"It's official. No one in this house loves me," I announced, letting my voice carry through the apartment.
A chorus of responses echoed from different rooms. "How?"
I rolled my eyes, smirking at the synchronized concern. "Because I'm still jobless! How is that not total chaos? And I can't go back to that creepy part-time gig."
"Trust me, no one wants to see you here every day either," Liam called out from the far end of the hallway. His room was the farthest from mine, but his sarcasm cut through the distance with ease. "I'm using every connection I have to pull some strings for you, princess."
I sighed, flopping back into the plush couch, staring up at the ceiling. "No thanks, but if there's a way to sell my degree on eBay, I'm all for it."
Steve's voice chimed in, always ready with unsolicited advice. "And that's why you all should've chosen a useful ma—"
Before he could finish, a collective shout echoed through the house.
"Shut up, Steve!"
The united force of our voices sent me into a fit of laughter. Steve loved us, his three housemates, but that didn't stop him from constantly reminding us we'd chosen useless degrees—at least compared to his stable, professional career. Meanwhile, the rest of us were juggling part-time gigs, student loans, and dreams that hadn't quite panned out yet.
"How are you even home, Steve?" I asked between laughs, trying to catch my breath.
"I shouldn't have to work myself into the grave before I save my next life," he replied "I've been out of here for days, and you seriously don't want me back?"
"We should've sent a donation letter to his hospital," came a sleepy mumble from behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see Danielle, wrapped snugly in her favorite fluffy blanket, shuffling toward the couch like a burrito with legs. She flopped down beside me, curling into the cushions with a satisfied sigh. "Donating Dr. Steve to the hospital. They can keep him."
"Too late," Steve replied, clearly in bed already. "I've practically donated myself."
"Sleep tight, make sure you dont butt into jobless people's conversation in your dream" I teased.
"You're the only one who cares about me, Nelly," Steve said dramatically.
"Of course," I replied with a chuckle, turning back to Danielle, who was now trying to find the perfect lounging position, her legs draped over the sofa. "How's it going?"
"The job?"
"Yeah, the part-time gig."
Danielle groaned. "My boss is completely out of it. And you? You did a job application marathon last night, didn't you? Your dark circles are a dead giveaway."
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "You don't even want to know how many I applied to today. I got to some weird sections with ridiculously high salaries. Seemed Totally fake, but I still applied though. I applied for everything."
"Even that housekeeper one I saw?" She raised a brow.
"You saw that? I applied to Everything ."
Danielle smiled. "You're a beast. I swear, you're going to land something soon. I just know it."
"I hope…"
"But seriously, who's going to pay 120k for a housekeeper?" she asked, incredulous.
"I have no idea. And you're not even, like, a head housekeeper or whatever they call it, right?"i raised an eyebrow.
"Wait, so you're not the only one?" she asked.
"Think about it. It's an estate. No one's going to last a day cleaning all that, not with the extra duties they've listed." I shook my head, laughing at the absurdity.
"True. But maybe they do want one person to handle everything. It says you're supposed to be there 24/7," Danielle pointed out.
"If you read further," I said, nudging her, "it says you're one of many housekeepers, but the only full-time one."
"Oh, didn't see that part." She grinned. "You'll be hiding bodies for your boss, for sure."
"I mean, I could do it for a year, stash the money, and then start fresh somewhere else," Liam's voice chimed in out of nowhere. I turned to see him walking over, smirking.
"Right, leave the past behind you,"danielle replied him, he shrugged, flopping down on the couch.
I shot them both a disgusted look. "Oh, sure, turn into a criminal. You two are the reason Steve thinks he's smart. Do you really believe you'd get involved in something like that and just walk away?"
"I mean, who knows?" Liam said, stretching out and putting his feet up.
"120k puts you in the top 30% of earners, for sure," Danielle noted, nodding approvingly.
"Maybe even the top 20%," I added.
"Not bad. Should I apply?" Liam joked.
"Don't waste your time. Even if you got it, you'd last a day, tops. It takes you three business days just to clean your room," Danielle teased.
"And none of you, especially not you, the chief applier" he pointed at me, "have any real experience."
"Cleaning up after everyone in this house is professional experience enough," I shot back, emphasizing each word. "And my phone should be fully charged now. Pass it over, please."
Liam reached for my phone without bothering to sit up, tugging at the cord instead of unplugging it. The remote tumbled to the floor as he finally pulled it free.
"I could've gotten it myself," I muttered, standing up to take it from him.
"You're way too impatient, that's not a good trait for that job" he teased.
"Yeah, well, it takes less than a minute to sit up and unplug it properly, but you'd rather risk breaking the charger, what do you even know" I replied, unlocking my phone. Just then, the notification staring back at me made my pulse race. The header read, Congratulations, and it was from the job website.
My hands trembled with excitement as I hurriedly opened my mail app. It had been so long since I'd seen a congratulatory message from a potential employer. This better be good, I thought, my heart pounding.
As I scanned the email, my jaw dropped. I blinked, then re-read the lines, hardly believing it. Midway through, I started reading aloud, just to make sure I wasn't imagining things.
Subject: Congratulations on Your Interview Opportunity
Dear Nelly Newton,
I hope this message finds you well!
I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected for an interview for the housekeeping position at Cooper Oak Estate. Your application stood out to us, and we are excited to explore your qualifications further.
The interview will take place on October 28, 2024, at 10 a.m. It will be held at Cooper Oak Estate, and your pass and directions are attached below. During this meeting, we'll discuss your experience and assess your enthusiasm and readiness to join our team. We aim to make a decision on the same day, so please come prepared to showcase your skills and passion for this role.
If you have any questions or need assistance before the interview, feel free to reach out. We look forward to meeting you and wish you the best of luck!
Warm regards,
"Huh? The housekeeping job? That one?" Danielle's voice grew louder with each word.
"Yeah… that one," I replied, stunned. "But… isn't that a scam?"
"That email doesn't really sound like a scam, even though the part about making a decision the same day seems a bit sketchy," Liam replied thoughtfully. "But it's still believable."
"Wait… isn't October 28th tomorrow?" Danielle asked, looking up.
"It is," I said absentmindedly, until the reality hit me. "What? The interview is tomorrow! Should I go?"
"What else? If it's legit, you've got a real shot. They said you're a strong candidate," Liam said, sitting up.
"Yeah, but… job aside, are we sure this isn't trouble?"
"Nah, we'll just track your location and call every fifteen minutes," Liam said confidently.
"Still sounds too good to be true," Danielle muttered, shaking her head.
"I live with pessimists," Liam groaned, wrinkling his nose at us. "Just get ready and see what happens!"
And somehow, as he spoke, all my worries melted away, and the excitement of actually getting the job became so real it was dizzying. I let out a loud scream of pure joy, and Danielle joined in, just as thrilled. I sprang up, and she grabbed my hands, and we spun around, dancing in circles.
"There's an overworked doctor in the house!" Steve's voice rang out from the hallway, but we ignored him. I led Danielle toward my room, feeling the determination to show up as my best self.
"Let's raid your closet and find the most professional housekeeping outfit ever!" Danielle squealed, eyes sparkling with excitement.