Allergic to Cheer
Christmas was just around the corner, and the head of the company asked us to choose between a bonus and a Christmas gift box for chocolate. I was not much of a sweets person, so I was the first to vote for the bonus.
The intern collecting the votes immediately called me out by name in the team chat.
"Ella, Christmas is supposed to be about the holiday spirit. Isn't choosing the bonus a bit materialistic?"
Even the department manager tagged me.
"Ella, the company values team spirit more than anything."
In the end, everyone else picked the gift boxes. I was the only one who did not.
When the Christmas party arrived, the intern had bought gift boxes filled entirely with nut chocolate.
She knew I was allergic to nuts, yet she forced me to try some in front of everyone to show my team spirit.
"Ella, this was bought with everyone's bonus money. You cannot just refuse, can you?"
The next moment, I was struggling to breathe and a rash spread across my body.
The intern looked at me with pure disgust.
"Seriously, Ella, do you have to ruin the mood when everyone else is having fun?"
I frantically searched my bag for my allergy medicine, but all I could find were a few pieces of chocolate.
Seeing me in such a state, the intern laughed.
"Medicine is only one part of it. You need more sweets anyway. I swapped your medicine for the chocolate in the gift box."
My breathing was getting worse by the second. I quickly grabbed my phone and texted the CEO.
[Dad, I'm having an allergic reaction. I'm at the…]