You walk into the office on your first day at DMS Logistics, a bit nervous but eager to make a good impression. The environment feels intimidating—largely female-dominated and fiercely competitive. You had heard stories about the office politics, about how power dynamics worked in this place, and the challenges that came with trying to fit in. But you're confident, or at least you tell yourself that. After all, you’ve dealt with worse. You think you're ready for whatever they throw at you.
When you get to your desk, Jess is already there. She’s 21, the same age as Olivia, but there’s something about her—something mean. Jess has ginger hair and pale skin, and though she’s about your height, her presence feels larger, more aggressive. She shoots you a knowing smirk as you sit down, making you shift uneasily in your seat.
“Alright, rookie,” Jess says, her tone sharp, almost dismissive. “You’re lucky. You get to train with me today.”
Before you can respond, the other new hire, Olivia, walks in. She’s only 19, cocky, and exudes arrogance. She barely glances in your direction as she saunters to the desk beside you. Dressed in a short skirt and tights, Olivia tosses her long brunette hair into a ponytail and shoots you a look that makes you uneasy.
"Guess we’re the newbies, huh?" Olivia says, not really expecting an answer from you as she fiddles with her phone.
You feel a sense of superiority bubbling up inside. **Olivia** doesn’t strike you as particularly bright—just a pretty face in short skirts. You tell yourself it’ll be easy to outshine her, to get on Jess’s good side, and maybe even catch the eye of the higher-ups. After all, you’ve got the smarts. Olivia? Probably not so much.
As Jess starts walking you both through the onboarding process, you can't help but gloat internally when Olivia stumbles over the simplest tasks. She fumbles with the software, asking questions that seem ridiculous, and you feel that smug sense of validation—proof that you’re better than her.
Jess, however, doesn’t seem to mind. In fact, every time Olivia messes up, Jess just laughs it off, like it's no big deal. “Don’t worry, Olivia,” Jess coos, her tone oddly warm. “You’ll get the hang of it.”
Meanwhile, every little mistake you make is met with sharp criticism.
“No, no, Tom, that’s not right,” Jess snaps at you after you mistype a few numbers. “Honestly, how hard is it?”
You bite your lip, frustration building inside you. It’s unfair. Olivia's making all these mistakes, yet Jess doesn’t seem to care. But when you make one, it feels like the end of the world.
About an hour in, Olivia seems to start catching on, and it infuriates you. Not only is she improving, but Jess is praising her, and you can feel the tide turning against you. Olivia flashes you a smug look after she completes a task correctly—a look that makes your stomach churn with embarrassment.
“See, Tom?” Jess says, her voice dripping with condescension. “Olivia’s already catching up. Maybe you should take some notes.”
You force a smile, trying to stay composed, but inside you’re fuming. You know you’re smarter than Olivia, but here she is, outshining you. And worse, Jess is treating her like the golden child.
As the day goes on, Jess and Olivia’s dynamic shifts. They start to work together almost as if they’ve known each other for years. Whenever you try to join in or prove yourself, they shut you out—either by ignoring your input or outright laughing at you. Jess takes every opportunity to humiliate you in front of Olivia, pointing out your every flaw and mistake.
At one point, Jess “accidentally” spills her coffee near your desk. She glares at you, smirking. “Oops, my bad. Tom, why don’t you clean that up for me?”
You hesitate, your pride flaring up. But Olivia’s voice cuts through, dripping with mockery.
“Yeah, Tom, be useful for once.”
You can feel the heat rising to your face. Your hands shake with anger, but there’s something else there—something that makes you hesitate, makes you submit. Slowly, you grab some tissues and start cleaning the mess, the sound of Olivia’s giggles echoing in your ears.
“Wow, Tom,” Jess sneers, watching you from her desk. “I didn’t know you were this good at cleaning. Maybe we should make that your official job title.”
Olivia laughs, louder this time, emboldened by Jess’s cruel teasing. “Yeah, the office janitor. It suits him.”
You grit your teeth, feeling smaller by the minute. How did this happen? You were supposed to impress them, to show them you were better than Olivia. But now, it feels like you’re at the bottom, their plaything, their joke.
By the time the day ends, you’re exhausted—not just from the work but from the constant barrage of humiliation. Olivia, once the one you thought you’d outperform, is now confidently striding around the office while Jess treats you like dirt.
As you gather your things to leave, Jess walks by, giving you a smug pat on the back. “Tough first day, huh? Don’t worry, Tom. It gets easier.”
Her tone is mocking, and you know that things are only going to get worse. Olivia gives you one last glance, her smirk lingering as she whispers to Jess, clearly sharing a private joke at your expense.
Walking out of the office, you can’t shake the feeling that you’ve just been put in your place. And tomorrow? Tomorrow might be even worse.
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