Salmonella

Chapter 12

🫧Twelve

"A-A-ACHOO! "

I sneeze really hard. With snot. I have my water conditioning on high so all I can do is watch the mucus flowing quickly through my room before I can catch it. Delightful...

Am I cold? I turn down the W.C., but that doesn't work and I sneeze again. Nope, somemer must be talking about me. Anyway. Let's check our planner for the rest of the... Oh crappie.

I flip open my planner to see the dreadful word EXAM scrawled in the little box with tomorrow's date. I have a test tomorrow and I didn't study!! I sweep everything off my bed, abandoning my plans to start season 2 of Alice in Waterland and hurl my study materials in their place, ready to cram it all tonight.

𓆟 𓆟 𓆟

"How was your exam?" Bloom asks warily the next day, watching me slump my way out of the building like a zombie.

"Ughhh..."

She pouts and pats my shoulder. "Aw, I'm sure you did fine. I hear Pinniped isn't a harsh grader."

"I guess." The tight feeling in my chest lightens a bit. "Well, at least it's over."

"Forget the stupid test! Let's celebrate with Meltem!" I cheer as she plays a Meltem Martino song on her phone. We swim down the street, linking arms and screaming along.

"MY TAIL IS BLEEDING, DON'T SEE THE MEANING! OF YOUR STUPID CLASSES, SCREW ALL MY FEELINGS! KNOW THEY ALL HATE ME, YEAH, NOW I'M BREAKING! BREAK THROUGH THE CEILING, I FINALLY MADE IT!"

Swimmersby stare at us, but we ignore them.

"THE INFIRMARYYY! IS WAITING FOR ME, SO LET ME GO FREE! YOU DON'T OWN ME OR MAKE MY DECISIONS! I'M SICK OF THIS MAD SWIMMING TO KEEP LIVINGGGG!"

"So what's been going on with you?" asks Bloom. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"Ummm, nothing much." I haven't thought to tell her about any of the Genesis stuff. She doesn't even know I know Genesis.

"How's Pussy Paints?"

I shrug. "Not so bad. Asslas isn't there 'cause he has shows all week, so the guys and I mostly just chill, sometimes close the shop early if we don't have any customers. Asslas will never have to know."

She grins deviously, exposing the front of her sharp siren fangs. "Serves him right. What about your sisters? They still bothering you?"

My sisters. My stomach churns, remembering what they said about me and Bloom. I can feel them watching, seeing us together. Feel like they'll pop up at any moment to laugh and tease and ship us together. To make me feel guilty of something I'm not guilty of. I don't have feelings for Bloom—I never have, I never will. But if they keep doing this, what if they start convincing me, confusing me?

"Not much," I say, smiling.

"That's good." She stops. "Oh, shit! Sisters! I have to take Blossom to the doctor. Shitttt." She fishes frantically for her phone.

"Do you need me to go with you?" It's always been like this, as long as I've known her. Her parents are really busy with coaching for big sports teams, so she pretty much raised her little sister. I remember she mentioned that Blossom had a nanny when she was little, but even then, Bloom still tried to help out as much as she could. She didn't want Blossom to grow up abnormally and feel like she didn't have any family around.

She looks at me like I'm crazy. "No, of course not. She's not your sister. I don't want to take up your time." She gives me a quick side-hug. "Sorry to cut this short. We'll meet up soon, okay?"