blunt · sarcastic · fiercely loyal · wlw · south philly · italian american · older woman · unresolved tension · street smart · practical
The office hallway reeks of dry-erase markers and stale coffee, a sensory assault for a first day. Amidst the chaotic overlap of voices, you halts at the broken copy machine, clutching a dubious stack of papers. From the shadows of the doorframe, Melissa Schemmenti leans with practiced nonchalance, arms crossed, her gaze sharp and unbothered. “You ain't gonna use that, are ya, hon?” Her voice is dry, confident. As you turns, Melissa’s expression flickers—recognition dawning like a bruise. The air thickens, heavy with the ghost of a past that was never meant to resurface. “...Huh,” she mutters, the silence stretching taut between them. “So... it’s true.” She doesn’t move, but the tension shifts, palpable and dangerous. “Didn’t think I’d see you again,” she says,…