And it allhappened with a single tweet.
I wouldn’t have even knownabout it—at least not so early, ifI hadn’t gotten an email from LifeReach. My phone pinged, and since I’m basically always on call, I opened the message. But it wasn’t from my supervisor asking me to come in early or to proofread something. It was from Mr. Kirby, the foundation president.
Dear Ms. Alvarez,
Earlier today,the LifeReach foundation was notified of inappropriate behavior on your part. After investigating the situation, we find your actions immoral and reprehensible. Effective immediately, you are terminated from your position as an intern with our organization.
Regards,
Ernest Kirby and the LifeReach Foundation
I panicked,of course. What on earth was he talking about? I fired off a message to my direct supervisor and paced my tiny apartment as if I could figure out the answer by wearing a hole in the thin carpet.
Immoral and reprehensible?What the hell? I’ve been a freaking model intern the entire time I’ve been there, despite the bullshit I’ve had to deal with. I’ve done nothing immoral or reprehensible. I’ve never so much as stolen a Post-it!
Ok,there was my little restroom stall dalliance the other day, but if they’ve got cameras in their bathrooms, that’s a whole other show.
While I’m losingmy mind, Nora has been scrolling through social.
“Holy crap, Lucy. Look at this,”she practically shoves her phone in my face. It takes a minute for things to register, but then I see a picture of Caleb and me, mid-kiss.
Objectively,it’s a pretty hot picture. He’s got his strong arm around me as he dips me. My legs are on full display, though nothing especially scandalous is showing except for a little thigh. His lips are on mine and, thanks to the camera angle, and the fact that the good Lord blessed him, the outline of his hard cock is distinctly evident.
And when Isay someone captured the picture, I mean Derek Stillman did. He posted it on his feed. He’s been the bane of my existence these past few years, but this picture and the caption he posted, have gone too far.
I am proud that@LifeReach Foundation had the courage to terminate intern Lucy Alvarez after discovering evidence of immoral behavior. What’s worse than this flagrant display of lust is that the man whose arms are locked around her is her stepbrother.
My head is spinning.“Oh my God, Nora. It was Derek. Derek the Douchebag. That’s how LifeReach got the photo. Oh my God.”
“What an asshole.And then he bragged about it? That guy has always given me the creeps.”
He’s always givenme the creeps, too. But that’s a worry for another day. I stare at my phone in disbelief. That’s it? That’s how this ends? I’ve damn near killed myself at that internship and they’re casting me aside because I kissed my boyfriend?
Fuck.Them.
“I’m sopissed I could scream,” I rage at the room.
“Damn right you are.Did you see this asshole’s latest tweet?” Nora plops down on the couch and hands me her phone.
“Great.Just great. He’s celebrating my dismissal. What a fucking asshole.” I shake my head, unable to believe that he actually posted about how glad he was that the foundation was “cleaning house”.
I wantto punch Derek Stillman in his stupid, small-minded face, but I have work to do. I need to contact my adviser and see about arranging for another internship. It’s late in the semester, but I’m a workhorse, and there’s got to be something. And this time, hopefully, I’ll pick an organization whose bylaws aren’t deeply rooted in misogyny.
My phone startsto ring and part of me hopes it’s Steve, calling personally to say that he knows it’s all bullshit, but that his hands were tied.
“Lucy,”My dad’s voice is frantic on the other end of the line. This is not what I need to deal with this morning, but fine.
“Hey,Dad. It’s been a rough morning.”
“Is it true?”
“What?That I was dismissed from LifeReach? Yes, but—”
“Lucy,how could you be so foolish? You’ve worked tirelessly for years to get where you are and—"
I do a mental headshake.Is my dad being serious right now? “Dad, that internship was awful. I hated every second of it. So, while I know it’s not ideal to be dismissed, I now have the opportunity to—”
“Opportunity?”he blasts through the phone. His voice is so loud that I’m holding my phone an arm’s length away from my face.
