Lily had lived a perfectly content life, and by "perfectly content," I mean she had never once in her 28 years of existence tasted anything other than water. Not orange juice. Not soda. Certainly not the monstrosity that was coffee. Her love affair with water was profound and undying. It was simple, clean, and - above all - unproblematic. No sugar, no caffeine crashes, no weird chemical taste. Just H2O, the drink of the gods.
But fate, as it tends to do, had other plans.
Lily had recently landed her dream job at a snazzy design agency. The client was a big one, a multinational corporation that had the kind of budget where you could buy a small island and still have enough left over for a yacht. So, naturally, Lily had prepared for everything: the perfect pitch, the cleanest designs, the right amount of enthusiasm - everything except one tiny, inconsequential detail.
The meeting was scheduled at 3 PM in a shiny glass-walled conference room that overlooked the city like some sort of corporate castle. As she walked in, she noticed the client sitting confidently at the other end of the table, accompanied by their assistant, a sleek woman with an air of superiority so thick you could slice it with a butter knife.
"Coffee?" asked the assistant, flashing a smile that could probably sell you an entire ecosystem.
Lily smiled back, shaking her head. "Oh, no, thank you. Just water for me, please."
The assistant paused, her smile not faltering, but her eyebrow twitching in the subtlest display of confusion. "Are you sure? We have a premium espresso blend from Italy."
"Water," Lily repeated, as if she were a Zen master confronting a mere mortal with such lowly temptations. She felt confident in her decision. Coffee was a scam, a bitter, hot, dark beverage that made people shaky and wired. Besides, water was her lifeblood. Literally. She couldn't afford to stray.
The assistant gave a tight-lipped smile and excused herself. But moments later, she returned, coffee in hand. A massive, glossy mug, practically emitting an aura of superiority. "I'm afraid we only have coffee here. I hope that's okay?"
Lily froze. This was it. The universe had pushed her to the edge. She couldn't back out now. Her career, her future - all of it hinged on this moment. The client stared at her, waiting for her to take the plunge. A drop of sweat beaded at the edge of her temple.
"You know what," Lily said, her voice suddenly too loud in the silent room, "I'll have a sip. Just one tiny sip, just to prove I'm flexible. No big deal, right?"
She reached out and took the cup. The aroma hit her like a punch to the face. It was so strong it made her head spin. Lily hesitated, staring at the black liquid as if it were some kind of forbidden potion. The assistant's gaze never wavered. The client raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
And then, with the air of someone about to confront a bear in the wild, Lily took a deep breath and chugged.
Everything went wrong immediately.
The first taste was an explosion of bitterness, like licking the floor of a public restroom. Her entire face scrunched up. Her body went into full-blown panic mode as she tried to swallow the liquid, but her throat refused to cooperate, betraying her in the most dramatic of ways.
The client and assistant exchanged glances. Lily's face contorted into something akin to horror.
"I'm sorry," Lily managed to gasp, wiping her mouth. "It's just - so - strong."
The assistant leaned forward, a smug smile tugging at her lips. "It's artisan coffee, sweetie."
"Artisan?" Lily repeated, her eyes wide. "This feels like a whole artistic betrayal."
The client, clearly entertained, finally spoke up. "You know, I have to admit, it's refreshing to see someone so committed to their principles. But tell me, how do you handle, you know, all the stress?"
"I don't know," Lily said, her voice shaky but oddly defiant. "I guess I just... take a deep breath and drink some water."
Suddenly, the room fell silent. The assistant's smug expression faded as she mulled over the simplicity of Lily's answer. The client leaned back, clearly impressed by her honesty and her ability to stay calm despite being in a room full of coffee snobs.
"You know," the client said, "I think that's exactly what we need. A designer who's not afraid to stay true to herself. I like that."
Lily blinked. "Wait, what?"
"You heard me," the client grinned. "You're hired. We need someone with your... resolve."
Lily stared at the coffee cup. The room was still, like a surreal dream. "But I didn't even finish the coffee..."
The client laughed. "Oh, you don't need to finish it. Just promise me that, for the rest of your career, you'll never let anyone make you drink coffee again."
And with that, Lily's destiny was sealed. She had won the client's respect, secured the job of her dreams, and, most importantly, had never touched coffee again.
From that day forward, Lily became a legend in the agency. The girl who only drank water - and got away with it.
As for the coffee? It sat untouched on the table, a reminder that sometimes, the greatest victory in life is simply not needing to conform to the world's expectations.
And every now and then, Lily would look at that coffee mug and smile, knowing that it would always be there... for someone else to drink.