Co-workers.

Coming out of high school I decided to take a year off and work to earn money before attending college. Finding an entry level job with high pay wasn't possible with only a high school diploma, so I settled on a bottom-tier position at a local cafe: bus boy.

The woman who interviewed me seemed nice enough, and explained specifics of the job: pay is minimum wage plus tips, I get one free drink for every 4 hours I work, I get 15 minutes for a break. The only thing disconcerting about her was the way she'd continuously look up and down my body. I even thought I saw her lick her lips once!

I assumed I'd imagined it, and shook her hand after the interview was finished. She lingered on my soft hand for longer than I felt comfortable, and only let go when my cheeks began to blush pink. Ever since that first day I tried to avoid my manager-- who I'd learned was named 'Kat'-- when working around the cafe.

That wasn't as easy as I originally thought. No matter what I did, whether it be bussing tables, washing dishes, or sweeping the floor, she'd always end up hovering around. As well as being the manager, she was also a server, meaning when I go out to collect dishes, or wiping off tables, she's there in the dining area. When I'm sweeping in the kitchen, she's there collecting orders. And any time we were in the same room together, her eyes were glued to me.

Occasionally, I could even swear I felt her hand brush against me: on my butt, or my crotch. I'd always have to shrug it off as an accident, or a trick my mind played on me. But all together, these uncomfortable feelings I had towards my boss affected the way I treated her. When she'd ask me questions, I'd give curt replies. When she'd make requests of me, I'd do so grudgingly. I didn't mean to seem so callous to her, but the resentment sort of built up over time.

And she'd always seem so critical of me! Everything I'd do she'd suggest a different way for me to do it, even if it was something really simple. And sometimes, she'd even reach over my body and do it for me! It always made me fume, because since she's so much bigger than me there's nothing I can do to physically stop her. One time in particular I remember her directly picking my body up and setting me to the side so she could show me how to do something properly.

Anyway, the point is that she wasn't someone I was interested in talking to, nonetheless be friends with, or especially... well, what we're doing now.

And don't get me wrong, I was friends with the other cooks and servers. I'm a friendly person! But I just couldn't get past the mental block I'd formed against her. That is, until one day at the cafe when she decided to break that barrier down.