Section B Flashcards
If I run out of time for section B what can I end with?
“She knew there was more to do—much more. But tonight, she’d rest, knowing she’d already begun.”
Paragraph 1
8:03 AM
Elena: Are you really doing this??
Rosetta: Not sure yet. It’s risky.
Elena: It’s time you got the recognition you deserve, Rosetta. Everyone knows it.
Rosetta: Everyone? Everyone except them, apparently. But you’re right. I need to be there.
Paragraph 2
EVENING
The question lingered in the air like a dare, echoing off the polished glass walls of the law firm. Rosetta’s gaze shifted to her reflection in the office window—her pristine white blouse, hair perfectly pinned back, and the unmistakable shadows beneath her eyes from countless late nights. Nights she’d spent working for a future that, lately, felt like it was being carved without her.
Paragraph 3
It was her fourth year at Greystone & Co., Melbourne’s most prestigious law firm. On paper, she had everything she’d once dreamed of, yet reality had eroded those dreams into fragments of frustration. The ceiling she’d sensed early on had morphed from subtle restraint to unyielding glass, hard and cold, cutting her with each ambition it blocked.
Paragraph 4
Promotions had evaded her, each one slipping effortlessly to male colleagues. Her ideas, originally dismissed, were praised when someone else repeated them. Words like “be patient” and “wait your turn” echoed in her ears, the promises of opportunity slipping through her fingers into hands that had never endured the weight of silence.
Paragraph 5
Tonight was the firm’s annual dinner. Rosetta knew its exclusivity, its closed doors behind which the firm’s real decisions unfolded. The men in the office joked about it, calling it “men’s business,” as if careers were pieces on a chessboard they alone could move. But Rosetta knew better. The men may have laughed it off, but she understood the stakes.
Paragraph 6
An abrupt buzz swarmed her ears again.
7:52 PM
Elena: Just please be careful. Even though you deserve to be there, they don’t have a great track record for caring.
Rosetta: I’m not doing anything I don’t deserve. But yes I promise I will be careful.
Paragraph 7
Earlier that day, she’d seen an invitation lying on a colleague’s desk, catching the sunlight with its gold embossed lettering. Its shimmer felt like a challenge. Maybe it wasn’t her invitation, but what if she went anyway?
“It’s time,” she whispered under her breath, her fingers brushing the envelope that would secure her entrance. She wasn’t waiting any longer.
Paragraph 8
Rosetta walked into the dining hall, the delicate scent of lilies and polished mahogany enveloping her senses. Conversations quieted, curious eyes turning her way like the shift in the wind before a storm. But Rosetta held her ground. The stillness around her throbbed with tension, and she drew strength from it.
Paragraph 9
The managing partner caught sight of her, momentarily stunned. His brows knitted, but his eyes softened, if only slightly. Rosetta gave a cool smile and made her way to an empty seat, her presence reverberating like a stone dropped into still water, sending ripples outward. She felt every whisper, every glance brushing against her skin, but she let it all fade to the background. She was here for her own reasons.
Paragraph 10
The evening carried on, the flow of chatter around her like waves crashing against a rocky shore. Each sentence, each laugh seemed to blend into the scent of expensive cologne and aged wine, but Rosetta wasn’t here to observe. She joined in, interjecting her insights with a calm confidence, the smoothness of her voice cutting through any lingering disbelief.
Paragraph 11
When the managing partner addressed her directly, Rosetta felt a rush of triumph. She engaged, knowing that each word she spoke was a reminder of her right to be there. She could feel the shift, subtle but undeniable, like a door being pried open inch by inch.
Paragraph 12
EPILOGUE
As the evening wound down, Rosetta made her way to the exit. She’d barely taken two steps when a hand gently clasped her shoulder. She turned, meeting the managing partner’s eyes.
“Rosetta,” he began, his voice a mixture of reproach and something else—something like respect. “It’s not usually… proper, what you did tonight.”
She lifted her chin, letting a moment pass before responding. “And why is that? I’m as much a part of this firm as anyone here.”
Paragraph 13
His gaze held hers. A slight nod. He didn’t say it, but she knew. In her choice to attend, she’d opened a door. Maybe not fully, but enough for the light to seep through.
Rosetta’s heels clicked confidently as she stepped into the cool night air. There was no applause, no declaration of victory, but a quiet smile curved her lips. The stars above her sparkled coldly, distant yet grounding. When she glanced back at the windows, the shadows of the men inside reminded her of what she had defied tonight.
Paragraph 14
10:15 PM
Elena: How’d it go?
Rosetta: It was worth it. This won’t change everything, but it’s a start.
