Page 116

She sighed again. “You can but you won’t.”

“It’s a whole council that has to vote...”

“You’re the president.”

“It’s not a dictatorship.”

She laughed. “Well that’s a shame. Anyway, back to the rebellion thing. I was thinking of things that you can do once you turn 18. Maybe Axel is excited to do one of them with you.”

“What can you do when you turn 18?”

“Buy cigarettes?”

I shook my head. “I think that’s when you’re 21.”

“Let’s see.” Sophie pulled out her phone. She typed the question into Google. “Okay. Here’s a whole list. Wait, did Axel come over last night?”

“No.” I hadn’t heard from him since he shut me down hard. “Hit me with the list.”

“You can vote, apply for a credit card, get jury duty, buy a lottery ticket. Oh. Maybe he wants you to hook him up with lotto tickets. Is Axel much of a gambler?”

I shrugged. “I don’t think so. What else?”

“You can join the army.” She laughed. “Could you imagine? Axel signing you up to serve? That would be a weird plot twist.”

“That can’t be it,” I said.

“You’re right. Okay let’s see. You can buy fireworks. Oh that could be good for the party we’re going to throw.”

“Focus.”

“You can sign binding legal contracts without a parent, file for bankruptcy, get a license to drive a truck, become a notary public. Huh. Do you think Axel desperately needs something notarized?”

“Why wouldn’t he just go to the post office?”

“Because of the lines,” Sophie said.

I laughed. “Well, Jacob is already 18. He could have just asked him for that and lottery tickets.”

“Fair.” She looked back down at her phone. “OMG did you know that you can work in a bar when you’re 18? That’s so cool. I didn’t realize that. I have the best idea. I can get a job this summer at the bar that we saw Mr. Halifax at one time. And I can get him super drunk and...” She made a face. “God, I sound like a dirty rapist.”

“Soph, what else is on the list?”

“You can use a meat slicer at work in a deli.” She laughed. “So weirdly specific. And kind of sexual. You can also get married, live independently, rent an apartment, bet on a horse race.” She looked up at me. “I didn’t realize we couldn’t do that already. I’ve been betting on horse races for years.”

“What?”

“I have a guy. Don’t worry about it.”

I was a little worried...

“You can also drive a taxi. Maybe Axel wants a chauffeur?”

I laughed.

“You can also star in a porno and access adults only stores and content. Hot. Maybe he wants to star in a porno with you?”

“Doubtful,” I said. “He doesn’t even want to go to a dance with me.”