Salmonella

Chapter 9

🫧Nine🫧

"YOU! You go to school here?" Asslas demands, and it takes me a moment to realize that was directed at me. "Since when?"

What I really want is to ignore him until he leaves, and across from me, my bestie looks ready to tackle him if he tries anything, but this guy can't do anything to me in an educational setting. "Since always?" I say dryly. Did this dingsplat really not check my resume when he hired me? "I just happen to work at Paints."

If I didn't know any better, I'd say that for a moment, Asslas looks almost interested to learn this. "What major?" he asks simply, like he's a friendly peer and not like he just threatened to geyser me the other day for not tying a knot properly. Even though we both know he's way too lazy to look for a new employee.

I stifle the urge to roll my eyes at my manager. "Art?"

I expect him to scold me for my sarcastic tone, but "Figures," is all he says, turning back to his friend. "Hey I-stupido, if you're done with class, can we go now?"

"Yeah, yeah, idiot." Istio nods to all of us. "Well, gotta go take care of this crybaby. I'll see you guys later." He reaches over to ruffle Gene's hair, who sputters and swats at him.

"Agh, fuck off," Gene groans.

"See you at work," Asslas calls coldly over his shoulder to me, dragging Istio out by the ear and ignoring the fan cries from some nearby students who have obviously seen him in his productions. Unlike Istio, he's a true celebrity here at School of Fish. Having him as a former student makes us look good.

Bloom and I wait until the guys have definitely left the area to stare at each other, screaming silently. I make a big show out of tugging my hair. Bloom pulls at the bottom of her eyes.

"What's with you two?" says Gene, popping his laptop back open and getting back to slamming the keys, very obviously playing a game and not working.

"Agh, fucking Asslas!" Bloom leans her entire body across the table to hiss in my ear, baring her teeth. It's times like this I can really see her siren side shining through. "I should just beat the shit out of him—it's not like I work at Pulpy Paints! What can he do to me?"

"No, Bloom!" I warn, grabbing desperately at her sleeve. I hate him, but that doesn't mean I can provoke him!

She frowns at me. "What, are you scared of him? He's a little octopussy, he can't do shit." I clench my jaw. Sure, but he still has power over me.

"You think that one's bad?" mumbles Gene, sounding distracted. "The actor mer? Nah, it's the other one. He's a nightmare."

Bloom leans back in her chair to glower at him. "Istio doesn't bully Ella at work."

"Okay, but he's bad in other ways," gags Gene. "That smirk, that annoying accent... and that huge ego. Thinks he's such hot shit and can fail all his classes, 'cause he's here on daddy's moneyy," he says in a mocking voice. "He's so gross. Makes me wanna puke."

"Says the guy obsessed with organs?" I cock a brow.

"You're just mad he exposed your gaming addiction," Bloom says wryly.

"Ga-ming?" His voice travels up an octave with a squeak as he slams his laptop shot before Bloom can sneak a glimpse at his screen. "I don't game! I just clicked on this Tetras ad by accident a-and now my screen's frozen and I can't click out of it!"

"Mmm-hm," we tease.

We sit in silence for a while, the mood lighter; just nothing to talk about. After a half hour, Bloom nudges me, nodding at the clock. "It's getting late. Should we get going?"