Drowning in Shallow Water

The rain turned the sidewalk into a mirror, reflecting a city that didn't care if she existed. Maya sat at the bar, three whiskeys deep, staring at her **iphone** like it might offer answers it had never bothered to provide before.

The notification blinked: *David wants to reconnect.*

Her former **friend**, the one who'd thrown her under the bus during the Q3 review, now wanted to "grab coffee and clear the air." The sheer audacity made her laugh, a sharp sound that surprised the bartender.

"Rough night?" He slid a glass of **water** across the mahogany. "On the house."

"You have no idea."

She thought about David's presentation last week—him taking credit for her algorithm while she sat in the conference room, keeping her expression neutral. That corporate **bull** about "team cohesion" and "shared victories." The way their boss had nodded, impressed, while Maya's career quietly evaporated. David had caught her eye afterward, a slight shrug, as if to say: *that's how the game is played.*

The screen lit up again. *I know you're upset. Can we talk?*

Maya considered the women's restroom, where she'd hidden after the meeting, crying silently into paper towels. The **water** from the faucet had been cold, much like the realization that four years of loyalty meant nothing when promotions were on the line. They'd celebrated together after her first big sale. She'd covered for him when he missed deadlines. She'd trusted him.

"Another round?" the bartender asked.

She almost said yes. Almost let herself spiral into the familiar pattern of forgiving people who didn't deserve it, of accepting table scraps from those who'd feasted on her work. David would probably offer her a sincere apology over expensive coffee. He might even suggest they grab drinks after, like old times.

Instead, Maya blocked his number.

"No," she said, sliding the **iphone** into her bag. "I'm done here."

She left the bar and walked out into the rain, letting it soak through her blazer. For the first time in months, something felt clean.