Tes doubles down

“Not fair!” Tessa cried. “I demand a redo! You know she hates me.” She had her fair share of enemies in the company since she was successful like Millie, but unlike Millie, she tended to rub it in her peers’ faces, such that Tessa was on frosty terms with a few female coworkers.

“But you didn’t say who it could be. You just said anyone at this party is fair game.”

“Come on, Barry, throw me a bone here. Please?”

As an aside, Millie wondered who Barry had gunned for. Mostly, however, she was conflicted. Tessa’s arrogance had brought her to this situation, nonchalantly and brazenly accepting this risky bet, with her even bragging to Millie no more than 6 seconds before Barry’s interjection. Now, instead of accepting her defeat with grace, she was, in Millie’s eyes, practically begging for a second chance.

Yet, it wasn’t like Millie didn’t understanding wanting a redo, considering the consequences. Ultimately, Tessa was her good friend, and even though she’d made some aggravating decisions and spoken some incendiary words in the last hour, could Millie really abide by supporting Tessa’s getting Barrowed and going on the wall as one of the Barrower’s sluts?

The inner turmoil was real and broiled inside her, and Millie almost missed Barry’s words completely as a result. “—that will be it. No more redos, alright?”

“Fine!” Tes replied.

As Barry walked away with a spring in his step, whistling, Millie asked meekly, “Sorry, I wasn’t listening. What did he say?”