Recycled World by Julia Huni

Author:Julia Huni [Huni, Julia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: IPH Media
Published: 2019-08-31T16:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Two

Katy didn’t message me again that evening. After I got home, I paced around our room, waiting for the phone to ping. I messaged her twice, but she never replied. I prowled out into the living room and back into the bedroom.

“Is everything OK?” Mom sat on the couch, paging through a stack of papers. It looked a lot like the reports I’d been filing all week.

“Yeah, it’s fine,” I muttered. “Just waiting for a text.”

“I’m so glad you found a friend here.” Mom set down her file. “Is she nice?”

I looked at her. What a stupid question. “Of course she’s nice. I wouldn’t hang out with her if she wasn’t.”

“Sorry!” Mom held up her hands, warding me off. “Just trying to show an interest.”

I rolled my eyes. She liked to be involved but wanted to give me space. Or at least that’s what she always said after reading parenting manuals. I took pity on her. “She’s fun. Likes the cows, which I don’t.” I shrugged. “Is that what you wanted to know?”

Mom laughed. “If she likes cows, she must be OK?”

I laughed sheepishly. “I dunno. She’s going to teach me to swim.”

“Oh, that will be fun. I haven’t been to the pool yet.” She glanced at Jacob. He sat on the floor in a corner, playing one of his games. “I wonder if Jacob would like to swim?”

I shrugged and checked my phone again. Still nothing.

Jacob squealed. I didn’t even bother looking. He always made weird noises when he was playing. Most of the time, I didn’t even notice anymore. “I’m going to my room,” I said.

“Goodnight, Peter.” Mom looked at the clock. “Jacob, time for bed.”

* * *

I texted Katy again before starting my lessons. She replied quickly.

Meet me for lunch in the commissary.

“Can I eat lunch in the commissary?” I asked Mrs. W.

“Not today,” Mrs. W. said. “There’s a big meeting after lunch. All hands on deck. I have to attend, so you’ll need to watch your brother.”

“If it’s all hands, shouldn’t I be there, too?”

Mrs. W. handed Jacob a worksheet. “Write the words, Jacob.” She turned to me. “You’ll have to talk to your mother. Someone has to watch this guy.”

“We could take him along,” I said. “He can bring his game. We’ll sit in the back where he won’t bother anyone. It’ll be in the theater, right?”

Jacob threw the pencil across the room and started singing the jingle to his favorite video. Mrs. W. looked at him, then back at me, eyebrows raised. “He won’t bother anyone?”

“We can stay in the lobby. I’ll stand in the doorway, so I can hear, and I can shut it if he gets too loud.” This meeting had to be about the lights we’d seen last night. There was no way I was going to miss it.

“Talk to your mother.” Mrs. W. picked up Jacob’s pencil and sat down next to him, pointing at his paper. “Time to work.” She looked up at me. “You too.”

“But—”

She held up a hand and turned away.

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