It was my first internship. I was 18 years old, fresh out of high school, working at an internship at a notably successful finance company, not too far from my hometown.
Upon starting, I quickly realized that there were no other women in the office. The office was comprised of men, and misogynistic ones at that. Even when I wore appropriate-lengthen skirts, and tops that fully covered my DD boobs, I'd hear men in the office making jokes and objectifying my body.
I had been saving myself for marriage and found these comments scary and also offensive, but I didn't want to draw any attention to myself by complaining. I tried my best to just ignore them.
On top of that, my boss, Mr. Hedgeworth, was a real hard ass. Everything had to be done to perfection, as I learned the first day when I put two sweetener packs in his coffee instead of one. And the second day, when I misspelled a word in a task list he asked me to write. Or even on the fourth day when I wore loafers to work instead of heels and he said I "looked like a grandma," and needed to "show off my legs more in this kind professional setting".
When he saw me slouching he'd uncomfortably put his hands on my shoulders, towering over my 5"3 130 lbs. frame, and pull them back, forcing me to stand straighter with my chest out.
It was my fifth day in the office, and it almost seemed like everything was going alright. I stood up straight, and hadn't made any mistakes so far, being extra careful because Mr. Hedgeworth seemed to be in an irritable mood.
The four o'clock meeting rolled around and Mr. Hedgeworth ordered me to get him his second cup of coffee, he always took it black, and with one sweetener. I made the coffee perfectly, and brought it into the conference room, where men from the office sat around as he lectured them. As I walked in, in my flowy black skirt and white blouse, I felt some eyes on me, but most of the men ignored me as I passed through to the end of the table where Mr. Hedgeworth sat.
I don't know how it happened but as I got close, I felt my body lurch forward, sending my coffee onto Mr. Hedgeworth's shirt, his pants, and the carpeted floor.
Mr. Hedgeworth sharply stood up "What the fuck do you think you're doing, Joy" he said, angrily.
The room came to a hush, quiet enough to hear a pin drop. I knew I was in big trouble. I looked up, feeling my cheeks get hot with embarrassment.
"I-I-I'm sorry sir!" I stuttered, frozen, a look of terror on my face.
"You can't do anything right here, can you?" he said, looking at me with his eyes cold and hard. "Did I hire you to be an asset to this company or to spill my coffee over me while I'm trying to hold important meetings?"
I stood there, afraid to even speak, paralyzed.
"Well??" he said, prompting a response.
"T-to be an asset" I said, timidly, my throat tight.
"Get over here" he commanded
"Sir I didn't mean t-" I started.
"NOW!" he demanded
I flinched as he yelled at me, coming closer, scared of him but more scared to disobey him.