Salmonella

Chapter 14

🫧Fourteen🫧

Genesis pushes me by the shoulders into the house, past a suited guard floating attentively at the door. I blink. Genesis has a guard?

"Heyyy, Aster, don't mind us," Gen greets her. 'Aster' pulls open the door and bows her head in a silent greeting as we duck past.

Inside, I slow down to take in the room, complete with a chandelier and a carpeted grand ramp and fancy golden-framed paintings lining the walls. I'm supposed to clean this? The place is spotless. If anything, my grimy hands would just get it dirty.

"Ella? You coming?"

I turn to see Genesis already halfway up the rampcase and I hasten to follow. Upramp, she leads me to what looks like a living room—only twice the size of any I've ever seen, with a wraparound sofa, lamps hanging high on the ceiling and a colossal TV screen.

"...Can go ahead and get comfortable," I can vaguely hear her say. "Any time you have to be home? Ella?"

I startle, realizing I was busy staring at the room. "Oh, no, however long you want me to clean, I'm happy to—"

Gen cracks up. What? I wonder in panic. What did I say?

"Don't you..." I hesitate. "...Want me to...?"

"Omigoddess, Ella." She lays a palm on my shoulder, grinning down at me. "You thought I was gonna make you my maid? You work hard enough, hon. I was just inviting you over."

"...Ohh. Right," I croak. She was just teasing me again. I'm stupid.

"So, you want a tour, or just wanna chill? Judging by your face, you've never been here before."

I squint at her. Why would I have been here before? "Whatever you want. I won't be any trouble." I follow her back to the ramp. "And no, my sisters go to a lot of parties but that isn't really my thing... Besides, I'd never get invited. I'm just a nobody."

Genesis wrinkles her nose at me with a little hmph sound. "Hey, you're somebody to me! I'll add you to my VIP, how's that? You can come whenever you want."

To a party?! "Nonono," I panic as we reach the lower level. Genesis turns to face me, one hand rested on the banister and leaning towards me expectantly. "Again, I really don't like parties. I have nothing against you at all, it's just—"

"You don't like socializing. A private party, then. Would you come to that?"

I bite my lip tentatively. "Who would be there?"

"Me," she says softly. My heart skips a beat. When did she get so close ...?

"Just... you?"

"Well, and my guards—Asterina, Anemone, or maybe Ebb if it's late—he's the night guard. And Krill, and maybe Aura. She's our roommate."

A roommate? A night guard? There are that many people in this house? "Right," I say like I knew that already. "Obviously."

"You can invite your friends if you don't wanna come alone. Just have a small party with people you're comfortable with. How does that sound?" I stare into her eyes that seem to be pleading with me. Why does she want to have a party with me so bad?

"Gen..." I gently nudge her hands off mine. "I don't know how to say this, but... You're trying too hard and you really don't have to do that. We can keep hanging out like we are now, but I don't know how to handle it when people are overly nice and then I feel like I have to give something back." I pause, realizing my words are stumbling out too fast and try to slow down. "You told me to tell you when I'm uncomfortable, so if you could tone it down..."