“Well, we do have one more question. The company has a generous rent comp plan. Do you currently share a living space with someone else?”

“No, but I was hoping to get a roommate,” Blake said, hopeful that this explanation of company perks was a positive sign. “This city’s, well, the costs of living are a lot higher here than where I’m from,” she said, scratching behind a recently-sprouted floppy yellow ear absent-mindedly.

“Well in that case, we offer on-campus living spaces right by the executive suites on this floor,” her prospective boss explained. “We often find that new hires acclimate to their duties much more readily when they really feel at-home at the office. Interested?”

“Uh, that’s great and all,” Blake said nervously, hoping he could turn the offer down delicately. “It’s just that I just got everything unpacked, and the commute isn’t that bad for me. Do you guys offer rent assistance instead?”

“Hrm, let’s try that again,” the man said as he tapped an icon on his tablet that put the nanites into Read/Write mode and prepared them to receive the administrative password. “Miss Shy.”

“Huh?” Blake managed to get out before black dots swam across her vision. She felt dizzy and disoriented.

“M̸i̵s̸s̸y̵ ̶S̷h̴y̷,̵ ̸y̴o̴u̷ ̵w̵o̵u̸l̷d̸ ̷l̴o̴v̴e̸ ̵t̶o̸ ̷l̴i̴v̶e̴ ̷h̵e̷r̷e̴ ̵a̵t̶ ̴t̶h̵e̴ ̵o̸f̶f̷i̸c̴e̷.̵ ̴Y̴o̷u̴’̵r̶e̴ ̶e̶x̴c̸i̶t̵e̶d̵ ̴t̸o̶ ̸s̷t̷a̵r̶t̷ ̴w̵o̸r̵k̸ ̴i̶m̵m̵e̴d̸i̵a̴t̷e̸l̷y̶.̸ ̶Y̶o̸u̸ ̴w̶i̵l̶l̴ ̸g̶r̸a̴n̸t̵ ̵a̷c̸c̴e̶s̷s̷ ̵t̶o̷ ̸y̶o̶u̷r̶ ̴l̴i̷v̸i̷n̸g̶ ̵q̸u̵a̵r̸t̷e̵r̷s̶ ̴t̵o̷ ̷y̷o̴u̷r̵ ̴d̵i̶r̶e̷c̴t̷ ̵r̸e̵p̸o̶r̸t̶ ̵2̷4̶-̴7̶.̶ ̴Y̴o̴u̸ ̷w̵i̴l̴l̴ ̶f̴o̶r̶g̸e̶t̷ ̶t̴h̸a̸t̶ ̷y̶o̷u̴ ̵t̸u̶r̸n̸e̸d̶ ̷d̷o̷w̷n̸ ̵o̴u̴r̸ ̸o̴f̴f̷e̵r̵ ̸o̷f̵ ̴h̴o̷u̶s̷i̵n̸g̶.̷ ̸N̶o̷w̷ ̵p̶a̶y̵ ̵a̵t̷t̵e̸n̷t̵i̴o̴n̷,̸ ̷M̸i̸s̷s̸ ̸S̷h̶y̴.̴ ̵”

Blake shook her head to clear it of whatever had distracted her and to give her interviewer the undivided attention he deserved. “Um, I’m very sorry, sir. I don’t know what came over me just now. You said something about on-campus housing?”

“Yes, right here on this floor, adjacent to the executive offices. Does that sound good to you?”

“Oh, absolutely!” Blake said, suddenly self-conscious of her enthusiastic outburst. “I mean, that’d just be perfect! I can’t wait to move in and get better acquainted with the company. Um, if I have the job…?”

“I think you’ll fit right in here at NeuroSculpt Inc., young lady. In fact, I insist that you move in immediately. Would you mind if I helped you settle in?”

“Of course not, sir! I was just thinking how great that would be, actually. Okay, I’ll cancel the rent on my apartment and get everything moved over by tomorrow!”

“Excellent, glad to have you,” he said, “Oh, one more thing. ‘Blake’ sounds so personal, you don’t mind going by Miss Shy, do you?”

“Of course not,” Miss Shy said as she stood up and leaned over the executive’s desk, yellow hand outstretched and heavy breasts dragging over the various folios and papers beneath them. The businessman took her hand in his and shook it warmly. “Thank you, sir! I’ll do my best to live up to your expectations.”

“Of that I have no doubt, Miss Shy. I’ll stop by the secretarial suites to see you tonight after work. Dismissed.”