"What's the matter, Sally?"

"Nothing."

"I am still your friend, Sally, even though you've treated me like a bitch."

Sally smiled warmly and looked up from the file she was working on. She rested her elbows on the desk, and then placed her jaw in her palms. She grinned humorously over at Mercer. "I'm sorry, Mercer. I don't mean to be a bitch. It's just part of who I am."

"This is about Wayland, isn't it? I told you you're wasting your time."

"Ah... come on, Mercer honey... you're not jealous are you." Sally got up and walked towards Mercer's desk. She swayed her hips with more emphasis then put her hand on Mercer's face. "I still like you and I have to thank you for teaching me all about female love but I prefer men. Please don't be jealous. We can do it every now and then if you like." She bent down and lightly touched Mercer's lips with her own, and then quickly stood as Penny Macy came to the adjoining door.

"I'll be doing up the pays this afternoon. Have you girls finished your time sheets?"

Mercer and Sally looked at each other and giggled. "Not yet, Pen, but we'll get onto it straight away."

Penny nodded and went back to her desk. Those two girls disgusted her. They were a bad mix and the way they treated poor Rohan Wayland was a crime. He was a bit weird but a shy, good-looking boy. Jack should have put a stop to it long ago as far as she was concerned.

When Mercer worked with Vicki Delaney she appeared like a nice everyday girl. Since Vicki had retired and Sally had come eighteen months ago lots of things had changed. Penny didn't like it. Sally had a way of taking control of everyone. Now poor Mercer was caught in her web.

The story's which came to Penny about their antics from others who worked in the same building would be enough to make a weak person have a heart attack. Penny wasn't weak, just a little careless perhaps. If she'd been more diligent, she wouldn't have to watch her back as much. Now she kept her eyes and ears opened. Had to; especially since walking into the lady's toilets and hearing the carry on between Sally and Bill or Sally and Mercer. She was sure they were lesbians or bi-sexual or something like that. It wasn't natural as far as Penny was concerned. You either liked men or women. To like both, in Penny's mind, meant a person had some serious relationship issues.

However, she wasn't one to judge. Let people be and do, was her motto. Let people be and do, as long as you kept your eyes and ears opened. Patience was especially important. Penny smiled. Patience had served her well today.

Rohan was still grinning as he made his way up the stairs, his head held high to stop his nose from bleeding. He was passing the door of reception when Miss Macy called out to him. He turned around to see her beckoning him into her office. Rohan dabbed his nose with the paper serviette and stepped through the doorway.

Sally looked up and gasped, "You're bleeding!"

Rohan glanced at her but didn't answer. He walked past her and Mercer's desks to stand at Penny's door.

"I'm updating my records, Rohan, and need you to check your details, if that's okay." Penny sucked in air as she gushed, "What have you done?"

"It's nothing," Rohan chuckled and shook his head. "Just had an accident." He was about to step towards Penny's computer when Sally took hold of him. Her long fingernails caught the soft flesh of his inner forearm. As he jerked away her fingernails tore into his skin.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Rohan. Damn fingernails." She dabbed the scratches, and then reached up to take hold of his chin. "You need to let me look at that."

Rohan attempted to slip his chin out of her grasp. His nose bled some more.

Taking him by the arm, Penny babbled, "Dear me, Rohan. Look at all the blood."

They led him to the vacant chair in front of Penny's desk. Sally tilted his head upwards but he drew it away.

"I'm fine. It's nothing." He shifted his eyes from Sally's to Penny's and could see Mercer leaning against the door frame, an odd expression on her face. Sally took hold of his chin once more.

"You let Sally look at it, Rohan," Penny said as she grabbed the first aid kit.

Jerking to his feet, Rohan looked down at Sally to see her smiling pleasantly up at him. He didn't want to make a scene in front of Penny but he didn't want Sally anywhere near him. Blood dripped from his nose and onto Sally's white shirt. "Sorry," he muttered as he lifted his head and pinched his nose.

"It'll wash out," Sally said. "Sit down so I can fix it." She pulled him onto the chair and stemmed the flow with a piece of gauze. Once it had stopped Sally cleaned his face with a piece of cotton wool moistened in disinfectant.

She stared into his eyes so intently that Rohan didn't know where to look.

"Where are your glasses, Rohan? Did they get broken?"

"No." He shook his head and touched the pocket of his jeans. Sally followed his hand movement and grinned before looking back at him.

"You have beautiful eyes, Rohan." Sally giggled as he blushed and looked away.

For all the new confidence he was gaining Rohan felt helpless. He didn't know how to take compliments and he certainly didn't want them from Sally. Rohan made to stand up again but she put her hand in the middle of his chest.

"Stay where you are. You need to sit still so the bleeding stops." Sally ran her hand slowly up his chest to his shoulder. She knew she had him stunned. With Penny backing her up she was sure Rohan wouldn't push her away. She bent lower and noted him quickly glance at her cleavage as she examined his face.

Rohan didn't want her to touch him anymore than she had too. He hadn't wanted to look at her but she'd positioned herself in such a way that it was hard to avoid looking down her shirt. There was a time it would have aroused and disgusted him. Now he just felt disgusted.

Giving him a beaming smile Sally finished dabbing his nose and swept hair out of his eyes as she stood up saying, "There you go. It should be okay. You look great with your hair like this." She grinned wider, and then added, "And with no glasses. I'm impressed. Doesn't he look great, Penny, without those horrible glasses?"

"Yes, he does." Penny watched Sally carefully and wondered what she was up to. She could see Rohan was uncomfortable with all the attention.

"Thanks." He pulled his glasses from his pocket and jammed them on his face as he stood up.

"No worries. Anytime. You just sing out if you need me to look at it again."

Rohan hoped Sally didn't think he had forgiven her. Because it wasn't about forgiveness, he just didn't want anything to do with her or Mercer. At the thought of Mercer, he looked at the door but she was sitting at her desk working on some files. Rohan made his way to Penny's computer screen and read the details. "They're correct, Miss Macy."

Penny smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Rohan and it's time you called me Penny."

He couldn't get out of there quick enough because Sally seemed to be hovering around for no reason. He glanced at her as he passed so she smiled sweetly at him again. Rohan nodded and made his way to the lab.

Rohan is very pleased with himself isn't he? xo

Sally just won't give up.

Photo - istock