body moving on instinct before her brain could stop her.
She groaned into her hands. "Oh God. I'm insane. I've lost my mind."
The bathroom door creaked open.
"Hazel?"
Hazel jerked upright. Isabella stood at the entrance, eyebrows arched, holding a paper towel and staring at Hazel like she'd been caught committing a federal crime.
"Why are you sweating?" Isabella asked slowly. "And why do you look like someone chased you out of a conference room with a chainsaw?"
Hazel backed against the sink. "I—I'm fine."
"Lie." Isabella stepped closer, eyes narrowing. "Your hair is messy. Your lipstick is smudged. And you are very red. Something happened."
Hazel shook her head violently. "Nothing happened."
Isabella folded her arms. "Hazel…"
"Isabella, no."
"Hazel…"
"No!"
Isabella squinted harder. "You did something. Who was it? Was it someone from accounting? Someone from HR? Is it a SECRET romance? Did you cry? Did you fight? Did you—"
"Isabella," Hazel snapped, face burning, "drop it."
A beat. Then Isabella lifted her hands in surrender.
"Fine. For now. But you're hiding something, and I will find out. I have eyes everywhere."
Hazel groaned. "Please don't."
Isabella smirked and finally let it go.
---
The rest of the day was torture.
Hazel avoided her boss like he was radioactive. Every footstep in the hallway made her jump. Every shadow passing her desk made her heart slam in her chest. She didn't look toward his office once.
And he didn't call for her.
Not a message.
Not a glance.
Nothing.
The silence was suffocating.
By the time five o'clock hit, she was out of the building faster than she'd ever moved in her life.
---
When Hazel got home, she ran straight to the bathroom, freshened up in a frenzy, and then practically flew downstairs to Hailey's apartment.
Hailey didn't even pretend to be normal about it—she was sprawled across her couch with popcorn, a face mask, and the kind of expression someone wears when they've been waiting for drama.
The moment Hazel walked in, Hailey sat up.
"What happened? You look traumatized."
Hazel dropped her bag, kicked off her shoes, and collapsed face-first onto the sofa.
"Hailey… I kissed him."
"…Who?" Hailey asked, though she already seemed suspicious.
"My boss."
Hailey froze mid-blink. "…Hazel. Hazel. Hazel."
She grabbed her shoulders, shaking her lightly. "Your arrogant, rude, impossible boss?!"
"Yes," Hazel groaned into a pillow. "And he kissed me back. We made out. But only for a few seconds because I panicked and bit him—bit him on his lip—and ran out before we could both…" She waved her hand helplessly. "You know. Finish."
Hailey slapped a hand over her mouth. "HAZEL."
She burst into laughter at the last sentence.
Hazel lifted her head just enough to catch Hailey's horrified-but-thrilled expression.
"I swear I don't even know how it happened," Hazel said, biting her lip. "It was like I was hypnotized by… I don't know… a mermaid voice or something."
"Well, I don't blame you," Hailey said. "Your boss is super hot. The first time I saw him, I remember not even looking at the road—just straight up risking my life."
She sighed dramatically. "And when it finally happened between me and my boss? Girl, I don't even know what happened to my legs when he leaned in. And mine was worse. Like—both of us… you know… c*m."
Hazel gaped. "Damn, you two are crazy."
Hailey hid her face. Hazel smiled.
"Hazel," Hailey said suddenly, her tone shifting. Hazel looked up.
"It gets worse," Hailey declared.
"How could it get worse?!"
"Because," Hailey threw her hands up, "now he doesn't even look up at me. Like literally avoids eye contact. I mean—yes, he doesn't get attached to anyone he's… had his way with—but he still talks to them. But me? He completely ignores me. Acts like nothing happened."
She exhaled sharply. "But you know what? I'm not letting any man ruin my day. I choose happiness."
Hazel groaned. "We're disasters."
Hailey grabbed a pillow and chucked it at her. "We're victims."
Hazel caught it. "Victims of arrogant bosses."
Hailey nodded seriously. "Victims of workplace heartbreak."
Hazel leaned her head on Hailey's shoulder. "Victims of stupidly attractive men in power."
"Exactly!" Hailey said. "Someone should give us hazard pay."
They sank into the couch with matching miserable sighs.
"Hailey?" Hazel whispered.
"Yes?"
"We're doomed, aren't we?"
Hailey grabbed her hand dramatically.
"At this point? Absolutely."
For a moment, they just let themselves pity each other in peace.
Then Hazel suddenly sat up, determination glowing in her eyes.
"You know what? Let's not waste our precious time thinking about jerks."
She gave Hailey a slow grin.
Hailey's face lit up instantly.
"Oh. Ohhh I know that look."
"It's karaoke time!!" they shouted together.
Hazel rushed to connect the karaoke machine to the speaker while Hailey grabbed the mic like she was about to perform at the Grammys. She started singing 'Use Me' at full emotional volume:
"Do I have an open invitation saying use me—"
"Use me—"
"USE ME!"
"Why do I choose people that don't choose me…"
"It's so stupid…"
"It's so goofy…"
"You're not even scared you're gonna lose me—"
"Lose me!!"
"You used me…"
Her voice cracked—and suddenly she stopped singing and started to sob.
Hazel hurried over, pulled her into a hug, and they sang the next lines together, both of them breaking and healing at the same time. The song felt like it was written for them.
A few minutes later, they switched to a louder, happier song, blasting the speakers and dancing around the apartment like two unhinged pop stars.
For a little while, they forgot everything.
The bosses.
The heartbreak.
The weird kisses.
All of it.
Just two best friends, healing one off-key lyric at a time.