Let’s take for example Sucker Punch Number One: This particular Sucker Punch is one that has been happening to me over and over again for the last year, but apparently my head is so thick that I’ve been able to withstand the blow. Not this week. This week my eyes have been opened and my head is pounding. It started on Monday before my shift had actually started and I had gone in early to work out for the first time in months. I was really looking forward to having some time to myself on the Stairmaster when I heard my name being called to my boss’s office. I could feel the tension creeping into my shoulders even before I got off the machine, and by the time I reached his door my body was covered in the mental suit of armor that I’ve now deemed Necessary Every Day Wear. He started in on me before I even sat down about how I should remind my team that they are lucky to have their jobs, and (a direct quote here) ‘…come January there will be some major staffing changes.’ A quote that I took to mean that my neck was already in the noose and he was about to push the chair away. I stood up without saying a word, feeling the anger boiling away like Mount Vesuvius in the pit of my stomach, and I walked out of his office before I spewed every horrible word that I could think of at him.

Just wait, it gets better. Sucker Punch Number Two comes in the guise of a certain young man that I had briefly dated, and who, unfortunately, is still a member of the gym/spider web. I had been attracted to this man because he seemed to be a genuinely nice guy who was really interested in getting to know me…or so I thought. After my dealings with The Crush I should have known better than to date a Gym Guy, but like I said my head tends to be very thick and resists such lessons. I didn’t think anything was wrong after our second date and was very much looking forward to the third, but then one week went by and then two. By week three (this week) I had given up. I chalked it up to experience and the fact that he wasn’t interested like I had initially thought, but my mind still registered him on my mental list of Nice Guys. Or at least it did until I made the mistake of walking by a group of Gym Ginos who spoke very loudly of the fact that the ‘blonde chick at the front doesn’t put out.’ I put two and two together and mentally scratched and ripped his name into a thousand tiny pieces.

The icing on my bloody and bruised cake comes in the form of a Bite so hard that I will have a scar from it. A co-worker of mine whom I had tried to help out of a very complicated situation gave the Bite to me. This young woman had recently begun to date another co-worker of mine, much to the dismay of all the Big Bosses. I made a point to pull her aside and make her aware of the thick black line that they had draw between work and pleasure; I also made it very clear that I was happy for them because I knew how long they had had feelings for one another. I was constantly defending her to the Big Bosses because I genuinely believed that she was doing a good job. I even went so far as to tell her that I would back her up if it ever came down to it, and I felt secure in the knowledge that she would do the same for me. I had no idea that when I walked into work on Saturday that I was about to get bitten by a Black Widow. Not only did she walk into the office of the Big Boss and quit without notice, but she also accused the staff of talking behind her back and accused me personally of jeopardizing her relationship and her reputation. I have never felt so tired in all my life. I limped through the rest of the day in a daze, feeling like no matter what I did I was going to get hit for it.

I wish I could say that this was the end of my week but it isn’t. For some ridiculous and unknown reason The Crush has decided that making crude comments about me is no longer the way to get me into bed, and has instead begun to speak to me as a friend. Every time he has come in during the last week he has made a point to speak to me about his job and life and has even managed a few niceties about my appearance, for once neglecting to mention my so-called ‘ nice jugs’. Two months ago I would have been flattered by his attentions but now all I see is a young boy in a man’s body who has no idea what to do with himself.

Have you ever gotten to the point when you just want to stop struggling and give into the web? Well, I’m at that very point right now and I am not going to give in so easily. I have begun to take the necessary steps in order to pry myself out of the web’s reach, namely applying for every job within a fifty-mile radius and I have made the resolution that I will not be quiet any longer. I will not be a punching bag for this place anymore. If any webs are to be woven they will be of my making and I will not be the victim. I have to go. ‘Spider-Man’ is on.

If you have comments about this article please email us @ comments@shebytches.com. We will post them on the right. You can also contact Anna @ anna@shebytches.com.