A Different Kind of Us

Chapter 3

Sutton was as nervous for her second Monday of work as she had been for the first. But this time, it wasn't because she was new. This time, it was because she didn't want to face Ada after her humiliating drunken night at Meehan's.

The Monday morning meeting lasted longer than the previous week's. Marta wanted to give them all a detailed preview of their upcoming corporate retreat. Wyatt sat next to Sutton and tapped a pen on his loafer the whole time, save for the random occasions he tossed it up in the air to see if he could catch it.

Sutton had never been on a corporate retreat--or a corporate anything, for that matter--and didn't know what to think of the upcoming excursion. Her colleagues' expressions, as they listened to Marta speak about the retreat, ranged from bored to jaded to mildly interested. When Sutton risked a glance at Ada, Ada was sitting upright in her chair, her posture as perfect as always, with her eyes glazed over. She was clearly lost in thought.

"So what's the deal with the retreat thing?" Sutton asked Debbie and Javier at lunch.

Javier paused from wolfing down his Moe's burrito to answer her. "We go out into the woods. Company pays for us to get drunk and bond. Everyone acts awkward when we come back on Monday."

"That's it?"

"It's supposed to be rejuvenating," Debbie said. "We're supposed to gain a fresh perspective on our company's goals and our role in reaching them."

"Does that actually happen?"

"No. Javi's right--we mostly get drunk and bond. And before we even leave for the retreat there's a big passive-aggressive contest over who rooms with who."

"I roomed with On-Delay last year," Javier says, with salsa dripping out of the corner of his mouth. "Do you know what it's like to share a room with that guy? 'Hey, Craig, can you turn that light off, man?' Three minutes later: 'Yes, okay.' It was brutal, dude."

"Why did you room with him?"

"'Cause Wyatt was a douche and joined up with this guy from sales. That guy quit, like, the next month, though. He said he needed to go 'find himself' in the Mojave Desert."

Sutton stared. "So we do choose our own roommates?"

"Usually," Debbie said. "Oh! Do you want to room with me?"

Sutton hesitated for only a moment. Sure, Debbie was annoying sometimes, but if Sutton committed to her, she wouldn't have to worry about the possibility of rooming with Ada. 

Because there was no way in hell she wanted to room with Ada. Absolutely not.

"I would love to," she answered.

"Perfect! I'm a fantastic roommate," Debbie said, bouncing in her seat. "I'm not a snorer, I can sleep through anything, I take short showers...I mean, the list is infinite. You're lucky I asked you!"

"I am," Sutton replied.

Just then, Marta poked her head into the breakroom. "Oh, Sutton, there you are! Making friends, huh? When you're finished eating, come see me in my office. No rush."

Then she was gone, and anxiety erupted in Sutton's stomach. Was this about Friday night at Meehan's?

"Why do you look scared?" Javier said with his mouth full.

"What? I don't."

"You so do," Debbie said, with a tinkering laugh. "It's not like going to see the principal, Sutton. She probably just wants to check in with you about something."

"Or she might want your opinion on her plants," Javier said, his teeth coated in beef and cheese. "Sometimes she asks people what they think of her sunflowers. She stopped asking me, though, because I told her that artificial was the way to go. But some people just can't hear the truth, man."