Page 48 of Wicked Brutal

“I don’t know. Feels like something Penny should’ve somehow discovered and announced to the entire school by now.”

I laugh. “Absolutely not.”

“What do you write?”

“Stuff.”

“Excellent answer.”

“Thank you.”

She slides the essay back toward me. “Do you want to do it for real?”

“I don’t know.” And that’s the truth. I don’t know what I want to do after Edgewood. I’ve never been allowed to think that far ahead in any meaningful way. “I’ve never really picked anything.”

Becca nods. “Neither had I until recently.”

“You picked?”

“Finally.”

“What?”

“International relations.”

I blink. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

“What do you want to do with it?”

“The UN.” I wait, because the way she says it sounds like there’s more. She sighs. “I want to be a delegate.”

“Becca.”

“What?”

“That’s fucking amazing.”

A little smile pulls at her mouth. “Yeah?”

“Yes.”

“I haven’t exactly told many people yet.”

“I feel special.”

“Don’t.”

I laugh. “Too late.” She steals another pretzel. “Hey.”

“You got information. I get pretzels.”

“That’s not how friendship works.” The word slips out before I think about it. Neither of us makes it weird.

Becca just chews her pretzel. “Seems fair to me.”

Something warm settles low in my chest. Not overwhelming. Not some giant oh my God, I have friends now revelation. Just nice. Easy.