The Candy Shop by Kiki Swinson

Teresa was feeling the pressure mounting all around her. She looked directly at Steve and said, “I was minding my business.”
    “So you’re still denying that you were using illegal drugs?”
    “Yes, I am.”
    “So, you wouldn’t mind taking a drug test for us, then?”
    “Am I going to be the only one being tested?” Teresa asked sarcastically.
    “But, of course,” Steve replied.
    “And why is that?”
    “Because you’re the only person who has been brought before us with allegations of using drugs,” he answered.
    “Well, I just don’t think it’s fair!”
    “What don’t you think is fair?” Katherine asked her.
    “I don’t think it’s fair that y’all have singled me out. I mean, if you’re gonna test one person, then you might as well test everybody who works here.”
    Bomb!, was what I felt when my heart landed in the pit of my stomach. I couldn’t believe what Teresa had just said.
    What in the hell was she doing? Because it definitely sounded like she wasn’t trying to take the fall by herself. And knowing that I had gotten high with her all day Saturday, which was only two days ago, would make me a likely candidate for a positive urine analysis. So, as bad as I wanted ask her what kind of game she was playing, I remained calm and held my composure.
    “Well, I’m sorry, Ms. Daniels,” Katherine said, “but we have to follow a strict code and since you’re the only one who has been accused of violating it, then we have to enforce the policies and procedures.”
    “Well, I’m sorry too, ’cause I am not taking that test.”
    “If you don’t take it, then we’re going to have to dismiss you.”
    “So, you mean to tell me that you’re going to fire me?”
    “Yes, that’s exactly what we mean,” Katherine replied, giving Teresa a slight smirk.
    “Y’all can’t fire me because someone told you I was using drugs.”
    “You’re absolutely right,” Mr. Baker said. “But, since you’re not fully cooperating with us so that we can investigate this matter thoroughly, then you leave us no choice.”
    “So, you’re telling me you’re not gonna use any other recourse to resolve this?”
    “I’m afraid not,” Mr. Baker told her.
    Teresa stood up from her chair and said, “I bet if I was the one who would’ve come running into your damn office, accusing one of your own of doing the same thing, you and this stuck-up-ass cracker over here would not have done shit! But since I’m black, y’all are trying to make an example out of me. But trust me, it ain’t gon’ fly, ’cause I am going to have both of y’all asses in court.”
    “If you’re finished, then you can leave now,” Mr. Baker told her.
    “Oh, I’m leaving. But you ain’t seen the last of me,” she assured him, and then she walked out of the office and slammed the door behind hers.
    Witnessing every word thrown back and forth across the room had me speechless. I honestly couldn’t believe how Teresa was handling this whole situation. And then to use the race card really threw me for a fucking loop. So, as I got up to leave, I attempted to apologize to both Steve and Katherine for Teresa’s racial outburst. But he cut me off in mid-sentence and said, “There’s no need to apologize for her antics. Just do us all a favor by helping her pack her things and escorting her off the school grounds.”
    “Will do,” I assured him, and then I proceeded to leave.
    In the midst of trying to cope with all of the chaos, I managed to get back to my office without losing my cool. And as I was about to take a seat behind my desk, Teresa popped her head through the doorway.
    “Why didn’t you tell me those crackers was trying to railroad my ass?” she asked me in a sarcastic manner.
    “If you stop being so damn loud and bring your butt into my office, then I’ll tell you exactly what happened.”
    Very eager to hear what I had to say, she walked in and closed the door behind hers. When she walked over to my desk