Lying Faces That Only Smile

I'd made a friend who also shares my employment. After months of getting to know one another, and hangouts with the kids and their family, everything seemed well. Finally, a mutual lady friendship like I'd thought I'd seen in all the stuff I grew up on! I felt kindness that was even and reciprocated, something that wasn't as common for a recovering people-pleaser. The day before everything happened, she seemed off, I had asked if something was wrong. Instead, they were quiet, assuring me all was well with a smile.

The next day, my boss's BOSS calls me into a meeting, accusing me of harassing a colleague, but with no identifiers as to what I had done specifically, but named the individual. It was her, and she stonewalled me as we had to work on projects together. Sabotage from her and my attempts at keeping receipts to protect myself were met with condemnation from management. The office gossip spread, she smiled as I was let go from projects, and tried to get me fired on my birthday a few days ago. HR, as expected, protects their company, and the clique at work prevent me from transferring. All to her smile and laugh, as she has security walk her by, people thinking my polite cordiality is now a threat. My mutual coworker buddy lets me know that I was being punished for being "too kind" at work. I can't leave this job yet. I've tried. I have to pay off medical debt, this job tied to my insurance.

It hits harder because this comes from years of abandonment, only to be discarded like a used toy. I've done therapy, I've lived and been by myself, I've done what I thought was right, sometimes this stuff just happens. It hurts because she knew. There was no fight, no drama, nothing undisclosed that I'm aware of. Just silence and a smile as I cried, being escorted out of my workplace because I failed to see the office politics from a woman I thought was my friend stab me in the back. I've tried to keep myself safe, but I cannot read facial expressions or tone, even with classes aimed at it. I know I did my best, but it hurts all the same.

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Lini Relationships June 17, 2025 at 9:34 am 0 0