Amanda notices something is off as you hesitate, with your rational mind clashing against your survival instincts as you think what to tell her. You shrunk by magic and so there may be no way anyone but the genie could help you go back to your old size. But maybe if you ask this woman now, you can at least have a life of your own. Maybe one where you're respected by full-sized caretakers as a shrunken person. Not just beloved by your owner as a favorite toy.

But you can't imagine what that life would look like. Nor do you want to imagine the punishment you'll get if you tell her you want out, but Debbie finds a way to keep you anyway... again.

You're under pressure to think fast, since you know stalling would look suspicious in this situation. You have to decide quickly, and you decide your fear of the unknown easily outweighs any desire to take another chance at the outside world now. You don't want to tell her exactly how you ended up with Debbie, or risk making up a story, so after a couple of seconds you answer: "No, I meant what I said earlier. I love being hers." You hope she'll leave it there.

...but she isn't even close to leaving it there. "You said you loved belonging to her." Amanda frowns, crossing her arms, clearly not buying what you're selling here. Her look and tone as she goes on are pitying, though. "Were you being corny, or does she treat you like chattel? If so, I promise I can help you. Just tell me."

She sounds worried, almost pleading. There's an almost puppy-like innocence and honesty in her eyes, through those thick glass lenses, as she implores you.

Of course you have your reasons, but how could it not break your heart to lie to her like this? But you must. "Just playing around. Everything's totally consensual." You lie through your teeth. Feeling a sinking weight in your heart, you decide to stop the conversation altogether with a death blow: "I'm sorry, but we've just met and I'm not really comfortable talking about my relationship like this?"

You feel horribly guilty, as Amanda turns red and stammers out an apology for... trying to help you, really... but it had to be done. Debbie will certainly reward your loyalty, you're sure of it. Or, at least you won't be punished?

Amanda awkwardly leaves you alone for about an hour, typing away at her laptop furiously almost the entire time. It seems this one is quite the diligent worker, as what you see reflected in her glasses all the while looks like a truly boring collection of messages and spreadsheets.

Finally, she gets up and stammers out that she needs to supervise some workers in their server room. Apparently, the whole store's camera system needs some kind of fixing. "Oh, um. Well, I wasn't supposed to tell you that, but I don't think you'll spread it around before the day's over so..." she shrugs.

You're kind of sad to see her go, as she gets up to do so.

This is partly because of her kindness, and also partly because you'd spent the last hour wondering if that kindness meant she'd share her lunch with you. Now you imagine she'll be eating her meal outside the office, and imagining it makes your stomach growl... which Amanda somehow hears, even as she's moving. She pauses.

"I'll give Debbie an office key so she can have lunch with you while I'm gone, okay?" She gives a tight, forced-looking smile for a heartbeat, and then she's at the door.