Better when we're fighting

“As many of you may know, I will be retiring soon. After forty‑five years of building and growing with this company, it pains me to leave.”

Lee tapped his fingers on the conference table, barely containing himself.

“David, I’m sure I speak for everyone, we’re going to miss you. But… have you picked a replacement yet?”

Ellie shot him a glare, clasped her hands, scribbled something on her notepad, and slid it over.

Shut up. You’re not getting picked.

Lee bit the inside of his cheek, wrote back, and returned the note.

You haven’t had a good idea since you started here.

Oswald cleared his throat.

“You two. This is a place of business. Please stop passing notes.”

Both Lee and Ellie pouted like scolded middle schoolers. Ellie tore the page out and crumpled it.

David continued, unfazed.

“As I was saying, whoever submits the best idea for the new Valentine’s line will be selected as the new brand marketing manager.”

Ellie and Lee exchanged looks.

After the meeting, Ellie found him at his cubicle. The overhead lights hummed softly, casting a pale glow over the maze of desks.

“Just give up, Lee. I grew up with Woodland High dolls since I was six. I eat and breathe it.”

“Please,” Lee scoffed. “I was the youngest of six sisters. That’s six perspectives at my disposal versus your one.”

Ellie leaned in, her voice low.

“What’s Wendy Wendigo’s favorite TV show?”

Lee didn’t hesitate.

“Bonnie Munchkin Extravaganza. Any child who can read would know that.”

Oswald appeared behind them, holding a stack of papers.

“Hey, guys… are those reports complete, or…?”

Ellie gasped dramatically.

“Oswald, we just came from a meeting where we learned a dear friend is retiring.”

“I know. I was there.”

“Exactly, Ozzy. Give us time to mourn.”

“He’s not… dying.”

Keith popped his head over the cubicle wall.

“Don’t worry, sir.” He shot Ellie and Lee with a tight smile. “I’ll make sure they’re getting their work done.”

“Thank you, Keith. I can’t with these two.” Oswald walked away rubbing his temples.

Keith sighed.

“I know you’re heartbroken, but your territories are behind. You’re lucky the competition isn’t about efficiency.”

Lee rolled his chair back.

“Keith, my territory is Wyoming. Projections aren’t going to be affected by Wyoming.”

Keith’s eyebrows furrowed.

Lee winced.

“Okay, I’m sorry.” He turned to Ellie. “You haven’t heard the last from me.”

Ellie smirked as she walked off.

“What? You’re in last?”

Dang it, Lee thought. She got me good.

During lunch, he headed to his favorite pizzeria with Michael. The smell of garlic and melted cheese clung to the air.

“You know rumors are going around about you and Ellie,” Michael said, taking a bite of his slice.

Lee rolled his eyes.

“It’s the office. We talk about each other all the time.”

“No, man. Laney would be all over us, but you two act like a couple.”

“if that were true, Laney would’ve said something.”

“She sends emails about office romances.”

Lee took a long sip of his drink, the ice clinking against the cup.

“Just coincidence.”

Michael smirked.

“You know Ellie’s birthday is next week.”

Lee choked.

“I didn’t.” His eyes darting

“Funny. Didn’t you once tell me you stalked her profile?”

“it was an investigation, she is my rival. And in the art of war, you need to know your enemy.”

“Sure. What do you think she’d like?”

Lee shrugged.

“I don’t know. Something dumb like the Woodland High card holder so she can finally organize all those cards on her desk.”

Michael sighed.

“I feel like you’re playing a prank on me.”

Up in the office, Ellie sat in the break room with Chloe. The microwave hummed, and the faint smell of reheated leftovers filled the air.

“You know the office has been talking about you and Lee,” Chloe said.

Ellie swallowed her sandwich.

“It better be about me beating him.”

“No… more like a couple.”

Ellie scoffed.

“Pfft. I read all his posts. He hates me.”

Chloe blinked.

“You follow him?”

“No, it’s espionage. I need to find dirt or whatever I can on him.”

Chloe gave her a look.

“…Right. Anyway, do you have any ideas for the competition?”

Ellie glanced around, then leaned in.

“It’s controversial. Part of the Woodland High couple series, but with a new character: Henkle the Headless Horseman.”

Chloe considered it.

“It’s risky. That seems more for the young women’s crowd.”

“I looked at the numbers. They make up a lot of our demographic.”

“I think you may have this in the bag. I love it.” They high‑fived.

Lee went over to his mother’s house to visit his sisters; he needed ideas, a plan. The familiar scent of tomato sauce and herbs drifted from the kitchen.

“Oh, you came to visit,” his mom said, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “What brings you here?”

“I came to visit the coven.”

“Oh, Kat is upstairs right now. Everybody else is still working. Are you staying for dinner?”

“What is it?”

“Chicken Parm.”

“Absolutely.”

Lee made his way upstairs into Kat’s room, where she was grading papers. The soft scratch of her pen filled the quiet space.

“I’m a bit busy at the moment,” she said.

“It’s important, Kat. I need to come up with a hard‑selling idea.”

“Or they’ll fire you?”

“Worse. My arch‑nemesis will win.” He pounded his fist. “And also, there’s a possible promotion.”

“You come up with good ideas. What’s the problem?”

“This captivating woman I’m facing off against is the one who created the Water Maidens line.”

Kat’s head snapped up.

“Wait, you mean like Selena the Siren?”

“Yes. The very one who knocked me out of the eastern territories and stuck me in Wyoming.”

“That’s a tall order. The Water Maiden series is the top‑selling line in history.”

“It doesn’t make sense. It’s called Woodland High. It’s in the woods.”

Kat shot him a sarcastic glance.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Lee muttered. “It opened the world and gave more lore to the high school. Her brilliant mind astounds me daily. But please, Kat, as a teacher, forget the children.”

Kat hesitated, then nodded. “All right. I’ll do it.”

Ellie arrived home to find her father watching the news.

“A lot of retirements happening,” he said. “Maybe a position could open up for you.”

“Well, luckily one has. I just need to beat this dumb beautiful man over it.”

“Beautiful?”

“He’s mad because I outshined him, and now he’s trying to take the promotion.”

“I kind of want to circle back to the beautiful thing.”

“But it’s okay. I have the best idea: a headless horseman character.”

“Feels too much like Halloween.”

“Ugh, you’re right, but I can’t wait till then.”

“Many times, what’s in front of you isn’t in the image you think it is. Maybe break it down to what you like about his character and go from there.”

“Well… I like how dark and mysterious he is. How he keeps his innermost feelings locked inside. And you must rip through his chest to get inside.”

“We are talking about the horseman, right?”

Ellie froze, then her eyes lit up.

“Wait, that’s it. A Night School series. It’s high school… at night!”

Ellie ran upstairs, prepared the designs and story for the characters and included a heartfelt romance along with it.

One week later, the office gathered in the break room for Ellie’s birthday. Cake, ice cream, and the usual gossip filled the air.

Lee stepped forward awkwardly.

“I, uh… got you this card binder.”

Ellie blinked. “What’s this for?”

“The way your cards are scattered all over your desk is an eyesore. You need to be organized.”

The room went silent.

Ellie crossed her arms. “You leave cups at your desk. Should I get you a trash can?”

“Probably should. They put my desk too far from the bins.”

She narrowed her eyes. “When’s your birthday?”

“March 17th.”

“I’ll remember it then.”

The office chuckled and gave a polite clap. Except Laney from HR.

Three weeks later, Ellie and Lee sat across David and Oswald in the conference room. The air felt thick with anticipation.

David folded his hands.

“I must say, the decision was very hard. Both submissions were fantastic; in fact, we may use them both. But…”

Lee’s heart pounded like a drum.

“The position will go to Ellie. The Night School Sweetheart series is a stroke of genius.”

Lee slammed his hand on the table. “I demand a rematch.”

Ellie stuck her tongue out at him.

“We can’t postpone Valentine’s Day,” David said. “We need a line out.”

Ellie jumped up, “In your face she shouted.

“Guys, I just want a normal meeting” Oswald cried, “just shake hands and be nice to each other”

They shook hands, “we should celebrate.” She offered.

“Yeah, we should go to the arcade and see who gets the most tickets.”

After the workday they hit the arcade, Lee took a deep whiff of old pizza, and soggy carpet, “this is more of my jam.”

“I always imagined you live here.” She chided.

Together they competed in everything, who could eat the most slices, who could win the most games. But ultimately Lee won the competition, winning a jumbo plush Alien from the ticket booth.

“So, like… since you won the position, maybe you want this?”

Ellie short-circuited, no comebacks to give, “yes sure, just a normal prize between two rivals. Her face strained to fight the blush.

“Ok bye.” As he handed the toy over and they briskly left.

The next morning HR sent another Email about office romances.

The following months were brutal. Once Ellie took the management position, the office felt… wrong.

The fluorescent lights buzzed louder. The cubicles felt smaller. Even the break room coffee tasted bitter. Without their constant bickering, the place felt like it had lost its heartbeat.

Ellie tried to keep things normal, but every time she tossed him a jab, Lee only offered a polite smile. A real, professional smile. The kind he gave strangers.

It stung more than she expected.

For Lee, the silence was worse. He’d open his mouth to tease her, only to see Laney from HR watching him like a hawk. Every joke felt like a risk. Every conversation felt monitored. The office had become a place to work, not a place to live.

And every time he passed Ellie’s office, he felt the same ache:

She was right there, but she wasn’t his rival anymore.

He missed her.

Not the competition, just her.

One night, long after everyone else had gone home, he sat alone at his desk, staring at the empty space where her old cubicle used to be. The quiet pressed in on him.

He realized he couldn’t stay.

Not if staying meant losing the one person who made the job feel like more than numbers and deadlines.

So, he made a choice.

A stupid, reckless, perfect choice.

He resigned.

He joined a rival company, threw himself into the work, and climbed the ranks quickly. But even as he rose, something felt off. Success without Ellie was strangely hollow, like winning a game with no opponent.

When he finally became brand marketing manager, he found himself driving through their old neighborhood. Not to hunt her down; just to see the places they used to complain about, laugh about, live around.

He stopped at the grocery store near their old office, the one Ellie always said had “the saddest produce section in the tri‑state area.”

He wasn’t expecting to see her.

But fate had other plans.

There she was, lecturing a pile of brussels sprouts like they’d personally offended her. The overhead lights flickered softly, and the produce mist hissed in the background.

“Lee?” Ellie blinked, stunned. “It’s been a while. How have you been?”

He froze. For a moment, he almost turned around and left. But then she smiled; small, surprised, real and the months of silence cracked open.

“Hey,” he said stiffly, trying to regain his footing. “I wanted you to know I joined your rival company. And I’m now the manager.”

“What happened to your love of Woodland High dolls for your sisters?”

“They have varied tastes.”

“Well, I don’t have a lot of time. As you can see, I’m busy.” Brussel sprouts laid scattered all over the floor.

“Then we should do this at dinner. Eight tonight.”

“Fine. And you get to hear our quarterly earnings and how they put yours to shame.”

“Fine. I’ll be much more dressed for the occasion than you. The other diners will think I lowered my standards.”

“Your standards were already digging holes.”

Later that night, they talked about new toy lines, old office stories, and everything they’d missed. Even going back to competing to see who could finish their plate the fastest. Ellie won because she got the fish, unfortunately lee got the steak. One of the servers had to give him the Heimlich.

For the first time in months, the spark was back. At work they would in the happiest of moods, texting each other back and forth and having lunches together.

Office rumors still spread, one of them about already living together. Was it a relationship? Was it a competition to see who could irritate the other the most? Nobody knew, and nobody dared to ask.