My boss is a complete nuisance. He texted me to see how I am, when that's none of his business. The man tries to cultivate a friendliness that's fake, a lie, that really only serves his cronies, his political campaign at the university—because everything is a university, after all. He's the kind of guy for whom the point is to create scenes so others will speak well of him, to make relationships a kind of forced performance, and that's why he carries out a whole series of actions, as if drawn from some dark, unknown force, through which he confuses and stifles the freedom to be oneself. His anxiety is that there's some detail that could discredit him, and I feel like I've been his main target for a long time, and I'm fed up with being in this situation.

She desperately seeks strategies to make me give in, as does her secretary, allowing those dream deals where I am treated only as an employee and nothing more than an employee, under the logic that they have reflected, after conflicts occurred with a girl, where the house could not have made a change from one moment to the next that is not of a chameleon-like nature. He's someone who tries to corner me, and in fact, as I write this, I don't even want to make much of an effort to respond to him, because I feel I'll only get to the bottom of things—and I think that's his goal—about him, about how he is, and in that way express that we're still in contact despite the conflicts, that there hasn't been any break-up. I also want to make a statement to my friend, the young woman, that I'm not on good terms with her at all, and that her absence is leaving me completely deprived. Therefore, it's a relationship that isn't working, which translates into coercion towards her. I want to show that she's not the good person she portrays herself to be at work. It's something I can't allow, given that it's a life she's earned, a way of spreading gossip about her.

He's a despicable individual who wants to see her ruined, given that he's now digging deeper into her situation after it was publicly revealed that he used me as a tool for his own ends, without any regard for the social impact on the company, and in a blatant abuse of bureaucracy. He hates that young woman and is determined to undermine her at all costs. For a long time, she's been trying to get him to finally make a comment, to corner him, because if he has a hard place, he certainly does. He's doing the same with the secretary. We need that group to back down, no matter what, so we can have peace of mind regarding our relationship with them, because in the meantime, we have to focus on preserving our own space, seeking any opportunity for satisfaction. They're trying to accuse us of straying from our work, of being so focused on ourselves and our own interests, just like the secretary and him. We do our jobs, but they're infusing our work with the same projections they themselves used.

They are desperate, of course, because as time goes on, more things pile up, and their voices gradually fade, leaving practically no room for redemption. They are taking advantage of the difficulties we also have in maintaining normal relationships, all to establish that the office, the company itself, comes first. The complaint I filed wasn't enough for them; they are prepared to fight to get out of this situation by any means necessary. It's no longer about love, affection, or any kind of fondness, but rather about them getting back on track to reclaim the throne they once held. In the office, they were free to do as they pleased while everyone else remained silent. Now, this is our approach, of course. We don't intrude on their social life; we remain in a more casual way, as this is how we want to survive. This is how we avoid getting involved with them and can continue to live our lives together. Without the necessary foundation for survival, which is what allows us to exist, we find ourselves lost in some way, and our lives are then, thanks to that semblance of normality we haven't yet established, always at the mercy of a fall, which, due to our inertia, thanks to the affront of having already lost a social life, seems impossible.

We live defending ourselves against them at all costs; in a way, our very presence in the office becomes a clear provocation, prompting them to ask questions about our lives, about how we relate to others, so they can accuse us of trying to invade our space.

It's clear these people are only in it for survival, because after the complaint, their university life ended completely. They can't do anything to undo what happened, but at least they can ensure we're hurt in some way, that the environment doesn't support us either, because of the doubt, because of the possibility of exploiting our profiles within that institution, portraying us as abusive and submissive, which reflects poorly on the environment. Indeed, that's not what's happening. In fact, this same duo was between my boss and his secretary. Personally, and I have to say this now, the matter wasn't more difficult for me than simply wanting to express it calmly and peacefully.

I don't feel good about what happened, but our situation arose amidst these circumstances. This isn't the first time something like this has happened to me. My father and stepmother both experienced the pressure from my stepmother's family. My father's marriage wasn't in the best shape, and my stepmother used that situation to end it, all within the context of prejudice. In this sense, what's happening isn't strange to me; it's more common, as if I'm already prepared for it. I want to protect the girl; she's my friend, and her leadership role is purely symbolic. She likes to delve into her life and how it's been, something I'm very grateful she doesn't do with me, as it's dramatic, and that's not something I can handle. It's more about each of us embracing our own space, for now, respecting what each of us is doing with our lives. During this time apart, we can recharge our energy for future encounters, so they can be unique and allow us to adapt and feel ready to move forward in whatever way is necessary at that moment. For now, we're just holding on, but I'm aiming for greater closeness, without, of course, abandoning our personal space altogether, since it's the foundation of our relationship.

Greater closeness is about embracing social circumstances to establish our place within all the groups, but we also recognize that personal space is fundamental to our well-being. Regarding sex, kisses, and going out, it shouldn't be more than what's essential to maintaining our connection with others, because our space, our shared heritage, is what truly matters. The fear of loss is ever-present, and life can certainly throw curveballs again, so it's also a matter of being prepared for adversity, for unpredictability. Hence the importance of personal space in finding a way to continue together amidst all this chaos. My boss and his secretary take advantage of our pain from loneliness, when in reality it's our most faithful ally, something they fail to grasp. My boss takes advantage of bureaucratic fears, given his persistence; however, unlike him, I retain authority thanks to my experience in facing others head-on. I didn't expect things to end this way with him, but given his prevailing political leanings, any other outcome would be surprising.

Stories in the same category