The Co-Worker

When The Best Friend and I were going through our drama, I got pretty close to my co-worker and her best friend, The Sweet One, who also happened to date my brother. The two of them live on the same street (which happens to be Loud Mouth’s street as well), which is about an eight minute walk from my house.

I started going clubbing with them on weekends and when things fell through with one of their lose friends we sort of became The Trio. They were really there for me when I needed them and as high school as this sounds, I felt cool with them, as though I was part of the “in crowd”.

After about a year of hanging out with them, I began to realize how controlling The Co-Worker was. She would always make little comments about people’s styles and insert “jokes” about how she was the most fashionable guru and everyone should listen and follow her. If she said she didn’t like it, then of course it was ugly. She also tried to be apart of everything. You couldn’t go out with a common friend without inviting her, yet she could.

We were supposed to go on vacation together, The Co-Worker, The Sweet One and the Armenian (another girl we work with). Then, the Co-Worker asked her boyfriend and a couple of his friends to go, even though it was a girl thing. Then, she asked her gay friend to come, “who’s like a girl” she said. It got to the point where it wasn’t even our thing and I just didn’t feel like going anymore. Also, I had to save money for school and I didn’t want to have zilch in my account after everything had been paid for. Beaches aren’t really my thing, at least not for a week anyways. I would much rather prefer going to LA or Vegas or New York.

My mother said I could use her as a scapegoat (mother’s are the best, aren’t they?) and I did. There was this whole big drama because The Co-Worker didn’t get her way. I don’t know why I didn’t just tell her the truth- I’m a little bit of a coward I guess. That maybe was the beginning of the end for our friendship I guess.

For my birthday, I invited the girls: The Best Friend, The Cousin, The Co-Worker, The Sweet One and The Armenian for supper at my house. We could all get ready together afterwards and leave together. I told them to come between 6:00 and 6:30, which nobody did except for The Armenian. The Cousin had previously warned me she would be coming later on, and The Best Friend came right before seven. When The Co-Worker and The Sweet One decided to grace us with their presence, it was almost eight o’clock and they already ate. So we all waited for them, for nothing, and I had way too much food.

They were both cranky for some reason and I was already really angry that they showed up late. I decided to just ignore it since it was my birthday and I didn’t want to spoil it. We went to the club and The Ex was there for my birthday (which he had forgotten the day of, by the way). I was having a really fun time when The Co-Worker came to tell me she, The Sweet One and The Armenian were leaving and did I have a lift home. Yeah, them! First of all, I was really too drunk to try to arrange alternate transportation and second off, it’s my birthday! They should be staying until the end! They really screwed up my birthday and ditched me. The Cousin drove me home.

The day after the Co-Worker decided to tell me how she thought I was super rude (me??) because they all showed up for my birthday and I spent barely any time with them. Just writing about it is making me so mad. There were so many of my friends there and I spent the Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening with them celebrating my birthday! She went on a whole tirade saying how she would have acted blah blah blah. Did I mention that she also puts words into people’s mouths? You’d be arguing with her and she’ll say something like: remember you said…” and even though you know you didn’t, she’ll insist you did. It’s maddening!

The Birthday Fiasco blew over and we got back to normal- kinda. Another one of our co-workers, The Baby of the group (she’s seventeen) and I get along super well but The Co-Worker doesn’t really like her. Apparently she thinks that The Baby copies her style. Whatever. One day, I was saying how The Baby and I get along so well and she told me that she overheard The Armenian and The Baby talking about me saying how the more they get to know me, the less they like me.

I was so hurt by this because they had absolutely no reason to say this and they both acted super nice with me. Before this turns into a ten page post, The Co-Worker basically put me against everyone besides her. She made me doubt my friendship with The Baby and played both sides. She would talk about The Armenian and The Baby, saying how they’re gay for grouping together (they’re both Armenian) and how The Baby’s a loser who has no style and is too obsessed with people’s appearances. She would also say how The Armenian is too old and should act her age instead of 30 (she’s very mature) and should stop obsessing over old, rich men. God knows what she’s said about me.

The thing with the Co-Worker is that she’s really a fake person. She talks behind practically everyone’s back but claims she’s “real”. She’ll bully and belittle you. The next day though, she’ll act like your best friend and it comes off as sincerity. That’s why I’m so mixed up about her.

Working with her this past month has been like a rollercoaster ride. One day she’ll be the queen of ice, the next day she’ll be joking with you and saying how she misses you etc When she’s nice, it’s like nothing ever happened (even though it did) and she’s a bitch, it’s really awkward and lonely. For the past two weeks she’s had parties or get togethers and invited everyone except me. Last Saturday, she went out with The Sweet One and The Baby (who she’s apparently best friends with now) and didn’t invite me. When she found out that I didn’t decide to stay home and sulk without her, rather, I made plans with The Best Friend and The Cousin, and she was shocked.

She was really jealous that I made plans with my two girlfriends and didn’t ask her so she invited us. Except that to go to the party you need tickets. She basically said, well if you can get tickets (the day of the party, at 3 pm) you’re more than welcome to come. They all went out the following Friday AND Saturday and didn’t invite me *again*. They even asked another co-worker to go, The Shy One. Everyone but me. If I didn’t use to hang out with them every Saturday, then I would somewhat understand. Yet even at that, to invite everyone from the office and single out one? That’s rude and just plain mean. On Sunday they all spoke about it and I sort of just stood there, awkwardly. The others could be held accountable too, except the Co-Worker organized it and it’s not really like they could just invite me to her house before.

Anyways, I am sad that my friendship with The Baby is less intimate but there’s nothing I can do to change that. I should have confronted her the second I heard the rumor, but I automatically believed The Co-Worker. My friendship with The Armenian is pretty much non existent, which really hurts but I’d rather not dwell on it too much. I actually used to go out a lot with her for coffee and movies etc. I’m being transferred downtown so I won’t have to deal with the backstabbing and high school attitude. It just really hurts I guess. God I hate office politics.