YELENA
I dropped the mop with a small smile, ready to hug him, but he gently pulled me back.
“Clean the place first. I need to shower,” he said, his voice sharp and low, his face darker than I’d ever seen it. He turned away without another word, his sister following behind him like a shadow.
I froze for a moment, the rejection stinging, then nodded quickly even though he was already gone. “Okay,” I whispered to no one, trying to hold my smile as I turned back to the mess.
The spot had turned brown and ugly. I bent down, mopping until my arm started to ache, then went to the kitchen to mix detergent with warm water. I scrubbed until the tile shone again, white and clean.
“There,” I whispered with a small smile, staring at my reflection in the shiny floor like I had just solved world pe
