"We... don't particularly like the term "Goldfish Homes" Hannah." a man with a meticulously trimmed beard and a plaid button-up smiled with his hands on his hips, "But I am here to talk to the two of you about an opportunity to move into a new future and a bigger, brighter tomorrow."
Ugh. Haley rolled her eyes.
Barf. Dani curled her nose.
Even Hannah didn't look too pleased about that one.
"Alright, that was a little corny. I'm not on Social Media management." the man shrugged his thin shoulders as he pulled up a seat next to Hannah, "No, I build houses. My crew and I work for the Yeng Company to help build infrastructure and make housing more affordable for people like you."
"People like me?" Dani pointed a chubby white finger at herself, "Do you mean twenty-somethings, goths... people with student debt?"
"Yeah, I've kind of already got a house." Haley lied, "And you know... roommates and junk."
"L-Let's start over." the older man smiled awkwardly, "I'm Steven. I work in the Community Development Team, specifically over in Housing & Development. We're looking to get some feedback on one of our designer homes from people on the inside, and we'd like you two to be among the first two to move in."
That had gotten their attention.
"Like... for free?" Haley actually leaned forward for that one, her middle stomach roll spreading over the surface of the table by another few inches as she inclined, "Because that sounds way way—"
"Like bullshit." Dani crossed her waist-thick arms over the top of her stomach, forcing her dangling neck into a pout, "There's no way that this is legit."
"It's legit." Steven said with a smile, "We'd be willing to give it to you at-cost, a pre-financed loan... honestly, it works out to a little less than what we're paying you to provide feedback on the services that come pre-built into the house. How's the furniture, do the doors open all the way, any squeaky floorboards... that sort of thing."
"I'm still calling bullshit." Dani shook her head, "No way is this a real thing."
"L-Let me see if I can't make things a little easier for you..." Hannah stepped back into the conversation, "I'll show you the contract and everything..."
Despite Dani's rebuttal, the "Goldfish Homes" were incredibly legit. They were designer homes built into a gated community in one of the formerly forested parts of the Upstate between Spartanburg and Boiling Springs. There were six different models spread between the fifty or so houses already built (Dani immediately tensed at anything involving a second story) and they were all located in a gated community. The rent was astronomical, but Hannah and Steven carefully showed them that with the payment plan that came with their participation in this program, it was astonishingly affordable...
Although, it had come at the cost of finding out why they were really selected for this program.
They'd done their best to hide it under legalese and colorful euphanisms, but Dani (and even Haley) had been able to sniff out the fact that these homes were designed to be spacious and durable. They were like great big crash test dummies, testing to see if the hallways were wide enough, or if the furniture (that came pre-loaded with the house, by the way!) was strong enough to stand up to their weight. Everything that they needed would be taken care of, according to the contract. If they did manage to break anything within the first year, it'd be replaced. Any remodeling that would be required within the same timeframe too...
"The only catch is that it's a two-bedroom, two bath. And we've only got one available." Steven said, steering back control of the conversation, "You two are our most... qualified candidates. But the program only covers it if it's the both of you."
That... could have been a deal-breaker on either end.
And both Steven and Hannah seemed to catch that, after seeing the long, drawn-out stare between the two enormous potential renters.
"You need two Yeng employees to get this kind of discount." Hannah cleared her throat, "And... well... you're two."
Despite being the size of six.
"What do you say, girls?" Steven asked in his best "cool dad" voice, "Low low rent, a designer house, and a change of scenery?"
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