Page 237 of Vexatious Queen

Lip talked the entire time. We heard about what his best friend, Chase, did during science class and about a math test he knew he crushed. Then we chatted about a kid named Brian who kept stealing his colored pencils. We learned who his favorite teacher was and how he wanted to try out for the football team next year.

Ren listened as if every word mattered. None of it was minor or less than the problems she was facing. She asked questions I would never even think to ask.

As I watched them, some of my worries faded. Lip deserved this. Normal afternoons. People showing up. Proof that even when the world went sideways, he wasn’t alone in it.

“Oh, Myles, guess who is sitting with me at lunch.”

“I don’t know, who?”

“Sienna. She is so nice and funny, and I helped her with her English project, and…”

“Wait. Sienna, as in Sienna Hicks? Liam’s younger sister?”

He nodded enthusiastically as Ren and I gave each other a look.

“Is she your girlfriend,” I asked, and his face screwed up like he’d just sucked on a lemon.

“Nooo, eww, yuck, don’t be gross. Sienna’s just a friend,” he said, but it really sounded like he was protesting a little too much.

I held my hands up. “Alright, was just askin’.”

When the after-dinner bell rang, summoning the students back to their dorms, Lip’s shoulders slumped. Ren kneeled in front of him, level with his eyes.

“We’ll come again, really soon,” she said. “Okay? And when the weather is nicer, we’re going to do things together, like go camping, as a family.”

Lip looked at her. “You think of me as family?”

Ren grabbed him and hugged him tight, and he followed, wrapping his arms around her neck.

“Yup, you’re my family always. I can be like a big sister if you want?”

“I’d like that, I don’t have a sister,” Lip mumbled, making my eyes tear up. “Lots of brothers, though,” he added, making me laugh.

When he backed up, Ren held her fist out. They bumped and then did like four other things I couldn’t follow, but Lip seemed to understand right away. They did it again smoother this time, and Ren gave him a wink.

“It’s official now, we have our own secret handshake. We’re family forever.”

Lip nodded, blinking fast. He hugged her one more time and then me before darting out and down the hall. We stepped out and watched him go. Before he entered the dorm, Lip glanced over his shoulder to make sure we were still there. He waved and then disappeared.

I put my hand on Ren’s shoulder, and she let out the breath she’d been holding. She leaned into my side as we walked toward the exit. I wrapped an arm around her, grounding us both as we stepped outside and headed for Mo and the armored vehicles waiting.

“You okay,” I asked.

She nodded. “Yeah. I am. This was exactly what I needed.”

For the first time in days, I believed her.

There were a few things I knew for sure. One was that no matter how complicated everything else became, Lip would always have us.

And the other was that Snowflake would always have me.

MARCH 12 – THURSDAY 4:00 PM

Yuliana

My fingers tapped atop my knee as we drove down a road that I honestly never thought I’d see again.

I’d memorized the route to Wayward years ago, but even though it mostly looked the same, it was also completely different. Different signs, taller trees, and new houses all announced the passing of time, but the mountain still looked as beautiful and intimidating as ever.