October 15, 2021

Today was the last day of midterms, so I didn’t have anything looming over my head when I go to Eloise’s today. Eloise had asked Nova and me if we would like to hang out at her house on Friday. Nova said she couldn’t go since she still had a midterm exam to take for her last class. My parents said it was okay to go since Eloise said she would drive me back.

“How far is your house?” I said as Eloise and I exited the train station in Eloise’s neighborhood.

“About five minutes,” Eloise said with a strained voice while clutching her stomach.

“Eloise, do you have a stomachache?”

“Yeah.”

“I told you three chili cheese hot dogs was a bad idea.”

“I know, and I paying dearly for it. Come on, we are two blocks away from my house, and I really don’t want to shit on myself.” She said, starting to pick up the pace, causing me to follow suit.

Once we arrived at Eloise’s address, my eyes widened in surprise. Eloise’s house was a three-story Tudor-style house with a triple garage door with elaborate Halloween decorations, and from what I can see from the backyard, there was also a pool. I always knew that Eloise’s family had money based on some things she owned and the fact that she lived in an expensive area. But when I saw where she lived, it became a lot more real.

 “Minerva come on, I really need to use the bathroom,” Eloise said, snapping me out of my thoughts. I then realized I was still standing on the street while Eloise was already ringing the doorbell. 

After the second ring, a woman in her late thirties to early forties opened the door. “Welcome back, Eloise; this must be the friend you mentioned,” she said with a smile.

“Yep, this is my friend, Minerva. Minerva, this is Abigail; she is the housekeeper; I really need to use the bathroom so you can follow her to the living room.” Eloise said before she dashed down the hall to where I assumed was a bathroom.

“Would you like anything to drink?” Abigail asked as she led me into a large living room.

“Would you like anything to drink?” Abigail asked as she led me into a large living room.

“Uhm…water is fine. Eloise has a stomachache, so she probably needs to drink some ginger ale,” I said as I took a seat on the couch. While waiting, I observed the rest of the house. The inside of the house looked a lot more spacious than the exterior. The house was decorated in a modern style but didn’t look gaudy.

Abigail then passes me a glass of water and sets aside a ginger ale bottle on the coffee table for Eloise.

“Eloise talks a lot about you; she says you are her best friend,” Abigail said with a smile.

That made me smile in surprise. Before I can respond, the doorbell rings again, and Abigail goes to open it. Leaving me to sip my water awkwardly.

A minute later, a man dressed in a suit entered the living room with Abigail closely behind. He looked a lot like Eloise, so it was safe to assume he was her dad. He noticed my presence, and with a confused expression, he said, “Abigail, who is this?”

“This is Eloise’s friend from school.”

That answer led him to ask a question that I have been subjected to on numerous occasions, “Did you skip a couple of grades?”

“No, I am actually a year older than Eloise,” I said while handing my college ID to him.

 “Wow, looking young is a good thing.”

“Thank you,” I said while putting my ID back in my wallet.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Minerva. I am Eloise’s father, Enzo Velázquez; how long have you been friends?” He said as he took a seat on the armchair across from me. At the same time, Abigail excused herself because she had to tend to the laundry.

“Eloise and I have known each other since this semester. We are in the same class and were assigned to the same group for our project. But it wasn’t until September, when I tutored her for one of her other classes, that we became good friends.”

“Well, I hope you and Eloise continue to be good friends. And speaking of my darling daughter, where is she?”

“Oh, the hot dogs she had for lunch are launching a counterattack.”

“Eloise and I have known each other since this semester. We are in the same class and were assigned to the same group for our project. But it wasn’t until September, when I tutored her for one of her other classes, that we became good friends.”

“Well, I hope you and Eloise continue to be good friends. And speaking of my darling daughter, where is she?”

“Oh, the hot dogs she had for lunch are launching a counterattack.”

My comment made him snort, and we continued chatting until Eloise came back from the bathroom. When she noticed her dad’s presence, she smiled and said, “Dad, you back.”

“Sorry, Sunshine, but I have to leave again in 20 minutes. I will be back more in two weeks.”

The smile on Eloise’s face then disappears. “Oh, okay, then I will see you in two weeks, I guess.”

“Your friend here said you weren’t feeling well.”

“Yeah, but I am feeling a little better,” Eloise said. We then made eye contact, and Eloise quickly realized by my stare she had a lot of explaining to do.

“Well, I will see you in two weeks,” Eloise said as she gave her dad a hug.

“It was nice to meet Mr. Velázquez,” I said as I stood up.

“It was lovely to meet you as well, Minerva.” He said as I began to follow Eloise up the stairs.