Salmonella

Chapter 17

🫧Seventeen🫧

"Sho, whach the shtory behind your lonlash theme?" I ask over my seaweed salad, because I've noticed it everywhere: her social media, music videos, photoshoots, and now even her house. "Any reason, or you just like them?"

Gen gets a funny look on her face and suddenly becomes very interested in pouring me more tea. I said something wrong, didn't I? "Gen. You don't have to answer that."

She sighs. "No, I would—you'd just think I was crazy. Aloof. Have my head in the surface."

Oh... definitely never heard that one before... I gulp down my food. "I-I wouldn't think that. Is that what people think of you?"

She glances at me darkly. "Surely you'd know that already, from social media? I don't have to tell you." She heads to the kitchen with a little huff. Shit. I shouldn't have said any of that.

I throw down my salad and rush after her. "What? Do you think I'm that shallow?"

"Do you think I'm that shallow?" She wheels on me and my words catch in my throat. I watch her slam the tray on the counter; grab the teapot so hard that I feel bad for it. "'Cause if you're a rich celebrity, you must be, right?" She starts pouring the tea aggressively.

I shake my head insistently. "Maybe to others, who've only ever seen you through a screen, who've never gotten to know you in person. But I've met the real you. I know you're not like that, Gen." She burns herself on the pot and jolts back; I grab her hand in mine to take a look at her growing wound.

"Yeah?" Her eyes meet mine.

I nod firmly. "But I'll have you know, that doesn't make you special. I give everyone the benefit of the doubt when I first meet them, no matter who."

Gen narrows her eyes at me for a moment before cracking a smile. "Wow, thanks. That makes me feel better about myself." I give her a look. "No, genuinely." She hands me my tea and I follow her back out to the living room.

"Thanks... I... So you can't tell me why you like lonlasses so much? If you're embarrassed, I'm not going to judge you. If there's anyone that's childish, it's me; I still have a mobile over my bed from when I was little—it used to hang over my crib."

She smirks at me over the rim of the tea. "Really? That's cute."

"Besides the point," I grumble, feeling my cheeks warm. 

"I'll tell you, Ella," she sighs. "I trust you. I know you won't judge me. I just have to figure out how to find the words to say it."

I give her an understanding nod to avoid making her uncomfortable again. But geez, what the hell could be so serious about liking lonlasses that she can't tell me? Some tragic backstory? My mind starts racing with ideas. Her loved one used to collect lonlass fins before they died. Her late parent would read her lonlass books when she was little. Or maybe since she's famous, she had a fan whose dream was to be a lonlass, but they had a terminal illness and passed away.

"I'll tell you the next time we meet, okay? I'll tell you everything. Just, when I'm ready." I eye her hands that she keeps wringing, pacing around nervously, and feel bad for pressing her.

"Okay, take your time. I'm not anxious to know or anything."

Gen smiles and pats my shoulder. I sigh in relief. At least she feels she can trust me.

"Well, now that we got that sorted out... Selfie time!"

I blink in surprise, Gen wrapping an arm around me and holding up her phone before I can even react. This time I manage a real smile.