My Old Bully is my Colleague

I was having a good life. Everything that I had at that moment in time was wonderful. They say that when your life is about to change, you can feel it. But for me, it was a regular Tuesday like any other one.

I worked at a medium company, and there was nothing special about the job. I was a Senior programmer in a small team that was focused on product development. I liked what I did.

Honestly, my days would have followed the same boring pattern if there wasn't an important announcement on that day. Our boss asked everyone to join in, while he had some important news.

_ Team, as you know, we were looking for a Front-End developer, and we finally have Kristal joining our team. Please give her a warm welcome!

I was distracted by the announcement, but as soon as I locked eyes with the new hire, my blood froze.

It was her.

The one that had tormented me back in college.

Kristal.

The same Kristal.

Immediately my throat closed and my legs started to shake. I needed room. I needed space to breathe. I excused myself and went to the bathroom and basically held the sink as hard as I could.

I could feel some cold sweat in my shoulders and the world seemed to spin for a few moments. How could she be in the same place that I was? Why was she here?

I looked at myself in the mirror and reflected on the image that was looking back at me. My hair was long, but tied in a neat bun, I had no beard and my face was pale but good-looking. An ordinary guy, maybe a little nerdy, but nothing wrong with it.

Then why could I only see an overweight, neck-bearded, glass-wearing nerd dweeb? Why was I feeling as if I could not walk straight?

It was because of her.

I splashed some water on my face and looked at myself in the mirror again. I was someone different from all those years. I was older and much more experienced, and I should not be afraid of a bully. Especially her.

I walked back to my desk and looked around to see where she was. As if waiting for a cue, her boss and she were stationed at my desk as if waiting for me to return. And this was confirmed when she mentioned:

_ I think that's him. - She said pointing to me.

_ Oh yeah. - Her boss piped up once he saw me approaching. - Adam, this is Kristal. She is joining our team to work as a front-end developer, I presented her earlier, but I wanted to take her on a tour of the team.

She smiled and extended her hand to me.

_ Nice to meet you!

I breathed out and faked a smile. She seemed to not have recognized me. So maybe I was overreacting. I grabbed her hand and shook it.

_ Nice to meet you. I am Adam, and I'm one of the Senior Developers here on the team.

She kept shaking my hand and for a moment everything seemed normal. I was about to let go when her grip increased.

_ Wait a minute. I think we studied together at College. Did you go to Prince University?

I shook my hand one last time and released it from her grasp before she could notice that I was sweating.

_ Yeah, I graduated there. Class of 2014. - I said sounding more confident than I was.

_ Ohh, shoot. - She said with a smile while shaking her hand and placing it on her chest. - I graduated in 2012. So we probably missed each other for a few years.

_ Yeah. - I said feeling my legs start to tremble a little.

_ Well, we can catch up on it sometime. - She said looking at her new boss.

As if getting the hint, he started again.

_ Yeah, well, let me show you where you will be sitting and we can configure your machine. Bye, Adam.

_ See you later. - She said with a smile.

I sat at my desk and my fingers trembled as I typed my password. Yeah, I could have changed, but she stayed the same.

I might be paranoid at this point, but when she said that would see me later, I could swear that I saw the same look she gave me on those days. The side look with an intensity and playfulness that meant that she was not done with me.

This could not be, she wouldn't come back to terrorize me after all those years, right?

I hope not, but at this point, I am not sure of anything.